Joe Toy wants people to know he's not just a "solo wacko" out there preaching on college campuses.
A licensed minister with the Evangelical Congregational Church and a commissioned missionary, Toy has devoted his life to preaching around the Philadelphia area.
As a Locust Walk fixture every Wednesday, Toy tries to get his message out to Penn students: If you haven't found Jesus, you're risking eternity in hell.
And every day of the week, he leaves his Folcroft, Pa., home and goes to work at Penn, Temple University, the Community College of Philadelphia or some other public spot. He doesn't get a salary -- instead, he relies on donations from his church community and his wife's earnings to support his family.
"You don't go into my work to make money," he said.
Toy has a degree in economics from Millersville University and previously worked for a certified public accountant before switching his life's path to ministry. He is married to a schoolteacher and has five sons.
In addition to preaching on campuses and in Center City, Toy works with Christian youth groups from high schools two days a week.
Toy's decision to become an evangelical minister stems from his college days.
"It was a combination of two things: one was the lifestyle I was living - I was into the party scene a lot. . The girl I was going to marry left me, and, at the same time, people had been sharing their faith with me on campus," he said.
That was during Toy's senior year, when he says he asked God to show him what to do with his life.
He later decided to devote himself to missionary evangelism, and attended the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.
There, he learned different methods of preaching, including using an easel as a visual aid and attention-grabber.
Toy took that lesson to heart, and he now uses the easel familiar to Locust Walk regulars to illustrate points.
In his ministry, Toy said he covers issues like whether there is actually evidence showing that Jesus Christ rose from the grave.
Sometimes Toy covers more controversial topics.
"We'll talk about abortion, sexuality," he said. "Sometimes, I preach the truth about sex in regards to the Bible."
In general, students are respectful of Toy's right to free speech, he said, but he has faced criticism and ridicule, especially on campuses other than Penn's.
"Some students have good questions, [but] some are scoffers or mockers . who just want to make fun of you," he said.
Just last Friday, Toy was asked to leave Temple's campus by a security guard after a student began heckling him.
The student was cursing at the minister, making fun of his mother, and even went so far as to say she should have never given birth to him, Toy said.
In response, Toy said he responded with a calm "God bless you."
Criticism doesn't bother him, he said, and he still remains steadfast in his desire to preach to college students.
"I believe a person can have a relationship with God through Jesus," he said. "I believe that has changed my life, and I want kids to consider walking with God."
