The Gospel in the Open-Air Again

This is first post in a series. Here are links to posts that follow.

• Guidelines for Open-Air Preaching
• Open-Air Preaching is Optional?
• Missional Open-Air Preaching
• Steps Toward Open-Air Preaching
• The Dismissal of Open-Air Preaching

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Something has been burning in my belly. I can't shake it. I have a picture in my head of movement of preachers that, I believe, will shake up the culture and change the face of American Christianity in a myriad of good ways. I have much more to say about it, but let me start simply.

What if evangelicals hit America with 200, or 500, or 1,000 theologically strong, gospel-centered pastors who start preaching in open-air and public places in their cities, beyond their Sunday morning worship services, at least once a week for the rest of 2011? What would happen? What if even more did it, or what if it was done more often (Whitefield preached an average of 20 times a week for 34 years)? This idea has been on my mind in some form since my first few weeks as a new Christian (almost exactly 17 years ago). It continued through seminary as I did many outdoor evangelism projects and wrote a paper in seminary on open-air preaching. I've discussed it over the past few years with Joe Thorn. In the last few weeks I believe God has pressed this idea into me. I'm compelled to put it out there knowing many will probably think I'm stupid or crazy, and I'm ok with that.

In my opinion and in no particular order, here are some things that will probably happen if a movement of solid preachers would take to the open-air in America...

1. The Gospel would spread, maybe in an unprecedented way, across our land. It would be heard by people who would never set foot in our churches. It would spread in other ways explained below.

2. Our pastors and our people would be forced to learn to explain the Gospel simply, answer objections, etc. This would spark more training in theology, evangelism, apologetics, etc, but this time with a sense of need rather than something we too often learn for our "personal growth" only.

3. A *buzz* would grow among our neighbors. Suddenly it would be hard to miss seeing and/or hearing the Gospel where we live and in the places we go. People will stumble across it sooner or later, and probably more than once, and it will shake people up. Instead of being the odd guy down at the outdoor mall, it will be respected, calm, thoughtful, theological, loving people doing it. It will open a conversation as to "why" this is suddenly everywhere.

4. Persecution of one form or another (or all forms) would naturally increase. We are mostly left alone in our buildings, but when we preach with biblical power in the open-air the Devil will not be pleased.

5. The stereotype would change of open-air preaching and open-air preachers as the "turn or burn" and "sandwich board" folks would be drowned out by good, biblical, evangelistic preaching. It would come across as more normal because good preachers are doing it, yet it would still shake things up.

6. The media would take notice and start asking us what's going on, and we'd get free airtime to talk about Jesus. It would spark a growing public conversation about things on our agenda instead of merely getting asked to chime in when we fit in with the world's agenda. 

7. Dozens, hundreds of doors for personal evangelism would open up in every place public preaching is done because some of our people will attend and strike up conversations with those who stop to listen. In other words, we create a clear pathway for immediate personal evangelism. The preachers cast nets to draw them in, our people cast hooks, and together we work out our different roles in evangelism.

8. We would begin to pray with a new fervency, boldness, and deep need like in the end of Acts 4.. We would find ourselves relying on God in ways we've ignored because we take few risks. Our prayer meetings would, without question, see less "pray for aunt Sally's leg" and see more prayer for salvation, for strength, for the words to speak, for courage and boldness, for the many different issues that will result from the preaching, and so on.

9. Our churches would immediately start to see more visitors. The seeker kind. The skeptic kind. The curious kind. This would come because of the people who want to hear more from the preacher and the people who have connected personally with Christians during public preaching. They will come because this is the preacher who doesn't play well with others, and this time not because they spew judgments but because they won't stay away in their safe, warm buildings.

10. Christians will be separated from "Christians." Dead churches and denominations, the ones that don't have nor preach the Gospel, will start to look clearly different from evangelical ones. Our preaching will force the issue because people of various "Christian" groups will hear and react differently. Christians without Christ will be challenged to leave their Gospel-less churches and denominations. It will create a challenge to the peaceful, live-and-let-live relationship happening among all groups called "Christian" in our cities and it will reopen a necessary discussion on issues of Gospel, truth, theology, heresy, etc... and all in a much more public way.

I'm sure you can imagine that doors would open for a hundred other things. We don't know all that would happen as this has essentially been left untried. I don't believe there is even a need to discuss whether or not this is biblical. If anything preaching only in our buildings is what needs to be biblically challenged. Spurgeon wrote on page 254 of Lectures to My Students...

No sort of defense is needed for preaching out of doors; but it would need very potent arguments to prove that a man had done his duty who has never preached beyond the walls of his meeting-house. A defense is required rather for services within buildings than for worship outside of them. 

I believe that if in the next couple of months hundreds of preachers in America would embrace this, and public preaching started happening all over the place, especially with the spring and summer months coming as the perfect opportunity, that we would see amazing things happen by the hand of our good and gracious God. I believe we would see mighty works by the Holy Spirit. I believe it would be amazing, but we would have to do it in order to see it.

A lot of questions remain, I know. A lot of doubts. You may be skeptical that it can work. You may be wondering where you could even do it in your particular community. You may have fears of doing it and desire to stay in the comfort of your pulpit. I hear you, but I think there are good answers and motivations for all of this. More soon.

My prayer as this goes up is that God will stir in us by His Spirit a movement of preachers who preach the Gospel publicly, beyond the walls of our buildings. I'm praying first for myself, then for many of my friends and pastoral acquaintances by name, and then for a number of well-known pastors who I think God has put in places of influence for their theological strength and solid preaching of the Gospel. I believe we need older, mature pastors to lead us in something like this. God help us to preach the Gospel boldly and publicly.

Comments

[Joeholland]

I'm fascinated by the concept. I remember reading Dallimore's bio of Whitefield and thinking, "what would it look like to do open air preaching today?" But that question has long died down until I read your post this morning. It got me thinking again. Thanks.

[LeL]

Interesting idea. And I really appreciate your zeal for the lost. But I just don't see how the distinction you seek in point 5 is going to happen. I doubt strongly that anyone would stop long enough to listen and hear the distinction in theology and style. Furthermore, isn't living on mission, being salt and light, going to be more effective since it gives us a chance to "preach" to the specific needs of our friends and neighbors? If our people just lived and loved on mission more, all the same effects that you listed, would happen. Lastly, I do appreciate the media aspect of your thoughts. We do need more attention in the media. But I don't think this is the best way. I think Tim Keller on Fox News talking about The Gospel of Mark and Lecrae sharing the Gospel at Grammy events and Driscoll writing editorials for the USA Today is much more effective than open air preaching.

[Jonathan Griffiths]

Oh man... I saw your tweet last night and was curious. I read your post and now I'm all amped up (in a good way). This outdoor preaching is something that has crossed my mind more than a few times. I have no idea what kind of venue would be useful in today's culture, though. We have no temple gathering space, or communal gathering for oration as the Greeks had. Heck, people don't even congregate in parks anymore that much. So I love the idea, I'm going to be praying, and maybe I'll be out there in Idaho in agreement with you and the vision that I would happily contest is from the Lord. Rock it Steve, be brave, and do not fear their faces.

[Matthew]

I'm down... lemme see what I can do 'round here.

[Scottbaermann]

I'm with you Steve. A few years ago our small core group met at our local park in Bucktown (Chicago) and had a neighbor join us and even bring toys out for the kids. It also provided a great oppurtunity to talk to people hanging out in the park before and after. I know if we grew bigger and drew more attention we would of had to get a permit from the park district...which could have been tricky. I could see that as an issue for 'public' places. Just would have to be creative. In Chicago I could preach on my parkway and draw plenty of attention.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. May God make it so!

[Barry]

Our pastor has done some open air preaching in some of the public parks here. I love the concept, but we haven't seen any fruit from it.

[Jared Wilson]

I've been thinking of this -- or a variation of it -- for a little while now and when I saw you post a pic from a passage related to this last week (or whenever it was) I took that as a nudge.

As you probably know, our situation is a lil different in that our church building is in the town center and we actually own the town green. (If you go to the wikipedia page for Middletown Springs, Vermont you can see a photo of it.) I know you're talking about going "outside our buildings" in terms of *away* from them, but I've wondered about (re)preaching through some historical New England sermons on our front steps over the green. Stuff from Edwards or Whitefield or Warfield or even Vermont's Lemuel Haynes.

I wonder if the mixture of the aspect of "performance" of works of history and the thickness of the gospel in these sermons would appeal to the folks of our town in fruitful ways. There is a strong anti-religious sentiment here, but people *love* history, including religious history, if you can figure that one out.

I think when summer hits, I may give a run at this.

[Steve McCoy]

If anyone hasn't read Spurgeon's 2 chapters in Lectures to My Students on open-air preaching, I highly recommend it. I believe they are chapters 17 & 18. He talks about the how, the where, the demeanor of the preacher, etc.

[Steve McCoy]

I think it's a cool idea, Jared. Spurgeon writes about preaching outside your place of worship...

"It is well to preach before your regular services on a spot near your place of worship, so as to march the crowd right into the building before they know what they are about. Half-an-hour's out-of-door speaking and singing before your ordinary hour of assembly will often fill an empty house." (p 259)

Maybe not quite on your topic, but helpful.

[Frank!]

Steve,
You're going to get a lot of us in trouble! But I'm glad someone like you is bringing this up. Still working out how this will work in my context (Southern California) but I think I have an idea. Keep up the good work!

[Aaron Armstrong]

@LeL - it's not really an either/or. It's a both/and. We need to both proclaim clearly and live lives that reflect what we preach.

@Steve - Our church is definitely onboard—our local missions pastor has been all over open-air preaching for years. Thanks for the challenge to do this.

[Bill Streger]

I really want to get on board with this. Steve, I've been stirred by much of what you've been thinking through lately... and I realize that many of the excuses I make (it won't be effective, people won't listen, etc.) are driven more by my fear of man than anything else.

I think finding a way to do it that is respectful of the peace in public places is going to be key - somehow doing it in a place and manner that allows people to listen if they want be ignore just as easily, that isn't interrupting something else taking place. (i.e. Not setting up near a restaurant patio and disrupting people's dinner, etc.)

I am really looking forward to wrestling through this with guys who are willing to step out and try - working together to figure out how we can make this happen. Thanks for stepping out and posting what God has been stirring... the vision behind what God might do is captivating to me.

[Steve McCoy]

LeL, it's not so much they would stop to hear the distinction in theology as the Gospel would be preached well. What is the argument against called men of God preaching openly the Gospel? I think there is none.

As for effectiveness, like I said in my post, I think this is a currently mostly untried thing. I think a movement of men doing this well will be effective. I also said in the post it will create avenues for our people who are living on mission, more than they already have. Maybe the reason our people aren't "on mission more" is we are called to preach and we aren't stirring up our cities with our preaching which would lead to more boldness and effectiveness among the ministry of our people.

I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.

[[email protected]]

I really dig the risk, challenge and confidence in the gospel, Steve. I'm going to read those 2 chapters and hopefully come to some conclusions.

My first thought when I saw your pic a few days ago of Spurgeon's quote was to sarcastically and somewhat tongue and cheek say, "oh how 'missional'". :)But I think the discussion is warranted of just how missional or anti-missional open air preaching is in our culture.

One one hand, I think it is such a Taboo thing to do that there would need to be a very hook for people to distinguish us from the crazies. Obviously we have the true gospel but it's going to take something more than standing up and preaching loud to gain an audience. I don't know what that looks like though.

On the other hand, I did public preaching last week. I sat with a friend, whom I've been pursuing, after our basketball game and gave him the gospel. He was a captivated audience. I would have broken a lot of trust with him (and he probably would have walked away) if I said, "you know what Marcus, other people in these stands need to hear this too" and stood up on the bleachers to preach.

-Jesse

[Pastor Jeremy]

Do this and this will happen. I dare say we see Arminian pragmatism rearing its ugly head in an honest reformed brother. Let me explain... I am not casting stones here. God contextualizes Himself into the human condition in the incarnation. He does not impose antiquated pragmatism on those He calls to Himself, He calls them to follow Him in community. This looks different in different cultures, but the message of Christ is always the same. We must be on guard against our love for the days of Spurgeon and Edwards to ensure that we do not idolize what worked for them in their culture. Rather, we must look to the content of their message and contextualize that into the culture in which God has placed us. It is my opinion and experience that Open-Air preaching places a stumbling block before the hearer before the name of Christ is even heard. Let us tear down these barriers rather than build them up.

[Jared Wilson]

Actually, if open-air preaching presents "barriers," wouldn't it be pragmatic to *not* do it?

Contextualization is the good kind of pragmatism, anyway.

[Michael Scott Foster]

Love it, Steve. Great post.

[Anthony Russo]

Good post. There is a wonderful movement afoot in this country to pray-up a generation of open air preachers. I would refer you to a great new DVD on this called "Go Stand Speak" available here http://www.gostandspeak.com/ (not my site and I get nothing for linking to it).

[Timmy Brister]

Reformed Arminians unite! :)

[Scott Clayton]

This sounds more like a fear of change than a plea for contextualization. Context IS key, which is why we try new methods to reach our given crowd. It I our job as Christians to help shape culture, not just bend over and let current culture have its way. I think open-air preaching done well could be very attractive. Also my opinion.

[Bill Streger]

Jeremy, what stumbling block would the kind of winsome, humble, "non-crazy" preaching that Steve describes in the post place before the hearer? Are you asserting that it would be impossible to not be immediately lumped in with the caricature of a crazy "turn or burn" kind of preacher? Genuinely trying to understand...

[Jonathan Griffiths]

@Pastor Jeremy - not sure how the concept of contextualization relates to your claim of Arminian pragmatism. Surely Steve is just inviting us to consider proclaiming the Gospel outside of our church buildings/worship gatherings so that people would hear. That doesn't strike me as Arminian, just Biblical.

[Joeholland]

Jeremy, I'm curious where you're going with your post since Jesus was incarnate as an (the) open air preacher. Are you arguing that it would be wrong to preach today in the same method that our Lord did? I'm sincerely curious.

[David Dorr]

Steve,

I'm in. I'm an Acts 29 pastor in Cincinnati. Wanna pick a date and do it? How about the Saturday the weekend before Easter the 16th of April? Let's pray and plan together about how and then let's do it. What do you think? dave at passagechurch dot com

[ward139]

I think this is right on.....in that we need to reach the lost on more 'neutral' turf than our churches. Our testimony is the vulnerability that will ease proud, fearful hearers of the gospel.....reaching them on the common ground of 'all have sinned and fall short' drops their guard more than 'you sinner'.

Similarly when Christians live out costly faith/obedience....faith that stands through discomfort/awkward humiliy/persecutions.....unbelievers see a faith that is finally 'worth' something. Unbelievers are looking for something to believe in.......I think far too often they're not convinced we wholeheartedly believe what we're offering. We need to give weight to our convictions by bearing the cross and cost of the call in our lives.....THAT authenticity and departure from American entitlement and autonomy and values will help translate the gospel to a proud, selfish, lost hearer.

In all, He does the convincing....the word of God does not return void. Nothing to it but to do it.....to be humbly vulnerable for the sake of the lost.....selling all that we have (pride, comfort, reputation) and giving it to the poor (the lost) and following Christ.

Brethren, let us honor Him more rightly with our lives.

[Keith Giles]

I can't wondering what would happen if you started a sign-up page to find 100 evangelists/preachers willing to do this in their community for one month.

This could be the beginning of something great.

For the record, I'm one of those who feels that it's more effective to live out the Gospel daily and talk to people one-on-one as the Spirit leads. However, this doesn't mean there isn't room for public preaching as well.

It's not "this or that" but "both" that we need. Let's preach the Gospel and then let's live it out as well. This combined witness WILL be effective.

Who wants to create the webpage for the signups? I'll Tweet, Blog and promote the site and I'll even sign up to teach/preach publicly here in Orange County at least once. (And maybe I can recruit a few others to join in?)

I say let's make this happen.

[Will Adair]

There was a time I was so left of Reformed theology that Pelagius would have said "WTH?" I see Reformed theology particularly the Calvinist version much like Spurgeon as "nothing more than the gospel itself." To call open evangelism a form of practical Arminian is a misnomer at the best.

Let us just look at Jesus in John's Gospel.

In John 4, Jesus preaches his divinity to the crowd of Samaritans.
In John5, Jesus preaches in Jerusalem his divinity.
In John 7, Jesus goes covertly to the temple and then began preaching openly.
In John 8-10, Jesus preaches openly in Jerusalem in the market place.
In John 11 Jesus preaches openly of his sovereignty over death at Lazarus graveside mourning.
In John 18. Before the mock trail which was open to the public, Jesus defended his deity and his control over going to the cross.

I asked jokingly on twitter, who wants to be like that? I do. I think Steve does as well. Not a bad thing at all. If people want to run with Steve's idea then I will register a domain, create a simple form with maps, and host it for free. Seriously.

[[email protected]]

I was meeting with an older, Anglican minister yesterday who studied at Westminster in the 70's. He said one weekend a group of students went into New York City, the business district, with a permit, and at lunchtime one of the students began addressing the passersby on the subject of economics from a biblical perspective. After speaking about the grace of God he said, "If you would like to talk further with someone about these issues, you'll notice people standing around with a yellow button on their collar. They would be happy to talk to you."

He then shared how he would love to do something similar in one of the busy squares in our downtown district...the same square, same time, every week for several months, with the anticipation that people will begin to show up wondering, what is he going to talk about today?"

I've not been one for open-air preaching, but after reading your recent blog posts and hearing this minister's dream, I find myself warming to the possibilities! Thanks for the putting it out there!

[Joab Rico]

Bro,

My team and I have been doing this for years, and we have seen a lot of fruit. Often 5 to 10 times a week.
Let's connect.

Joab Rico

[Jeremy Writebol]

Steve,

I posted this as a comment on Bill Streger's blog but I thought I would do it here too... just some thoughts on the where/how of doing this in our current cultural climate... and some "kingly" thoughts on any organization...

Bill,

This post wrecked me too... and I had an idea about how to go about it. The college campus.

I don't know about the college campuses in your areas but mine has a very public "commons" area that most students on campus pass by at some point in the day or another. My campus even has a "pulpit" under one of the mighty oaks trees that people give speeches from.

What if we scheduled a time (or two) each week to go over to our college campuses and preach in the open air. Furthermore what if we hunted down the college communications and speech teachers and told them that during a specific time each week we would be delivering an oratory speech and inviting those classes to come and observe our style/delivery/etc. all the while getting the gospel to them through our message. Does that sound "bait and switchy?"

One other question - does thing go viral or should we create a network of "theologically strong, gospel-centered pastors" who are assessed/certified to do this? I like viral, but I want it to work too, and I want to see a joint effort across the country in this.... I'm going to post this comment at Steve's blog too but I thought I would here for the sake of furthering the discussion. Count me in though.

[James]

Open Air preaching - taste and see that the Lord is good! I'm not from America I'm from Wales UK, but there are still humans there. The most awesome thing about it is... It's Biblical! Too many people say 'I think this will happen or I think that will happen if I do it'. How do you know if you have never done it?

[LeL]

Thanks for the gentle responses to my observations. I do acknowledge that it's not an either/or thing. I just am not sold that this is the most effective use of time and energy. However, I do see the effectiveness of it if you had a thousand men doing it across the country on one day at one time. You will be lumped in as crazies though. I'm not afraid of that, I'm just stating that there might be more effective ways.

To those of you who are excited by this idea, I salute you, support you, and will pray for you. I'm on your team. We need more innovative thinking like this in Evangelica.

[Steve McCoy]

Thanks for all the comments. I'm really encouraged by your responses, for those already jumping in and committing to give it a go. I'm resisting the urge to try to do too much, but if this is resonating then we need to have a way to discuss it further. Suggestions?

[Rick Bennett]

If this takes off maybe Southern Seminary and the SBC will forgive you for your stance on beer;)

But probably not. Some things are more important than Evangelism.

[Jeremy Writebol]

As I said in my earlier comment I think a networking of some sort of guys doing this would be great and encouraging to each other. Maybe it doesn't have to be anything formalized (like an A29 process) but I think if we rallied around each other and did it together it would benefit the movement... maybe we need a City group or something like that?

[Jessewinkler]

Well, thanks a lot! This has taken up a lot of my day (reading Spurgeon on it and thinking a lot about it).

My first thoughts were pretty negative. As I read what Spurgeon was suggesting I realized he's simply talking about holding church services in order to go to the people who aren't going to come in our buildings. The more I thought about different ways to do this the more I think it doesn't have to be "crazy".

I'm in the suburbs but I could see getting permission to hold an informal church service in a huge empty parking lot right in the center of a huge shopping metropolis in my community. Do it simple, few songs and message. Maybe a banner saying "Open-Air Public Church". Do it long enough and consistent enough and people will catch on. Could do the same thing outside coffee shops with a courtyard, inside nursing homes, homeless shelters, etc.

The idea of communally going and doing church services out in the community as one way of doing mission is fascinating me.

We say we are about gospel demonstration and proclamation. We already go out as a community on mission to demonstrate the gospel in various ways. This is a way to intentionally go out as a community on mission to proclaim the gospel.

[zach hoag]

Steve, I know you were impacted by last year's Verge conference...how do you see this approach as integrated with a missional/incarnational approach? (Sorry if you've already answered that question, didn't have time to scroll all the comments!)

[Steve McCoy]

Zach, I was just talking to Joe Thorn about that. The public proclamation of the Gospel would only help the missional church be the church. Acts 2 public preaching and conversions is followed by Acts 2:42ff radical community life followed by Acts 3 works & wonders, persecution in Acts 4 followed by prayer for boldness to keep proclaiming despite threats, ending with more explanation of radical community life.

Public preaching doesn't hurt missional/incarnational evangelism, it expands it and probably speeds some of it up.

[Jim]

Hey Steve,

If you start preaching outdoors let me know when and where and I'll do my best to come, listen and learn. As a lay person, I love this concept. Do you think you can get other Pastors in town to do it with you?

[Chris Blackstone]

Jared,

I love your idea of "re-preaching" rich, historical sermons. It would provide a good opportunity to demonstrate to people that the truth of the Gospel doesn't change and that what Jesus calls people to isn't something we thought up recently. This is similar what Mark Dever's doing right now with some Sibbes' sermons, except in public.

I'm in, once it gets warmer up here in Ann Arbor.

[Frank!]

Wow, this thing took off in big ways. I'll say it, if anyone in the Southern California Area (Orange County) is interested in something like this, I have a friend who is doing this a lot as well as a Pastor who has access to Cal State Fullerton on Fridays. You can also visit my blog to contact me.

[Corey]

You haven't seen any immediate fruit. Never will we know (this side of heaven) the full impact we have when sharing the gospel. "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." -1 Cor 3:6

[Joe Thorn]

Steve, you and I are talking about it offline, but I thought I would say here, publicly, that this may turn out to be one of the most important posts pastors will read this year. I could be wrong, but man - I love the idea. Not the caricature of it, nor the abuse of it, but a potential reclamation of open air preaching. It could be done, but I think it will fall onto the shoulders of a few to start through bold, yet careful, trial and error. I'm praying and thinking, and willing to experiment, with you in all of it.

[Barry]

Agreed, Corey. I'm not discouraged by the lack of apparent fruit. My thought, which I didn't make clear, was that Point Number 9 in the original post might not be always be true. I think open air preaching is good and right nonetheless.

[Kris Estep]

Hey Steve,
I was very excited to read your post this morning but was unable to respond until now. Over the past few weeks I have enjoyed reading your twitter posts that have all been focused towards revival and open-air preaching. I couldn't help but wonder what God might be stirring in your heart.

I am glad to see that the overwhelming response has been positive to what you have said. I have been doing open-air preaching on and off for about 3 years. This past year has seen more regular and planed times out on the street. As you pointed out many have a negative view on the ministry of the open air. I tell people all the time that there is "the good, the bad, and the ugly" when it comes to street ministry.

That being said, I just wanted to encourage each of you to step forward and "break the sound barrier" when it comes to proclaiming the gospel in the open air. You will find that God uses and creates some unusaul sittuations. I have some wonderful memories of times preaching and conversations that grew out of the message.

I also want to say, don't be discouraged by the negativity that may come to you when you do this. I know from personal experience that even if you preach in a style or manner that is the complete oposite of what we would call the "shock and awe" preachers you will face some negativity on ocasion. The preaching of the gospel just seems to do that to some folks.

Don't want to go on too long, but I'm just really excited about what I see here. Solid, Biblical guys getting excited about open-air preaching. I would second Anthony's recommendation above of the "Go, Stand, Speak" DVD. http://www.gostandspeak.com/ I know several of the guys on there, have preached with them and I know their heart and motives are for God's Glory. There is already a large number of guys who are attempting to get on the streets and preach to all who pass by.

May God bless you all as you step out.

[Allen]

Thanks for posting this! Thanks also to all the other people who have reposted it. I've been blessed enough to be able to do some open air preaching. It has afforded some great opportunities to share the gospel with people. Lots of people will come and listen. A lot have stuck around to ask questions. There are always opportunities to pray for and with people. It has afforded the opportunities to be able to help people out with their physical needs as well when companied with the local church. I'm not talking bull horn and sandwich board. Just on a corner sharing the gospel from scripture. It often builds up the church to see people are actually proclaiming the gospel. Yet with others it brings on antagonizing. Nevertheless, the gospel is preached and God is glorified. Might there be more of this in the future.

[keith]

My name is Keith. I do this daily. I am currently in southern cal., but will be heading east to preach in the midwest then new england. if anyone cares to join me for any part of this, please let me know. i am not much of a blogger, but you can go to my site: whitefieldfellowship.org

Or feel free to call me: (three one four).(920).(1445) or email me Keith at whitefieldfellowship.org

I have been doing this off and on for the past ten years, quit my job a year ago to pursue full-time and hoping and praying for a solid, reformed individual(s) to co-labor with.

[Dustin S. Segers]

Brothers,

I am a Calvinistic, Baptistic pastor from Greensboro, NC and have been open-air preaching on college campuses at least once per week for several years now. I can confidently tell you this, if you get that doctrinally sound gospel out from inside your buildings and herald it before unbelievers, they'll usually have no problem separating you from the "crazies", especially when you attempt to calmly reason with them frpm the Scriptures. Also, if you ate a regular presence, they will come to respect you because they won't view you as some dude who got a wild hair one day and decided to take it outside his four walls, but instead, they'll see you as someone who really cares about them even though they hate your message. I say quit worrying about being called names or whatever, get prayed up, memorize loads of pertinent Scripture, and get out there once per week to go fishing for men! Being regularly faithful to do things like this will bear fruit in time. However, if you are serious about doing this, expect demonic attacks to come in some form or another. Satan is quite pleased to have you keep the gospel within the four walls of your church buildings.

[Kevin]

Steve:

I agree with you that this could monumentally change the face of Christianity in the US.

One thing I would like to point out, though. Back in March of 2007, you posted a short, critical post aimed at Ray Comfort of Living Waters. He's been open air preaching for decades all over the world and has trained thousands of people to do the same. I just hope you will keep in mind going forward that there are brothers and sisters who have been faithfully doing what you are advocating for for decades.

[JR]

Steve,

I really appreciate the spirit of your post and the dialogue that has followed.

One thing to keep in my mind, which I am sure you already have. Is how different today's open air audience would be from an audience during the First or Second Great Awakening.

The audiences that Whitefield and Edwards preached to had a more fundamental understanding of sound, Christian doctrine than people do today. Those awakenings were successful because they roused slumbering people who already thought Christianly into focusing their affections upon Christ. Our open air audiences today are nothing like that. People in the public square today deny God's existence...or at least don't care about it...or adhere to other world religions, etc. People in the 18th century, however, lived under an umbrella of understanding that said God exists, he is sovereign, Christ's death on the cross was substitutionary in its application toward sinful man, etc... In other words in the day of Whitefield and Edwards what we call Orthodox (even reformed othodoxy) was fundamental to the worldview of the masses.

I'm not saying that open air preaching is a bad thing, or shouldn't be done today...I'm just saying it would look very, very different from what Whitefield was doing 300+ years ago.

Sic Em,
JR

[Ryan Fishel]

I've been wrestling for months now, as church-planter training in Ireland, whether I ought to be open-air preaching. I seem to turn to every indirect form of evangelism pragmatically, timidly; but God's word continues to leave me unsettled. I day dream of being on the corners; it often fills my prayers. I need to be on the streets, direct, praying for boldness and fearlessness (Eph. 6:19,20), and heralding the finished work and infinite worth of Christ Jesus the Lord.

Yes. You are right, Steve. It is a timely word you've shared, and there is an additional comfort added to the day I step out in such faith, that I am surrounded—even today—with a great cloud of witnesses.

[Ryan Fishel]

Charles Spurgeon, "Street Preaching":

http://www.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/strprch.htm

[Steve McCoy]

Thanks for the comment, Kevin. I don't like Ray Comfort's approach. I've not been at all impressed with things I've heard him say in public settings. A part of the point of my post is that people need to do it different and better than that. I'm guessing you'd take issue with that? :) But I don't see more "Ray Comforts" out there as helpful. I see it as not helpful. Trying to say it gently, brother. Again, thanks for your comment.

[Steve McCoy]

Appreciate you jumping in Dustin. Encouraged. University campuses are a great place to do this, obviously. The best open-air preaching I've ever seen was at the University of Louisville. The worst at the Southern Illinois University. I'm hoping/planning on doing some work at our local community college, which will be a little harder to figure out, but not that much.

At the same time, I really want us to think about doing this among our cities and not just universities. Have you tried that locally? What has been your experience? What are the differences?

[Chris Blackstone]

Just a note about the fruit that results from open-air preaching -- Matt Schmucker, VP of 9Marks, was converted through an open-air preacher on the campus of the University of Maryland. Heard him talk about it once on a 9Marks Interview

[Steve McCoy]

Chris, I remember hearing him say that. Thanks for reminding me.

[Andy Toovey]

Instead of talking about it, can we just do it?

It's a lot easier to work out how it could be done better once you've already started doing it.

Me and friends from Bible college in WEST, UK, pray hard then go out every Wednesday lunchtime, and several just preach the gospel, plain and simple. We could communicate better, we could contextualize better, we're works-in-progress, but I tell you what - since we've started doing it, several guys training for pastoral ministry have done it for the first time; confidence in God, not self is growing, and whenever we go out, there are always solid conversations with listeners who have never faced a personal challenge to consider Christ before.

I used to be skeptical about open air preaching. Not any more. For the sake of God's glory, we need to shake off the fear of men, and start boldly proclaiming our life-changing gospel!

A big 'amen' to the challenge of this post.

And for those who would rather type about it, rather than get on with it, help me out with my 1 minute gospel challenge

Andy

[Steve McCoy]

Andy, thanks for your feedback. Your comment about those who would "rather type" seems a bit snarky to me. Hope you didn't mean it that way.

I do agree, and was just talking yesterday with someone, about how in many ways we need to go do it to figure out how to do it. But my typing is helping me learn to do it as well.

Thanks again for your comment and "amen." I'm checking out your link now (though I think I've been there before).

[Steve McCoy]

Thanks much for the comment, Kris. I've checked out that website and intro to the DVD. I like some of the guys involved, but not all of them. I like some of the resources, not all of them. But I'm curious.

And thanks for sharing some of your experience with it and encouragement to "break the sound barrier." Good stuff, man.

[Andy Toovey]

Hey Steve, yeah I should have taken a few breaths before typing rashly. I didn't mean we shouldn't talk together to improve our preaching or even type helpful blog posts (like yours!) to get better or encourage/inspire others! I'd only read down the first 15 comments or so and started reading some of the 'is open air preaching contextual?' comments.

The 'snarky' edge to my comment was more against those who blunt straightforward obedience with lofty discussions over whether or not our actions will be well received by the world. The point being, we answer to God alone.

Sorry to anyone else who got caught by the stray bullets.

Just found a more recent comment which captures what I was trying to say better: "I say quit worrying about being called names or whatever, get prayed up, memorize loads of pertinent Scripture, and get out there" - Dustin

[Frank!]

@ JR
I agree that audiences have changed, that doesn't change the fact that the gospel is the power of God unto Salvation. Still, this will mean that the people who go out to street preach MUST be well trained in their Bible, Theology and Apologetics. I also believe a gospel presentation similar to 2 Ways To Live can be of use because if gives the Biblical storyline in a short picturesque way. Let's not also forget that the use of technology can be of help as well.

[Chris Poblete]

I'm in.

[Steve McCoy]

Thanks for the kind response, Andy.

[zach hoag]

Cool, thanks for the response. Seems to me that it would be a "how you do it" not "whether you do it" kind of thing. Gifting and calling would also be a key factor to me, too - there are some massive flaws the Way of the Master type open-air approach, both in message and medium, but especially in the attitude/tone of the folks who are jumping into it.

[Gary Boal]

"Instead of being the odd guy down at the outdoor mall, it will be respected, calm, thoughtful, theological, loving people doing it" would certainly change things.

[Matt Svoboda]

Steve,

I greatly appreciate this post. I write the weekend Religion Column for my local paper and I host a "Theology Cafe" once a month, but I have been praying and seeking other ways to engage missionally. I think this is another way.

My prayers have been more focused on starting to intentionally engage the Mormons and Jehovah's Witness' through personal evangelism, but I am going to start praying about the how, when, and where of good, open-air preaching in my community.

I will read Spurgeons two chapters tomorrow and go through the videos that you have posted. Admittedly, I have some skepticism, but I think it is because I have never seen done in what I feel is a good way. It has always been an in your face-prove youre a sinner- and then do apologetics lecture- rather than doctrinal, evangelistic preaching.

This whole concept of almost "doing a church service" with a couple songs and a sermon is really attractive to me.

[Steve McCoy]

Matt, let me know what you think about Spurgeon & the videos. Would love the feedback.

[Troy E.]

Would someone PLEASE tell me whats wrong with ray comfort and his ministry at livingwaters.com? There seems to be an elite snobbery of his ministry. Anytime i bring up anything from way of the master, people seem to treat his stuff like skunk. Whats the deal? He's been advocating open-air for years.... then we get this "fresh" post on it. Thanks,

annoyed + 10...

Troy E.

[Steve McCoy]

Troy, don't be annoyed! :) I appreciate Ray's zeal for helping people know Christ. I'm not sure I like his particular way of doing it, but I haven't figured out how to do it yet either. By the way, he is sending me some of his DVDs to check out. Nice guy.

[Spence]

Great post Steve, honestly this idea scares me to death and helps me see so much of my own sin and pride. I also have questions about the how, like the best posture for something like this in my southern exurb context. "How" not "if". Look forward to more. Hope you and family are doing well.

[Jon Speed]

Lel,

Tim Keller's comments on Mark or Driscoll in USA Today may be helpful in some ways, but those things are not the gospel.

The fact is whether or not you think those things are going to happen, they already are. We preach on college campuses here and regularly here from students that what we are doing and how we are doing it is radically different from the turn or burn crowd. Even atheists have made these statements. In fact, for one semester at UNT, an atheist sponsored us so we could get a permit to preach on campus.

[Jon Speed]

Pastor Jeremy,

What is your view of regeneration? How is it accomplished? How you answer that question will reveal a lot about how Arminian your own methodologies are.

If I need to "help" the gospel with my contextualization (a concept which is anti-1 Cor. chapter one, BTW), then who is being Arminian?

[C]

how do you define 'fruit'?

[Chris]

You are hearing from the Lord my friend - insofar as I can tell. The biblical injunction is to 'declare his glory amoung the heathen.' Where else can we do that but on the streets?

I graduated from Gordon-Conwell in 2008 and have been preaching on the streets of San Francisco for about the last 14 months....life changing!!!

CM http://sanfranciscostreetpreaching.blogspot.com/

[Chris]

PS...this post was for Steve M.

[Barry]

C, my comment was primarily a response to Point Number 9 in the original post. My thought was that we might NOT always see that kind of immediate visible fruit (we haven't). I think open air preaching is good and right nonetheless.

[Jeri Tanner]

I would love to see this. It is no problem for God to raise up such men and send them out to the highways and byways. It's no problem for the Holy Spirit to regenerate the hearers. I pray that God will prepare his people and many local churches for such a great thing.

[Chris Maiocca]

If anyone lives near SF and wants to come out with us we would love to have you.

http://sanfranciscostreetpreaching.blogspot.com/

[email protected]