Yesterday I mentioned how the security at the campus of AUM, Auburn University of Montgomery discussed with me the rules and regulations of free speech on campus after someone reported me preaching. Well today, another run in with the law, but at the local mall in town.
For some time, well over a year, I have been standing around at intersections in town with witnessing signs that tell people to be "sanctified or french fried." Just kidding... "Where will you spend eternity? Repent & Believe the Gospel is what it actually says.
Since I began doing this type of evangelism, I haven't had many issues with the law or owners of properties except when I first began, the owner of a jewelry store across the street from the mall said I could not stand at the intersection in front of his store, for the reason that if he let me, he would have to let skinheads, crazy people, and so on stand there. So I moved across the street in front of the mall. I can say too, I haven't seen any skinheads, crazy people or any other group come and stand on a corner as I did, thankfully I moved...
Well today, I made my way out to Eastdale Mall with my sign. Within minutes, mall security showed up informing that the corner was mall property and I would have to move along. "No problem," I said, as I made the point that for over a year, I have been doing this and no one has said a thing. "We have a new mall manager and he is cracking down on things", he replied.
As we walked toward my car and his vehicle, I tried to witnessed with him, giving him a gospel tract and quickly explaining it to him. He gladly took the tract and told me where I could stand that was a good spot down the road that was a good intersection and off of mall property. I shook his hand and thanked him.
If you have done any evangelism, mostly likely you have tried the mall. There are lots of people and it is temperature controlled. A great fishing spot. If you have witnessed there, you probably have had run-ins with the mall security and told you could not pass out tracts. I posted a link on yesterday's journal post on dealing with the police, witnessing at malls, and dealing with security somewhat falls in the same category but the mall has a few more things than just dealing with security.
I found a few more links I would like to share. I hope it helps you if you witness at mall or if you have been kicked out. Thank you for your time and I hope you were encouraged to share your faith as I am sharing mine.. By the way, the picture of the man and young girl holding signs, aren't of me, but or Roger who makes my signs for me. If you desire your own sign, check him out at WatchmanGospelSigns.com http://www.chick.com/bc/1997/smalltable.asp
It's hard to believe I have made it halfway through this journal. Writing it, I had really no expectations on what to expect and honestly, how hard it would be to sit down and write out my experiences. But even though, I missed a few days here and there, those opportunities were there as they are for each of us everyday.
So halfway through, let me share with you Day 15 out of 30.
The last game was here. The end had come. The Montgomery Biscuits, one of our favorite fishing spots to witness was coming to a pause till next year. Not wanting to miss the opportunity and also distribute the last few remaining baseball tracts we had, Jeromy Mashburn and I made a last effort to share the Gospel during America's favorite pastime.
We arrived at the ball game and completed our task as we planned. The opportunity gave us some one two one conversations as well as the opportunity to preach. Later on that evening, we made our way to Troy Montgomery, a local university with night classes.
This would not be a new spot for any of us. Both Jeromy and I had been here before, passing out tracts and I preaching. Never had we had any altercations or situation with the law enforcement. As I said in a previous post though, every day brings something new.
While at Troy by myself, Jeromy had gone to get his car around the corner. I passed out a few tracts to people coming and going and especially to one young man sitting near a fountain outside the school.
Afterward, I set my stool in place and prepared the word I would begin with when, I could not speak. I tried, but nothing would come out. I just couldn't preach. Taking that as a cue, that God wanted me to sit down, I did just that, next to the guy I gave the tract to sitting on the fountain.
It turned out that his name was Frank. A young man with a funny dialect to the way he spoke. After speaking more with him, about the tract I gave him, he was a Buddhist. I found it very hard to understand much of what he said due to his accent. But still carried on as if I new what he was saying, expressing the tract and God's standard of righteousness.
When out of nowhere, an older lady who apparently knew Frank appeared. She came up and began to speak to each of us, inquiring about the tract I had. Explaining it to her, she became loud, telling me that she too was a Buddhist.
I questioned her on what happens when she dies and she said her body goes to the ground and her spirit or entity goes to the sky and floats around until it is reincarnated. Interesting I thought. The interesting part was just about to come with my next few questions. I asked her relating to her answers about life after death, how she knows that will happen, what proof she has. Her next few words threw me for a loop. Come to find out she was Buddha. Yes, she said she was Buddha.
A little confused, I told her that I thought Buddha was the little fat bald guy. Her temper began to flair. She told me not to think that I knew everything. "Ma'am, I don't pretend to. I know I don't know half the things I want to," I said.
At this point, she was ranting about Karma and other things. Looking at me, she told me that she wasn't going to argue with me. Politely, I responded by telling her that I wasn't arguing with her either. That she can walk away anytime. Fumy though, she chose to continue.
She carried on about god and that there were many gods. When she said that, I told her she was speaking blasphemy. That there is one God. One Creator. One mediator between God and man and His name is Jesus. She just got louder. I looked at her calming repeating scripture and recalled saying in Jesus name she needed to leave. She blurted out a few more words and off she was.
As she walked away, I felt that fire in my bones to rise. I positioned my stool and began to preach. I was able to preach for about a good 4 minutes when the local police arrived. Keeping my stance on my stool, I stopped preaching and greeted the officer.
Very politely, he informed me that I could not preach here. Asking why, he said because it was disorderly conduct. Really? I asked. How so? The officer replied, "Well you’re drawing a crowd." When he said that, I almost placed my hand on his shoulder and said, "You see them too?"
But trying not to play, I kept it serious.
I told him that he could easily see that there was no crowd. Just people going to and from classes. Maybe a few people standing on the sidewalk across the street. He persisted that I just couldn't preach.
Not really accepting his argument, I told him that I just left the Biscuits game where there were more people that this there and that right down the streets, I use an amp and preach and have no problems with the police. He seemed to be shocked at that.
He asked me nicely, if I would give him two minutes to check with his commander. I had no problem with that. After a few phone calls, he said it would be OK, but with one condition. As long as I did not draw a crowd.
I knew that even if there was a crowd, I still had the freedom to preach. I used the opportunity to witness to him and the other officers that arrived on the scene. Jeromy discussed with them why we were out here and the urgency as Christians to share the gospel. The police were nice and although they were kind of restricting our freedom, it was just an opportunity that night to witness to them by remaining calm and orderly and respecting them as officers and letting them hear the gospel as I continued to preach.
As I write this journal, I recall the spot where I was standing. Behind me stood the Rosa Parks Museum. Inside tells of a lady and an era where people's liberty and freedoms were denied. Ms. Parks refused to give up her seat, her right you might say to be equal and sit where she chose. That night, I was practicing my freedom, that we all have. I'm sure there will come another night or day where I will be told to stop or go to jail. Maybe that day will come for many of us who go and stand on the corner to proclaim His word. It's not a day to look forward to, not a day to plan. Until though, we all should go and proclaim the good news.
I hope you enjoyed and have been encouraged by this journal and seek to do the same. To seek out opportunities in you own area to preach and share the good news. I will not be posting any entries this weekend. I have been invited to tag along and do some witnessing at Atlanta Motor Speedway during the Nascar race. Please keep myself and others in your prayers.
Yesterday I mentioned how the security at the campus of AUM, Auburn University of Montgomery discussed with me the rules and regulations of free speech on campus after someone reported me preaching. Well today, another run in with the law, but at the local mall in town.
