August 1996
SOS-San Francisco Outreach Report
Every year for the past 17 years, Christians from all over the country have joined together to proclaim the good news to the people of San Francisco. About 300 Christians participated in some part of the outreach, including a team from Minnesota, a youth group from Idaho, and sixteen Christians from Mission Bridge School in Eureka, CA. Individuals came from Colorado, Kansas, Washington and Oregon. About 40 Christians stayed through the week.
In last month’s newsletter, I told you we had received only one loudspeaker permit for Tuesday. On the day the outreach began, we got two more permits for Monday and Wednesday. On Thursday morning, we got three more permits for Thursday through Saturday. So at the last minute we obtained six permits at three parks: Union Square, the Embarcadero, and Washington Square. The Washington Square permits were for four hours and the other permits were for one hour. We were unable to get permits on sidewalks, so we set up a small system using 9 watt “maximouse” amplifiers, which don’t require permits.
On the first Saturday, New Springs Christian Fellowship (SF) ministered at 6th St. and Market. The Idaho youth group also ministered through dance. We prayed with many people that after noon. One man, Craig, attended several SOS meetings during the week. That night, Independent Community Church (Richmond) led worship and Tal Brooke, Director of Spiritual Counterfeits Project, spoke on understanding the times we live in.
On Sunday night, the weather report predicted rain for Monday through Wednesday. We prayed earnestly for good weather, and we had no rain during the week. On Monday, New Springs ministered again at Union Square. That afternoon some Christians met Winston about three blocks from the Vineyard Church. Winston had been suicidal and they witnessed to him for several hours and prayed with him. They took him to Victory Outreach in Hayward and at last report he is doing very well in their discipleship program. That night at Fisherman’s Wharf, a man rededicated his life to Christ and his two children prayed to receive Christ. Another man rededicated his life to Christ on Haight St.
On Tuesday, Julie, who speaks French and Arabic, prayed with Salah, a Muslim man from Yemen. The man prayed, “Jesus, if you are the son of God, come into my life.” His friend tried to get him to return to the Muslim religion. She will follow-up on him and send him an Arabic Bible. Julie also witnessed to three other Moslems and an 18 year old Bahai. He said, “I haven’t decided what I believe, but if this is the truth, it’s going to work out.” On Thursday, she prayed with a French-speaking man from Algeria.
On Tuesday night, “Food not Bombs,” a left-wing militant group, told several people that there was a free food giveaway at the Vineyard Church, seeking to embarrass us. Several people came to the church that night. We fed them and witnessed to them. Two homosexual men came that night and stayed for the service. One left as soon as the meeting ended, but the other young man, Dan, was very receptive to the gospel. He stayed afterwards and spoke with several Christians and prayed with them.
On Wednesday, two Christians led eight children to Christ at the Washington Square playground. On Thursday, Chuck Girard sang at Union Square and at 5th St. and Market. Among those who came by were Greg Laurie and his wife. Greg is pastor of a large Calvary Chapel church in Southern California and preaches to tens of thousands of people at Harvest Crusades. They have known Chuck for many years, and I believe God used this encounter to speak to them about street ministry. Operation Rescue’s Randall Terry was also in the area for Promise Keepers, and attended the Union Square rally.
That night, a sister witnessed to a young man with spiked hair, who said he was an atheist. As they talked, she learned he had lung cancer and prayed for him. Afterwards, he said he could breathe better. “You’re turning me from an atheist to a Christian,” he said.
On Thursday night, Michael and Janet Long witnessed to two men coming out of a liquor store on Mission St. One was a backslidden missionary from El Salvador (where Michael grew up). Both knelt on the ground and prayed with them. A Spanish brother invited them to his church in San Francisco. Elizabeth prayed with Isabel, a Chinese woman from the Academy of Arts College. After wards, Isabel told her roommate that she had become a Christian and asked her if she could notice a change in her life. She attended the Vineyard Church on Sunday.
On Thursday and Friday nights, we sent teams to Castro St. This is the center of militant homosexuality and this was “Gay Pride” week, so we were apprehensive. They went without amplifiers and signs. They gave out a lot of tracts and had many good conversations, despite some opposition. As the team gathered to pray that night, Rodney joined them. He has a Christian mother who is praying for him. Paul and Noreen Coca stayed out on Castro St. until 12:45 AM Friday night, praying with seven people: Randy and Angel, Steve, three Catholic women, and Ricky. Ricky said, “I wish Christians would come into here (the Castro) but they are afraid of us because they don’t understand.”
We kept our sound level extremely low all week and had no problems from the police until the final Saturday. That afternoon, two police officers came to Washington Square. They said that Captain Fong had given orders that our banner could not be put up between two light poles. The 20 foot banner reads “Open Your Heart to Jesus” on one side and “Only One Way to God: Jesus” on the other side. We had put up this and other banners hundreds of times over the past 18 years, without any problem from the police. They were unable to tell me of any ordinance we were violating and claimed it was a condition of our permit (it wasn’t). I concluded that Captain Fong was concerned that homosexuals who were visiting San Francisco for the gay parade the next day would be offended by the banner. I attended the gay rally after the parade on Sunday and saw (and photographed) about 20 banners and vending booths that were tied to city poles with ropes.
It was truly a wonderful outreach. I want to thank all of you who participated, who prayed for us, and who helped financially. Special thanks go to the following people: Pastor Gary Vian (SF Open Bible Church), who spent many hours talking with Off. Gallagher so we could get permits and was with us all week. The James Brothers Band from Eureka, who ministered at two outreaches and at the church and also served us by bringing a wonderful sound system for our Wednesday through Saturday outreaches. Paul and Noreen Coca (who led in worship and helped oversee the out reach), Eric Livingston (all-around servant), Craig Halverson (security), and team leaders Scott Robbins, Michael Long, and Rick Williams. All our speakers and musicians, including those named above and Pastor Forest Beiser (Living Hope Christian Church, SF), Pastor Evan Prosser (SF Homeless Church), Charles Simpson, SF Shiloh Full Gospel Church, Laurie Mathias (SF Youth With a Mission), Pastor Dennis McNally (New Life Christian Church) and Tom and Jenny Burnoski. Finally, we thank Vineyard Christian Fellowship for opening their church building to us once again this year.
