Dear Sir,
I read with interest your report on the street preacher Mr Michael Jones in the April edition. I was pleased to see that the false charges against him had been dropped. The advice given at the end of the article to street preachers is obviously wise. However, it is important that Christian organisations go beyond simply advising that people record their preaching.
As a minister of an evangelical church in a town where there is the frequent presence of a street preacher, it often feels like our witness and outreach is hindered rather than helped by his tone and approach. It is important that those who feel called to this work are gifted, trained, able to communicate clearly, boldly and lovingly and, importantly, are sent by and under the authority of a local church. We expect such things from those who preach in pulpits on Sunday – they are even more necessary of those who represent Jesus Christ and his people in public.
