The upcoming general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will bring church members from all over the world to hear their leaders; it will also bring protesters and street preachers, decrying the messages taught within the Conference Center.

Street Preachers Fellowship, an organization of street preachers, travels to various sporting events, concerts and political religious gatherings. With an estimated 100,000 people around the Conference Center over the weekend, preachers come to Salt Lake City twice a year to share their own message. They say it is a very effective use of their time.

One of the mission goals of the Street Preacher's Fellowship is to preach the gospel to those who "don't want to hear it."

Kevin Deegan, a member of the fellowship, said he's not intimidated by the rejection he receives.

"I'm there because Jesus Christ said to go unto all the world and preach to every creature," he said. "I'm simply performing the commission I've been given."

Dean Jackson, the pastor of Rock Canyon Assembly in Provo, disagreed.

"We don't support in any way what they [the street preachers] are doing," he said. "In fact, it's a little bit embarrassing. On moments like this I'm not too proud of the title 'preacher.'"

Jackson acknowledged the need for conversation about religious differences. However, he said general conference is not the place for that conversation.

Church members are now accustomed to the presence of the preachers.

Detective Kevin Joiner of the Salt Lake City Police said police plan to repeat what they did last year to keep things running smoothly. That means putting street preachers and others in specially marked "protest zones."

These protest zones have not deterred Deegan, however.

"I specifically don't go in protest zones," he said. "I'm not a protester."

Deegan said he never goes on church property and has not protested on the Main Street Plaza since the Church of Jesus Christ obtained an easement, which allowed them to ban protestors from the plaza.

The American Civil Liberties Union appealed earlier this month a court ruling that allowed the church to obtain the easement. The Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is currently deciding the case.

"It remains to be seen what will happen with that whole scenario," Deegan said.

BYU student Dan Peterson said the preachers waste their time preaching to conference-goers.

"Obviously people that are going to conference are ones that feel strongly about what they believe, so it's not those people that are going to be converted to their side," he said.



Copyright Brigham Young University 30 Sep 2004