If you have decided to share your faith everyday, you can expect some tense encounters. This 9 second video shows a very disturbing incident I had with a security guard at last weekend’s Fiesta Hermosa, a twice-yearly street fair held in our community. I explain what happened below.

As is my custom at this event I preach to the hundreds standing in line to get on the shuttle bus that takes them back to their cars. I stand in a meridian in the center of the street and preach a very friendly, yet serious message, about what should happen to those standing in line if they would die today. 99% of the time these sessions go without incident. This time, I was part of the 1%, and Security wanted to Occupy my time….

As I preached, the Security guard approached and rudely interrupted my street sermon with a loud, “Excuse me! Excuse me! Hey! Hey you there! I’m talking to you!”

I did what I normally do when someone attempts to stop my seven minute message: Ignore him. (If the guy has a gun, though, I always recommend that the preacher obey the law. See my article “Guys With Guns Always Win.”)

He walked in front of me and tried to grab the microphone from my hand while simultaneously attempting to disconnect it by pulling the plug. I warned him that what he was doing was considered assault, yet this did not deter him.

I shouted to my daughter to turn on the video camera and record the affair, which she dutifully did. Another security guard cautioned her that she was not allowed to film the proceedings. (He lied. She filmed.)

He threatened that I was not allowed to use a sound system and that if I continued he would call the police. I encouraged him to do so, informing him that I had a right to preach, and that I was outside the fair, and therefore not in his jurisdiction. During the tussle I also let him know that the police would take about a half hour to get to me and that I would continue preaching.

So I did.

His supervisor came up and took him aside. A few words were spoken, then he left, never to be heard from again.

Then the police showed up.

They were very friendly telling me that I could no longer use amplified sound because “a citizen had complained.” Guess who the citizen was?

He did allow that I had the right to preach without amplification. “But,” I protested, “that sounds even more obnoxious because I have to yell.”

He stood firm.

I stood on a wall.

And continued to preach, up and down the line.

Was it obnoxious? You be the judge.

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Read another encounter I had
with the police by clicking here.