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 On a mountain outside of Galilee. From a boat just off a lake’s shoreline. In the Portico of Solomon, just outside the Temple in Jerusalem. Atop Mars Hill in Athens, Greece. What do these locations have in common? They are places where Jesus, Peter, John, and Paul open-air preached.
But the discipline of preaching in the open-air to crowds of unbelievers did not stop two thousand years ago with the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, or with the end of the Apostolic Age. On the contrary—the practice continued to flourish through the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, and the Reformation with men like Wycliffe, Hus, Luther, and Calvin.
It continued through the 18th Century Great Awakening in North America—a time when men like Charles and John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Jonathan Edwards preached to tens of thousands of people. They preached not only in the vaulted cathedrals and backwoods chapels of their day, but also in town squares, from the front porches of homes, and in cow pastures.
It continued through the 19th Century with men like the “Prince of Preachers,” Charles Spurgeon.
It continued through the 20th Century with men like Billy Sunday and Billy Graham engage large crowds in the open-air
 This most biblical and sacred tradition for communicating the Law of God and His Gospel continues today through thousands of modern-day heralds, including men like Ray Comfort, Stuart Scott and Leon Brown.
In fact, Ray Comfort has aptly said that the average open air preacher can reach more unsaved people with the gospel in one, ten-minute open-air session than most churches will reach from their pulpit during an entire year.
Sadly, the church (in general) has set aside this great evangelistic tool and replaced it with man-centered programs and entertainment. The church (again, speaking in general terms) has adopted an “if you build it they will come” mentality—opting to build extravagant buildings for the glory and pleasure of man, instead of obeying the God-given mandate to go and preach the gospel to the entire world.
The unsaved are not converted by the availability of a coffee kiosk in the lobby of a “worship center,” (Even the word “church” has become an offense in certain segments of evangelicalism), or by music that moves them in a positive emotional way, or by fellowship with professing Christians who look and act “just like they do.” No! The gospel alone is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16)! And the gospel is a message that must be heard to be believed (Romans 10:14-17)!
So, preach the gospel and trust the Holy Spirit to move on whom He will. And the next time you see an open-air preacher engaging a crowd, don’t scoff. Either pray for him (or her) or grab a box or milk crate and join him. After all, he is doing what Jesus did.Tony “Lawman” Miano
Director of the Ambassadors’ Alliance
www.LivingWaters.com
www.TheLawManChronicles.blogspot.com
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