I wholeheartedly agree with Tony (the Law man) Miano, and Phil (you make me sick) Johnson. I have heard Tony on the radio, there is a sense in which you can be taken back (in your imaginations) to the Apostolic age, where Stephen, Paul and Peter would have been doing exsactly what Tony is doing. And we have people doing the same thing here in Adelaide, some will hear the message with gladness. Others swear, curse or throw eggs at the preachers. We need to remember that the message is offensive in-and-of-itself. We should be thankful that open air preachers and Christians in general in America are not crucified, boiled in oil or fed to the lions (yet).

Just a final thought, there have been some comments to this post that seem to go contrary to the Theology of a Sovereign God. When someone says “what if we’re turning people off” or “people responde better if they know us”, isn’t that going past God’s Sovereignty. It’s not our job to over-contextualise or capitulate to our audience. But it is our job to stay Biblical, BE FAITHFUL and for God to be Sovereign, especially when it comes to evangelism.

We are but clay pots, what can a world of men be attracted to? If the clay pot is filled with the Glorious Gospel, the contents is the Power unto Salvation, not us.

Go TONY!

-Jim

Evangelical Christianity has a noble tradition of open-air preaching, and some of the finest preachers in history have done it. George Whitefield did little else. Spurgeon did it, advocated it, and gave lectures on how to do it correctly. Both of them were vilified for it by more “refined” religious leaders in their respective eras. May the Lord save us from that kind of “refinement.”

Open-air evangelism has always had a more or less counter-cultural stigma. And people have always been offended by it, because it tends to confront them with the truths they least want to think about at precisely the moment they are trying to do something to avoid thinking about things like eternity and accountability to God.

And therein lies the true effectiveness of open-air ministry, I think. You can’t measure the “success” of the street-corner guy by the number of converts he wins. You’d have to be able to know how many men on who drove by him on their way to a strip club or a secret trist and were convicted when they saw his “Repent” signs. And there are no statistics on that.

There used to be a guy in Santa Clarita who had some very-well designed signs and spent most of his time on one or the other of the valley’s two busiest intersections. I never saw him without thanking God for people like him. My son is a policeman whose territory includes Venice beach. I am thankful for the people who are down there (as they ALWAYS seem to be) doing some kind of open-air evangelism. I often hear Tony Miano on the radio, doing both personal and open-air evangelism at the courthouse (and elsewhere), and I’m thankful for his ministry.

Jesse makes a valid point: most people aren’t won to Christ through the methods employed by street evangelists. The average Christian is more likely to win someone to Christ within his or her personal circle of relationships. So if you can’t imagine yourself doing open-air ministry, get busy evangelizing anyway.

But let’s not miss the equally-true flip-side of that fact: Some people are so deep in sin and degeneracy and so devoid of Christian friendships that if they don’t hear the gospel from an evangelist like Tony Miano, they aren’t going to hear it at all. We should support and encourage what these guys do, because on its own level it can be VERY effective. Only heaven will reveal how true that is.

And the next time you see that guy on the corner holding the “Repent” sign, buy him a Coke and give him a word of encouragement. If you talk to him,. you might find that his motivation is very different from what you assumed.

I do know some great street preachers who sing, then preach, saving messages to any willing to listen. They prayed up and preached up. To me that is what happened in those Biblical accounts.

Personally, I never have done any street preaching. A few times I have spoken with 3 or 4 and soon it turn into 6 or 8. I prefer the one on one accounts – sitting on the side of a well or straddling a log by the river bank. Very few will stand on a soap box, but all, can quietly speak up for the Savior

I am reading through this blog doing a bit of research ready for the start a new speech radio station I am launching in the UK called Law Grace Radio.

Let me be the first to back Jessie to the hilt on this one. Evangelism is a way of life, afterall as saved people we will tell people that is our job.

I am not sure though Jessie if you’re writing off open air preaching or not here? Clarification for my wee brain would be useful! I believe it is a very valid method. Afterall, if God is sovereign and he commands us to tell people, thats our jon- tell people. Jesus did much open air preaching himself.

Finally, Nathin, if Rob Bell doesn’t like open air preaching it probably means we should open air preach. Rob has shown many example of the most appauling use of exergesis I have ever seen! The guy couldn’t call a spade a spade if he tried. Some of those Nooma’s are wonderful (the boys at Way Of The Master Radio would kill me for that one) but they are. As motivational talks. Listening the guy preach he handles the word of God wrongly- period!

Sorry for the slight rant. Love you brothers and sisters

Jason

Have you ever seen Emergent – Rob Bell’s video “Nooma #9″? Rob attacks open-air preaching in a very condonsending way. I’m not sure if you are doing that in this post. But, for the last 2000 years open-air preaching has been the “main-stay” of Christian efforts to “go into all the world and PREACH the Gospel to every creature”. Ray Comfort claims “open-air preaching can reach more people in one day, than the average church does in a whole year”. I think that pretty true. Not to mention the Apostle Paul used open-air preaching as his main tool to spread the Gospel in the book of Acts. Also the open-air preaching of Christ is of no little account.
I don’t discount other opportunities that arise with work collegues, family and so on. But preachers especially should (to quote John Piper) “never, never, never, never, never, never” right off the method that has been so faithful to the Lord’s service for many, many years.
Check out http://www.wayofthemasterradio.com for more info on the reasonableness of Biblical open-air preaching (as there are quite a few “unreasonable” approaches/methods used today, as in Paul’s day too.)
Keep the discussion going though.

I happen to be very familiar with Tony (Lawman) Miano and his ministry. Tony is a sound, biblical, and compassionate evangelist.

Oh how I wish I could take him up on his offer.

Go and unashamedly preach the glorious gospel.

Bless you all!

I preach and we at our church have found out that we are most effective when we are witnessing to the folks God has put in our way. There’s a relationship there already. People are more apt to listen to ones they know.

Also, I try to keep before our folks that it should be “Every Day Evangelism”…kind of just like you said – Evangelism is not an event, but a lifestyle. We believe every day God can give us opportunities to evangelize…going to the store for milk? Go to the store to leave a tract or two, and then get some milk. Going through the drive-through? You’re going through to speak a word for our Lord to the one who’ll be helping you, and by the way, you’ll be getting something to eat.

We’re all called to evangelize. It’s an attitude. What’s our attitude like when we mention the word, “evangelize”? NUFF SAID.

Thanks again for the post!

Lord bless!