As an open air preacher, I've run into troubles with the law and authorities on these things. You can show up and preach open air with little to know problem on most public sidewalks, especially at universities. I did speak at a community college once where I was given a lecture by the security there, but each and every time I complied with them. If they asked me to move to another location, I did. If they said I was being too loud, and they could hear me inside their buildings, I lowered my volume.
Once one of the security officers, a Christian, told me he personally had no problem with me being there and preaching. He was all for it. But eventually he did make it clear to me that the powers at that college did not like me there preaching, specifically, the Vice President of the school who was slated to take over the role as President next year, and he didn't want anything happening on his watch that somehow slowed his career down.
Even when it is clear that the authorities are abusing their powers and violating our rights, as Christians we should follow the example of Christ that we read about in 1 Peter. We should choose rather to suffer, and not be individuals who insist on our right. Indeed, in insisting on our rights, we may be cutting off the hand of God over our circumstance, who might be looking to do something else altogether. No doubt, the apostle Paul from time to time insisted on his rights when he discerned there was wisdom in doing so. But at other times, he allowed them to be violated. Indeed, his refusal to insist on his rights eventually landed him before Caesar!
One thing is for sure, dragging the media into this is very tacky and self-serving. It's also manipulative, as he knows by dragging the media into such a story, the university who doesn't want any bad press, and is likely to cave. Christ taught us that when they persecute us in one city because of the gospel, we are supposed to wipe the dust off our shoes and turn away from that city. We aren't supposed to pull a PR stunt to force them to listen to us. If people don't want to hear the gospel, then it is God's judgment upon them to keep the gospel from ever entering their ears again so as to be saved. Instead of preaching the gospel to people who have no interest whatsoever in it, I'd rather spend my time preaching it to people who do want to listen to it.
I've yet to return to two locations to preach open-air ever since it was made clear to me by local authorities that I was not really welcomed. If they don't want to hear it, or don't want others to, then that's God's judgment on them.
_________________
Jimmy H
|
