# Evaluating this street-preaching quote. How would you respond?



## Pergamum (Mar 31, 2015)

> "When critics ask me how many people I lead to Jesus Christ when I open air preach, I tell them that I LEAD EVERY PERSON THAT HEARS THE SOUND OF MY VOICE TO Jesus Christ. Every person who hears the preaching of the Gospel is led either to Jesus Christ as their Judge or as their Savior."
> 
> "When critics of open air preaching object by claiming that I am pushing people away from Jesus, I simply point out to them that PEOPLE WITHOUT Christ ARE AS FAR AWAY FROM HIM AS IS POSSIBLE AND THAT ALL WE CAN POSSIBLY DO IS LEAD THEM CLOSER TO HIM."



What do you think of this quote?

How would you respond?


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## Semper Fidelis (Mar 31, 2015)

I don't know who wrote it or the manner in which he preaches but I have no problems with what he wrote. The first statement is true even inside a Church.


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## KMK (Mar 31, 2015)

Pergamum said:


> When critics of open air preaching object by claiming that *I am pushing people away from Jesus,*



This sounds like a straw man. Criticisms that I have heard usually center on the role of the church in open air preaching.


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## Pergamum (Mar 31, 2015)

Can bad preaching, or a bad presentation of preaching drive people further away from Christ? Right now I believe yes, the practices of some preachers may actually do more harm than good in their content, manner, presentation, and demeanor. 

Unsaved people are outside of Christ, yet they can be further hardened against the truth by our actions.


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## BGF (Mar 31, 2015)

Pergamum said:


> Can bad preaching, or a bad presentation of preaching drive people further away from Christ? Right now I believe yes, the practices of some preachers may actually do more harm than good in their content, manner, presentation, and demeanor.
> 
> Unsaved people are outside of Christ, yet they can be further hardened against the truth by our actions.



Bad preaching and bad presentation are two separate issues. Bad preaching would be that which proclaims another gospel. In so far as it is effective it will draw people away from the true gospel and the Christ of that gospel. Bad presentation will be subjective and difficult to evaluate without particulars and context. I, for one, am completely turned off by slickly produced media presentations that may otherwise proclaim truth. I don't mind a dry sermon.


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## Miss Marple (Mar 31, 2015)

What about the teaching given by Paul, telling the disciples to leave other preachers alone, "He who is not against us is with us." (paraphrase). It seems to me this applies.


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## Don Kistler (Mar 31, 2015)

Years ago there was a man who preached on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. His nickname was Chaplain Bob. He regularly preached about hell. 

Someone once asked him, "Aren't you afraid you're going to scare people away?"

His answer was, "Where am I going to scare them? Hell #2? Hell #3?"


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