As well as having the honour of being Chair of Trustees for Chippenham Street Pastors, I also am the volunteer chaplain to the police in Chippenham. And prior to moving to Chippenham 2 years ago, I’d been one of the volunteer chaplains for Swindon Police.
One night in Swindon I was sat in a very nice 5 series BMW traffic police car. The officer I was with was called in to the Centre of Swindon to provide some assistance as a disturbance was taking place outside a night club. As we got nearer to the incident the officer got a call telling us that he wasn’t needed and then he said to me “Are you anything to do with those Street Pastors?” I wasn’t – though I said I knew a few including my wife.
“You let your wife go out down the bottom of town as a Street Pastor? You wouldn’t catch me doing what they do! I don’t get why they would want to go out with the idiots down town on a Saturday night!”
I’ve edited this for language!
I explained that the reason for Street Pastors doing what they do is about serving others - just like police officers do. The Police officer I was with that night, like all I’ve encountered, had a strong sense of public service and he sort of understood why Street Pastors serve others. But although I didn’t say this to the officer, I feel Street Pastors do what they do not just out of service but also because Street Pastors are evangelists too.
And this sets Street Pastors apart from other people who just serve their neighbours. There are many good people who serve others – whether they are public servants such as police officers, nurses, doctors, and so on. Or whether they serve other people in some other way. But just because you’re prepared to serve others doesn’t make you an evangelist. To be an evangelist then is more than just serving others – though that is part of it.
Now let me make something clear. The words “Evangelist” and “Evangelism” have got a bad press. More often than not when we hear these words we think of the right wing Christians in the USA. Or we think of those who stand on street corners and not so much preach as rant.
And yes those are forms of evangelism because put simply evangelism means to bring or announce Good News. Good News being the Gospel of Jesus. Evangelism is the preaching of the Gospel. Communicating God’s message of mercy to sinners.
We tend to think of Evangelists as one particular type of Christian because we tend to associate evangelism with preaching. But all Christians are called to be evangelists – sharers of the Good News and sharers of Christ’s love. Some may do so through preaching and others will do so in other ways.
Evangelism is much more than preaching the gospel. I think it is better to think of evangelism as communication of the Gospel by word and deed. You may have heard the saying attributed to St Francis of Assisi “Preach the Gospel at all times. And if necessary use words.”
And if you think of it, Jesus evangelised through words and deed. Yes, he preached but he also put his words into actions.
For example, in the healing of the blind man Bartimaeus Mark 10: 46 - 52
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Jesus tells Bartimaeus the Gospel – “Your faith has healed you” and then demonstrates the Gospel by healing Bartimaeus. In this short story, we see both kinds of evangelism at work. Preaching and doing.
So to answer that police officer’s question why do Street Pastors do what they do? Or perhaps more precisely what makes Street Pastors able to do what they do?
I believe what makes Street Pastors do what you do is the Holy Spirit. And when you are a Street Pastor you show the fruits of the Holy Spirit. And through showing the fruits of the Holy Spirit you are evangelising. Not by preaching but by showing what it means for you to have Christ in your lives and by offering the Night Time Economy of Chippenham the Fruits of the Spirit.
22 God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful,23 gentle, and self-controlled. Galatians 5: 22 - 23
As I said earlier, all followers of Jesus should be evangelists. But the Holy Spirit has given Street Pastors the gift to be evangelists, in a place and a time where most of us would rather be tucked up in bed! The Holy Spirit has called you to show and tell the Good News of Jesus, by being alongside the night clubbers, the door staff, the police officers, the taxi drivers, the people serving in the Kebab shop or Subway, on a Saturday night.
In the words of one of the Promises Street Pastors make
You walk the streets as a public, prayerful presence representing
Jesus and his Church to all you meet.
That is evangelism.
I’m sure at 3.30 am on a cold wet January night it will be a real challenge to be
loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful,23 gentle, and self-controlled
But be assured the Holy Spirit is with you always.
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