Is Open Air Public preaching biblical or not

[Universalist Catholic]

There are several Fundamentalists Christians who go into public areas, such as college campuses, street corners, concerts, malls, shopping centers, and other public areas.  Many times they keep signs of a "Hellfire" scripture taken out of context, and a whole list of condemnations to all sorts of people, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Gays, and any other group they think are bounded for hell.  They tend to also yell at people and have said some pretty nasty things to others.  Many people do not take well to these preachers too well.  Most people ignore them, laugh at them, or just dont even care.  However you get a couple of people who attack them, mock them, get kicked off of property, arrested or punch their signs for their preaching, and these preachers cry out persecution.  These preachers have justifications of being extremely bold for preaching such an unpopular message, and compare themselves to various prophets, Jesus and his apostles, who spoke publicly about the gospel, and warnings.  But if Im correct, these early church leaders did it in a more loving matter, and did not even believe in everlasting damnation.  I know that Jehovahs Witnesses publicly preach, but they dont go blasting out condemnation sermons, and dont force their beliefs on those who are not interested.  So what does the bible actually teach regaurding evangelization?  Since I am pretty sure we have better news than the "Turn or burn" Message. 

[micah7:9]

An evangelist is one who preachs announces good news(Gospel) Should these "preachers" stand on property and street corners and tell souls that they are bad and that they are going to burn in a hell of eternal fire, then I suggest that they not call what they receive in return persecution. They have no justification to hold ill about anyone who comes against them. When these blind leaders of the blind, who have no ears to hear profess such a message of sorrow, vengenence, wrath, judgment, damnation and hate and attempt to call it love, I believe they deserve all the persecution they get.
From my understanding an evangelist is one who preaches good news. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the whole world, not just some, but for all men. That recieving the Fathers drawing now, today rather than waiting till a later time when sorrows come and you have not learned to lean of Him, that now He will bring you a peace beyond anything you ever have known. He loves you. You are justified by the Blood of the Lamb of God washed clean. Come, let us sit and reason together and learn about this Great King. Say these things and yes, persecution will come, be sure that it will, but it will be for His Glory and He is strength and power to overcome this persecution. My  :2c:
Peace and Love Through Jesus

[thinktank]

I disagree with their area of focus, but if people don't show the consequences of sin and merely preach love, where is the impetus for change.


I mean in some people, they despise love and care not for it, until they hear about the consequences of sin, but then again with such people, they probably need to experince the consequences of sin and then hear the message of love, because it is Christ who changes the man, rather than a fearful expectation of judgment.

But I believe some people are motivated to change by judgment because in the book of revelation, when the 2 witnesse judge the earth, they die and they resurect, and then people give glory to God, so some must have repented, but it seems very few do repent. For other judgments the book says that they repented not after God unleashes the vial judgments upon mankind. So if they don't repent when experiencing in the actual vial real hell judgments, then they won't repent when the fake ET hell is proclaimed via words.

So overall I think that the hell message is of little value in changing lives.

[Universalist Catholic]

and yes, persecution will come, be sure that it will, but it will be for His Glory and He is strength and power to overcome this persecution. My   :2c:
Peace and Love Through Jesus

The only people I see out persecuting us are the Church Systems, and a few close minded skeptics who hate any idea of a higher purpose in life than serving their own self interests in their short life.  But I cannot blame them, considering all the horrors in the name of religion.  Mistreatment of animals, burning children alive, corrupt dictatorships, human sacrifices, discrimination against certain people, fear mongering, all for what?  What do most religions state awaits them in the afterlife? Excruciating pain in some Hellfire or go off into meaningless bliss playing a harp amongst self righteous snobs.  So its no wonder these people dont want anything to do with "god" when this is the foul fruit of religion.  But if they did open their minds and actually learn the real bible, they would see a whole different message than the Fundamentalist garbage preached from the pulpets of that Turn or Burn trash.

[shawn]

I disagree with their area of focus, but if people don't show the consequences of sin and merely preach love, where is the impetus for change.


I mean in some people, they despise love and care not for it, until they hear about the consequences of sin, but then again with such people, they probably need to experince the consequences of sin and then hear the message of love, because it is Christ who changes the man, rather than a fearful expectation of judgment.

But I believe some people are motivated to change by judgment because in the book of revelation, when the 2 witnesse judge the earth, they die and they resurect, and then people give glory to God, so some must have repented, but it seems very few do repent. For other judgments the book says that they repented not after God unleashes the vial judgments upon mankind. So if they don't repent when experiencing in the actual vial real hell judgments, then they won't repent when the fake ET hell is proclaimed via words.

So overall I think that the hell message is of little value in changing lives.

You have a point that I would like to talk about.  The hymn Amazing Grace always spoke to me and this verse has value for this conversation.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.

Many of us came to God because of fear...fear of hell, fear of being a bad person, fear of the unknown.  But, once saved we learn also about the love of God.  We grow in relationship, love and that fear is relieved.  We are not called to walk in fear.

This might not be a popular opinion but I am very discerning with whom I share my thoughts about hell.  If I feel a Christian is suffering with the idea of hell I am likely to share.  Do I preach it from the streets?  No.  It might be that there are some individuals who need the idea of hell to initiate the process of seeking out.

[Universalist Catholic]

Funny about the persecution.  On youtube, some Evangelical is whining about persecution, because he had his account suspended on youtube for saying extremely hateful things, he refers to "The Truth".  First off, hate speech is hate speech, and YT has a right to remove hateful content, just as they would if someone was posting racist propaganda.  It would not be tolerated.  So why should these Hellfire threats, which are more hateful than any horrible ethnic slur be more tolerated?  So I have to say, you reap what you sow.  If you sow persecution, you are going to get persecution. 

[thinktank]

This might not be a popular opinion but I am very discerning with whom I share my thoughts about hell.  If I feel a Christian is suffering with the idea of hell I am likely to share.  Do I preach it from the streets?  No.  It might be that there are some individuals who need the idea of hell to initiate the process of seeking out.

shaun


Interesting point you touched upon. I recently saw or at least watched half an hour of a movie called the mission, it seems a good film worth watching, but I went to bed. In this film a man doesnt think he deserves forgivness by christ and refuses it, but through toil and punishments thought of by the priest, he gained penance though trials and eventually broke down, so hes ego could accept the free gift of salvation. I think that some people want to be punished in some form, so that they can come to God.
The bible talks much of this, and says through sufferings you have taught me your commandments that I may live.

[fire walker]

When ever I hear about preachers going about preaching such fear in a negative light it reminds me of preachers like Fred Phelps who goes out and condemns practicaly everything man does and we are all going to hell and bla bla bla, the only real hell even though it is temporal is right here in this world hearing the likes of Hypocrites like this preaching at military and private funerals and other places about the deceased going to hell, they are already deceased so preaching about it is nothing but empty hopeless futility as I see it..  yet it is not for me to say they can't preach  nor would I ever personaly try to prevent them :bgdance:

As far as public preaching itself goes I have nothing against it personaly and it doesn't appear to be against anything in the scriptures if the person is moved and feels a calling to preach in public then let them preach I say, I certainly wouldn't personaly try to  encourage them to do so or prevent them from doing so.

Peace
Fire Walker

[Universalist Catholic]

As far as public preaching itself goes I have nothing against it personaly and it doesn't appear to be against anything in the scriptures if the person is moved and feels a calling to preach in public then let them preach I say, I certainly wouldn't personaly try to  encourage them to do so or prevent them from doing so.

As long as the messages were more positive, and not such unbiblical negativity.

[thinktank]

The bible does say something in the manner of shout from the rooftops.

I do't think one should be hanging around private property though, being there a long time.

[Universalist Catholic]

They often compare themselves to Noah, when the people mocked him before the flood.  There were also prophets who came to warn Israel of Judgment.  So thats kind of a stumping point for me.