For five years, Andre Howard* and his fellow pastors have stood on street corners in downtown Greenville, S.C., telling their own personal stories of redemption and praying with and for people who walked by. But on March 14, Andre was handcuffed and slapped with a 1,087-dollar FINE for preaching without a permit.

Our Christian faith has always been spread by proclaiming the Good News of Christ in public places. Jesus Himself and each of His disciples stood outside, in fields, and in city thoroughfares, preaching and teaching the Way of our Lord.

George Whitefield’s evangelistic preaching, often in open-air settings, stirred revival fires up and down the Eastern seaboard — including in South Carolina. His fervent, Bible-based sermons led to America’s First Great Awakening, which laid the foundation for American independence.

But Had George Whitefield preached in Greenville, S.C., in 2026, he also would have been cuffed and fined.

Andre must appear in court on July 22. Please help us stand with him!

Don’t let cities silence the gospel! Help Andre & street preachers everywhere by supporting our legal fund, and a Challenge Grant will DOUBLE your gift!

The streets of downtown Greenville are noisy on Friday and Saturday nights — the nights Andre and company often choose in an effort to reach more of the city’s broken before those lost souls head into the area’s bars and dance clubs. Andre and team often bring a single small speaker so they can be heard above the booming music blaring from cars and buildings.

Saturday, March 14, was no different. As the city’s lost headed to guzzle booze and beer, Andre and his crew stood on the corner of West Washington street preaching and praying. They preached with kindness, not condemnation, sharing stories of how God had delivered them — until the police arrived.

Without warning, Andre was put in handcuffs and told he needed a permit to preach on the streets. He was given a citation and a 1,087-dollar fine for preaching the gospel in public without a permit.

Jesus preached on hillsides and before the pagan shrines of Caesarea Philippi, and in the Court of the Gentiles, the Women's Court, and Solomon’s Porch, just to name a few. Peter preached at the temple gates. Paul was known for preaching in marketplaces from Jerusalem to Antioch and beyond. These public testimonies are what spread the faith, not only throughout Israel but also around the world.

Likewise, George Whitefield preached across the American colonies — including 12 times in South Carolina. As a result, God changed the lives of tens of thousands, and that lit the flame of freedom you and I now enjoy.

Our culture is in crisis, under attack by an enemy who seeks to destroy, through abortion, addiction, transgenderism, and deviancy — all designed to cripple and kill God’s children. But we know the one and only thing that successfully destroys the enemy's plans — the love of Jesus Christ.

We cannot allow cities to stifle and silence the Good News.

Liberty Counsel will NEVER allow tyrants to silence the gospel. But we need YOUR HELP to continue defending street preachers like Andre. Please make a generous single contribution to our legal fund today, or elect to make a small recurring monthly gift to support our work. Christian preachers are counting on you!

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel

*Name changed for privacy. 

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