Newsletter and Coming Events – July 2015

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SOS-San Francisco Outreach Schedule

Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.

Wed. July 8 and  Thurs. July 9 11 AM – 4 PM  Fisherman’s Wharf outreach (Jefferson St. and Powell) San Francisco.

Fri. July 10 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM  First St. and Market.

5:30-7:30 PM Haight St. and Masonic.

Sat. July 11 12 – 5 PM UN Plaza (7th St. and Market)

Coming Events

Friday July 17, 31 6 – 9 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.

Sat. July 18 11 AM – 1 PM Fisherman’s Wharf (Jefferson St. and Mason) 3-5 PM Union Square (Powell and Geary St.)

SOS-San Francisco —  July 8 – 11

 
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Chuck Girard sings at Wharf on April 25. He will return for SOS-San Francisco on July 8-11.

Dear Christian friends,

The greatest need for every person on this earth is to receive salvation from Jesus Christ. The greatest thing any one of us can do is to present the gospel to someone and give him or her a chance to be saved. Almost every day, we have opportunities to witness to people. We encounter people at work, at school, on the bus or airplane, on the street, at the grocery store, in our neighborhood, etc. We all need to take better advantage of these opportunities and be bolder in our Christian witness.

However, there are many people who do not have any Christian friends or co-workers to witness to them. They will not be reached for Jesus unless someone makes a special effort to reach them. This is why we need special evangelistic outreaches.

One of the main reasons we do not witness in our everyday lives is that our minds are focused on other things. During an outreach like SOS – San Francisco, we can  focus  on  one  thing — reaching people with the gospel.

Another reason we do not witness is because we fear rejection by friends or coworkers. SOS – San Francisco provides an opportunity to overcome fear and witness boldly for Jesus, with the encouragement of other Christians.

A third reason we don’t witness is that we don’t know how. SOS – San Francisco provides an opportunity to get practical training and experience in personal witnessing.

An “SOS” is an urgent call for help. The people of San Francisco are in great spiritual need. They may not be starving physically, but they are starving spiritually and are headed for eternal torment if they do not trust in Jesus. We have the spiritual food, the Word of God, that can save them from a fate worse than death. How can we withhold God’s Word from those who desperately need it?

Many Christians at one time had a zeal for God and a burden for souls. But today they are caught up in worldly activities and have lost that zeal. I believe that God wants to use this summer’s SOS outreach to restore this fervor in many of His people. Jesus is coming soon! Let’s get our hearts right with God and get busy doing the work He has commanded us to do: investing our lives winning souls for His Kingdom.

The hardest part is overcoming apathy and fear. Once you actually come to SOS, God will give you divine appointments to witness to people. He will give you the right words to speak to each person. The experience you get during SOS week will help you become a bolder and more effective witness for Jesus in your everyday life.

Don’t miss this year’s SOS outreach. This is the 36th year we have sent out an “SOS” to Christians to bring the gospel to the people of San Francisco. Chuck Girard will be here the entire time, along with Paul and Noreen Coca, Tim Moon, and Scott Crawford. I hope many of you will be able to join us.

On the Streets

On Sat. March 21, we witnessed in Berkeley. Paul and Noreen Coca played music and Scott Crawford preached. Mike witnessed to Jennifer, who was quite open to the gospel, and Alex, a young man from Russia who asked him how he knew the Bible was true. He also witnessed to Allem, an Orthodox Christian woman from Ethiopia with two children, who was probably not saved. Mike has done missionary work in Ethiopia and ministered to her about salvation through faith in Jesus. He also spoke with Nikai, who was an atheist a year ago but became a Christian after apparently seeing a vision of Christ. Dave witnessed to Zhao, who is from China and studying in Berkeley. He said, “I’ll take a serious look at what you said.” He also witnessed to Monju, who is from India and has Christian friends there, and Jet, who had sincere questions about God. He also prayed with Seth, who lives in Sacramento and is not following God right now but knows Jesus is the truth. I witnessed to Bubbo, a Muslim who attends Berkeley High School.

On Friday April 3, we witnessed at Powell and Market St. Mike witnessed to Emilio and Jason, both about 17. Jason was raised in a Christian home. Both listened as Mike shared the gospel with them. He also gave them a Christian book and invited them to attend church with him. Dave witnessed to Justin, also about 17, who is Filipino. He thanked Dave for sharing the gospel with him.

The next day, we witnessed at 5th St. and Market. While I was preaching, a young man named Zack (see photo above) sat down on the sidewalk to listen. Mike witnessed to him for a long time. He had come here from D.C. with some relatives and got into a fight with them. He and his girlfriend were involved in the New Age and communicating with spirits. Mike warned him of the danger in this, and he listened. Dave witnessed to Pei-ling, a student from China and gave him a gospel tract. “I’m going to read this intently,” he said. He also witnessed to Darius, who grew up in a Christian home and knew the gospel. He had spent time in prison. Jenny, a Chinese lady, approached Dave and Bill to say that her grandmother was a Christian. She said she is just now starting to think about this and wanted to start going to church. Bill invited her to attend Glad Tidings Church with him.

On Friday April 10, we witnessed on Castro Street. This is the center of San Francisco’s homosexual district. We only pass out tracts and talk to people in this area, and had no problems that night. Dave spoke with Joshua, who was open to the gospel, and Fermin, a Catholic from Guatemala. He also spoke with Shawn and Brandon, both 19, who attend a Seventh Day Adventist Bible study.

The next day, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Paul and Noreen Coca played music, and brought several Christians with them from Valley Springs. Paul’s grandson, Paul, 14, gave his testimony over the microphone. He recently committed his life to Christ (see photo above). Ben witnessed to Miguel, 20, who was a skeptic. He was looking for evidence that the Bible is true.

On Fri. April 17, we witnessed at 4th St. and Market. Dave witnessed to Francesca. Her boyfriend had been trying to witness to her, and she understood the gospel. He also spoke with Justin, whom he had witnessed to 3 weeks ago, and Henry, who was raised in a Christian home but was influenced by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The next day, we witnessed in Berkeley. Ben witnessed to David, from Brazil, who was quite receptive to the gospel. Ben and Matt spoke with Tony, who was trying to find God but had experienced a lot of demonic oppression. They continued ministering with him for three hours after the outreach had ended, and planned to stay in touch with him. Mike witnessed to two girls who were about 14. One said she was a lesbian. She says that when she gets high, she sees demons. Mike warned them about involvement in the occult. Mike and Dave witnessed to Tiffany and Mashika, who were selling raffle tickets on our corner. Both were receptive to the gospel. Dave also witnessed to Neal, whose parents are Hindu but who went to Catholic school. He thanked him for sharing the gospel with him. He also witnessed to Rafsen, a Bangladeshi man who had lived in Japan.

On Friday May 8, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Dave witnessed to a young man also named Dave from Modesto, who was 18 and was with his pregnant girlfriend. He explained the gospel to him. Eddie witnessed to Genevieve, who had coal on her face. She was heavily demonized but allowed Eddie to pray for her.

The next day, we witnessed at UN Plaza. The band Book and Tim Moon played music. Mike witnessed to three Muslim teenagers. The youngest one was the most receptive to the gospel, and they talked a long time, even though his friends were eager to leave. He was from Yemen. Dave witnessed to Angelie, 19, who was from Germany and was filming Mike as he preached. She knew nothing about the Bible or about Jesus. But as Dave shared the gospel with her, she agreed with everything he said. After the conversation, she said “I have a lot to think about.”

Ministry Needs

Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. We have received our San Francisco park permits for the year. The price has increased from last year. They cost us $1050, an increase from last year.

Please pray for those we have witnessed to recently, and for our upcoming SOS-San Francisco outreach, that many will be reached with the gospel. I hope many of you will join us for SOS-San Francisco.

Yours in His love,

Larry Rosenbaum