Post by messengermicah on Nov 7, 2009 19:23:02 GMT -5
Universities of North Carolina (Chapel Hill and Greensboro) 10/21-10/22/09
Wednesday October 21, 2009-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-Chapel Hill, North Carolina: It was a beautiful day for preaching with clear weather in the high 70’s. I never try to begin preaching on this campus at noon because usually the ideal preaching area known as “The Pit” has all kinds of events going on in the morning until noon.
I have usually been able to get large crowds at this campus regardless of the time. I usually try to begin preaching around 1:00 PM. We parked around 1:20 PM and by the time I had walked to “The Pit” it was around 1:40 PM.
POLICY BACKGROUND
It looked as if there were three events going on in “The Pit”. I knew the policy stated there could only be two events at a time. It does not matter if the other groups do not care but if those involved in a previously reserved event complain they can have the third group removed from “The Pit”.
In the past, if there were two events going on I would ask the one I was nearest to if they would have a problem if I began preaching. They have always said it would be no problem. I would then move as far away as possible from them so as not to interfere.
I did not want to start preaching and then have someone complain and be removed so I looked around for the police. There were three police officers in the area but none of them knew anything about the policy but acted as if they did.
I was told I needed to go talk to someone in the student union and reserve the area. I knew this was not correct. I had never done this in three years and know a preacher who has preached here regularly for many years and he has never made a reservation to preach in “The Pit”.
WHAT IS THE POLICY?
I went in to the office they told me to go to and asked for a copy of the policy. The person I was supposed to talk to was not in but they sent me to another office. I explained to the administrator my situation and what I understood about “The Pit” policy.
He replied I was exactly right. He checked to see how many events were scheduled in “The Pit” on this day and there were only two. Both events were scheduled to end at 2:00 PM. It was now 1:50 PM so I told him I would just begin preaching at 2:00 PM and avoid any problem.
The administrator was helpful and very honest. He also informed me today was the day before the Fall Break so many of the students had already gone home.
I began preaching in “The Pit” at 2:00 PM and soon gathered a small group that continued growing to around 100-120. It was a typical preaching day for Chapel Hill as the students sat down on the steps, listened well and asked good questions. This has always been one of my favorite universities to preach at.
The crowd size was not as big as it normally is but that is to be expected with a later start and the day before Fall Break.
I stopped preaching at 3:30 PM with a crowd of about 100-120.
I was scheduled to preach in the church where we were staying that night and we needed to leave before the traffic. That evening I preached for 50 minutes from Matthew 6:21-24 on “Having a Single Eye for God”.
Thursday October 22, 2009-University of North Carolina at Greensboro-Greensboro, North Carolina: Since UNC-Chapel Hill was on Fall Break today Brother Ross, Sister Elizabeth and I decided to drive over to Greensboro and preach at UNC-Greensboro.
BROTHER ROSS
I met Brother Ross in September of 2007, while I was preaching at East Carolina University. He had recently been saved and was trying to witness his faith and do some preaching. The preaching that week had a great influence upon Brother Ross and he is now a very effective campus preacher.
It was an hour and forty minute drive from where I was staying. We arrived on the sidewalk by the student union where we would begin preaching around 12:20 PM. I began preaching around 12:25 PM and gradually gathered a small crowd that continued to grow.
Soon a police car pulled up and the officer walked up and shook my hand and asked to see my ID. He told me I could continue preaching and the police remained on the scene for the remainder of the afternoon.
CROWD ON THE EDGE
Eventually the crowd grew to around 120-130. Up until this point they had been keeping a good distance back away from the sidewalk but I could tell they had just about heard all they could stand and were getting ready to close in.
DOES HE AGREE WITH YOU?
I had been preaching for just over one hour. I knew the crowd was curious to know if Brother Ross (who happens to be black) would agree with my preaching. They are always curious to know if my wife agrees with my preaching also. Unfortunately, in America now for many years now the majority of churches and preachers do not preach the whole truth (Acts 20:26-27). Consequently, when we begin preaching what the Bible plainly teaches it sounds so foreign to them and actually is the exact opposite of what they think the Bible teaches. This usually creates quite a stir.
I turned the crowd on the edge over to Brother Ross around 1:30 PM. Within ten minutes, the crowd had closed in all around him. During this time the crowd grew to around 150-160.
After some time the crowd size gradually began to decrease. I had some good conversations with several students around me while Brother Ross was preaching.
By around 2:25 PM the crowd size had come down quite a bit and I had a small group of students around me. Brother Ross then turned the preaching back over to me.
I returned to the preaching sidewalk spot around 2:25 PM and preached for the next 30 minutes to a crowd of 15-35. Brother Ross also had a group of similar size around him during this time.
We left the campus around 3:00 PM to make the one hour and forty minute drive back. I was scheduled to preach in a local church that evening.
That evening I preached for about one hour on “A Gospel of Power”.
Wednesday October 21, 2009-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-Chapel Hill, North Carolina: It was a beautiful day for preaching with clear weather in the high 70’s. I never try to begin preaching on this campus at noon because usually the ideal preaching area known as “The Pit” has all kinds of events going on in the morning until noon.
I have usually been able to get large crowds at this campus regardless of the time. I usually try to begin preaching around 1:00 PM. We parked around 1:20 PM and by the time I had walked to “The Pit” it was around 1:40 PM.
POLICY BACKGROUND
It looked as if there were three events going on in “The Pit”. I knew the policy stated there could only be two events at a time. It does not matter if the other groups do not care but if those involved in a previously reserved event complain they can have the third group removed from “The Pit”.
In the past, if there were two events going on I would ask the one I was nearest to if they would have a problem if I began preaching. They have always said it would be no problem. I would then move as far away as possible from them so as not to interfere.
I did not want to start preaching and then have someone complain and be removed so I looked around for the police. There were three police officers in the area but none of them knew anything about the policy but acted as if they did.
I was told I needed to go talk to someone in the student union and reserve the area. I knew this was not correct. I had never done this in three years and know a preacher who has preached here regularly for many years and he has never made a reservation to preach in “The Pit”.
WHAT IS THE POLICY?
I went in to the office they told me to go to and asked for a copy of the policy. The person I was supposed to talk to was not in but they sent me to another office. I explained to the administrator my situation and what I understood about “The Pit” policy.
He replied I was exactly right. He checked to see how many events were scheduled in “The Pit” on this day and there were only two. Both events were scheduled to end at 2:00 PM. It was now 1:50 PM so I told him I would just begin preaching at 2:00 PM and avoid any problem.
The administrator was helpful and very honest. He also informed me today was the day before the Fall Break so many of the students had already gone home.
I began preaching in “The Pit” at 2:00 PM and soon gathered a small group that continued growing to around 100-120. It was a typical preaching day for Chapel Hill as the students sat down on the steps, listened well and asked good questions. This has always been one of my favorite universities to preach at.
The crowd size was not as big as it normally is but that is to be expected with a later start and the day before Fall Break.
I stopped preaching at 3:30 PM with a crowd of about 100-120.
I was scheduled to preach in the church where we were staying that night and we needed to leave before the traffic. That evening I preached for 50 minutes from Matthew 6:21-24 on “Having a Single Eye for God”.
Thursday October 22, 2009-University of North Carolina at Greensboro-Greensboro, North Carolina: Since UNC-Chapel Hill was on Fall Break today Brother Ross, Sister Elizabeth and I decided to drive over to Greensboro and preach at UNC-Greensboro.
BROTHER ROSS
I met Brother Ross in September of 2007, while I was preaching at East Carolina University. He had recently been saved and was trying to witness his faith and do some preaching. The preaching that week had a great influence upon Brother Ross and he is now a very effective campus preacher.
It was an hour and forty minute drive from where I was staying. We arrived on the sidewalk by the student union where we would begin preaching around 12:20 PM. I began preaching around 12:25 PM and gradually gathered a small crowd that continued to grow.
Soon a police car pulled up and the officer walked up and shook my hand and asked to see my ID. He told me I could continue preaching and the police remained on the scene for the remainder of the afternoon.
CROWD ON THE EDGE
Eventually the crowd grew to around 120-130. Up until this point they had been keeping a good distance back away from the sidewalk but I could tell they had just about heard all they could stand and were getting ready to close in.
DOES HE AGREE WITH YOU?
I had been preaching for just over one hour. I knew the crowd was curious to know if Brother Ross (who happens to be black) would agree with my preaching. They are always curious to know if my wife agrees with my preaching also. Unfortunately, in America now for many years now the majority of churches and preachers do not preach the whole truth (Acts 20:26-27). Consequently, when we begin preaching what the Bible plainly teaches it sounds so foreign to them and actually is the exact opposite of what they think the Bible teaches. This usually creates quite a stir.
I turned the crowd on the edge over to Brother Ross around 1:30 PM. Within ten minutes, the crowd had closed in all around him. During this time the crowd grew to around 150-160.
After some time the crowd size gradually began to decrease. I had some good conversations with several students around me while Brother Ross was preaching.
By around 2:25 PM the crowd size had come down quite a bit and I had a small group of students around me. Brother Ross then turned the preaching back over to me.
I returned to the preaching sidewalk spot around 2:25 PM and preached for the next 30 minutes to a crowd of 15-35. Brother Ross also had a group of similar size around him during this time.
We left the campus around 3:00 PM to make the one hour and forty minute drive back. I was scheduled to preach in a local church that evening.
That evening I preached for about one hour on “A Gospel of Power”.