Preacher Jed Smock, based out of Colombia Missouri, travels around the United States visiting schools and evangelizes to students. Smock frequently goes by "Brother Jed."

Over the week of March 26th through the 30th, Smock came to Texas Tech University to spread his message to the students of Texas Tech University near the Student Union Building. Joining him on the second day, a woman known as "sister Pat" joined him. Sister pat declined to give her last name.

Onward from the second day, Smock and Sister Pat took turns evangelizing to the growing crowd near the Student Union Building as the temperatures in Lubbock averaged at 86°F but grew as high as 90°F at the peek of the day. Many observers bought water bottles for the two.

On his website, Smock lists the Campus Ministry's mission statement as:



"Our purpose is to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the college and university students of America and the world. The skeptics on the campuses are constantly condemning God and justifying their unbelief. Our goal is to defend and glorify God and his government so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before the Judge of mankind."

Over the week, Smock confronted, and was confronted by people of many different faiths (or lack thereof), about his beliefs. Some of the popular topics included homosexuality, premarital sex and free will.

Smock frequently told onlookers that admitted to having premarital sex or being homosexual that they would go to hell. Many of the Christian passersby cried out that Christianity is a religion of love, and that Smock is tainting their beliefs with hatred.

Many observers became involved on the occasions where the conversation turned to a discussion of free will. After asking onlookers if they could give him a definition of free will, Smock said that he believes that God intentionally limited his power by giving humanity the ability to choose not to sin. Many onlookers disagreed with Smock's beliefs on free will, and argued with him about the source of his beliefs, and their consequences.

During the week, a group of students at Texas Tech set up a table to protest Smock's presence where people could donate money to women's protective services, AIDS awareness, the Gay Strait Alliance and many other causes that Smock could be seen as opposing.

More about Smock can be found at his website brojed.org.

More about this story can be found in The Daily Toreador's coverage of the first day of the event, which was published online on March 26th, and in print on March 27th. The story can be found here:



http://www.dailytoreador.com/lavida/article_bd42bffc-77b6-11e1-bca7-001a4bcf6878.html

All images are copyright Scott MacWatters/The Daily Toreador