The Everyday Club Report for May: Preacher Interrupted!

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.

Comments (14)

  1. Reply

    My goal is to share my faith everyday by speaking one to one with an individual, or handing out at least ten tracts a day, and open air preaching when I can.

    I missed one day.

    I had personal conversations on 27 or 28 of the days in May.

    I preached numerous times in the open air at the Fiesta Hermosa and at the American Idol Finals.

  2. Reply

    My goal is to evangelize everday, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all other things will be added unto me! Matt 6:33

    I am able to distribute tracts everyday and shared my faith one-one almost everyday. I open-air preach at our food bank every Thursday morning, for about 15 minutes, going through the Book of Romans.

    A short testimony: a man named Gene came into my office with the shakes (from his bouts with alcoholism) He wanted to stop drinking. he was living out of his van in the parking lot of a local grocery store. I told him he had come to the right place and started giving him the Gospel. I could see that he was believing, so I asked him to pray Psalm 51 to God out loud. As he got to the verses regarding a broken spirit and contrite heart, the Holy Spirit moved and he was born again right before my eyes? How do I know this? Since then, he’s off the alcohol, working with a brother one-one in discipleship, coming to church twice/week, filled with love. He understands more about grace than most Christians. So, praise God! Pray for fruit…it’s very encouraging.

  3. vintango2k

    Reply

    “Oh No not one of those guys.”

    Can you imagine what it would be like if a Steve of every faith was standing at that boss stop yelling at people who are just waiting for the bus to arrive… Hindu Steve, Muslim Steve, Jewish Steve, all shouting over one another. Got to love that captive audience, right Steve? =)

  4. Thomas Moore

    Reply

    May was a good month I think I missed maybe 3 days if that! I had the majority of my one-2-ones on the chat site “Omegle” and even had a young man in Spain repent and come to Christ! I have been speaking with him over facebook and connecting him with various ministries Living Waters being one of them. It is amazing how God can work even in what we consider the smallest ways! June looks to be another exciting month in proclaiming the gospel!!!

  5. Richard Chavarria

    Reply

    Everyday Club goal for 2012

    My everyday club goal is to do something. Jesus said, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” It’s all about Jesus.

    I missed two days this month.

    Praise the Lord

  6. Eric Stefan

    Reply

    My goal this year was to do something evangelistic everyday, that can include handing out tracts, sharing the Law and Gospel 1-2-1, and preaching open-air when the opprotunitity arises.

    I missed 4 days for the month of May.

  7. anthony varon

    Reply

    My goal is to do something for God everyday, I felt that is what God wanted me to focus on and I missed 3 days but it was a fantastic month of conversations and a lot of amazing opportunities even though I was by myself. God was still using me! Thank you for your faithfulness!

  8. Beth

    Reply

    My goal is to pass at least 5 tracts each day. By God’s sovereign grace, I was able to do that in the month of May each day except for 3.

    Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to continue to be a small part in your Great Commission.

  9. Toni Alvarez

    Reply

    We were away for the weekend + days, and when back, forgot to report.

    We did not do as well as we wished. It is getting harder and harder for us to be able to share the gospel when not everyone in the family agrees with message of the true Gospel.

    I am glad though, that later, the offended party confessed to me that, he wished he believed with the same conviction the rest of the family does.

    Please pray for us.

  10. Nicole Alvarez

    Reply

    Handed out tracts as much as I could.
    Thank you God for the opportunities.

  11. Kim

    Reply

    Missed about 10 days total. Don’t get out of the house much except to go to work or church so don’t meet many people. I did though get to witness to a delivery driver who was at my work and gave tracts to as many people as possible. Outreach has started back up at the church (I don’t know why it stops) so looking forward to speaking to many folks on Thursday nights. Please pray that this goes well. Needless to say every car which parks outside work gets a Ticket to Heaven tract which provides my work colleagues with endless entertainment watching the owners come back to their cars and have a good read.
    Kim

  12. Reply

    This month I did an “Indoor Preaching”. After I did it someone came up to and told me that she would give up her entire life to Christ. Praise God!

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