A California-based religious group armed with microphones, video cameras and signs bearing messages such as "Repent for the Kingdom of God is at Hand" drew a crowd of about 200 University of Hawai'i-Manoa students, staff and faculty — some bemused, many outraged — during a contentious five-hour sermon on sin and redemption at the school's Campus Center stairs.

While interaction between the group known as Cry to God and student protesters consisted mostly of high-volume verbal jousting, campus security chief Neal Sakamoto said one student was arrested after he allegedly grabbed one of the group's video cameras and smashed it on the ground.

Cry to God member Steve Koth, a 46-year-old electrician from the San Francisco area, said the group was invited by members in Hawai'i to address local audiences.

The group tried to make a similar presentation on Wednesday but was asked to leave because another group had reserved the space.

"We just go out and preach the gospel," Koth said. "We just want to obey Jesus, and Jesus said to go out and preach the gospel to every creature."

Koth characterized the group as a nondenominational, born-again Christian organization that seeks to "convict people of their sin using the law of the Lord."

Koth said the group plans on visiting Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park today to show other visitors what hell looks like.

In one intense exchange, 19-year-old nursing student Thomas Pegues Jr., a member of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Hilo, asked a speaker, who would only identify himself as "Bill," if he was a sinner, too.

"No, I am a saint," Bill said. "I am perfect in Christ."

"We all sin," Pegues replied — exposing forearms tattooed with the words "fear" and "God." "If you don't sin, then throw a stone at me."

Kari Gomes, 20, of Wai'alae also engaged the speaker and was apoplectic when he called her "a whore."

"They're just trying to promote hate," said Gomes, who was raised in a Catholic household but attended Lutheran High School.

"Their message revolves around the same thing — that God hates you but he'll love you if you're a born-again Christian. They're like a cult. I can't believe UH-Manoa let this guy preach this stuff."

Bill declined to be interviewed.

Aiden Gleisberg, a 26-year-old doctorate student in English, was one of several audience members who showed up with homemade signs. His read, "Embrace your queerness."

"I think it's good to have controversial issues and debates on campus," Gleisberg said, "because it causes students to no longer be complacent, regardless of what their positions and opinions are, and it brings issues to light that before they wouldn't take a stand on."