Newsletter February 2000

Y2k and God’s Judgment

As you now know, the “Y2k bug” did not create the major  disaster

that  many  had predicted. Almost everyone,  including  President

Clinton,  thought  it would a problem at least in  those  nations

that  did little to prepare for it. The New Year arrived  without

even a terrorist act or computer virus outbreak.

In  the Old Testament, God often judged the Jewish  people.  When

Israel  turned  to God, God caused it to prosper.  However,  when

Israel  prospered,  it would turn away from God. God  would  then

bring  judgment to the nation, usually through  military  defeat,

and the Jewish people would again turn to God.

Many  of  our  nation’s founders were godly  believers.  God  has

blessed our nation with military strength and economic  prosperi­

ty. The American church has been a leader in sending missionaries

to preach the gospel worldwide.

However,  our nation in its prosperity has certainly  turned  its

back on God. Many Americans worship “money” and “pleasure” as  if

they were gods. There is an epidemic of sin in the church as well

as  among  unbelievers. The message that “God wants to  make  you

rich, healthy and happy” has replaced the call to risk our  lives

by taking the gospel to the world.

Perhaps  only  an economic collapse will humble  our  nation  and

cause multitudes to turn to God. Many Christians hoped that “Y2k”

would cause this crisis. But God does not need a computer bug  to

bring judgment to this evil world.

God  will  bring  judgment to our nation if,  when,  and  how  He

chooses.  Our job is to obey his command to preach the gospel  in

all the world. God is constantly bringing “judgment” to individu­

als. Many people, through sickness, death of a loved one, econom­

ic  loss,  divorce, rebellious children, etc. are in  a  personal

crisis  that makes them more receptive to the gospel  message.  I

hope  that with this “Y2k” distraction out of the way, we  Chris­

tians can focus our energy on reaching everyone we can for Jesus.

Open Air Preaching

“It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those

who believe” (1 Corin. 1:21). Throughout the Bible, God called

His  servants to proclaim His word in the public  places.  People

were  warned  to repent of their sins and get their  lives  right

with  God.  In some cases, many repented and  were  spared  God’s

judgment.  The entire city of Ninevah, for example,  repented  at

the preaching of Jonah. In other cases, few or no people  repent­

ed. Noah was called a preacher of righteousness. As he built  the

ark, he warned of God’s judgment, yet only his family was saved.

God told the prophet Ezekiel, “Go to the house of Israel and speak

with my words to them…whether they listen or not” (Ezek. 3:4,11).

Some will claim that preaching the gospel is not effective, or that

you will only “turn people off.” It is very important that we preach

with love, gentleness and sensitivity. Even when we do this, however,

some will be offended at the gospel.

Bill Bright, the founder and director of Campus Crusade for Christ,

said, “Effective witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share

Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, leaving the results to God.”

God has called us to walk by faith. We must obey God and continue

to preach the Gospel, whether or not we see results.

The apostle Paul had a powerful ministry and saw much fruit amid much

opposition. But the thing that disturbed him most was not the persecution

by unbelievers, but the criticism and lack of support by other believers.

Even those who were saved in churches he had started, criticized him

and forsook him. They said he was not a true apostle. They said he

had no right to receive financial support. “If we have sown unto

you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal

things?” (1 Corin. 9:11) They criticized his speaking ability.

“His bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible” (2 Corin.

10:10). At the end of his life, as he was awaiting death in a Roman

prison, he wrote Timothy, “Take your diligence to come to me.

For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world….Only

Luke is with me….At my first answer no man stood with me, but

all men forsook me” (2 Tim. 4:9-16). Truly, the life of God’s

servant is difficult, but God is faithful to comfort and strengthen

us. “Nevertheless, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me,

that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles

might hear” (2 Tim. 4:17).

Preaching the Gospel Today

“For  the preaching of the cross is to them that perish  foolish­

ness,  but to us who are saved it is the power of God”  1  Corin.

1:18.  We  know from God’s Word that the preaching of  the  cross

will be regarded as foolish by the unsaved. What surprises us  is

that many professing Christians also consider it foolishness.

Today,  there  is much criticism of open-air preaching  by  other

Christians.  Despite  the tremendous Biblical  support  for  this

approach,  many Christians think that this approach  is  ineffec­

tive,  out-of-date,  and only “turns people off” to  the  gospel.

Generally,  friendship evangelism, mercy ministry, and  inviting

people to church are proposed as inoffensive alternatives.

I witnessed on the streets for about seven years before I began street

preaching. When I came to San Francisco, I saw a number of street

preachers who would preach at Market and Powell, near the cable car

turnaround. Many of them spent a lot of time arguing with one another,

calling one another “devils” because they disagreed on some doctrine.

Many of these street preachers did not have any regular church involvement.

What I saw definitely did not make me want to be a street preacher.

After a few years, I met some other street preachers who joined us

for our outreaches. They were good, solid Christians who preached

under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the message was

strong, emphasizing the holiness of God. At other times it was very

gentle, emphasizing the love and mercy of God. After listening to

them, I decided to give street preaching a try.

I was very nervous when I first started preaching, but I found that

the Holy Spirit would give me words if I would open my mouth. While

some preachers can preach comfortably without an amplifier, I find

that using an amplifier helps me to speak loudly without  yelling

or  straining  my voice. I usually use  a  “Maximouse  amplifier”

which  contains  a rechargeable  battery,  produces  good-quality

sound and is also excellent for music.

On the Streets

Last  month,  I told you about the problems we have  been  having

with the police, particularly Officer Jones, in Berkeley. We  had

an  outreach  scheduled in Berkeley on December  11.  The  street

vendors  had closed off the street that day for  their  Christmas Fair.

The day before, I didn’t know if I would have any  helpers

and  almost  canceled  the outreach. However,  God  provided  the

workers  we  needed on Saturday. “Children of  the  Rock”  played

music  and  we had a peaceful time of  ministry  that  afternoon.

Officer Jones was busy monitoring the street fair and didn’t have

time  to  harass us. Mike Mills, the brother who moved  into  our

house this past month, arrived by plane that afternoon. He  imme­

diately  joined us on the streets and prayed with Alisha  to  re­

ceive Christ.

On Friday December 17 we witnessed at Union Square. We sang, gave

out  tracts,  and distributed some clothes to  the  homeless.  On

Saturday  December 18, we held our Christmas outreach  at  United

Nations  Plaza.  “Tribe  of Judah,” a worship  group  from  Faith

Fellowship Foursquare Church in San Leandro and “Children of  the

Rock” ministered in music. Christians joined us from Hope Center

in Pleasant Hill and from Santa Cruz, giving out food and toilet­

ries  to the homeless and sharing the gospel with them. About  30

people  responded to two altar calls that afternoon. Please  pray

that these people will truly repent and follow Jesus.

SOS-San Francisco

July 7-15, 2000

We have set the dates for this next year’s SOS outreach, our 21st

year.  Again, Glad Tidings Church is opening up  their  wonderful

facility to us. I hope many of you will join us this summer. Each

outreach is special, and we trust that God will use everyone  who

attends to bring people to Jesus.

Chinese New Year Outreach

Sat. February 19

For the past 20 years, we have been witnessing at the Chinese New

Year  Parade. This is the largest annual event in San  Francisco,

drawing  about  300,000  people. We will meet  at  Union  Square,

Powell  and Geary St., for a worship rally at 2 PM. We will  stay

until 7 PM to witness to those who gather to watch the parade.  I

hope many of you will join us for this outreach.

Coming Events

Note:  All outreaches are subject to change. Call (510)  531-5325

the day before to confirm outreaches or for more information.

Friday  February 11, 18, 25 7:30 PM. Witnessing in  various  S.F.

neighborhoods. (Call us for meeting location and directions.)

Sat. February 12 San Francisco Worship Rally. 12-1 PM Powell and

Market St. 2-4 PM Union Square (Powell and Geary St.)

Sat.  February 19 Chinese New Year Parade Outreach. 2-7 PM.  Meet

at Union Square, Powell and Geary St. (If it is raining, call  us

by noon Saturday for our meeting time and place.)

Sat. February 26 Berkeley Outreach. 1:30-5:30 PM. Telegraph  and

Haste St.

March 1-4 Mardi Gras Evangelism Training and Outreach, Galveston,

TX. Chuck Girard, Scott Hinkle. Call (409) 986-7889.

Ministry Needs

Again, I want to thank you for your prayers and financial support

of this ministry. Please pray for those whom we have witnessed to

and who have written us this past month, including Willie (Sacra­

mento),  Anthony, Carlos and Mark (SF). Please pray also that  we

will  have more workers to help us on Friday night  and  Saturday

afternoon.

Our  Tape  of the Month is God’s Heart for the  Lost  by  Darrell

Walker. Darrell preached on the streets of San Francisco for many

years  with  Agape, Inc. and SOS Ministries. He also  shared  his

burden  for  the  lost with thousands of Christians  in  the  San

Francisco area before the Lord took him home in 1982.

Yours in His love,

Larry Rosenbaum