Rose Parade Persecution

19 CommentsE-vangie VIDEO!, Open Air, PERSECUTED!

This is a very frightening and funny 3 1/2 minutes….

Watch what happens when “Righteous Richard” Chavarria and myself preach to the thousands waiting in the grandstands for the parade to start  at the 2010 Tournament of Roses. (Read about it here.) 

The crowd’s animosity is roused because the Gospel is being preached; if we were  doing a stand-up routine or talking about sports, I’m sure they would have welcomed us. But just mention The Name, and it’s a whole ‘nother matter.

The Rose of Sharon was definitely a thorn in the side at this Tournament.


Camera, editing: Peter Johnson

Comments (19)

  3. Val Scott

    Reply

    She did! She helped encourage all evangelists that watch this video.
    I love this one with all the quotes putting it in perspective. The only thing missing is the painting of the guy in the tree blowing the horn at the preacher. It would have fit good right at the end after the girl with the horn trumpeted in your face. lol.

    awesome

  4. Paul Latour

    Reply

    The horn blower, as we all, will hear the final trump one day. She won’t be able to resist it. It’ll be so loud it will wake her from the dead. And then judgment. I pray she be saved before she ends up in the grave.

    Great job, guys! The open-air preachers of old would have praised God for your efforts.

  5. Nohm

    Reply

    “The crowd’s animosity is roused because the Gospel is being preached; if we were doing a stand-up routine or talking about sports, I’m sure they would have welcomed us.”

    If you were doing a stand-up routine or talking about sports, through a mega-phone, at that time in place, I doubt they would have welcomed you.

    But the difference is that those things are usually not as controversial as religion (or politics), where other people are very different, and private, views.

    If you were talking about PETA, or Obama’s healthcare reform, or race relations, or issues of that sort through a mega-phone at that time and place, do you still think you’d be welcomed?

    Do you think that the (most likely intoxicated) woman with the horn would then welcome you?

    They don’t “persecute” you (and they’re not even doing THAT) because of your message; they’re getting in your face because they didn’t want someone mega-phoning at them at that time and place.

    As I’ve said before, I have no problems whatsoever with the gospel message. What I have problems with is people using mega-phones in my direction when I’m trying to hang out with my family and watch a parade. You could be blaring out things that I agree with (like “Go Chargers!!”) and I’d still be annoyed.

    And I’d bet the people in your video would be too.

    Time and place, Steve; time and place.

  7. Robert Moss

    Reply

    I would say NOHM that if Steve and Richard were the Budwiser girls in Sports bras and short skirts with a bullhorn and asking the crowd who wants a free beer bottle opener, they would have not been booed by a horn blowing girl.

    I have seen in Knoxville TN where the Bud girls handing out beer openers would not be run off the premises but those of us handing out gospel tracts would be run off. Its a fact of life the world only welcomes their own kind.

  8. Robert Moss

    Reply

    I understand those who abuse the use of megaphones yet Steve and Rich both said from the beginning to the crowd they would only take less than five minutes of their time to the Crowd and be on their way. I would challenge you and any other person to do the same as a Christian evangelist and publically voice your thoughts and opinions while we still have the freedom of speech in the U. S.
    We have a place in Knoxville called Market Square where we have hundreds of groups and individuals proclaim their viewpoints verbally in this publically traveled area.(Christianity, Marxism, Socialism, Hippie drum beat music, troubadours, political activism, Pro-Abortion and Pro-life people, etc) many of the public eat outdoors in front of their fav. eating establishments and know they will hear all sorts of open air speech from a variety of sources and similar mannerism. Yet the Christians are the only ones that get slammed while a Marxist using similar venues and mechanical devices dont get harassed.

  9. Bizzle

    Reply

    Robert Moss,

    I agree with both you and Nohm. Yes, Christians seem to get persecuted a lot, but I can tell you that as a parent, I would be opposed to the Budweiser girls in skimpy outfits.

    As far as Market Square, I have seen similar places but here in PA, I peacefully harrass and oppose Marxist speakers.

  10. Jaun

    Reply

    I can’t stand to see the wAy you egghead preach the gospel Jesus never did it that way . Last time I was here someone throw a beer at you I would have too . Hey stevo why don’t you try to befriend these people then run them through the law .

  11. ExPatMatt

    Reply

    “I can’t stand to see the wAy you egghead preach the gospel Jesus never did it that way”

    There’s always Jaun, isn’t there?

    [sorry, couldn’t resist]

  12. Nohm

    Reply

    Robert Moss wrote:

    “I would say NOHM that if Steve and Richard were the Budwiser girls in Sports bras and short skirts with a bullhorn and asking the crowd who wants a free beer bottle opener, they would have not been booed by a horn blowing girl.”

    At a family event like the Rose Parade, asking the crowd via bullhorn for at least five minutes? Are you sure that you want to make this claim?

    Why do you think that they wouldn’t have received the same response?

    Also, don’t you think there’s a slight difference, regarding the privateness and personal feelings, between “have a bottle opener” and “believe in our theology”? Please tell me that you understand the vast difference that these two issues would have for people.

    “I have seen in Knoxville TN where the Bud girls handing out beer openers would not be run off the premises but those of us handing out gospel tracts would be run off.”

    Please describe exactly what you mean by “run off”. Something tells me that you’re not detailing the entire story here.

    “Its a fact of life the world only welcomes their own kind.”

    A bare, unsupported assertion. What is “their own kind”?

    “I understand those who abuse the use of megaphones yet Steve and Rich both said from the beginning to the crowd they would only take less than five minutes of their time to the Crowd and be on their way. I would challenge you and any other person to do the same as a Christian evangelist and publically voice your thoughts and opinions while we still have the freedom of speech in the U. S.”

    Back when I was an evangelist I didn’t do this because I understood that people don’t react well to megaphones in their face. Also, I’ll go on record that I doubt it took less than five minutes.

    I support your ability to publicly voice your thoughts and opinions, just as I support the horn-blowing woman’s right to voice her thoughts and opinions. If you’re talking through a megaphone, you can’t be surprised that someone’s going to “talk” through a horn.

    She has the same freedoms that you do. Having the freedom of speech doesn’t mean that people have to listen to it.

    “Yet the Christians are the only ones that get slammed while a Marxist using similar venues and mechanical devices dont get harassed.”

    Again, I’m curious as to the full, unbiased story here. But regardless, do you REALLY think it’s because everyone is out to get you? Or maybe because the Marxist is less annoying. I separate the message from the messenger; is it possible that your message will be received positively, but that you’re going about it in a way that discourages people from listening to it?

    In short, you can blame other people for not acting like you would prefer, but at some point I think it’s best to look at myself (if I was in this position) and think of what I can do to better get my message across.

  13. Steve Sanchez

    Reply

    Nohm: Just to let you know, that even in my sphere of influence, there are many who disagree with our open air preaching as well. This is just one weapon in our evangelism arsenal.

    By far, we hand out more tracts and have more personal conversations than our “Organic Congregation” preaching.

    I don’t even like doing it that much anymore, but I am compelled!

  14. Nohm

    Reply

    “Nohm: Just to let you know, that even in my sphere of influence, there are many who disagree with our open air preaching as well. ”

    For the record, I have no problem with open air preaching. My issue is with situations where people don’t have a much of a choice with regards to listening to you, and with the megaphones.

    For example, the open air preaching that Ray Comfort does, at the spot that Ray Comfort uses, is something that I have no problems with. People can easily keep walking by and ignore him if they wish, and he’s not preventing them from enjoying the beach and boardwalk.

    The other example is the rose parade, where people are sitting in their spots, and so they’re almost a “captive audience”. It’s that situation that I have an issue with.

    I also have absolutely no problem with passing out tracts or personal (i.e., no megaphone) conversations.

    I understand that me having a problem or not having a problem is irrelevant, but I’m just speaking my mind, and explaining why I think you sometimes get the negative reactions. I’m just trying to show that it’s not necessarily what your message is, but how the message is vocalized and the places where it is vocalized, and I’d say the same about any other religious or political demonstrator/evangelist.

    That is, I want to be clear that I’m not singling you out. You could be saying something that I completely agree with and I’d still feel that it is inappropriate.

  16. Nohm

    Reply

    Also, for the record, I have no problems with people like Paul Latour who holds up the cross with “Are You Ready?” on it.

  18. ExPatMatt

    Reply

    There’s always Jaun, isn’t there?

    Nothing?

    Tough crowd. Now I know what it feels like to be a persecuted Christian…

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