ISEMA Newsletters
Tireless Christian Crusader Puts in Long Hours
from the Sonora (CA) Union-Democrat
“This is my job. It’s what He wants me to do. It’s what He created me to do.” That’s the reason, says James Hoyt, that he’s been standing in front of the Junction shopping center holding up Jesus signs for the past four months. It’s why this born-again picket continues, that he’s stood through heat, rain, insults and challenges to bring block-lettered snippets of scripture to passing motorists.
“To know God and to make Him known,” said Hoyt as a stream of afternoon traffic slogged by. “That’s my goal.” He then raised up one of his more than 40 signs — this one reading “IF YOU ARE LUKEWARM, HE WILL SPEW YOU OUT” — and thrust it toward the anonymous parade of passing windshields. This, hours on end, day after day and month upon month, is Hoyt’s life. This and “witnessing” — bringing his brand of religion to anyone curious or close enough to get into a conversation with him.
Although a longtime Christian, Hoyt’s roadside mission is relatively new. Until August this five year Tuolumne County resident earned a comfortable living building children’s playgrounds. “I could still be doing it today and if I headed up a crew, I could be making a six-figure income,” said Hoyt. “But that all changed when I saw Peter.”
“Peter” was Peter Bihr, who began holding signs at Highway 108 and Mono Way late last summer. “I stopped right away and talked to him,” recounted Hoyt. “He had the right Jesus, not the Jesus of aberrant theologies.” So on Aug. 12, the two joined forces. Bihr has since left for the Bay Area, searing afternoons have given way to bone-cold mornings, but Hoyt is still out on the highway. “I’m not bored at all,” he said of his relentless succession of 18 hour days. “Doing the Lord’s work, there’s peace in my heart.”
Hoyt admits, however, that he ran through his savings two months ago, that he sleeps in his van at night and that he relies on contributions for food, gas and other necessities. “But I don’t solicit money,” he stresses. “I’m not like Jim Bakker or Jimmy Swaggart. Still, when people come up and offer me $5 for a hot meal, I’m grateful.
Hoyt’s days begin in pre-dawn darkness with two hours of prayer, much of it for people who flip him off or shout him down. They continue with 12 hour stints at The Junction, and end with an hour or two of “witnessing” at Twain Harte area taverns. After four hours of sleep in his van, the routine begins anew. “A lot of people think what I do is stupid,” said Hoyt. “But what’s stupid is being outside God’s will.”
This is the message Hoyt wants to get across to sinners, unbelievers and mainstream “pew-sitters” who he says cash in on Christ’s forgiveness each Sunday but lead lives far from the Lord. But can this be done with a three-line placard thrust toward a passing windshield for no more than a few seconds? “My job is only to hold the sign,” Hoyt answered. “What happens to the people who see the sign is God’s job.” And, he adds, motorists “see me for a lot more than a few seconds. When the traffic’s bad they’re in front of me for a good three minutes or longer.”
Someday, Hoyt says, his mission at The Junction will be over. “I suspect the peace I have in doing this will cease and the Lord will let me know that he has something else for me,” he said. Hoyt added that it may well take “a countywide revival, an upsurge in the number of people turning from sin and to God’s wisdom and love” before his work is done. So does Hoyt think he’ll still be at The Junction in another six months? Another year? “Lord’s will be done,” he smiled, thrusting a placard high in the air.
(Ed. Note: The newspaper also contained an article about Hoyt being arrested under a citizen’s arrest by a woman (Vesta Parrish) who claimed Hoyt was standing on frontage property belonging to her. “When deputies arrived…Hoyt produced parcel maps which he claims show Parrish does not own the property….Hoyt was then cited and released.” This article was written last December, and Hoyt is still standing in front of The Junction with his signs.)
Bulgarian Outreach
from the Last Days Ministries World Changer Newsletter (Box 40, Lindale TX 75771, (214) 963-8671)
“This was the most powerful outreach I’ve ever been on,” said team leader Kitty Garska–and she should know. Kitty has been in YWAM for 20 years and has been on countless outreaches around the world.
This team was able to minister to over 6500 people through their dramas and testimonies–and they know at least 650 were saved! They held a dozen street meetings, passed out 8000 tracts and 260 Bibles in Bulgarian, ministered in three orphanages, a prison, two high schools and eight churches–and had five confirmed healings! Their feet haven’t hit the ground yet!
In the first city where they stopped to minister they were mobbed by 300 to 400 people. It was a Turkish community, and mostly Islamic, but everyone wanted to listen to the preaching and receive tracts. They noticed a man who looked like he was in his 60s standing behind them as they spoke, openly broken and weeping. He told them he’d been praying 50 years for God to send someone to his city to preach the Gospel!
The team stayed at the same hotel for four weeks and began having Bible studies there seven nights a week to disciple the new believers. A Gypsy pastor came to see them and said, “Please come start a church for the Gypsies. We’re not welcome at other churches.” A YWAM team will return in May to help pioneer a church for them.
Just before the team left, they invited the staff at the hotel where they’d stayed for a month to a special evening. Over 40 came–maids, cooks, the band, the lead singer, and the girl from the gift shop. The team performed their evangelical drama and preached and 24 gave their hearts to the Lord!
It seemed like everywhere they went there was a great hunger for the Lord. Everywhere but the capital city of Sofia, that is. One of the leaders who’d been to Sofia before said, “They’re not as responsive anymore because they’ve been inundated by so many cults. The door is closing. We must go while we can.”
Coming Events
May 21-24 Indianapolis 500 Outreach. Contact Christ in Action, Box 100, Chatsworth, GA 30705, (404) 695-1868 or No Greater Love Ministries Box 263, DuQuoin, IL 62832, (618) 542-4503.
- May 23 March for Jesus. Christians in dozens of cities around the world will be gathering to exalt Jesus in the streets. For information about the cities scheduling a march, contact Tom Pelton, March for Jesus, P O Box 3216, Austin, TX 78764, (512) 416-0066.
Saturday May 23 San Francisco Worship Rally and Evangelism Outreach. Meet at 3 PM at Powell St. BART Station. Contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325.
May 28-30 Bay Area Evangelism Conference. Contact Paul Coca, Evangel Christian Fellowship, 1255 Pedro, San Jose, CA 95126, (408) 279-2133.
- May 30 San Antonio, TX Riverwalk Outreach. Contact Rev. David O’Dell 3400 W. Park Blvd. #2117, Plano, TX 75075, (214) 519-0195.
June 2-16 England Outreach. $1370. Contact Forward Edge, 15121-A NE 72nd Ave., Vancouver, WA 98686, (206) 574-EDGE. (Also short-term outreaches throughout summer to East Germany, Romania, Spain [summer Olympics], China, Thailand, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua and Native American Indian tribes [$285].)
June 7-9 Harborfest ’92 Outreach, Norfolk, VA. Contact Paul and Dana Powers, Youth Evangelism Ministries, Box 1908, Newport News, VA 23601, (804) 595-9523.
June 7-9 World Harvest Conference, St. Louis, MO. Contact Michael Sheppard, Life Christian Center, 13001 Gravois, St. Louis, MO 63127, (314) 843-5575.
June 11-14 Tampa, FL Outreach. Contact Pat Schatzline (813) 683-5726.
June 14-27 BASIC Training. Comprehensive training in evangelism and discipleship. Outreaches to New Orleans and Mississippi Gulf Coast. Contact Henry Pulsifer, Box 431, Kiln, MS 39556, (601) 255-9251. (Also August 2-15).
June 22-27 Rescue Atlanta Outreach. Contact Rescue Atlanta (Mel Rolls, Director), Box 965039, Marietta, GA 30066, (404) 924-0201.
June 19-27 SOS-Hollywood. $150. Contact Holy Ghost Repair Service, Box 1590, Hollywood, CA 90078, (213) 469-3027.
June 26-July 4 SOS-San Francisco. This outreach will be held in conjunction with the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International Convention. Several thousand people from sixty nations will participate in a July 3 outreach in the Financial District. Contact SOS Ministries (address above).
July 2-4 Freedom Festival and Parade Outreach, Houma, LA. Jeff Fenholt, Bill Henderson, Roger Helle. Contact Freedom Festival, Christian Community Fellowship, Station 2, Box 5, Houma, LA 70360, (504) 851-3000.
July 11-15 Democratic National Convention Outreach, New York City. $150. Contact No Greater Love (address above).
July 25-August 8 Barcelona, Spain and Israel. Outreach to Olympics and Israel. Contact No Greater Love (address above).
August 15-19 Republican National Convention Outreach. Houston, TX. $150. Contact No Greater Love (address above).
1992 International Street & Evangelism Ministry Directory
By the time you receive this letter, the 1992 International Street & Evangelism Ministry Directory should be ready. This directory contains the latest revisions in our listing of street and evangelism ministries around the world plus many new listings. I believe you will find this directory very helpful in learning about ministries in your area and around the world. It is filled with valuable information not available elsewhere and is very easy to use and easy to read.
Many of you have never read my book You Shall Be My Witnesses: How to Reach your City for Christ. This 140 page book tells the story of SOS Ministries and contains evangelism teachings to help you reach your community for Jesus. If you’ve already read the book, you may want to get one for a friend. Our Tape of the Month is Preparing for Warfare by Mario Murillo. This message was given at SOS-San Francisco several years ago.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
