Two men publicly preaching their beliefs outside of TJC’s Pirtle Technology building on April 16 angered many students and brought others to tears.Jesse Morrell and Joel Park, with Open Air Outreach, held large signs that said religious comments about sin, Hell and judgment. Morrell was speaking to students who were passing by and drew a crowd.The signs read “Love warns: Judgement is coming… seek Jesus now,” and “Forsake all your sins and follow your Lord Jesus Christ.””I’m getting many students to think about sin, Hell and judgment maybe for the first time in their college career,” Morrell said. “I’m warning wicked students on campus to stop their sinning and put their faith in Jesus.” Morrell has preached on college campuses in previous years, but has been arrested and escorted off campuses. He chose to preach just off the TJC campus.Morrell spoke on the subjects of sex, drugs, drinking and politics.”If you voted for Obama you have sinned,” Morrell said.Many students contested Morrell and Park’s comments and ideas. Jennifer Cordell, a TJC student in the nursing program was in tears about what Morel was doing.”He is making the rest of us look bad. It is because of people like this that Christian’s are looked upon as bible thumpers, condemners, and horrible people,” Cordell said. “I am a Christian, and I believe what he is preaching. He is doing it the wrong way.” Cordell attends Lake Tyler Baptist church. Park said the student’s reaction to their preaching was very typical. “Most people who love sin hate hearing sin condemned,” Park said. “We are trying to get in people’s face. We are trying to wake them up.”To contact Open Air Outreach, you can call 1 (203) 444-1912 or go to their Web site at http://www.newenglandoutreach.com.
