When Churches act like Street Preachers
The other day I was walking around downtown Decatur and saw a street preacher. He was doing what most street preachers (and many regular preachers) do, talking into a megaphone to a disinterested audience. I took the opportunity to ask a college age guy sitting there how long the street preacher had been going and we struck up a good conversation.
So, here is a preacher shouting into a megaphone hoping to connect with the same guy that I just struck up a conversation with. Megaphone-man’s message isn’t being heard, but mine is. Why? Because I approached with conversation.
This makes me think of the church relating to culture. While so many (stagnant) churches are shouting down at people, there are a few (growing) churches actually connecting with culture from within. I want to be a part of a church that connects with culture. What kind of church do you want to be a part of?
May 7th, 2007 at 11:53 am
True. I am glad that you decided to have a conversation with this guy that was a stranger.
I think many today are thinking the way we reachout to others would be by looking like a christian as you walk by the lost. Bull horn guy or megaphone man are a problem but the silent smiley christians with no conversation, I believe, represent the body of Christ in the USA. The bull horn megaphone people just make a loud stink that even repells most Christians. Thanks for talking with the student. The answer to these types of “evangelism” is not to get quiet and cool looking but to relate with words and actions by connecting with others.