Sister Cindy brings her ‘Ho No Mo’ campaign to Flagler

By Sarah Ellis

Flagler students gather around Cindy Smock as she begins her Sister Cindy “HO NO MO” sermon. Smock is an evangelical preacher who tours different college campuses around the U.S. in an effort to spread her beliefs about sexual immorality. 

College campuses across the United States have become a modern soap box for political rhetoric, both conservative and liberal. Flagler College got its turn to be a soap box again this time for Sister Cindy on April 9, 2025.  

Sister Cindy descended on Flagler College with her HO NO MO revolution and her friend and fellow evangelical, Woody Courtney.

Cindy Smock, known as Sister Cindy by the public, travels yearly and puts together sermons to bring to college campuses around the United States to rebuke students for what she believes is promiscuous or sinful behavior. This vocation brought her to Flagler College. 

“I’m here to share the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Smock said. “To call students to repent of their sins and follow Jesus. I’m leading the ‘Ho No Mo’ revolution.” 

Though not thought of as sermons by onlookers, Smock maintains her stance that she is bringing ministry to college campuses and helping students find God. 

“I don’t call it a demonstration, I call it ministry or preaching the gospel,” Smock said. “My goal is to get students to think about God.”

Smock definitely left an impression on Flagler students, with several students expressing amusement at her performance – one of them being Chase Clifton.

“Assuming she’s doing it for the bit, I love her,” Clifton said. “If not, I have a lot of questions.” 

Similar sentiment was carried by another student, Emma Schwingle, who watched from among the growing crowd around Smock, who questioned the seriousness of Smock’s display.

“I think she’s funny,” Schwingle said. “I think it’s satire and she knows it. I think she was teaching, but she realized that no one was taking her seriously and leaned into it.” 

Nyla Serrao, another student in the crowd surrounding Smock, weighed in on the impression that Smock left on Flagler students. 

“I think she’s awesome and I think she’s very entertaining,” Serrao said.

Although some students found amusement in Smock’s performance, not every student saw her actions the same way.  Malik is one such student who had a more serious take-away from Smock’s rhetoric. 

“She’s crazy,” Malik said. “She does not believe in the Bible and she needs jail time.” 

Aligning more with the belief that what Smock is doing with her college campus ‘HO NO MO’ rhetoric is harmful, some students believe that her displays are more insidious than people take at face value. 

“I don’t even think she’s crazy, I think she’s being really manipulative,” Malachi said. 

Smock’s performance as Sister Cindy not only left an impression on Flagler students, but also on non-students who found their way onto campus and got an earful of Smock’s beliefs. 

Gary Johnson, a police officer keeping an eye on Smock’s performance, offered a law enforcement perspective on Smock’s display and similar demonstrations on college campuses.

“I think they’re good,” Johnson said. “It’s freedom of speech. As long as she’s on the street, I think she’s fine. I think even if students don’t agree with her views, they interact with her well.”

Seemingly Cindy Smock and her ‘HO NO MO’ movement, which aims to turn students away from her beliefs of their perceived sins, isn’t reaching students in its intended goal. Courtney, Smock’s friend and fellow evangelical preacher, believes that campus displays are the way to reach young people. 

“We have strong convictions that preaching that turning to Jesus can bring people out of sexual immorality of all kinds,” Courtney said. 

Whether people took Sister Cindy’s visit to Flagler College seriously or not, it certainly made for an interesting day on campus.