New Jersey Member Preaches in the Streets

Story by Cristina Macena

As a 2009 graduate from the New Jersey Conference’s School of Evangelism, Mavie Brown loves to preach and help with outreach programs at her home church in Phillipsburg. She recently preached a sermon in her hometown. Brown did not preach in a church, school or community center. Instead she preached during a street fair.

Mavie Brown loves to preach and help with outreach programs at her home church in Phillipsburg.

Brown, who is also a member of the conference’s executive committee, decided to take this bold step when she learned the conference’s 2014 goal is to make an impact. “That is exactly what I wanted to do in my community and God already told me to go downtown to the center square,” she said. “With some encouragement of a friend I’ve decided I should preached to the people on the street.”

Concerned about youth growing up with occult practices and about the country turning away from God, Brown decided to base her sermon on Matthew 24: 37, which says, “When the Son of Man returns it will be like it was in Noah’s day” (NLT).

Even though she was nervous, Brown’s desire to win souls for Christ was stronger than her nerves. She started preaching in the town square and several people stood around listening to the message. As she preached, she noticed a teenage boy was staring intently at her. When she was done preaching she distributed several copies of True Revival, and as she was doing so, she felt the power of the Holy Spirit working on them. She went to the teenage boy and as his friends laughed and teased, God was tugging on him and he listened and took the book. One girl asked about the book of Revelation and right there on the streets, Brown took out her Bible and gave an impromptu study. The girl said she wanted to continue learning what the Bible has to say.

“This experience has been great and all glory be to God,” Brown said. “The powers of darkness fear God’s children when we begin to let Him use us to bring people to Jesus. I’m so glad I listened and was willing to do what God wanted because I saw the impact God made on the people that day, and I’ve already been making plans to do more like this in my community.”

José H. Cortés, New Jersey Conference president, said of Brown, “I'm so proud to see a young person, a member of the [conference's] executive committee ... preaching ... witnessing about Jesus’ love and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” 

Click here to watch a video of Brown preaching.