Newsletter & Coming Events – June 2014

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Coming Events

Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.

Friday June 6, 20 and 27 6 – 9 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.

Sat. June 7 12-5 PM UN Plaza 7th St. and Market  SF

Sat. June 21 12:30-4:30 PM Berkeley outreach. Downtown BART station, Center and Shattuck St.

Sat. June 28 11 AM – 1 PM Fisherman’s Wharf  3-5 PM Union Square Post St. near Powell (Living Water Church, Alameda)

August 6-9 SOS-San Francisco  35th year!


My Sin – Who Pays?

by Dave St. Marie. Dave worked with Christian Equippers International before moving into our ministry house almost four years ago.

“Substitutionary atonement” is a theological term that is used in Christian seminaries. But how do we explain this difficult concept to non-Christians? The following dialogue between a Christian (Chris) with an interested listener (Tom) provides a useful illustration that helps Tom comprehend the necessity of Christ’s death for our sins:

Chris converses with Tom regarding the bad news of our sin, and the good news of Jesus Christ. Chris has explained that our sin has separated us from God. Because God is a Holy and Righteous God, He must punish all sin, and He will not compromise His standards for anybody – we are all guilty, and deserve the punishment of Hell.

But – Good News – God is merciful, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Chris hands Tom a gospel tract and says “Tom, let’s imagine that this piece of paper represents your life before God – all of your sin — in thought, word or deed.”

As Tom holds the tract in his hands, Chris states: “Tom as of now, as you stand before God, all of your sin and guilt are on you. Because of such, you deserve His judgment.”

Chris continues, “but there is good news – ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ (John 3:16)”

“Tom, let’s say that I represent Jesus Christ, whom God sent for you – to die on the cross as punishment for your sin – the Bible states ‘If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.’ (Romans 10:9, 10)”

“Tom, hand me the tract I gave you – remember that this represents your sin and guilt, and that I represent Jesus Christ.”  Tom hands Chris the tract.

“Tom, where is your sin and guilt now?”

Tom: “It’s on you.”

Chris: “Who do I represent?”

Tom: “Jesus”

Chris: “Do you understand now what happens to your sin and guilt when you put your trust in Jesus Christ?”

Tom: “I see now, Jesus takes my sin and guilt”

Chris: “Where is it on you now?”

Tom: “It’s gone”

Chris: “So consider this Tom. Jesus Christ never sinned – was innocent before God, yet bore the judgment of God for you.  When you call upon Jesus Christ, confessing your need for Him and acknowledging His death, burial and resurrection; you now stand free of your sin and guilt – in a judicial sense, Jesus paid it all!”

Chris continues: “But Tom, if you die, and you rejected the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, (Chris hands back the tract to Tom) on judgment day, where is your sin and guilt?

Tom: “It’s on me”

Chris: Who will then have to pay for your sin?

Tom: “I will”

Chris: “So Tom, you now understand that only two people in the universe can pay for your sin: either Jesus Christ and His death on the cross, or yourself, having to go to Hell.”

Tom: “Wow, this makes sense.”

Chris: “So my friend the decision is yours; who will pay for your sin – you, or Jesus? – Will you call upon Jesus for salvation? – He’s waiting…”

Roy Spears preaches in downtown Berkeley
Roy Spears preaches in downtown Berkeley

On the Streets

On April 12, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf.  Paul and Noreen Coca ministered that day. Brian and Jeannine, who live in Sonora, played music with them. Dave gave a gospel tract to Deen, a Pakistani Muslim. After he read the tract, I witnessed to him. “People don’t appreciate how much good you do,” he said. Although he acknowledged Jesus as a prophet, he did not believe he is the only way to God.

On Sat. April 19, we witnessed in downtown Berkeley. I witnessed to Evan, a Jewish teenager, and shared with him about Jesus being the Messiah. Later, Dave and I witnessed to Roy, who was raised an Orthodox Jew in Israel. He is now an atheist. Dave spoke about the Old Testament sacrifices, the Passover, and the Messianic prophecies. He listened attentively. Dave also witnessed to Charlie, 21, a Catholic from Santa Barbara. He was receptive to the gospel. He also spoke with Marcellus, whom he had witnessed to before. This time, however, he did not want to talk about Jesus.

On Sat. April 26, we held our first San Francisco park outreach of the year at UN Plaza. Tim Moon and the band “Book” from Modesto played music. At the beginning of the outreach, we were joined by a Korean church that gave out food and passed out some of our tracts. Dave witnessed to Jonas, from Sacramento, Chris, a Vietnamese American, and Christiana and Angie, both Buddhists.  All of them listened as he shared the gospel with them. As Scott Crawford was preaching, Justin began asking him questions. Afterwards, Scott ministered to him. We also gave him a Bible. At the end of the afternoon, we met a woman who conducts a street church at this location three times a week.

On Friday May 9, we witnessed on Castro St. This is the center of homosexual activity in the city. We only witness in this neighborhood twice a year, but we think there needs to be some Christian witness here. We do not preach or use signs here, but pass out tracts and speak with people. Many people took gospel tracts, but almost all our conversations were with street people. I witnessed to Carter, who is from Iowa. He said his parents attend a Baptist church and also smoke marijuana. I also witnessed to Adrian and Michael. All of them were somewhat receptive to the gospel and asked me questions. Later that night, I witnessed to Eric, who said he had been saved and baptized in a Foursquare Church. He was homeless and didn’t have a Bible, so I gave him a New Testament.  Dave witnessed to Julian, from Quebec, and his girl friend Bianca, who is Romanian. They were friendly, but not receptive to the gospel.

The next day, we witnessed at UN Plaza. Richard Griffin played music and several of us preached.  Dave witnessed to Roger, who is from Micronesia and was raised Catholic. He was very polite and receptive to the gospel. He also witnessed to Jacob, whom he met last year. His parents were Christians, and were killed by a drunk driver when he was two. Dave shared the gospel with him and he understood it. He said another Christian had given him a nice, leather Bible earlier in the day. Finally, he witnessed to Mei Jua, who is from Taiwan. She is Buddhist but had studied the Bible in her English class. She was receptive to the gospel and took a New Testament. She said that her best friend was raised in a strong Buddhist family. This friend was very sick and prayed to Buddha for healing, but got no answer. Finally, she decided to pray to Jesus and she was instantly healed! She became a Christian. Dave told Mei Jua that her friend is praying for her. She said, “I know.”

Ministry Need

Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. This past month, Mike Sheafe moved out of our house. He is getting married in July. Our house is now down to three people, which is as small as it has ever been in 35 years.

Our evangelism house is the center of our ministry. There are a number of Christians who join us for outreaches when they can, and we certainly appreciate their help, but we need at least a few people whom we can count on to be at every outreach. It is hard to sustain an evangelism team when perhaps five people will show up at one outreach, and nobody will show up at the next outreach.

Many Christians, it seems, are attracted to flashy, glamorous events. Few want to do the hard work of sowing and watering gospel seeds for many years. By God’s grace, we have maintained an evangelism team that has witnessed consistently in San Francisco for over 35 years. Without our evangelism house, and those who live here and have made a commitment to witness with us six times a month, we could not have sustained this ongoing outreach.  We have several openings in our evangelism house in Oakland for Christians with a serious interest in evangelism. We are particularly looking for Christians in their 20’s or 30’s. We need to reach the younger generation for Jesus.

Please pray for those we have witnessed to recently, especially those mentioned in this newsletter. I hope some of you will join one of our outreaches this next month

Yours in His love,

Larry Rosenbaum

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