Written by Craig Scott and Adam Kuehner for The Reformed Presbyterian Witness.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?—Romans 10:14
Introduction
When you see a man preaching on the street corner, what enters your mind? Common reactions include, Is this really biblical? Aren’t there less offensive ways to evangelize? I thought only Arminians did this sort of thing! and, Does it really work?
Such responses are completely understandable. It’s not every day that you see an evangelical pastor—much less your own local RP pastor—preaching in the public square. On those rare occasions when you have seen a street preacher, it has likely been a fire-breathing fundamentalist holding up a Repent or Burn! sign and heaping legalistic condemnation on every pedestrian in sight. Who in their right mind would want to be associated with that?
We aim to provide a brief introduction to biblical open-air preaching and, in so doing, address some of these common reactions among Christians. In future articles, we plan to address the biblical mandate for this practice, its rich Reformed history, some practical how-tos, and examples of God’s blessing in this lost art of evangelism.
Our vision is to see the Reformed church in general—and the RP Church in particular—recover her evangelistic heritage as a public witness to God’s saving grace and Christ’s royal authority. We pray that congregations would begin to develop and equip open-air outreach teams for the purpose of “holding forth the word of life” (Phil. 2:16) to lost sinners in the “highways and hedges” (Luke 14:23) of our communities.
What Is Open-Air Preaching?
Open-air preaching is the heralding of the gospel of salvation in the public square to the glory of God. It involves going to where the people are, loving them as Christ did, and seeking to save that which is lost. It entails commanding fellow sinners in “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). It is the doctrine of Christ’s mediatorial kingship in action: calling all people everywhere to repent of their sins, turn to Christ in faith, and bow the knee to the King of kings.
Open-air preaching takes the evangelistic preaching we hear inside the church and proclaims it to those on the outside. Where are most people on the Lord’s Day? They are shopping, they are watching sports, or they are relaxing at home. They are engaged in all sorts of activities, except for one—attending a sound, Bible-believing, gospel-preaching church! If these people are to hear the gospel message before it’s too late, we must do more than simply preach it from our pulpits. Christ has commanded His church to “go” and offer His gospel to everyone, not merely to existing churchgoers.
Open-air preaching is not the only method of biblical evangelism. Pulpit evangelism is central. Parental evangelism and personal witness are essential. Church events, Bible studies, and door-to-door efforts are helpful. We need all of these methods. If all evangelism were personal, most people would never hear the gospel. If all evangelism were done on a street corner, most people would never experience the long-term witness of a godly friend. We must avoid the temptation to set pulpit evangelism against personal evangelism, or personal evangelism against open-air witnessing. We need balance!
Biblical open-air preaching is an exercise in compassion. It does not consist in hateful shouting but in a respectful, orderly proclamation of the truth in love. Its message is not “law, law, law!” but “guilt, grace, glory!” It does not consist in finger-pointing but in saying, “Come…and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (Ps. 66:16). It does not ambush perfect strangers with impersonal propositions, but it engages individuals and develops relationships. It does not flow from pride but from humble dependence upon God. It does not rely upon the flesh but upon the Spirit. It not only seeks conversion but also discipleship and growth. It is not autonomous but is grounded in local church ecclesiology.
Best of all, open-air preaching is for everyone. Some will “go, stand and speak” (Acts 5:20) the unsearchable riches of Christ. Others will distribute tracts and engage in one-on-one conversations, while the rest of us pray earnestly for God’s blessing and the salvation of souls.