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The Street Preacher I Want to be More Like

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By Brian Ford
2/22/2008

Ezekiel 2:1-2; He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

When God speaks are we allowing the Holy Spirit to move us in such a way that we snap to our feet like a Marine at morning roll call? How about when we hear the truth of the gospel being preached, can we honestly say “I heard him (God ) speaking to me?”

Being a native of the NJ/NY metro area I have seen my share of street preachers. Most of the time as I walked the streets of the city I would do everything I could to avoid these overly hyper shouting radical men on a soap box (sometimes a bucket). To me they seemed to preach a message of doom and gloom pointing fingers at everyone walking by calling them sinners and screaming of our need to repent before God’s great and mighty punishment

Maybe we’re uncomfortable with street preachers because some are willing to be radical for Jesus, live what they preach, obey God, and have extreme faith. They are willing to preach whether people will “listen or fail to listen.” (Ezekiel 2:5)

And I was not the only one walking out of the way to avoid these guys. Some people would actually walk across the street and down the other side. Others, like me, would skirt by really fast glancing over but doing everything possible to NOT make eye contact. At that time in my life they seemed strange and even borderline nuts making me wonder if they needed to be committed or have been in the past. And let’s face it if I ran into one now on the streets of Harrisburg, PA I would probably still think they were a little…crazy. Or is it something else? Maybe we’re uncomfortable with street preachers because some are willing to be radical for Jesus, live what they preach, obey God, and have extreme faith. They are willing to preach whether people will “listen or fail to listen.” (Ezekiel 2:5)

And come to find out as I study Ezekiel guess what, he served as a Jewish “street preacher” in Babylon for 22 years, telling everyone about God, salvation, and calling them to repent and obey. Not only that Ezekiel “lived” what he preached and preached in some very radical ways. If you think standing on a soap box screaming to passer-by’s is odd. How about lying on your side for 390 days straight eating only eight ounces a day that is cooked over cow poop (oops…I mean manure). But this is exactly what God asked Ezekiel to do and no matter how strange it seems he obeyed. (Ezekiel 4:4-8)
So based on these facts if Ezekiel was preaching on the streets of NY or even Harrisburg for that matter I’d probably avoid as well as treat him as a certifiable nut case because it’s uncomfortable and out of the box. God may not ask you to do anything as dramatic and crazy as eating food baked over cow poop, but if he did…would you do it?

As I continue to study Ezekiel I am finding this extremely radical street preacher is exactly what I want to be. Funny how what I once avoided is what I’ve been striving to become MORE of. God wants us to live outside our comfort zone, preach His Word whether people will listen or fail to listen, live what we preach, and obey Him whatever, wherever, and whenever he asks.

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I want to become involved in street witnessing and street preaching. Where did you find a group to start with and learn from?

ariel dempsey 8:07:44pm on 7/15/2009

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To Dana Foster in Hawaii - Hey, I think I used to know you back in the 1970's, Phoenix, AZ!!! Do you remember God's Garage, Maryvale High School, the Enniss's (Debbie, Dea, Leon, Leonard, Paul, etc?), remember Dave Fararra??? Contact me at: AnnaLandeta@msn.com I would like to hear from you!!

Anna 11:04:06pm on 4/11/2009

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Im a radical street preacher in hawaii my wife and I moved here God has led us pray for us Lord will show us what to do and be in his will, to reach and preach to the people here in the Big island of Hawaii.

Mr Dana Foster 4:01:48pm on 1/11/2009

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You want radical street preaching see: http://www.officialstreetpreachers.com/

Adam 10:05:20am on 5/26/2008

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