My feature from this week’s Carolinian, only I put back in the funny parts I had to take out in order to be, like, journalistic or something:
It’s mid-afternoon Thursday, and on the sidewalk outside the School of Education building a man in a fishing-hat sermonizes from a pedestal to anyone who will listen. Most people, whether spiritually full or pressed for time, pass quickly and miss Dustin Segers discredit “rational” arguments against God: “You’re telling me that only marbles exist, and yet you’re appealing to non-marble entities to do so,” he challenges Spring Garden Sreet. Spring Garden Street offers no response.
For another twenty minutes Pastor Segers preaches his logical gospel, appealing to historical texts, making philosophical arguments for the Lord. Because everybody else keeps walking away, he starts speaking directly to me, taking notes. Of course, there is some admonishing of homosexual activity, as well as of effeminacy (look out, metros!), but all delivered in a “love the sinner, hate the sin” attitude that at least attempts to avoid alienation For example, he explains that “the bible doesn’t single out homosexuals — nor thieves. Things only get awkward when he starts inquiring about specific sins: “You like drinking, my friend?” he asks his audience (still just me). “Like chuggin’ on the bottle? I did.” His audience shrugs. His job seems pretty hard.
As two campus police arrive for a word, Dustin announces he’s going to give his voice a little rest, and I take the opportunity to speak with Scott Smith, coordinator behind the day’s mission. “Sometimes the police say we can’t use amplification,” he says, waving a hand at Dustin and the officers. Smith has just returned to the States from Auckland (“we were preaching rugby matches,”) and now he’s midway through a tour of the Southeast. Once founder of a preparatory school, now self-funded evangelist with ties to Presbyterianism, Smith travels year-round under the banner of Schoolmaster Ministries, contacting local preachers like Segers to help him spread the Word to college campuses, sporting events, festivals etc…
“What I love about colleges is that the kids have time, they’re open to listen, they’re still open to learning,” he says, undaunted by the spare response he’s had today. Often people are turned off at the mention of street preaching, which calls to mind apocalyptic accusations and extreme-right opinions. Aware of these perceptions, Smith does his best to preach positively—though many street-preachers rely on “shock and scare” tactics, when Smith comes to town, he calls on “[preachers] with degrees in philosophy or theology,” hoping to appeal to people’s higher sensibilities.
Whatever one’s opinions on Pastor Segers’ program, his method certainly advocates dignity. Smiling as he shakes hands with the police, then joining Smith and I, Segers explains that both officers are Christians, and have indeed asked him to cut his microphone. While Smith moves the pulpit (to his joy, the police have permitted them to preach from the shade!) and begins his sermon, Segers explains his approach a little further to me.
“The last thing we want is to be associated with the Westboro Baptists,” he states—a fairly universal sentiment, but one which here expresses fundamental disapproval for fanatical methods. Segers and Smith see themselves not as dogmatists but apologists, who want to “engage [people] in a loving, respectful way to answer intellectually their questions.” Clearly the Word will need selling, but they accept the job out of compassion. “We want to get through [folks’] intellectual smokescreens… or we’re all toast before God,” Segers explains, kneeling, grinning, while over his shoulder Smith declaims to smoking students, “1,000 trips to McDonalds won’t turn you into a fish fillet” (think about it).
What does the future hold for Schoolmaster Ministries? Dustin Segers will stay in Greensboro with the Shepherd’s Fellowship, but Smith, having already come from the University of Tennessee and Western Carolina, will see NC State next week, then “go up North and work around D.C. for a while.” And in the Winter? “We usually go down to Florida, preach FSU, get the Daytona 500,” Smith reports. “People are usually more receptive down South.”Though its a tad snarky, that's not too bad!
HT: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/schoolmaster+ministries
