By Larry Rosenbaum
(January 1999)
This past month, it seems, the news has been particularly de
pressing. First, the flood of hundreds of thousands of refugees
from Kosovo. Then, the horrible killings in a high school in
Colorado by two boys influenced by satanic music. Most recently,
the tornadoes that destroyed thousands of homes and killed many
Yet each tragedy provides an opportunity to do good. I think of
the aid workers helping refugees in Kosovo and displaced people
in Oklahoma, as well as the counselors ministering to the fami
lies and students in Littleton, Colorado.
The needs of these people are obvious. A refugee needs food,
shelter, clothing and medical care or he will die. But there is a
greater need that we often overlook. A wealthy businessman seems
to have no needs. But that businessman, like the refugee, will
die and stand before God. Every person will spend eternity in
Heaven or Hell.
The greatest need for every person on this earth is to receive
salvation from Jesus Christ. The greatest thing any one of us can
do is to present the gospel to someone and give him or her a
chance to be saved.
Almost every day, we have opportunities to witness to people. We
encounter people at work, at school, on the bus or airplane, on
the street, at the grocery store, in our neighborhood, etc. We
all need to take better advantage of these opportunities and be
bolder in our Christian witness.
However, there are many people who do not have any Christian
friends or co-workers to witness to them. They will not be
reached for Jesus unless someone makes a special effort to reach
them. This is why we need special evangelistic outreaches.
One of the main reasons we do not witness in our everyday lives
is that our minds are focused on other things. During a special
outreach like SOS-San Francisco, we can focus on one
thing–reaching people with the gospel.
Another reason we do not witness is because we fear rejection by
friends or co-workers. SOS-San Francisco provides an opportunity
to overcome fear and witness boldly for Jesus, with the encour
agement of other Christians.
A third reason we don’t witness is that we don’t know how. SOS-
San Francisco provides an opportunity to get practical training
and experience in personal witnessing.
An “SOS” is an urgent call for help. The people of San Francisco
are in great spiritual need. They may not be starving physically
like the refugees from Kosovo. But they are starving spiritually
and headed for eternal torment if they do not trust in Jesus. We
have the spiritual food, the Word of God, that can save them from
a fate worse than death. How can we withhold God’s Word from
those who desperately need it?
Many Christians at one time had a zeal for God and a burden for
souls. But today they are caught up in worldly activities and
have lost that zeal. I believe that God wants to use this sum
mer’s SOS outreach to restore this fervor in many of His people.
Jesus is coming soon! Let’s get our hearts right with God and get
busy doing the work He has commanded us to do: investing
our lives winning souls for His Kingdom.
