Brother Jed
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George E. Smock, (born 1943) better known as Brother Jed, or Jed Smock, is an American evangelist whose ministry is concentrated on college campuses, particularly the University of Florida in the 1980s. He was also a regular feature at the University of Colorado at Boulder. 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 - Columbia, 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 at by an Arab in Morroco.
Brother Jed and his wife Sister Cindy 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.
As a result of his unique style of preaching, Brother Jed has been arrested on countless campuses in the past.
Brother Jed became the target of many pranks and counter-protestors 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 a 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.
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[edit] Biography
Brother 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.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ↑ Interview with Paul Begala on The Colbert Report episode #2012, originally aired January 26, 2006, Comedy Central. See The Colbert Report episode guide.
[edit] External links
- Brother Jed's official website
- 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.
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