Street evangelism comes with many challenges. Opposition comes in all forms, and unfortunately sometimes it takes the form of an unjust officer or security guard. In my 10+ years of open-air preaching and public evangelism, most of my interaction with police has been positive. My first memory of police confrontation was when a nice lady officer asked me to move because I was too close to a vendor at the Mission Inn during their Christmas festival. I complied, moved 20 feet or so, and had a great night of outreach. Earlier this year I was in Oceanside when a heckler threw an apple core at me and pegged my shoulder. He probably didn’t notice the five officers nearby, having a conversation. The heckler disappeared into the crowd and three officers went looking for him. The slippery perp got away, but I was grateful for the effort of the lawmen who were on my side. All this to say… I like the police, I understand they are good for society. Most of time. As for the other times, it’s good for a street preacher to understand his rights. 

Brad Dacus and the Pacific Justice Institute have a great track record of defending the free speech rights of evangelists. In this episode of Romans Road, Brad gives us a good overview on speech rights. What if someone accuses you of using “hate speech”? Can an officer make you turn off your speaker during your open-air preaching?  What if you get arrested for the “crime” of preaching the gospel? For the answers to these questions and more listen to Romans Road, Free Speech Laws.