ISEMA Newsletters
West Hollywood Officials May Be Sued for Not Protecting Christians from Gays
Rutherford Institute attorneys took the first step July 12 toward suing officials in West Hollywood and Los Angeles County on the grounds that they have refused to protect Christians from harassment by homosexuals.
Cyrus Zal, general counsel of the Rutherford Institute of California, prepared and mailed a $10 million claim accusing city and county officials of conspiring with homosexuals to deny the civil rights of Christians who share their faith on the streets of West Hollywood, California, a city known for its active homosexual community.
The dispute stems from a series of 17 clashes that have occurred between Christians and members of the homosexual groups Queer Nation and Los Angeles ACTUP. The incidents occurred along Santa Monica Boulevard and in West Hollywood Park between March 8 and July 8.
According to the claim, Allan Esses, a Christian resident of West Hollywood, was “assaulted, battered, threatened with arrest, harassed, degraded, spit upon, intimidated, yelled at, interfered with, had his life threatened, had whistles blown in his ears at close proximity, had obscenities screamed in his ears at close proximity, had his personal property destroyed, and was obstructed by persons opposed to the message that he and his associates were lawfully expressing.”
The claim also says Esses was turned away from two West Hollywood businesses–a cafe and a bookstore–because he is a Christian and was carrying a Bible. According to the claim, city and county officials took no action to stop the abuses and the civil rights violations although they were aware of them. “My client was not out there preaching against homosexuality,” said Zal. “He was simply sharing his faith in Jesus Christ with anyone who would listen. That’s what attracted all the abuse.” City and county officials have 45 days to seek a settlement of the matter before Esses proceeds with a federal lawsuit against them.
A Concert in the Park
by Kelly Shatto (1228 Delaware Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95060)
Many visions come and go but for Jay Shatto it’s been a long time coming. For the past two years Jay saw the need for more outreach to our community and not just for himself but for the Christian Church as a whole. After much prayer and encouragement from his pastor and many others, June 1990 was the first concert in the park. The idea was to have three Christian bands minister in song (not preaching), have free food, give out free balloons, and have Christians witness one-on-one and pray during the whole day. The focus was on street people. We also had a man from the Gideons hand out Bibles. We didn’t want to pass out a tract and run so we just had the Bibles.
The result of this event can only be measured by how many people received something. Three thousand hot dogs and hamburgers, 350 pounds of chicken, 300 balloons, and 150 Bibles disappeared without a trace. We did make up a list of Bible-believing churches that we handed out only with the Bibles, so the person could go to a church nearest to him.
There was so much more that I couldn’t possibly share in a letter but one lady does stick out in my mind. As she sat down next to me and my children, she smiled and admired by two week old baby. She asked me if she could hold him. My first thought was of course. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said, “Thank you. Not many people would let me hold their baby.” She was a street person, but I hadn’t noticed her short-comings but only her desires. We talked about the Lord and how He cares for her even more than I care for my baby. She didn’t accept Christ that day, but I know God touched her as He did many others. Since then, we have had two more concerts.
Staying Out of Debt
by Emil Vinberg, ISEMA Director (Fishermen for Christ, Box 5442, Lynnwood, WA 98046, (206) 954-3813)
People ask me quite often where the small investor can put his or her money. And I always answer them the same….paying off debts is the only 100% guaranteed investment, and there is NO risk involved. The return is tremendous.
Start by considering your net worth. List and total your assets, then your debts. Subtract your debts from your assets to find your net worth. There are two ways to increase your net worth: by increasing assets or decreasing debts. With assets, there is always risk. Real estate, stocks, etc. all fluctuate in value. They are very unpredictable. Even fixed income investments are subject to some risk, however minimal.
However, reducing debt increases your net worth at a guaranteed rate. If you currently pay 18 percent on a credit card, paying it off means an 18 percent return on your money. There is NO risk, no depreciation, and the return is immediate and means a guaranteed increase in your net worth.
Before you think about increasing your assets, decrease your debts. The interest you currently pay for credit overpowers the interest you may gain from investing. But once your debts are paid, you have more money to devote to God’s Kingdom or savings which can be later invested into anything you want. Pay your debts and immediately more of what you earn will be yours to keep and give. Add up the interest you paid last year….that is the amount of return you will get from paying off your debts!
And remember Matthew 25:21 “His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!'”
News Items
(From UPI) On September 22, Billy Graham preached to a crowd estimated at 250,000 on the Great Lawn of New York City’s Central Park. It was the first time he had preached in that city in 21 years. In his sermon, Graham told New Yorkers that their city “is a place in desperate spiritual need.” (Yes, indeed.)
In October, 1991 the Coalition of Prison Evangelists (COPE) held their sixth annual International Prison Revival Month. COPE is an association of about 200 prison ministries working in cooperation with hundreds of other ministries. During this month, thousands of trained volunteers went into prisons, spending a weekend visiting prisoners, witnessing, and holding revival services. For more information on COPE and prison ministry, contact them at Box 7404, Charlotte, NC 28241, (704) 521-6181.
Judy Radachy has been diagnosed with cancer in the lymph node. Their family and ministry are under severe attack. The staff and volunteers will continue to carry out all the functions of the ministry while Ron and Judy are fasting and praying. Please be praying for them. If you want to help with their financial needs, write or call Holy Ghost Repair Service, Box 1590, Hollywood, CA 90078, (213) 469-3027.
Coming Events
Saturday December 21 San Francisco Worship Rally and Evangelism Outreach. 3-6 PM. Powell St. BART Station. Contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325.
December 29-January 1 Florida Bowl Blitz–Jacksonville to Miami. Contact Rescue Atlanta (Mel Rolls, Director), Box 965039, Marietta, GA 30066, (404) 924-0201.
December 31-January 1 Rose Parade Outreach, Pasadena, CA. Contact Sondra Berry Young Ministries, Box 3044, Newport Beach, CA 92659, (714) 650-0525.
January 1 Cotton Bowl Parade, Dallas, TX. Contact David O’Dell. Operation Christlift, 3400 W. Park Blvd. #2117, Plano, TX 75075. (214) 519-0195.
February 27-March 3. Mardi Gras Outreach. New Orleans. Contact Christ in Action Box 100, Chatsworth, GA 30705, (404) 695-1868 or Rescue Atlanta (address above).
A Final Word
Thank you for your prayers and support for ISEMA. We are encouraged by the calls and letters we have been receiving from many of you. On one day, I received two calls from people needing legal help. One person from California had been denied the right to give out literature at a county fair. Another brother had been arrested for preaching in New York and needed legal help. In most cases, our rights have been established by clear legal precedent. But police and public officials continue to deny us our rights and we must get a lawyer to help us. There is a great need for more Christian attorneys who will help with these problems. I am happy to hear that the Rutherford Institute is now helping with these cases (see above).
One brother wrote us “I don’t have much time, and I have no money to send right now; but you must know from the depths of my spirit that you have so greatly encouraged me, and I appreciate it more than I can explain. Thanks, bro. I really, really needed this newsletter. Your fellow street minister, R.D.” I want to thank each of you who has contributed to ISEMA for making it possible for us to help R.D. and others to receive this encouragement.
What Will You Do in ’92?
Christmas is a great time to witness, as people seem to be most open to the gospel at this time of year. They are looking for the “Christmas spirit.” What they need is the Spirit of God, the true Christmas spirit. While New Year’s Eve is a time of drunkenness, New Year’s Day is a time for resolutions and self-examination about where our lives are heading. This can also be a great opportunity to witness. One year I witnessed at a New Year’s Eve party and prayed with a young man to receive Christ as the clock struck twelve.
As we approach a new millennium, we are seeing world events change at an amazing rate. In October, Israel and its Arab neighbors began a Mideast Peace Conference. This is the first time Israeli officials have spoken directly and shaken hands with Palestinian and Arab leaders. But the United States is wavering from its support for Israel. In his desire to see a New World Order, President Bush may ask the United Nations to put pressure on Israel and even use military force to get Israel to give up land. The Arabs say that Israel’s possession of the Golan Heights, the West Bank and East Jerusalem is the barrier to peace. We should remember that Israel only now possesses that land because they were attacked on their holiest day by their Arab neighbors.
Here in Oakland, the biggest wildfire in our nation’s history destroyed 3000 homes, killing 25 and causing almost $2 billion in damage–three miles from our house. The Berkeley fire chief commented that if the wind had not died down Sunday night, only the San Francisco Bay would have stopped the fire–the cities of Oakland and Berkeley could have been wiped out! One secular newscaster, commenting on the fire, said it was “almost like a Biblical judgment.” As I walked through the area, it looked like a nuclear bomb had struck an area once known for million dollar homes. Truly it was a warning not to trust in earthly wealth. Two years earlier in October, an earthquake caused a 1 1/2 mile section of a double-deck Oakland freeway to collapse, killing 52. Again, God’s mercy was shown as many hundreds could have died in that freeway collapse.
During the past year, we have seen dramatic changes in the world as the Soviet Union appears to be unraveling. While this is giving us a temporary opportunity to preach the gospel freely, the U.S.S.R. still possesses all its nuclear weapons. The potential breakup into republics and the poor economic conditions make the nation very unstable and could lead to war. Here in the U.S., our economy is better but we also have a heavy national debt, heavy taxation, and high unemployment. Many banks and savings and loans have gone bankrupt, and now insurance companies are facing bankruptcy.
Jesus Christ is returning soon. We need to redeem the time, for the days are evil. As we enter a new year, each of us should give ourselves to prayer that God will give us clear direction for our lives. Let’s not get caught up in the cares of this life, but give ourselves to the preaching of the gospel this next year, even more than we have in past years.
Our Tape of the Month is “Leading People to Jesus” by Richard Nash. This teaching provides a simple approach to explaining the gospel and leading someone to Christ using the Word of God. I pray that each of you will have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
