Cover Story
by Mike Richeson
"People need to know the truth," Howe says. "They need real people and real answers- someone with passion."
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Street preacher devotes
his life to Pioneer Courthouse
Square evangelism
While he preaches, Howe wears a sandwich sign a friend made for him.
The front reads, "Can you escape the wrath of God?" Matt. 22:33. The audience
is rarely friendly, but Howe preaches at Pioneer Courthouse Square most Friday and Saturday evenings. His wife, Michelle, also comes along. -Mike Richeson, photo
Howe goes mostly unnoticed for a few minutes. He dresses casually in dark slacks and a white, buttoned-up shirt. He takes his familiar spot, what he calls his perch, on the upper edge of Portland's main hang out.
Most people are too engrossed in their chess games, drum circles and books to notice the sandwich board sign slung over his shoulders. He pulls out a worn pocket Bible and bows his head to pray.
"Jesus said," Howe calls out, "'I am the way, the truth and the life.'"
Immediately a chorus of "boos" and "ah, mans" erupts. Some of the bolder people begin to shout insults.
"You're an idiot. Shut up!"
"You probably molest children!"
A man and a woman who were talking pick up their things and quickly leave.
"People need to know the truth," Howe says. "They need real people and real answers, someone with passion. I want them to come to know Jesus Christ."
Traveling out of earshot from Howe's message is not easy. His voice carries for blocks, and he doesn't use a megaphone or any other amplified device to project.
"God gave the gift of preaching to me," he says. "I didn't learn it, and I don't know how my voice carries so well. I mean, I don't even have a very big nose.
"I believe when someone hears preaching without a microphone, there is more passion that goes into the heart. You've got to have conviction to do this."
The street kids who mill around the square are mostly tolerant of Howe, but some like to taunt him. Two skateboarders run over and sit down with bags of popcorn as if they are watching a movie. "Yeah, preach it," they say and slap high fives.
Pioneer Courthouse Square is what Howe calls his Decapolis. Just as the man Jesus healed in Mark 5 returned to his hometown to tell the people about Jesus, Howe has returned to the streets that he used to call home.
After Howe dropped out of high school, he moved to Portland as a homeless man. He lied about the death of his parents to join a gang called Orphan Core. The gang named him Angel after he dressed completely in white. Howe slept in shelters, did drugs and used people to survive.
Before long, he found himself involved in sorcery and channeling spirits in the upstairs of a downtown Portland nightclub.
When he was kicked out of the place where he was living, Howe traveled the nation and tried to write a master religion.
He found himself in New Orleans during Mardi Gras reading tarot cards for customers because the money was good. When some Christians prayed over him, he could not read his cards anymore. Howe also had a run-in with some street preachers. He recalls defending the preachers while people were harassing them.
Soon he was on the move again and ended up in San Francisco. He was 22 and wandering Haight Street on Christmas. Pausing at a window display, Howe realized that he could see portraits of Buddha, Mohammed, and other gods, but he could not find a nativity scene anywhere.
Howe panicked, believing that if he couldn't find a baby Jesus in San Francisco on Christmas, that God would destroy the city. Suddenly, he realized that he needed Jesus or he would be destroyed.
Howe confessed his sins, threw away his tarot cards and gave his life to Christ.
He found the nearest person and Although words may never hurt Howe, sticks, stones and angry bystanders sometimes do. While preaching, he has had his finger broken and has been headbutted. A crazed pedestrian once dragged him into an alley and strangled him almost to death.
"I don't know what I'm doing," Howe said with a smile. "I'm just wearing a sign and preaching the Gospel."
Not everyone takes offense at the message Howe preaches. Some openly cheer while others simply offer a handshake and a "thank you."
The controversy lies in Howe's confrontational style of evangelism. Today in the United States, friendship evangelism is the current trend and most accepted style of evangelism. Howe said relational evangelism has a place but should be the by-product of being a Christian, not the focus.
"Cultural relevancy is one of the greatest heresies in the church," he said. "Friendship evangelism is mostly a good way for people to sell books. People read up on how to invite someone over for dinner, and they act timid. All that does is create more lukewarm Christians.
"If I coddle people up to the cross, when they get there, they will feel cheated. The cross is not fuzzy; Heaven is fuzzy. I'm straightforward about that."
So does street preaching really do any good? "Yes it does," Howe answers immediately. "Faith comes by hearing. The good news is that Jesus is alive."
Howe doesn't understand why so many Christians criticize his work. "Don't they believe that God's Word is worthy to be proclaimed?" he said. "The Bible says to preach the Gospel. I think every Christian should do this, I really do. And if I could, I'd do it all day long."
Through all the jeering and mocking, Danny Howe continues to preach. He adjusts the sign slung over his shoulders and opens his Bible to his favorite chapter in the Bible, Isaiah 53.
"Surely," he calls out. "He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows...."
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