Campus preacher Micah Armstrong points to freshman Courtney Moffett’s sign in front of the Student Union in Oxford, Miss., Wednesday, April 1, 2015. (DM Photo | Walter Lyle)
Wearing a black coat with the phrase “Repent or Perish” printed on the back, evangelist and minister Micah Armstrong received criticism from University of Mississippi students Wednesday as he preached loudly in front of the Student Union.
“[His overall approach] isn’t even just too aggressive – it’s very accusatory, too,” freshman anthropology major Lauren Lovato said. “It’s very invasive and personal, and not at all the way any kind of attempt of evangelism should be.”
While Armstrong vocally expressed his beliefs to students, a group of Wesley youth members commenced their own version of expressing their Christian beliefs.
Linda Harrison, a senior managerial finance major and member of the Wesley Campus Ministry, was found participating in the Wesley’s own showing of Christian views, where a youth leader played guitar and students gathered to sing Christian songs.
“There are students who don’t know God, and they see (Armstrong’s preaching), and it turns them away (from Christianity). The condemnation, shame, guilt, is of the enemy,” Harrison said. “Christianity should reflect God’s love. We’re just out here to portray that.”
Courtney Moffett, freshman communication sciences and disorders major, showed her beliefs by sitting behind Armstrong, holding up a sign that read “This is not Christianity!! John 3:16.”
Moffett explained that when she heard Armstrong’s preaching, she felt like he was wrong, and thus mustered up the courage to make a sign expressing her own opinion.
“I wanted to respect Mr. Micah Armstrong’s freedom of speech and right to his own opinion, however, I didn’t want him to misrepresent my own belief system of Christianity and what the Bible represents,” Moffett said. I also feel like he misrepresents what the university stands for in regard to our strive for diversity and inclusion.”
Sophomore Jacob Smith observed the demonstration with Armstrong as students berated him with challenging questions. Although he did not agree with everything the outspoken evangelist said, Smith said he would rather look at the situation without too much judgement.
“It is a good exercise of freedom of speech,” Smith said. “It’s a little bit too much, but there’s nothing wrong with him just saying what he wants.”
