Pavement prophets on a mission from God; from blaring bullhorns to quiet witness, Chicago's street preachers offer a rich assortment of soul-saving advice.

Here's a list of my favorite street preachers:

The lady who wears the cross and buttons and proclaims the good news.

Cletus Smith, who works the Madison Street shopping area on the near West Side with his bullhorn and thanks the Lord for getting him up one more morning to sing his praises. He has a beautiful singing voice, and even people passing by and shopkeepers come out to hear him sing gospel songs.

Missionaries from the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana, who proselytize and pass out pamphlets to kids from Henry Horner Homes. Their reason for traveling so far reflects their belief that "God sent us to save people from their sinful ways."

Fundamentalist evangelist Samuel Champers, who is a fixture on State Street. He says God has compelled him to exhort people with his bullhorn and microphone to turn away from evil and seek God.

Laszlo Kadar, who was a part-time evangelist working a job and doing God's work on the weekends until he had a stroke and was partially paralyzed. Now he passes out little Bibles and invites people to his church. "God restored me and sent me out to speak about what he has done for me."

Evangelist Sister Elizabeth Bell, who used to be a nightclub singer and missionary to the prisoners at Pontiac Prison in Joliet, Illinois and at Hines Hospital for veterans. But "God told me to come out here and talk to the people," she says. "I don't preach down to them. I tell them that God loves them, and he'll answer all their needs if they accept him and let him lead them."

Jay Pires, who battles for men's hearts and minds as a member of the Pacific Garden Mission, where he speaks the language of the streets to homeless and desperate men of Chicago. He totally believes that "once you genuinely understand the scriptures, God compels you to go out and speak the gospel."