Pray for Street Preachers in Hendersonville NC who are being arrested

Yeah, I heard about ol' Billy Ball not too long ago. I hate seeing this type of thing. I'm glad that the police where I am at haven't troubled me too much about street preaching.

Ball, a 46-year-old preacher from Primrose, Ga., received a citation from Hendersonville Police about 30 minutes after he appeared Thursday on the corner of Four Seasons Boulevard and Coolridge Street holding a sign that said: "Three gays rights: AIDS, hell, salvation." It's his second citation -- he also got one on Monday.

What was not reported was how every gay person who read this sign immediately repented of their immorality! I am being silly here, but I am disturbed by this type of spreading the "Good News".

While reading this I prayed about where the line is drawn between a Gospel preacher who is concerned about the salvation of unbelievers and a man who is looking for a fight with the wrong person at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Hear me out, I am not accusing this preacher of anything wrong, but I will not blindly accuse the police of doing anything wrong either. If the ordinance is a violation of free speech then it should be removed, I just don't see how a preacher getting citations glorifies God. What I am trying to say is that there must be a better way to get the ordinance removed than holding up a sign that says, "Three gays rights: AIDS, hell, salvation."

Let me state for the record that I believe the ordinance should be repealed, but I think it should be repealed in a way that does not involve a Christian breaking the law.

Wow, thats pretty interesting and sad. I'll be driving through there tomorrow I'll make sure to pray. I also just want to say thank you to all you who do street preach...May God be glorified through all things.

I'll visit you brother!
should i come within the next few days??? ;-)

"...I was in prison and ye came unto me..."

Wow. I'm speechless. Stand for your freedom of religious expression brother! My prayers are with you.

Billy Ball says: ""We are going to prove that this ridiculous ordinance about free speech is exactly that. And if they give me a citation, I will go right back and preach again. If I am arrested, somebody else will be here to take my place."

Chris Norris, who pastors Fair Haven Baptist Church in Hendersonville, agreed. "

Jesus says: "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." Matthew 10:14

This is my biggest "beef" with America these days. Christian Americans can't seem to see the difference between being Christian and American. This Billy Ball and his entourage want to "fight for their rights" and I think they speak for a large portion of American Christians.

WHAT RIGHTS ???

Are these rights God given, that people HAVE to listen to us?
That we can stand on street corners and give a presentation and no one can tell us to move?
That we're gonna do what we want because we have God on our side and these people just better deal with that?

Is it any wonder why the Church in China is so strong and we're so weak???
They just carry out the Great Commission and we talk about it and argue about it and fight for our rights over it.
Man, this would really depress me if I didn't believe God's Word to be true that the apostasy HAS to come before the man of lawlessness is revealed.
When our rights are more impostant than our message, we are apostate.

With all due respect, Mr. Ball should stop talking about his rights and start preaching the Word. If they run him out, then let him shake the dust off his "sandals" and move on, knowing he did as the Lord wanted him to do and that the rest of the work is the Holy Spirits' and not to be decided through legislation.

Sorry this is so long. This is a pet peeve of mine and it just irks me what we've done to the Name of Christ for the sake of our comfort and freedom.

Let me be clear. I support Billy Ball's right of free speech as protected by the Constitution, I just want Billy Ball and the rest of us to exercise wise speech, especially in front of the world.

Thanks for this update krispy, we all know it's going to get worse. We need persecution to purge the church!

I support Billy Balls freedom of speech. I support a gay person when they exercise their freedom of speech. I support a Muslim when they exercise their freedom of speech (so long as their speech is protected under the Constitution, which advocating violence and treason is not protected speech).

I agree that this ordinance seems to run contrary to freedom of speech rights and it should definitely be brought before a court for review where it will most likely be struck down as unconstitutional.

However, as I was thinking about this matter I began to ponder whether or not this man should be purposefully violating this ordinance in the mean time. I do believe that there is a time when violating a law or ordinance might be the right thing to do but I don't think this is one of those times. I don't think it would be a violation of conscience for him to apply for the permit to speak in public until this ordinance is revoked. I'm thinking that by openly violating the ordinance he could lead those who are looking on to think that it is OK to disregard the law to further your own ends, possibly to much greater evil purposes than silencing public speech.

Just my thoughts.

In Christ,

Ron

I began to ponder whether or not this man should be purposefully violating this ordinance in the mean time.

I agree. Well said.

I think the last two entries on this board were well stated. I think the follow-up articles only serve to back these statements...

Has anyone read the latest update on this story?

http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070327/NEWS/703270328

Reading this last article I ask myself, "How is God being glorified?"

I asked myself the same thing - how is Jesus being lifted up in all this? The attention is all shifted to man and not the message.

I dont know if I should have made a separate post out of this but it roughly deals with the same issue. Please read the note under April 3, 2007. What are your thoughts?

http://media.www.theguardianonline.com/media/storage/paper373/news/2007/04/11/News/Crime.Notes-2832865.shtml

Oh, Krispy!

That the signs of persecution begin in such small ways, and in this, the last bastion of free speech, and freedom of religion.

I don't know what the Lord requires of us in these circumstances. I can only say, if Christian's were getting stomped on in my neighborhood, I would first pray, and then do as God directed me.

Alas that we are threatened with jail already. I have been aware it would come, but with it coming so soon, so does the Lord!

Things are speeding up so much just from week to week.

Praying for you, and for them all.

P.S. Was praying, and heard the Holy Spirit whisper picketing! And the words, 'Let Them Speak!'

If the Lord asks you to do something, be careful that you are prepared to be doing something so normal as silently demonstrating something non-provacative, yet strong in all our hearts. It might get the same results, while letting you rest quietly in your bed at night, rather than in jail.

Remember, the Lord said, in Matthew 10:16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Be careful. Praying for you and them.

WOW, I can't believe that town in NC has specific laws concerning open air preaching on the sidewalk. I am shocked.