tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post6252177795912205571..comments2023-12-21T17:40:26.585+00:00Comments on Atheist MC: Are "Street Pastors" the right people for this?Steve Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15243178223616240845noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post-80719322898290406622017-12-20T22:29:47.945+00:002017-12-20T22:29:47.945+00:00Hi Steve,
I have been a Street Pastor for about te...Hi Steve,<br />I have been a Street Pastor for about ten years; we try and do lots of little things to make our community a kinder and more caring place to live. Sometimes when we give girls flip flops; they want to give us money, but we decline. We say it means more to us, that they pass on a kindness by helping someone else.<br /><br />We come into contact with drunken anger and fights. I can remember the first time, there was about a dozen people fifty yards down the road; and they just started punching each other. We have this dilemma, on the one hand there are all the policies, procedures and risk assessments, on the other hand we trust in God and pray as we go.<br /><br />As we approached them, I saw one man punched to the ground, another was being kicked on the floor, and a man swung round and punched a woman in the face.<br />We walked in the middle of all this anger, people were in front of me and behind, there was so much I should have been worried about. Yet I experienced a profound sense of peace that was truly beyond my understanding. I can only say that after a while things calmed down. We stopped with them for about twenty minutes and when it was time to go, we had lots of handshakes and hugs. I was in my sixties at the time, and I was with two ladies in their seventies.<br /><br />I truthfully do not know how many times I have walked in the middle of fights, but prayer can overcome fear. We are out again this Friday, we just trust in the Lord and go. I know that prayer will not always prevent me from getting hurt, but I trust in our Lord to give me a peace that is beyond my understanding.<br /><br />A couple of drunken atheist were preaching to us in an abusive and aggressive way. Bystanders came over to us and wanted to sort them out, but we said it was ok. It seemed at the time that we had to protect the guys who were being aggressive towards us. It seems that religious people do not have a monopoly on preaching.<br /><br />Just about every time we go out, people thank us for being there for them, people have said that we have helped them to change their lives for the better. In order to see change, we have to be the change we want to see, we have to do something. <br />erichyomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17769343008643126905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post-34252316690466603622016-01-24T20:11:30.529+00:002016-01-24T20:11:30.529+00:00I went out as an observer with a team of Street Pa...I went out as an observer with a team of Street Pastors yesterday. Showing care and kindness to anyone in need was the stated aim, with faith sharing a 'no' unless this was something a member of the public specifically asked about. the SP's were there because they love their town and as a personal way of walking out 'loving your neighbour' aspect of the Christian faith. Was impressed by the warmth and affection clubbers and others who were out and about greeted the pastors with. Was impressed by SP's non judgmental attitudes all through evening, practical wisdom, looking out for the vulnerable and each other as a team, relationships with door staff, taxi stewards, homeless. It is a beautiful thing of love in action - without strings attached. How many would stand / sit with a vomiting woman wiping off the vomit while holding the bottle of water for her to drink from? I saw it several times over last night. Together with a gentle compete of 'who can collect the most glass bottles tonight?' Normal people with hearts for people and their community ... who are also people of faith... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post-84378044371930919422014-06-29T23:54:03.723+01:002014-06-29T23:54:03.723+01:00I would love too be able to offer the same service...I would love too be able to offer the same service as Street Pastors but as I have no religious affiliation, in fact would say I was Agnostic, I have no entry to what I feel can be an amazing and important service to the community. Sadly it seems more important to preach to our young than to just generally support and guide them in the best way we can regardless of any religious or non religious critieria.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post-34296213880758251622012-11-10T19:49:56.762+00:002012-11-10T19:49:56.762+00:00please get in contact with me zeitgeistdom@yahoo.c...please get in contact with me zeitgeistdom@yahoo.co.ukAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post-80121512970046522092012-04-10T20:59:41.126+01:002012-04-10T20:59:41.126+01:00Thanks for your insight Simon. Obviously I'm ...Thanks for your insight Simon. Obviously I'm not surprised but it must be frustrating for someone who joins a pastoral program to be shouted down by less tolerant people. I have to say, Hitchen's mantra that " religion poisons everything" also applies to religious works as well.Steve Bowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15243178223616240845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post-54575078594335737552012-04-10T16:17:46.215+01:002012-04-10T16:17:46.215+01:00Your concerns are well grounded. After Street Past...Your concerns are well grounded. After Street Pastoring for several years I raised concerns with my line manager about the amount of homophobia present and how something needs to be done about it. My complaints were met with a flat refusal to do anything and a lecture about how people like me are the real threat to Christianity. I then tried to address the issue with the Ascension Trust(the people in charge nationally) and ended up having a very awkward phone conversation where they agreed homophobia shouldn't be happening but that individual pastors have a right to a conscience.<br />I have been shunned and excluded by SP since then for having the audacity to speak up.Simon Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post-9500143933463160842012-04-04T09:51:47.452+01:002012-04-04T09:51:47.452+01:00Yes I know it's the policy, my concern is as t...Yes I know it's the policy, my concern is as the movement grows it becomes harder to police. Asking some evangelicals not to proselytise is like asking dogs not to bark. It's in the DNA.Steve Bowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15243178223616240845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900870923576954613.post-3471343954613196632012-04-04T00:25:12.137+01:002012-04-04T00:25:12.137+01:00The clear policy of Street Pastors is to be non-ju...The clear policy of Street Pastors is to be non-judgemental, and never to raise the question of faith. If of course one is asked for one's views one is entitled to respond.sandy gunnnoreply@blogger.com