Street Preaching: A Phenomenon of Attraction
By Casper Damien
What are the effects and benefits of Street Preaching in PNG? It is a question that both Christians and non-Christians have to answer. Go to public places; markets, cities, towns and even busy populated areas in PNG, one would hear the so-called street preachers pumping their energy out with their preaching hoping that busy population would listen to them. For a moment, try to stop and listen to these so-called street preachers. What do you hear? Does these issues like HIV/AIDS, One World Government, Homosexuality, Technology, Disaster, Wars, Second coming of Jesus, makes sense to you? Is HIV/AIDS as a punishment from God? Are these issues like the wars, violence, and natural disasters direct punishment from God because humans have sinned?. Advancement of technology, One World Government and Homosexuality is a sign of the end times or the Second Coming of Jesus is near. This is what you hear from the street preachers. They firmly and convincingly will preach that you have to follow their Churches in-order for you to be saved when Jesus comes back. But wait and reflect deeply for a moment. If God is love, all good, and God’s salvific plan is for all human beings to be saved, whether one is HIV/AIDS positively infected or not, men or women, black or white, different religious affiliation, how come only selected few will be saved? Is salvation only for Christians? How about followers of these religions; Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism? Is this type of so-call street preaching, is it right or wrong?
The street preacher’s view on the social agenda in the world and what is happening in PNG is that this world is full of sin and every new development, whether in knowledge, or new technological development, or new changes that are happening in the world is all evil and evidence that the End of the World is near. This is a view on the street preacher’s perception of the world and other human beings, which is judgmental in nature which divides people into two groups; of sinners who will be condemned to hell and the righteous that God will save.
If this is the case of the preacher’s perception then the street preacher’s understanding of social issues such as HIV/AIDS, crimes, violence, wars, natural disasters and others are seen as punishment from God because human beings have failed to lived according to God’s plan and they have sinned.
The basis of their claim, which is mention, was the discourse of Jesus speaking of the end of the world in Mark 13 (see Mt. 24:1; Lk. 21:5; 19:41; 17:23; 2 Thess. 1:6-12, 2:1-12). When the day is near, he mentioned that the Anti-Christ will come and claim to be prophet of God, many wars and threats of wars will be experienced between nations, many natural disasters will kill thousands of people, hunger and famine will be experienced in many parts of the world, experienced of the breakdown of family relationship, many not believing in God any longer because of the materialism and many new developments which take away the idea of God from people, and including the endemic experience of HIV/AIDS which is a direct punishment from God. All these are signs that Jesus is coming soon.
Such an opinion in relation to the social issues and the coming of Jesus, and the preachers preaching about these issues and trying to use scriptural texts to relate the events of the world for the end of the world is something incomprehensible. Many good Christians believe that such social issues are the result of humans’ free will running riot, which is the consequence of irresponsible act. But for the Second Coming of Jesus is entirely belonging to God and only God knows, even the angels and the Son of Man (Jesus) do not know that time frame of that day. Even no human beings in this world know about the end of the world, if this is the case, then why did some injudicious (foolish and ill-advised) street preachers preached in this manner? Where did they get such information from? How do we measure with such an indoctrinated ideology? What is our response as genuine Christians to all these issues?
The PNG’s National Constitution on the Freedom of Religion in section 45 stated clearly that: 1. Every person has the right to freedom of conscience, thought and religion and the practice of his or her religion and beliefs, including freedom to manifest and propagate his religion and beliefs in such a way as not to interfere with the freedom of others, except to the extent that the exercise of that right is regulated or restricted by a law that complies with Section 38 (general qualifications on qualified rights), 2. No person shall be compelled to receive religious instruction or to take part in a religious ceremony or observance, but this does not apply to the giving of religious instruction to a child with the consent of his parent or guardian or to the inclusion in a course of study of secular instruction concerning any religion or belief. 3. No person is entitled to intervene unsolicited into the religious affairs of a person of a different belief, or to attempt to force his or any religion (or irreligion) on another, by harassment or otherwise. 4. No person may be compelled to take an oath that is contrary to his religion or belief, or to take an oath in a manner or form that is contrary to his religion or belief. 5. A reference in this section to religion includes a reference to the traditional religious beliefs and customs of the peoples of Papua New Guinea (Constitution of PNG, 1975: 28).
In regard to the religious freedom as such, the trend in which the influx of so many religious movement from outside and within is a problem at the moment. At this current trend the government has no control over them. With such an attitude, it questions the constitution on the Religious Freedom, and definitely it is a mockery out of itself, when so many groups and individuals forming and starting their own churches with their own interpretation of the bible and events.
In the light of many issues and changes happened in PNG, both good and bad changes, beyond many issues PNG faced at the moment, one that concerns our Christian faith today is the issue of street preaching.
We claimed that PNG is a Christian country as stated clearly in the constitution and we hold that everyone is free of exercising his or her freedom of religion and faith, which should not be questioned by others or any other groups. But looking closely at the way it is going and taken for granted that constitution is a protecting entity, street preaching has currently gone out of control. The way street preachers are preaching is what can be termed as “secondhand controversial ideology” of doctrines and theologies which emanates from so-called outside evangelizers at the moment with hatred. Their sole aim is at certain churches and Christians that they think they are not saved so the street preacher’s job is to save these lost souls.
What is sadly not recognized but should be taken considerably serious is that these street preachers lack proper training and education. Most of them are educated up to secondary which is a problem for them. Even almost all the things that they preach have no relevant point. It’s been evident that what they preach is what someone tells them to preach or either they heard from other so-called evangelizers which instructed them to peach that way. That shows that they have an agenda and that is to preach that way to attract as many people as possible to their church. It doesn’t matter what they preach is truth or not, as long as they achieve their motives of attracting as many people to their church is what matters most.
But, the street preaching itself is a problem. It is definitely a serious problem because if it is gone unnoticed it seriously has a potential for bringing division and chaos in the family and community at large.
We can’t wait to see the Good News of Jesus Christ, which was primarily supposed to bring unity and love for God’s salvation into the lives of people turn into a debating and a fighting issue for Christians. This questions the truth of preaching and its purpose. Moreover, if street preaching is for attacking other Christians and bringing fear into the lives of the people, then it definitely does not help in anywhere. It only brings confusion and misunderstanding among Christians.
Based on the fact in which the street preaching is conducted at the moment is seen as only bringing confusion, misunderstanding, division among the family and society, and fear into the lives of the people. Therefore, based on this evidence many good Christians have raised concern that the government should take measure to regulate street preaching in the country. It may not be noticed as a big issue but it has a potential for violence and uprising among Christians in the country.
What are the effects and benefits of Street Preaching in PNG? It is a question that both Christians and non-Christians have to answer. Go to public places; markets, cities, towns and even busy populated areas in PNG, one would hear the so-called street preachers pumping their energy out with their preaching hoping that busy population would listen to them. For a moment, try to stop and listen to these so-called street preachers. What do you hear? Does these issues like HIV/AIDS, One World Government, Homosexuality, Technology, Disaster, Wars, Second coming of Jesus, makes sense to you? Is HIV/AIDS as a punishment from God? Are these issues like the wars, violence, and natural disasters direct punishment from God because humans have sinned?. Advancement of technology, One World Government and Homosexuality is a sign of the end times or the Second Coming of Jesus is near. This is what you hear from the street preachers. They firmly and convincingly will preach that you have to follow their Churches in-order for you to be saved when Jesus comes back. But wait and reflect deeply for a moment. If God is love, all good, and God’s salvific plan is for all human beings to be saved, whether one is HIV/AIDS positively infected or not, men or women, black or white, different religious affiliation, how come only selected few will be saved? Is salvation only for Christians? How about followers of these religions; Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism? Is this type of so-call street preaching, is it right or wrong?
The street preacher’s view on the social agenda in the world and what is happening in PNG is that this world is full of sin and every new development, whether in knowledge, or new technological development, or new changes that are happening in the world is all evil and evidence that the End of the World is near. This is a view on the street preacher’s perception of the world and other human beings, which is judgmental in nature which divides people into two groups; of sinners who will be condemned to hell and the righteous that God will save.
If this is the case of the preacher’s perception then the street preacher’s understanding of social issues such as HIV/AIDS, crimes, violence, wars, natural disasters and others are seen as punishment from God because human beings have failed to lived according to God’s plan and they have sinned.
The basis of their claim, which is mention, was the discourse of Jesus speaking of the end of the world in Mark 13 (see Mt. 24:1; Lk. 21:5; 19:41; 17:23; 2 Thess. 1:6-12, 2:1-12). When the day is near, he mentioned that the Anti-Christ will come and claim to be prophet of God, many wars and threats of wars will be experienced between nations, many natural disasters will kill thousands of people, hunger and famine will be experienced in many parts of the world, experienced of the breakdown of family relationship, many not believing in God any longer because of the materialism and many new developments which take away the idea of God from people, and including the endemic experience of HIV/AIDS which is a direct punishment from God. All these are signs that Jesus is coming soon.
Such an opinion in relation to the social issues and the coming of Jesus, and the preachers preaching about these issues and trying to use scriptural texts to relate the events of the world for the end of the world is something incomprehensible. Many good Christians believe that such social issues are the result of humans’ free will running riot, which is the consequence of irresponsible act. But for the Second Coming of Jesus is entirely belonging to God and only God knows, even the angels and the Son of Man (Jesus) do not know that time frame of that day. Even no human beings in this world know about the end of the world, if this is the case, then why did some injudicious (foolish and ill-advised) street preachers preached in this manner? Where did they get such information from? How do we measure with such an indoctrinated ideology? What is our response as genuine Christians to all these issues?
The PNG’s National Constitution on the Freedom of Religion in section 45 stated clearly that: 1. Every person has the right to freedom of conscience, thought and religion and the practice of his or her religion and beliefs, including freedom to manifest and propagate his religion and beliefs in such a way as not to interfere with the freedom of others, except to the extent that the exercise of that right is regulated or restricted by a law that complies with Section 38 (general qualifications on qualified rights), 2. No person shall be compelled to receive religious instruction or to take part in a religious ceremony or observance, but this does not apply to the giving of religious instruction to a child with the consent of his parent or guardian or to the inclusion in a course of study of secular instruction concerning any religion or belief. 3. No person is entitled to intervene unsolicited into the religious affairs of a person of a different belief, or to attempt to force his or any religion (or irreligion) on another, by harassment or otherwise. 4. No person may be compelled to take an oath that is contrary to his religion or belief, or to take an oath in a manner or form that is contrary to his religion or belief. 5. A reference in this section to religion includes a reference to the traditional religious beliefs and customs of the peoples of Papua New Guinea (Constitution of PNG, 1975: 28).
In regard to the religious freedom as such, the trend in which the influx of so many religious movement from outside and within is a problem at the moment. At this current trend the government has no control over them. With such an attitude, it questions the constitution on the Religious Freedom, and definitely it is a mockery out of itself, when so many groups and individuals forming and starting their own churches with their own interpretation of the bible and events.
In the light of many issues and changes happened in PNG, both good and bad changes, beyond many issues PNG faced at the moment, one that concerns our Christian faith today is the issue of street preaching.
We claimed that PNG is a Christian country as stated clearly in the constitution and we hold that everyone is free of exercising his or her freedom of religion and faith, which should not be questioned by others or any other groups. But looking closely at the way it is going and taken for granted that constitution is a protecting entity, street preaching has currently gone out of control. The way street preachers are preaching is what can be termed as “secondhand controversial ideology” of doctrines and theologies which emanates from so-called outside evangelizers at the moment with hatred. Their sole aim is at certain churches and Christians that they think they are not saved so the street preacher’s job is to save these lost souls.
What is sadly not recognized but should be taken considerably serious is that these street preachers lack proper training and education. Most of them are educated up to secondary which is a problem for them. Even almost all the things that they preach have no relevant point. It’s been evident that what they preach is what someone tells them to preach or either they heard from other so-called evangelizers which instructed them to peach that way. That shows that they have an agenda and that is to preach that way to attract as many people as possible to their church. It doesn’t matter what they preach is truth or not, as long as they achieve their motives of attracting as many people to their church is what matters most.
But, the street preaching itself is a problem. It is definitely a serious problem because if it is gone unnoticed it seriously has a potential for bringing division and chaos in the family and community at large.
We can’t wait to see the Good News of Jesus Christ, which was primarily supposed to bring unity and love for God’s salvation into the lives of people turn into a debating and a fighting issue for Christians. This questions the truth of preaching and its purpose. Moreover, if street preaching is for attacking other Christians and bringing fear into the lives of the people, then it definitely does not help in anywhere. It only brings confusion and misunderstanding among Christians.
Based on the fact in which the street preaching is conducted at the moment is seen as only bringing confusion, misunderstanding, division among the family and society, and fear into the lives of the people. Therefore, based on this evidence many good Christians have raised concern that the government should take measure to regulate street preaching in the country. It may not be noticed as a big issue but it has a potential for violence and uprising among Christians in the country.
