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Evangelism? Gone Wrong, Pt. 12: Obama’s Heckler

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Maybe you saw this on the news: President Obama held a fundraiser at the House of Blues in West Hollywood. In the middle of his speech a “religious heckler” interrupts and shouts.

But do you know what Obama said in response to the heckler at the 1:15 mark? The major networks left out a very interesting Presidential response. (Click here to start at the beginning of the “Evangelism Gone Wrong” series.)

According to TimesLIVE this is what the heckler said, “[The] Christian God is the one and only true living God, the creator of Heaven and the Universe. I love Jesus. Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is the son of God.”

Obama halted his remarks and a crowd started to boo the man as he was hauled out of the auditorium by police and Secret Service agents, yelling “Jesus Christ is God. Barack Obama is the Antichrist!”

Don’t call this guy an evangelist. What he did was wrong. Dead wrong.

According to the Bible we are to “Show proper respect to everyone” and “honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17) This man was completely out of line and out of place in his disruption. Our teams would never disrupt a speech, much less the President’s.

We have on occasion preached just outside an area where a speaker was, but at a distance so as not to disturb those listening to the speaker. We would also preach outside an event, even a Presidential event, but would never say anything disrespectful about the President. We’d kick someone off the team if they ever called someone the Antichrist in public.

Politics should never enter into a presentation of the Gospel. The Word is of primary importance no matter how much we may disagree with a politician or a message.

A preacher of the Gospel must be careful not to get entangled in the affairs of the world when proclaiming the Law and Gospel in the open air. Paul wrote this to a young pastor in 2 Timothy 2:4—”No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.”

It makes no sense when you are on your soapbox to take sides on a political issue, especially if your focus is on saving souls. Why?

There will always be a segment of any crowd that will hear only your partisan stance, disagree with you, then shut out the rest of the really important stuff, like how they will be held accountable for their own sin and end up in Hell unless they repent and trust in the Savior.

They’ll lump you into the enemy’s camp as a despiser of freedom, equality, and personal rights.  Of course, you’ll be a hater, a know-nothing, pro, anti-whatever sociopath that should be taken out back and shot.

Stay on point. Reference current events but don’t spill your political beans.

I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:22)

What’s your purpose, to have people vote right, or get right—with God? When they get right, they’ll vote right.

It’s so much easier, and certainly more effective to have everyone despise your message—and you—for the right reason: The Cross. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1Corinthians 1:18)

It’s an equal opportunity offender.

Click here to go to Part 13!

(See how I put my advice into action with this article: “The Not-So-Great Prop 8 Debate”)

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