241 – Are you a Corner Preacher or a Believer?

#faithbite #faithjourney preacher

Walking out of our Bioengineering building after class today, I heard an amplified voice but couldn’t find where it was coming from. As I walked down the street, I saw it. It was a man in front of the Alma Mater, on the corner of the busy streets on campus, preaching through a microphone. On nice days, we normally have some sort of person on campus, holding a bible, preaching to anyone who will listen. More often than not, it’s about the wrath of God and who unholy and wicked everyone it. It usually turns into hatred and condoning all people as wicked, sinners, whore, liars, drunkards, and worse. Occasionally someone will challenge the preacher, but many just laugh at them or ignore them and walk by. This is allowed because it is public property.

Occasionally I will slow down or stop to listen to what they have to say. The problem for me is they preach hate and wickedness but nothing about God’s love, God’s forgiveness, and salvation.

When you preach, what kind of preacher are you?

Scripture on Preaching

• But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” – Exodus 4:10-12
• Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. – James 3:1
• But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, – 2 Timothy 2:16

Reflection

Sometimes when I write #faithbites, I wonder if I am that corner preacher only my corner is online. You can choose to listen, reflect, or just keep going. Am I preaching God’s word or is what I am writing irreverent babble? I hope, like Moses, my words are actually God’s words and he is using my mouth.

I asked a question when I started this about if you are a corner preacher or a believer. I don’t think they are mutually exclusive, in fact, there can be a great togetherness. What I have seen on campus and online, is people spewing hate in the name of God. Using specific bible passages to reflect their hate rather than the whole book which shows God’s love, Jesus’s sacrifice, our forgiveness through Christ, and most importantly Christ bridging the gap between humanity and God.

I wonder if the campus and corner preachers talked about God’s love and forgiveness and not about damning everyone for sin. Would they have more people come to the Lord instead of being turned off?

Charge

How do you share your love of Christ? Do you help people feel the love of forgiveness, or do you damn them with words of hell and their sinful nature? Are you able to look at someone with love and invite them to learn about the Lord? Take a minute or two to think about how you respond to others and show your faith.

Lord, help me be your mouth. Help me to always bring people to your through your love rather than push them away through criticizing their faults and sins.