Street Preaching... Is it effective?

[votivesoul]

The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power, as Paul wrote.

There are a lot of puffed up street preachers who can storm and rage through a fiery sermon, and yeah, they've got guts. I will give them that. But what else do they have to show for it?

But the logos of God is manifested through preaching, too. God's creative outlet and power to make things that are not into things that are. If this kind of preaching is not happening, street level or otherwise, it's not really the kind of preaching that manifests the logos of God.

I think it was Assisi who said preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.

Street ministry can be highly effective, but it has to be done correctly. An example from my own life:

When I was in college, I had some friends who were part of of the International Student Association. They planned a bus trip to Chicago and I tagged along.

I was friends with a girl named Sam, originally from China. I witnessed to her on the ride down. We hung out in the city for awhile, but somehow we were separated.

I ended up all by myself right in the heart of downtown Chicago. It was mid to late December, and was pretty cold. Not being able to re-connect with the group, I took a stroll around the area. Saw several homeless people. One guy was sitting on the cold sidewalk on the corner by a book store. He and I talked for awhile.

He told me "God's the only one I've got out here". I went into the bookstore, bought him a Bible and gave him my gloves. As I was doing so, a passerby made a crude comment to me for daring to minister to the homeless.

On that street, there were several other homeless and impoverished. I chatted with a few others, and bought some fast food for one or two. In a doorway, a dying man had a sign up that he had liver failure and was hungry.

I bought him some food and we talked. He confessed to me that he had lived a hard life of drinking and this was the end result. I asked him if God were to heal him and give him a second chance, would he give his life to Lord. He said yes, and so, we prayed together. I laid hands on him.

After that, it was like God just started sending people to me. On a different block, a lady with an badly injured and infected eye came up to me out of nowhere and asked if I would buy here some groceries. I could tell she was living on Mean Street. I agreed, and she took me to a local convenience store. I didn't have any money, so I used my credit card.

I said to her: Do you know who's buying you these groceries?
She replied: Jesus

Sometime later, I was able to meet up with everyone and got on the bus and went home. But it was a life changing time of ministry.

We are called to love, not only in word, but also in truth and in deed. This is the type of street preaching I affirm works. It's not brash, abrasive, or in your face. It doesn't annoy or interrupt. It serves where the need is.

It's the Gospel without "words".