"On Monday of this week, a street preacher boarded a London commuter train and began preaching. Reading passages from the Old Testament, he warned his
fellow commuters of God's coming judgment.
He also held out the hope of salvation, saying at one point: "Death is not the end."
An eyewitness told The Guardian, "He was quite well spoken and calm. He said: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to talk to you about something and that something is the word of the Lord, Jesus Christ. He’s here to heal your sins. The Bible tells you that homosexuality is a sin and sex before marriage is a sin. You need to repent.'"
Passengers forced open the doors on a busy rush-hour train and climbed on to tracks after becoming 'panicked' in the carriage.
*Best-case scenario, this presumably well-meaning preacher chose a poor time and place to deliver his message.
*Worst-case scenario, this preacher is a self-promoter simply looking for a reaction. Regardless, his actions are a cause of embarrassment for Christians.
If you've ever traveled via public transportation, you know that the main objective, apart from arriving at your destination quickly, is to avoid the crazies. All public transportation systems have crazies. When someone stands up and begins speaking loudly to everyone, the natural assumption is that the person is crazy; best not to make eye contact.
There is a time and a place to deliver the gospel message of Jesus Christ. A train compartment is probably not that place. No matter how well-meaning, this street preacher brought unnecessary embarrassment to the cause of Christ.
However ...
Come on, Londoners!
Any level of Biblical literacy ..... They would've recognized that he was simply offering the salvation found in faith in Jesus Christ. Becoming "panicked" and climbing out of the train is embarrassing.
One wonders if the people of Nineveh reacted in a similar fashion
when Jonah showed up preaching about God's coming wrath. Actually, scratch that, one doesn't wonder because the Bible records that the Ninevites repented of their sins and turned to God when a street preacher showed up in their town. Unlike Londoners, the ancient people of Nineveh were made of sterner and, more importantly, humbler stuff. I must add, however, there is little comparison between this London street/subway preacher and Jonah." PJMedia
O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
Ezra 9:6