ISEMA Newsletters
Legal Victory in Atlanta
by Jay Sekulow, from the CASE (Christian Advocates Serving Evangelists) Newsletter, P O Box 11495, San Francisco, CA 94102
In the first week of its operation, over a million people visited the Underground Atlanta complex….Street performers, jugglers, bands and clowns stroll through the above-ground plazas and underground streets. What a place to share the Good News!
When four young Christians went to Underground to hand out tracts and talk with people about Jesus, they were threatened with arrest. I spoke with the lawyers representing the developers and they would not budge. NO EVANGELISM….
On Monday, we filed the complaint and on Tuesday we were in court. To win this case we needed to be granted access to the Underground Atlanta property. The City and the developer warned us that they would not allow any evangelism anywhere on the project.
On Friday, the judge’s order came. We won the sidewalk, the plaza, and even a portion of the underground area! Without question, if we had not filed suit, the entire Underground Atlanta complex would be closed to the gospel. The Lord has provided us victory in this case.
Important Supreme Court Case
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide this year whether students in public high schools can meet for Bible study, worship and prayer….At issue is the right for students to meet for Bible study, prayer and worship during their free time in the school buildings….Through the Mergens case, students throughout our nation can be given the legal right to actually worship, pray and study their Bibles in school. Our young people can become evangelists in their own high schools!
In late November or early December we will be presenting the oral arguments before the Supreme Court….Between now and the middle of December we are asking that you select at least one day when you will pray for us. Please pray that God will fill us with His wisdom and guidance.
Nigeria Outreach
by Ed Human from the Encouraging Word, P O Box 1403, Euless, TX 76039
From March 20-April 7, Ed Human (A Ministry of Light in the World of Darkness) made his first missionary trip into Africa with Tom Shaw and seven others. As we joined the market-place crowds in one city in Nigeria, we would preach, give an invitation, and twenty to thirty people would receive Jesus. We would move into another part of the market and the same thing would happen again. The people would mob us to receive stickers and Gospel tracts. We marched in the streets with over 500 Nigerians as the local churches paraded behind the cross for fifteen miles. Thousands were saved and many were healed and delivered.
Calling all Street Preachers
Here’s an idea for all you radical street preachers who like to preach to large crowds. Often it’s hard to be heard in a large gathering like the Mardi Gras, even with a “Half-mile hailer.” The problem is that the sound gets lost in the crowd. But Street Ministry for Jesus (P O Box 8222, Corpus Christi, TX 78412) has come up with a better way. The speaker can be detached from the hailer, placed on a 3/4 inch piece of plastic conduit, ten feet tall, and your preaching can be heard a long ways off. If you have any questions about this, you can call them at (512) 991-1111.
Ministry Spotlight:
Set Free Christian Fellowship
Pastor Phil Aguilar, 320 N Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805, (714) 520-0776.
I first met Phil and several people from the Set Free Christian Fellowship at the National Street Ministries Conference. I was really impressed by their dedication and giving spirit. Phil Aguilar was saved thirteen years ago at Chino State Prison. After his release from prison, Phil went to Baptist Bible College and then began co-pastoring the Anaheim Baptist Church. Phil began opening his house to take in new believers who needed to be discipled. Before long, a new ministry called Set Free had been established. Today, they feed and house at least 160 people a night at 10-12 homes.
They have a ministry called His Hands Extended, an outreach ministry of Trinity Broadcasting Network. Anyone can come for food, clothing and other items. They welcome the homeless, the destitute, drug and alcohol addicted people, and abused women and children into their homes. They share the love of Jesus with everyone who comes to them and are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for emergency help.
Set Free also has other evangelism ministries–a Servants for Christ Car Club with old cars to minister to car enthusiasts, a Motorcycle Club with Harley-Davidsons, various sports teams, youth groups, monthly concerts, and ladies Bible studies.
Coming Events
December 31-January 1 Florida Bowl Blitz. Orange Bowl, Gator Bowl, Citrus Bowl. Contact Youth Department, Trinity Assembly of God, 7255 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth, Fl 33463, (407) 965- 4166.
December 31-January 1 Rose Parade Outreach, Pasadena. 17th year. Contact Sondra Berry Young Ministries, P O Box 3044, Newport Beach, CA 92659, (714) 650-0525.
January 4-15 Mexico City Outreach. $1000-1200. Deadline November 3. Contact Center for Urban Outreach, Liberty University (Claude Dallas, Director), Box 20000, Lynchburg, VA 24506, (804) 582-2310.
February 22-27 Mardi Gras Outreach. New Orleans, LA. Contact Christ in Action, Box 41848, Chicago, IL 60641, (312) 736-1400.
February 23-25 Washington DC tour. $100-125. Deadline December 8. Contact Center for Urban Outreach (address above).
March 8-19 Caribbean Tour. $1300-1500. Deadline December 8. Contact Center for Urban Outreach (address above).
Ministry Needs
Once again, I want to thank each of you for your prayers and your financial support for ISEMA. In this newsletter, we were able to share about a legal victory, an outreach report from Africa, an evangelism idea, introduce a ministry to you, and give a schedule of upcoming outreaches. Please send me outreach reports, information about your ministry, ideas about topics to discuss in this newsletter, and other information for us to include in this newsletter. Also, let me know if you have questions or problems relating to evangelism that we can help you with. If we can’t help you, perhaps one of our readers can. Our purpose is to serve you so that you can be more effective in preaching the gospel.
Our Tape of the Month is “Legal Issues in Evangelism” by Michael Imfeld. Michael is a Christian attorney and this tape is very helpful for anyone who wants to know more about our rights under the First Amendment.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
