Catholic Street Evangelization - Page 2

Immaculata90 · #16 Sep 1, '11, 3:24 pm

There was no line-crossing there. Your intent seems very innocent.

I think there are varying degrees of people who are so-called "sidewalk preachers". There are people who are there to pray and just to talk to people who want to be talked to, and on the other end of the spectrum there are people who are more like the Westboro Baptist people who are actively heckling people on the streets.

To answer, I think it is okay when it is done correctly. If people are outside praying for something (like the 40 days for life) or just praying and allow people to come up to them and speak with them charitably, I think it can be a super powerful tool for evangelization. That being said, people who yell hateful messages or are angry will most likely not accomplish their goal.

I once had an experience in downtown Chicago while I was visiting some religious sisters. We were waiting to cross the street, and a man came up to us and started saying very nasty things about Catholics and how we were going to straight to Hell unless we repented. I have never been so absolutely shocked in my life and it just made me want to walk away from him. I'm guessing that most people would have the same reaction.

I don't mean this to sound hippie, but I think that peace and prayer are really the key to doing something like that. Holding up signs about people going to Hell usually will not work. People usually know the life they're living isn't completely right, they don't need someone to shove it in their face.

choliks · #17 Sep 1, '11, 7:34 pm

I was a street-side/sidewalk... preacher.... errrr... catechist... when I was in college. I spent most of my saturdays gathering street kids and taught them about Our Lord.

AlanFromWichita · #18 Sep 2, '11, 1:02 am

It isn't only street preachers who are too hung up on threats of hell and bribes of heaven, that they give God a manipulative, petty, face. Good for early moral training, but it needs to move on. IMO God does not need us to train each other like lab rats to get the reward and avoid the shock, when He's written the law of love on our hearts.

Some think that preachers need to preach more about hell and damnation; I disagree. I think it's time that we all quit looking down to guard against stepping on a crack, instead of looking forward into the Cloud of the Unknowing or whatever it is you're going. Even when preachers don't directly teach about hell and damnation, though, they still often allude to it -- just can't get away from the habit.

Nothing wrong with teaching about going to hell, but there is something wrong with living in constant fear of it. I remember Jimmy Swaggart once; I turned on the TV and he was pointing into the camera with a stern look on his face and yelling, "LITTLE GIRL, YOU'RE GOING TO HELL." Turns out there was no particular little girl; it was just a hypothetical one he imagined who had just done some terrible thing -- probably sex related. The guy makes tons of money by scaring people.

Alan

Kathryn Ann · #19 Sep 2, '11, 3:31 am

I believe that you are correct to feel disturbed by what you saw and heard.

I was a member for several years of a fundamentalist church which urged us to go out onto the streets and preach about the "end times." I can only speak for myself here, but I was completely driven by an all- consuming fear and deep feelings of unworthiness. We were taught that God could come at any moment and judge us, that we were so evil that we must watch ourselves constantly and so out we went into the streets shouting at anyone who would listen.

Strangely, I never heard the scripture "Perfect love casts out all fear." Decisions based on such fundamentalist fear without the balance of two thousand years of the Church's teachings will produce no good result. This is where "Sola Scripture" gets one into trouble: Thinking our own interpretation and understanding of things is "the way, we forget Who truly was The Way, The Truth and the Life, Jesus Christ, who gave us the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church to help us on our journey.

Thank God, I was eventually led to the Catholic Church and my questions and fears were answered with patience and love and with the balance of Christ's teachings on mercy.

Yes, we must have a healthy fear of God as a child fears dis-appointing his or her parent. But Christ came to teach the Good News, the Gospel, that is the saving grace, the Divine Mercy he showed us on the Cross. Holy Church helps me understand scripture when I go astray. I can read alone, but I must remember to submit to instruction by those who have studied decades longer than I have, who have studied the Saints, the Doctors of the Church, Church history and so much more than I will ever be able to glean on my own.

I often thought I understood I Corinthians 13, the Love Chapter. To me, it seemed to list all the ways we humans fail in loving others correctly. There were many negatives listed: Love doesn't puff it self up, does not parade itself, etc. Then one day I read it again and saw a translation that read "If I do not possess love, I am a tinkling brass, a sounding cymbal...." and realized something. God wants us to possess love. To POSSESS LOVE!

When we possess something, it is ours to treasure!

Fear can be a tool to awaken us to our faults, certainly. But love was the original, Divine Intent for Creation. It was Good. Christ brought us the Good News. To shout in the streets about hell and damnation without leading people to Christ AND His Holy Church is to leave people without the hope and faith and instruction they need for real salvation. The Church is the pillar and bulwark of the faith. Not fear, not spreading words of despair, not private interpretation and endless schism.

It's a wonderful thing to be in the Ark of Christ. I need every inch of The Church to make my way to Heaven. Only Christ and His One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church could literally save someone like myself from false teachings and from a most unhappy journey through life.

That is why I believe your natural reaction to the street preaching was correct. You were hearing the clashing thunder of fear without the balance of God's loving mercy, without the Divine Continuity of the Church's plan for us, which Christ mercifully gave to all who desire Him in HIs fullness.

Blessings to you,
Kathryn Ann

At Trent · #20 Sep 2, '11, 7:33 pm

Here ya go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ5aYoSr3Hg

fred conty · #21 Sep 4, '11, 10:30 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mphill85

Today, both in the morning and in the afternoon, I gave a co-worker of mine a ride to and from work. The route I took had me going around a corner where this one individual stood there with a sign about Hell and that being a destination for those who do not repent or believe. I asked my co-worker about this individual and he told me that he would stand out there for almost the entire day. And he would be out there most of the week if I remembered correctly.

I've been back to the church for only 3-4 months, and while that means I'm not exactly Catholic-smart, what this individual was doing felt wrong in my heart. In my opinion, this aggressive approach would have a negative impact on those who would be thinking about becoming a Christian. To me what this individual is saying, though I have no clue what truly motivates his preaching, is convert or burn. It almost makes it sound like you have to be a Christian.

And it's not just this individual I've seen. Pictures I've seen of other such preachers, videos and such about the Westboro Baptist Church's many protests also in my opinion through Christianity into a negative spotlight. Again, while yes they are trying to prove a valid point, they are mainly preaching the eternal punishment. I do not think I've ever seen anyone take to the sidewalk corners with a sign that says the simplest thing: "Jesus loves you." Its almost like "hell" this and "damnation" that which dominate that kind of preaching.

I guess I wrote this thread to see how other people feel about such preaching. And please, again with me not being Catholic-smart, tell me if I crossed a line or such that may require a confession or two. I don't feel like I have but rather be safe than sorry...

God bless you.....

This is an area where we are letting oportunities go by. It isn't the best idea to just throw
something out there, but this is an area that is terribly neglected. I believe we have
catholic people who are extremely talented at communications and have extrodinary
attactive personalities who could do some outstanding work for Christ in this area. It is
not always the answers given, but the way of the person who is giving the answers.
So much seed is not being sown.

Big Dummy · #22 Sep 5, '11, 2:54 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mphill85

Today, both in the morning and in the afternoon, I gave a co-worker of mine a ride to and from work. The route I took had me going around a corner where this one individual stood there with a sign about Hell and that being a destination for those who do not repent or believe. I asked my co-worker about this individual and he told me that he would stand out there for almost the entire day. And he would be out there most of the week if I remembered correctly.

I've been back to the church for only 3-4 months, and while that means I'm not exactly Catholic-smart, what this individual was doing felt wrong in my heart. In my opinion, this aggressive approach would have a negative impact on those who would be thinking about becoming a Christian. To me what this individual is saying, though I have no clue what truly motivates his preaching, is convert or burn. It almost makes it sound like you have to be a Christian.

And it's not just this individual I've seen. Pictures I've seen of other such preachers, videos and such about the Westboro Baptist Church's many protests also in my opinion through Christianity into a negative spotlight. Again, while yes they are trying to prove a valid point, they are mainly preaching the eternal punishment. I do not think I've ever seen anyone take to the sidewalk corners with a sign that says the simplest thing: "Jesus loves you." Its almost like "hell" this and "damnation" that which dominate that kind of preaching.

I guess I wrote this thread to see how other people feel about such preaching. And please, again with me not being Catholic-smart, tell me if I crossed a line or such that may require a confession or two. I don't feel like I have but rather be safe than sorry...

God bless you.....

Jesus put christianity in a negative light by teaching more about Hell then any other subject.

Matt. 5:22 - "guilty enough to go into hell of fire"
Matt. 5:29 - "your whole body to be thrown into hell"
Matt. 5:30 - "your whole body to be thrown into hell"
Matt. 10:28 - "fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell"
Matt. 18:9 - "to be cast into the hell of fire"
Matt. 23:15 - "Pharisees..twice as much a son of hell as yourselves"
Matt. 23:33 - "how shall you escape the sentence of hell"
Mk. 9:43 - "to go into hell...unquenchable fire"
Mk. 9:45 - "to be cast into hell"
Mk. 9:47 - "to be cast into hell"
James 3:6 - "tongue...is set on fire by hell"

So, who are we to ignore that fact???

Big Dummy · #23 Sep 5, '11, 2:59 pm

where does scripture say that God has "written the law of love on our hearts."???

Geremia · #24 Oct 11, '11, 9:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBolt1000T

I've been watching quite a fiew videos of Protestant street preachers. I don't like most of their methods of evangelizing, but I've taken up a little interest in street preaching. Are there any Catholic street preaching ministries? If so, what are their methods of evangelism? Are there any videos of any Catholic street preachers online? In order to be a Catholic street preacher, would one need the approval of a local bishop? What kind of training would one need?

You should really check out the Catholic group called Tradition, Family, & Property (TFP). They are the best Catholic "street preachers" I have ever seen, and they know their stuff!

From a real conversation at 1 min. 20 sec. into one of their videos:

"Why is natural law and homosexuality relative? It's completely self-evident."
"You want me to become a relativist. I don't want to become a relativist."
"No, I don't even agree with the fact that you're saying I'm a relativist."
"So you're relatively relativist?"
"Yeah."

(Cf. Searle's "Refutation of Relativism.")

They are out on the front lines fighting the "dictatorship of relativism"!

Geremia · #25 Oct 11, '11, 9:03 pm

You should really check out the Catholic group called Tradition, Family, & Property (TFP). They are the best Catholic "street preachers" I have ever seen, and they know their stuff!

From a real conversation at 1 min. 20 sec. into one of their videos:

"Why is natural law and homosexuality relative? It's completely self-evident."
"You want me to become a relativist. I don't want to become a relativist."
"No, I don't even agree with the fact that you're saying I'm a relativist."
"So you're relatively relativist?"
"Yeah."

(Cf. Searle's "Refutation of Relativism.")

They are out on the front lines fighting the "dictatorship of relativism"!

joshrp · #26 Oct 12, '11, 5:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mphill85

Today, both in the morning and in the afternoon, I gave a co-worker of mine a ride to and from work. The route I took had me going around a corner where this one individual stood there with a sign about Hell and that being a destination for those who do not repent or believe. I asked my co-worker about this individual and he told me that he would stand out there for almost the entire day. And he would be out there most of the week if I remembered correctly.

I've been back to the church for only 3-4 months, and while that means I'm not exactly Catholic-smart, what this individual was doing felt wrong in my heart. In my opinion, this aggressive approach would have a negative impact on those who would be thinking about becoming a Christian. To me what this individual is saying, though I have no clue what truly motivates his preaching, is convert or burn. It almost makes it sound like you have to be a Christian.

And it's not just this individual I've seen. Pictures I've seen of other such preachers, videos and such about the Westboro Baptist Church's many protests also in my opinion through Christianity into a negative spotlight. Again, while yes they are trying to prove a valid point, they are mainly preaching the eternal punishment. I do not think I've ever seen anyone take to the sidewalk corners with a sign that says the simplest thing: "Jesus loves you." Its almost like "hell" this and "damnation" that which dominate that kind of preaching.

I guess I wrote this thread to see how other people feel about such preaching. And please, again with me not being Catholic-smart, tell me if I crossed a line or such that may require a confession or two. I don't feel like I have but rather be safe than sorry...

God bless you.....

Read about Frank Sheed. He did street corner preaching the best way I have ever heard about, and he is an awesome theologian and writer.

jazzy0710 · #27 Oct 12, '11, 10:50 am

I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. There are people that do the same thing here. Not on a regular basis but every once in a while they are a group of young men that stand outside the Halifax Public Gardens handing out very graphic brochures and hold very graphic pictures with fake blood on them. It's creepy.

mgoforth · #28 Oct 13, '11, 7:51 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzy0710

I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. There are people that do the same thing here. Not on a regular basis but every once in a while they are a group of young men that stand outside the Halifax Public Gardens handing out very graphic brochures and hold very graphic pictures with fake blood on them. It's creepy.

Too cold up there to get a regular batch of street preachers I would guess.

jazzy0710 · #29 Oct 13, '11, 10:37 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgoforth

Too cold up there to get a regular batch of street preachers I would guess.

haha it does get cold up here yes. especially now being fall. the summer is usually quite humid though.

Lost Wanderer · #30 Oct 15, '11, 3:29 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by fred conty

This is an area where we are letting oportunities go by. It isn't the best idea to just throw
something out there, but this is an area that is terribly neglected. I believe we have
catholic people who are extremely talented at communications and have extrodinary
attactive personalities who could do some outstanding work for Christ in this area. It is
not always the answers given, but the way of the person who is giving the answers.
So much seed is not being sown.

From my experience watching street-preacher antics on YouTube, any and all amount of "extraordinary attractive personalities" die immediately once once decides to engage in such practices.