Tough Crowd at the Fiesta Hermosa

The crowds that hovered around the Hope Chapel evangelism booth at our local street fair called the Fiesta Hermosa, which attracts 150,000 visitors over the Labor Day weekend, were happy and enthusiastic as they took our Intelligence Tests. (Print your own here, see the video of an atheist taking the test here.) After failing the test (nobody passes), they received a coupon for a free Chick Fillet sandwich and Coke, a stuffed animal, a trillion dollar bill and our church bulletin. The other booths around us were astonished at how many people gathered around our humble little Christian booth (the only Christian representation in the fair).

The Tough Crowd revealed itself only when I decided to start preaching in the open air to those waiting to be taken back to their cars in the shuttle bus line. See for yourself, then read my explanation below.

It does not surprise me when people are hostile to my open air message. From a purely pragmatic, earthly perspective, it can be grating to hear a guy shouting a message that most people do not want to hear. I totally understand that. Still…

Sudden Deaths: 50 Deadly Things (and where do you go afterward?)

This is a great pictorial that gives statistics of the 50 deadliest things that can kill you.

Some examples:

  • Fireworks discharge: 1 in 479,992
  • Getting punched: 1 in 319,995
  • Drowning in a bathtub: 1 in 9,298
  • Falling from a building: 1 in 6,115
  • Pedestrian accident: 1 in 623

Read and see the other 45 ways to die by clicking here.

You never know when your time will come. Are you ready to be judged? Where will you go?

Watch a short debate about this question on Larry King Live between a renowned pastor (a man who has been extremely influential in my life), a Rabbi, a New Ager, a Muslim, a priest and an atheist who gets in the last word (in part 2). Who do you think has the best answer?

NOW WATCH PART 2!

Doo Dah Parade, Pt 5: Hare Krishna Preaching: A Fruitless Endeavor?

From the looks of things it seems I’m wasting my time preaching to wildly frenetic, whirling dervishy, hip-hoppy-happy Hare Krishas who were not paying any attention whatsoever to my one minute message.

And you’d be right—if you discounted one factor, a most important factor. Continue reading below… (Click here to start at part 1 of this 5 part series.)

The most important factor when preaching the Gospel to any crowd, whether they are listening to you or not is….