To Be Seen of Men
“Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are:
for they love to pray standing…in the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen of men.”
-Matthew 6:5
As this revival of open air preaching continues to sweep across the world, though it began here in the United States and is now taking hold in every country on the face of the earth, it is very clearly and very sadly loosing its hold on America, not for want of places to preach, or for want of people to preach to, or for that matter want of men to go and preach, but for want of purpose…a righteous purpose…a biblical purpose…a sincere purpose. We say purpose in that the scriptures declare that “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work…because to every purpose there is a time and judgment” (Ecclessiastes 3:17/ 8:6). And though “there is a time for every purpose”, Christians can also loose sight of “the purpose of God” (Romans 9:11), and quickly find their “purpose according to the flesh” (2 Corinthians 1:17). But the ranks of open air evangelism in America is increasingly being over taken by men who love to judge others but cannot judge themselves in the same manner with which they justify openly rebuking everyone else. Christ called such men, “Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites” (Matthew 23:13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29) in a very fitting description and labelization that identified them for all eternity, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat” (Matthew 23:1)
“And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people.”
-Exodus 18:13
Ever met the New Age Reverend Moses? Ever seen a scribe or a Pharisee doing his Moses act? He isn’t Moses the Law giver, for that Moses was “very meek, above all men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). These guys aren’t meek at all, but they are by the words of Christ “scribes and Pharisees” who by sitting in Moses’ seat, become hypocrites. Ever met a scribe who pretends to be Moses? He loves to scribble [that is why he is called a scribe]…he loves to scribble the law of the Lord in a manner that makes it vain (see Jeremiah 8:8) in its application to others while “rejecting the word of the Lord” as it is applied to himself (see vs. 9). In his love for scribbling the law, he is fascinated with seeing “signs” (see Matthew 12:23) of his own making, scribbling what he thinks the law says (John 8:5) on everything including his garments (Matthew 23:5). Ever met him? Ever seen him with one of his signs? It is amazing how much he can scribble on one sign, so much so, that it is unintelligible, without thought or purpose beyond captivating the eye and the attention of others.
“And all their works they do for to be seen of men.”
-Matthew 23:1, 5
Ever met a scribe or a Pharisee pretending to be Moses? The Pharisees were the ones who could always point out and call attention to everyone else’s sin (John 8:3-5), but refused to hear anything about their own (John 9:34). The Pharisees were the ones who “loved to stand…in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men” (Matthew 6:5). Nothing wrong with praying in public. Nothing wrong with preaching in public. But both are wrong when done “for to be seen of men”! Ever seen these men who love to be seen by you? They are easy to spot on the street corners everywhere because of the manner in which they go about doing what they do for the sole purpose of wanting to be seen doing it. And the moment these kind read this, they will foam and gnash vainly about the author judging their motives, as if everyone in the body of Christ is blind as they are, and cannot see what they clearly demonstrate in all that they do, that ”ALL THEIR WORKS they do for TO BE SEEN OF MEN” (ibid.). Brethren, “purposes” can be fully known just as much as one’s doctrine, manner of life, faith, longsuffering, charity or patience (see 2 Timothy 3:10). So how do you spot the purposes of men who like to be seen of men?
1. Everything they do in planning, scoping, scheduling, timing and positioning themselves on “the corners of the streets” is all about being seen. They plan their preaching events in the words of one such celebrity street preacher, “for the greatest visibility”. They scope out their locations for the best spot that will allow them to be seen by the most folks.
Brethren, a truly God called street preacher has his main focus on “being heard”, not on being seen. Everything he does in locating himself, positioning his preaching stand, timing his messages and gathering a congregation (people congregating for a purpose) is all about BEING HEARD! A God called open air evangelists is not concerned about just finding a crowd of people. The street preacher should be looking for an audience! Audience…audible…auticulate …a group of people gathered to LISTEN! That is what an audience is: a group of people gathered to hear and listen to something audible! The focus of the open air evangelists in positioning himself is all about being heard. He places his back up against a stone or brick building for the amplification. He positions himself across from other stone or brick buildings to bounce his voice off the buildings. He positions himself half way between intersections to avoid the traffic noise, and to project his voice off the buildings in both directions. He will position himself above his congregation so that he can project his voice over their heads and above the din of the street noise. He will avoid busy intersections because he cannot be heard there.
Howbeit, the “Show-Must-Go-On” preacher is not concerned about amplification, voice projection or competing noise levels. He is all about being seen. He loves intersections! He loves broad open spaces that allow his banners to be seen from afar (see Jeremiah 5:1). He chooses locations that have back drops “pleasant to the eyes” (Genesis 3:6). Reverend Showboat loves mirrored buildings, with huge glass windows that reflect his entourage, so that he can likewise see what he looks like while preaching. Noise doesn’t bother him. The louder the better, for that means more people are gathering around to look at him and watch him perform his Act of being a Street Preacher! It doesn’t matter that they cannot hear him or understand anything he says. He is only concerned about addressing the front row hecklers as long as everyone else behind them can watch and see him address the front row of hecklers. He runs to other people’s crowds! His concern is not reaching people for Christ, but rather using Christ as an avenue for people reaching him. In December of 2008, the author and several other Anabaptists ministers were preaching in the downtown area of Nairobi, Kenya to several thousand Africans. Brother James McDonald from New York was preaching. Brother Jimmie is a retired janitor, with a balding head, scruffy beard and stands about 6′-5″, and his physical features are reminiscent of Christ in Isaiah 53:2. As he was preaching, an African stunt man on a bicycle began performing tricks for the crowd about 30 feet from where Brother McDonald was preaching. In short order, the dancing African had a crowd around him watching his stunts while riding his bicycle backwards. Brother Jim just kept preaching. Within 10 minutes the crowd had SEEN every trick the African could do on his bike, but Brother Jimmie was just cranking up the manifold judgments of God. As Brother McDonald continued to raise his voice, one man after another walked away from the Obama Man on a Bike and gathered around Brother McDonald to hear the word of God. They had seen all they wanted to see from the fool on his bike, but they were just beginning to hear. Within 15 minutes 500 Africans were gathered in a circle around Brother Jimmie. You couldn’t see Brother McDonald, but you could sure enough hear him! The American preachers came out of that street meeting with a list of over 21 converts in the Purpose of It All! It has always been one of the New Testament principles of Christ to be heard and not always seen (study Mark 6:20/ 12:27/ Luke 2:47/ 7:29/19:1-6/ 23:8/ John 4:42).
2. His technique, methods and tools are for show. The circus clowns in any arena are there to be seen and not heard. They are colorful and zany, often dressed in multi colored clothes that capture the eye’s attention before anyone can ascertain their purpose. Ditto for Reverend Look-At-Me street preacher. They wear red shirts, yellow shirts, orange shirts, florescent green, purple…anything that makes you stand out better to the eye! Eye Catching attire is an understatement about them. The Barnum and Bailey circus clowns have nothing on these guys. His technique is all about being seen, and how to be more visible in the smallest and largest crowds. His methods are about gathering the crowds by his appearance rather than by what he is saying. It doesn’t matter what he says, just look at him! Look at his shirt! Look at his banner! Look at what’s written on his hat! Look at his cool sun glasses! Look at all the colorful sayings written all over his undershirt and shorts! He has red letter sayings running down the legs of his yellow running pants! Can we pose with you for a picture? These clowns for Jesus love to have their pictures taken. Look how he has painted his megaphone! He has sayings painted all over it too! What’s he yelling about? Who cares! Just look at him! He’s a nut! And they really, honestly do not care what he is saying, because the ’christian clown’ doesn’t care about what he is saying either! His method is to use his voice only to keep the crowds attention once they gather to look at this multi-colored, living, breathing, walking sign board for God. Ever seen them? They have a megaphone in one hand or over their shoulder, with a huge multicolored banner stuck in their waste ban.Many of them wear carpenter bags with all kinds of colorful tracts stuffed in them. They rest the banner pole in the holder for the tape measure, and cram gospel tracts in nail pouches. And the Bible? The Word of God? The Holy Scriptures? If they have one, its a New Testament stuck in their back pocket, or a rag tag paper back jammed into the carpenter’s bag under the gospel tracts. When he “preaches”, he never has the Bible in his hand, because you can’t hold a banner, a megaphone and a camera at the same time and be bothered with holding up the word of God…you might drop your camera!
Now Brethren, GET MAD, and whine, and write ugly emails to the author, and post personal comments back to the blog. Throw a fit, and heave your baby bottle out of the crib and stomp your feet and gripe and belly ache about Brother McRae judging your motives and heart! But I have just described in detail what you look like in very good detail. Never mind your hateful attitude because I tell you the truth. You look like you appear to be! A Bunch of Clowns! Now if you disagree, it won’t bother me at all. Just go on YouTube.com and punch in street preaching/street preachers and look for yourself! For that is where you post all your videos for people to see you doing your thing for God. YOU…YOU…YOU posted those videos about YOU and what YOU look like on YOUtube! But the Bible and Jesus Christ has judged already concerning those whose only purpose is “to be seen of men” (Matthew 23:1, 5). Be thankful to God. You got your wish. We see you and so does God!
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