Witnessing and “street preaching,” are constitutionally protected activities. They are the ways in which citizens have always exercised their rights of free speech.
July 8, 2019
Nothing gets the world’s attention like a funeral. So I have done many mock funerals over the years and used them to remind those who gather that they have an appointment to keep. I usually have “mourners” follow and gather around as I preach.
Back in New Zealand at one of these mini-dramas, one of the female mourners was sobbing just before I was due to speak. She had gone to the local Salvation Army store and purchased black clothes, a black hat and a black veil. I was supposed to be a sober-faced priest (I did have minister’s credentials at the time), and this young lady was over-doing her part. Her sobs were so loud I could feel laughter welling up inside me, and I knew that if I didn’t do something real quick I was going to burst out laughing and wreck the funeral.
So I slowly walked across to her in front of the large crowd, put my comforting hand on her heaving shoulder, leaned forward and gently whispered “Shut up.” It was a funny moment.
But on a more serious note, may I encourage you to do this? All it takes is a lot of love and a little boldness. You just do it as you would a real funeral and thoroughly preach the gospel as you do so. Pictured is one we did at Huntington Beach some time ago.