Open Air Methods - Why?

that is absolutely depressing, that is so disheartening to me, that the "Elijah" element in my soul wants to do 1st Kings 18 number on him, and that urge I rebuke...because than I go to 1st Peter to underline how TOTALLY unbiblical this fetid foul excuse of a preacher, this wastrel and tool of the devil is:

"Show proper respect to everyone......"

1Peter 2:17a

and than

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.[b]But do this with gentleness and respect.[/b] keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

1Peter 3:15-16

its shameful, a blot, a blemish on the Minsitry of Christ, and MOST of the open air preachers I have had the displeasure to watch bring discredit to Christ.

I thank God on my knees, that he kept me from these workmen of the devil, and no man's witness, or "street-preaching" saved me. The Holy Spirit convicted me in a lonely house trailer high on a mountain one day, when I was at the end of myself.

Fore if I had witnessed such foul spew pouring forth in the public square, and in my previously unregenerate state had witnessed this fleshly garbage, and equated that junk with the Ministry of Jesus and Him crucified, I don't know here I'd be today, Thank you Lord for protecting me from such as these.

In the case of jed Smock, a question comes to mind, where does mental illness end and demonic possession begin? that line is so hazy, especially in his case, and if he was the only one, I wouldnt be disheartened, but there's a new generation coming up, just as bad, they know who they are.

But God is good, and there are two brothers [b]that I know of[/b] that minister open air that are blessed of God, and they know who they are. I don't mean to tar EVERY open air preacher...no no, please forgive me for that generalization, but I can name a few, right now, you are headed directly for the shoals of destruction.

and do you know how you tell them apart? If an open air preacher has a picture of [b]himself[/b] on the home page of his website, pointing a holy and righteous finger, that person is full of pride and self exhaltation and self righteousness.

Jesus and Jesus alone

"But do this with gentleness and respect...."

thats the tip off, thats the Mandate.....if you don't see that witness in the public square, its a good indication, either the flesh or the devil is at work.

neil

I went on youtube and started listening to Jed Smock and on one video he is totally off the rails, crazy, unBiblical, hateful, and then in the next video, he's sitting in a chair totally sober and calm explaining the Economy of God....and to me, that just doesnt compute.

as my brethern below indicated, what gives?

I'm going to watvh more, after all, the Bible says "Test the spirits".

neil

its not just you, everything is NOT alright with that man, which has been a question i have always asked, having witnessed demonic manifestations, where does mental illness end and demonic possession begin?

hence, can someone be schzitophrenic and bi-polar and/or is this demonic possession?

or maybe its an issue of saying "I don't know".

but you're not alone, their is something off about this man, and if it was just him alone, screaming into the wind, that would be one thing, but when you have college kids, struggling with life, and growing up, lost in a culture and an empire, where idolatry rules the land, this sick man MIGHT just be the only representation of what they deem to be a "christian".

Your mercy Lord, your mercy. please Jesus.

and I post this not to stir up trouble, but its a 48 second testimony on how a young college girl felt about a recent "Shock and Awe" campaign at her college. I post it because it gives a snapshot of what someone felt about the witness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG_cU7fk5hc&mode=related&search=

I listened to Fayetteville, and Praise God, you were preaching with unction, true clear sober strong in the leading of the Holy Ghost. You brightened my heart, and when you turned away that money, I fell in love with you in Jesus.

and the way you handled that foul mouthed man was the way it s'posed to be done....even, with respect, addressing people as "sir" and "maam"

Josh, you know what I always wanted to be involved with?

an old fashioned Holy Ghost tent meeting, and I'd love to see ya preaching in a tent, while I lay face down in the straw providing you with prayer covering.

God bless you, thanks for the sharing, neil

(later edit...I went to your links and went to a site called www.openairpreaching.com and they use as an audio intro I and the Holy Ghost did a while back called "You go and Preach it" on fireonthealtar.com [url=http://www.fireonthealtar.com/compilations/neil%20g/You%20Go%20and%20Preach%20It!.mp3]You Go and Preach it![/url]

that made me smile, I had a great time in the Lord making that comp....I always enjoyed when ole Ian Paisley got on fire for the Lord....know what? I wonder if the brethern REALLY understood what the Lord was trying to say with me thru that comp? hmmm.