Friday June 2, 23, 30  3-6 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods. (Call us at (510) 282-5629 for outreach location.)

Saturday June 3, 24  11 AM – 3 PM  Fisherman’s Wharf outreach. (Powell and Jefferson St.) 

GETTING OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT

Dear Christian friends,

A few years ago, I encountered a Jehovah’s Witness man with his two children going door to door. While they avoid our house, in the past I would see them in  our neighborhood about once a month. I have seen mothers bringing their infants in baby carriages. I learned from a former Jehovah’s Witness (J.W.) that the average active J.W. witnesses about 4 hours a week. At that rate, it takes about 16 years to gain one convert. Also, they spend many hours at their church meetings practicing how to witness, using role-playing to go over various questions they might be asked, and learning how to respond.

Every time I see them, I marvel at their dedication to a false cause. Christians often say they have no time to witness, because they must spend time with their families, church activities, and work. But J.W.’s also work. They spend time with their families and participate in all the activities at the Kingdom Hall. Yet they all spend time going door to door spreading their message. Why can’t we Christians, who know the truth, do as much?

Christians often say witnessing is ineffective because we don’t lead someone to Christ every time we go out. Yet the J.W.’s will patiently go door to door, facing one rejection after another, for 3200 hours to get one convert! Many Christians will not inconvenience themselves for even one hour to witness to an unsaved person.

The only explanation I have is that Satan opposes our witnessing, but not theirs. Satan has given us a variety of excuses not to witness, and we have believed him. Two thousand years ago, our Lord Jesus Christ said that “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers.”

At SOS Ministries, we see that our responsibility  is to encourage and train Christians to become more involved in evangelism — on the streets, to friends and relatives, at work, on the foreign mission field, and in praying for the work of evangelism. We also want to help those who are called to be evangelists to become more effective in their personal ministries and in equipping the church to witness.

On the Streets

On January 13 and 14, we witnessed at Powell and O’Farrell. Rain was forecast for both days, and this is our best location on rainy days. We had very little rain on Friday, but it rained a few times on Saturday. It rained hard on Saturday near the end of our outreach, but the awning on this street kept our equipment and tracts dry. On Saturday, Andy spoke with Ferez, 32, from India. He was  born into a Muslim family but had studied the Bible. He is studying to get a PhD in physics. While he knew a lot of scriptures, he is not saved. Andy shared with him about the way of salvation and gave him our contact information.

On Fri. January 20, we witnessed at 24^th St. and Mission. This area has been taken over by vendors selling stolen goods. Several hundred people were on the street. Most were there to purchase these stolen goods. Tats witnessed to Yano, who was into new age philosophy and was using drugs. Yano was receptive and thanked Tats for sharing the gospel with him. Tats also witnessed to Amber, whose grandfather pastored a Nazarene Church. She was addicted to drugs and said all roads lead to God. Tats shared his testimony with her, and also explained the gospel to her.

The next day, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf and at Pier 39. Paul and Noreen Coca and Mark Whitehead played music. Alex spoke with Joshua, who had been in prison for 10 years and was saved in prison. Alex got his contact information and invited him to join us on the streets. Three Christians in their mid 20’s who were on a missionary trip joined us at Pier 39. Two of them preached that day. John witnessed to Starr and Payton, both in their mid teens. Starr said she had read the Bible cover to cover several times. John asked her to name the first book in the New Testament, but she couldn’t do it. Payton realized his girlfriend was lying and became more receptive to the gospel. John shared his testimony with them and got their contact information.

On Friday Feb. 3, we witnessed at 16^th St. and Mission. Jim witnessed to Timothy, who asked a lot of difficult questions. Jim asked me to take over so I spoke to Timothy for almost an hour. He was raised Catholic, but was really confused about which books belong in the Bible. After discussing that issue, I told him the most important question he needed to answer was whether he was right with God. He said he was right with God because of his good works. I shared Eph. 2 with him, that we are saved only by faith in Jesus Christ, not by our works. He was receptive to the gospel and I gave him my contact information. Mike and I also witnessed to Beau. He was very friendly towards us, but after talking with him, he clearly did not believe that Jesus died for his sins. He grew up in Santa Rosa and was quite lonely. He was upset by all the mean, angry people he had met in San Francisco. He was looking for friends, and was attracted to us because we were friendly. We shared the gospel with him and Mike invited him to City Impact.

On Friday Feb. 24, we witnessed at 4^th and Market. Alex witnessed to DiAngelo, 35, whom he has seen several times. He knows a lot of scriptures, and believes the Bible is God’s word, but he also knows he is not living right with God, since he uses drugs and alcohol. Mike witnessed to William, a security guard. He said his grandfather was a preacher, but he didn’t seem to understand the gospel. Mike witnessed to him and William was receptive. On the way back to the van, Mike gave a Chick (cartoon) tract to Adam. Adam thanked him and said he liked reading Chick tracts. Mike shared the gospel with him and encouraged him to read Romans and the gospel of John. Adam said, “I will.” Mike also ministered to Kenny. He said he had been reading the Bible since he was 7. Recently, he was run over by a MUNI bus. He miraculously survived but is in a wheelchair. Mike invited him to church, but he didn’t come.

Ryan ministered to Anton, 17, a Russian Jew who was newly saved. He had no Christian fellowship and had little spiritual foundation. Ryan shared with him the fundamentals of Christian living and invited him to the church he pastors. Like most  Jews,  Anton’s  parents  are  quite  hostile towards the gospel.

The next day, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. Chuck Girard, Mark Whitehead, and Paul and Noreen Coca all ministered through music and several of us preached. Alex witnessed to Terry, an artist from France, who has been showing up at our outreaches for months and even attended church with Alex. While he was very interested in our preaching, he is not saved and has difficulty understanding the gospel. He claims to have encountered an “angel of light” that gives him guidance. It is probably a demon. Alex suggested that he could need deliverance.

On Sat. March 4, we again witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. The weather forecast was for rain that afternoon so we were concerned about scheduling an outreach with a lot of Christians that day. However, it only rained for about 5 minutes that afternoon. About 20 Christians from Star of David Ministries joined us, along with Chuck Girard and Paul Coca. They did Christian rap and quite a few people who were passing by stopped to listen. Mike spoke with Jereth, 24, who worked at a store across the street. As Mike shared the gospel, Jareth said, “I think I’m going to cry.” He was raised in a Christian home, but his father went to war for 10 years and returned having lost his faith. Soon after, his parents divorced. Mike also witnessed to a 75 year old woman who was with her son. Her 50 year old son said he was a Christian but his mother said she didn’t believe in God. Mike share the gospel with her. John spoke with a lesbian woman who accused him of being homophobic. John responded that the word “homophobic” means someone who is afraid of homosexuals. John said he wasn’t afraid of her, but wanted to tell her the truth.

Tats witnessed in Japanese to two groups of people from Japan.  Two girls in their early 20’s were very open to the gospel and Tats gave them a Japanese tract. Since they live in Tokyo, Tats referred them to a good church in Tokyo. Later, he witnessed to 4 older Japanese women who were Buddhists. At first they resisted, but later they became more receptive as Tats share the gospel with them in Japanese.

A Final Word

Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry, The post office has stopped sending out address corrections. So we won’t be able to send you newsletters unless you send us your new address when you move.

On April 2, Scott Crawford returned from a two month trip in which he preached and witnessed at several outreaches, including the Mardi Gras in New Orleans and outreaches in Galveston, Houston and South Padre Island, Texas and in Palm Springs CA. Scott is 83, but is not slowing down.

We have scheduled our 44th annual SOS-San Francisco outreach for July 5-8. I hope many of you will join us for this important outreach.  Contact us for more details.

Yours in His love,

Larry Rosenbaum