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George E. Smock (b. January 4, 1943), better known as Brother Jed, or Jed Smock, is an American evangelist whose ministry is concentrated on college campuses. He has preached at most major universities in all fifty states. He usually only spends a few days on each campus hitting the northern campuses in the fall and spring and the southern campuses in the winter months. He usually preaches five days a week from noon to 5PM. He first started his campus preaching in 1974. In 2004 he relocated to Columbia, Missouri where his ministry is now based. He often preaches in Speaker's Circle at the University of Missouri, and in warmer weather can be seen preaching almost daily. Smock has written a spiritual autobiography entitled "Who Will Rise Up?" in which he describes his dissolute youth and conversion experience as well as presents a justification for his unusual style of evangelism. Brother Jed, in his book, recalls how he converted to Christianity being preached to by an Arab in Morocco.
Biography
editBrother Jed draws from many experiences in his early life while preaching. Jed's lifestyle of "drunkenness, dissipation and debauchery," as he's described it, began while he was a freshman in high school. Older friends exposed him to alcohol, and drunkenness became a regular part of life every week. Despite his party lifestyle, Jed graduated near the top of his class.
Jed began attending Indiana University in 1960, and he pledged Delta Upsilon Fraternity. By his second year, he established himself as the heaviest drinker in the fraternity. Jed eventually graduated with honors while studying social studies and English.
The Campus Ministry
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Brother Jed and his wife Sister Cindy (b. March 16) use a distinctive preaching style, known as "confrontational evangelism". This controversial variant of evangelism is shared by many street-preachers, campus pastors and other evangelicals, who hope that a spiritual rebuke will force sinners to repent. Brother Jed often uses humor mixed in with his "confrontational evangelism," as heard at the University of Arizona, "I don't know how the whorehouses in this town stay open--all of you sorority girls are giving it away for free!"
He often shouts, "A masturbator today is a homosexual tomorrow." His assistants carry signs declaring that feminists, liberals and those who listen to rock and roll are destined for Hell, along with homosexuals, fornicators and masturbators. As a result of his aggressive and confrontational style of preaching, Brother Jed is frequently mocked and accused of intolerance.
(Speed Seduction creator Ross Jeffries frequently heckled Smock when Jeffries was a student at UCLA from 1979-1981, resulting in Smock naming him, "the greatest heckler I've ever had")
Brother Jed became the target of many pranks and counter-protesters by students of several universities. These include The Church of The Flying Spaghetti Monster, College Democrats and Disco Robots, among others. He and Cindy have five daughters, all of whom have accompanied them on their travels and appearances on college campuses.
They are members of the United Methodist Church. However their actions, views, and theology are not indicative of the Methodist Church and he is not an ordained minister in the church.
Political consultant Paul Begala received a pocket copy of the New Testament from Brother Jed on the University of Texas at Austin campus in 1979 that he says he keeps with him at all times. While an advisor to Bill Clinton on his first presidential election campaign, he handed the book to Clinton with John 3:16 highlighted, to make a point about the ability of "sound bites" to communicate important policies.[1]
Michelle Shocked's "Campus Crusade" on her album, Short Sharp Shocked is about Sister Cindy and Brother Jed.
Sister Cindy can sometimes be seen hold a sign that says "WARNING Fornicators Masturbators Sodomites Feminist False Religionists Dopers Drunkards Rock N Rollers Hip Hoppers Liars Thieves and Hypocrites (Hypocrites?) And Other Low-Lifes Hell Fire Awaits You!"
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Interview with Paul Begala on The Colbert Report episode #2012, originally aired January 26, 2006, Comedy Central. See The Colbert Report episode guide.
External links
edit- Brother Jed's official website
- / Brother Jed's official Video Library
- The Brother Jed Phenomenon - Brother Jed incorporated this op-ed from Cal Poly's Mustang Daily into his autobiographical book Who Will Rise Up?
- Mizzou Videos - Videos of Jed preaching on the University of Missouri's campus.
- Lyrics of Michelle Shocked's song "Campus Crusade"
- Michelle Shocked's February 24, 1987 introduction to "Campus Crusade"
- Famous Atheist, Kevin 'CapnOAwesome' from YouTube Interviews Brother Jed Smock.
- Debate in Columbia, Missouri.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jed, Brother}} [[Category:Evangelicals]] [[Category:American Methodists]] [[Category:1943 births]] [[Category:Living people]]