ISEMA Newsletters
Evangelism Survey Results
On July 29, we mailed out a street evangelism survey to almost 400 street ministries. At the same time, we sent out a “church evangelism involvement survey” to about the same number of San Francisco area churches that had expressed some interest in SOS Ministries in recent years. The street ministry survey had ten questions. The church survey had seven questions. Only two questions on each survey required more than a one word answer. As of October 1, we have received 34 responses from street ministries and only three from churches.
Why the lack of response from churches? Most pastors receive hundreds of newsletters and other bulk mailings each month. Much of it never gets opened or read. Even if they saw the survey, they may have felt they didn’t have time to fill it out (although it would probably take only ten or fifteen minutes). Also, some may have been embarrassed to answer certain questions: what kinds of organized outreach is your church presently involved in, how many in your church are involved in these outreaches, how many new converts have been added to your church in the past year. At any rate, the overwhelming lack of response from churches is not encouraging.
In contrast, I was encouraged by the response from street ministries. Street ministers are usually not good administrators, so filling out a survey form may not have been easy for them. But many not only filled out the form, but also sent us extensive information about their ministries, including newsletters, teaching materials, ministry vision statements, and tracts.
One interesting question asked if street witnessing had played a role in the salvation of the street minister. I had expected to find that most street ministers have been saved through street ministry. In fact, most were saved as children, at church or through the witness of a friend. However, eight of the 34 indicated that street evangelism played some role in their salvation. In addition, two were saved through crusades, two through door-to-door witnessing and one through prison ministry.
We asked how many persons participate in their outreaches on a monthly basis. Seven ministries had at least 50 participants on a monthly basis. The largest of these is Christ for the Nations, whose evangelism ministry involves 250 students each week! Thirteen had between 10 and 50 involved each month. Eleven had under ten involved each month. (Numbers do not always add up to 34 because some did not answer every question.)
Eighteen of the ministries had one or two full time staff members. Four had more than two full time staff. Of these, one was a church and one was a Teen Challenge program. Twelve ministries have no full time staff. As you would expect, most of these ministries also have fewer people involved in outreaches. Nineteen of the twenty-two ministries with full time staff send out newsletters, usually on a monthly basis. Six of the twelve ministries with no full time staff send out newsletters.
Finally we asked the ministers “How do you think a network of evangelism ministries such as ISEMA could be more effective in meeting your needs and those of other street and evangelism ministries?” Here are the responses we got:
“Learning about what resources are available. Learning evangelistic techniques. Encouragement with success stories.”
“Support us in your newsletters, training and meeting other street ministers.”
“Continue to make good teachings and training available. Helping to make the street minister more of an everyday Christian rather than a lone ranger.”
“Make tracts and New Testaments available.”
“We have a coffeehouse ministry. Help us get a street outreach in our neighborhood.”
“I think your vision is right on. Encourage your readers back to church. They (the church) need the encouragement. You need the accountability.”
“Perhaps select regional spokesman (emphasize integrity & humility).”
“I am working with a company that is designing a ministry profile system for computer. Need input on other ministries for this system.”
“Getting individuals hooked up with local ministries and other individuals with the same vision.”
“Follow-up methods–how to stimulate interest for volunteer and church support.”
“By developing local and state chapters and networking with them.”
“Share ideas and outreaches. Can help new witnesses witness better the first time they come into an area not their own.”
“Encourage and foster the importance of the use of the law in evangelism.” (Guess who wrote this? Answer below.)
“Mainly when we have mass events needing additional help. Maybe an occasional gathering to exchange ideas.”
“Regional street ministry conferences for East coast, Midwest, South, West, etc. and state reps.”
“Have chapters around the east coast. I have a burden for burned-out street workers.”
“A resource directory or bibliography. Books, videos, tapes on evangelism and spiritual growth. Setting up evangelism ministry, prayer teams. Information on clowns, puppets, drama, tract distributors, etc.”
“It helps knowing what each other’s specialties are in order to cooperate and not duplicate.”
“By providing more literature to ministries concerning encouragement, testimonies, and new tactics of evangelism. ISEMA is doing great. Keep up the good work!!!”
“I’ve written a book and am having a hard time getting it published. Could you help?”
“Exchange of information, news and ideas–also much needed fellowship.”
“I feel ISEMA is beautiful. I like the sharing of other’s ideas in the newsletter.”
Of those who responded, most saw the need for a network of evangelism ministries such as ISEMA. Many expressed their appreciation for the work ISEMA is doing. Several wanted to see local chapters. If you want to see a chapter in your community, we can put you in touch with others we know in your area. But you will need to take the initiative to contact people and plan meetings.
Another thing we are considering is a retreat for leaders of street ministries. This would be a time to get to know one another and share our needs and ideas. If you are a ministry leader or involved in evangelism ministry and would be interested in attending a retreat, please indicate this on the ISEMA response card. Since we are located all over the country and the initial retreat will be held in a single location, most of you will need to pay for a plane ticket to the retreat. Please do not indicate you are interested in the retreat unless you would be willing to spend about $300 to fly there.
Summer Outreach Reports
by Mark Johnson, from the Forerunner Ministries Newsletter (Box 6084, Minneapolis 55406)
SOS-Hollywood
Probably one of the greatest challenges we have faced was at the beginning of the outreach sharing Jesus at the Gay Pride Parade in West Hollywood. We saw many gay men wanting to get out of that lifestyle. We also spoke with many backslidden Christians. One we spoke with used to be a church youth leader. One gay man who was ministered to during the outreach has been coming around regularly to the Holy Ghost Repair Service for help.
From witnessing on the streets, visiting nursing homes, feeding the homeless, having a kid’s carnival, this year’s SOS-Hollywood was a time of sowing seeds and reaping a harvest that we believe brought glory and honor to the Father and deliverance to the captives of Hollywood. And through it all, joy of being a part of God’s army.
Jesus Loves You-New York
New York City is one of the largest cities in the world, where you have an excellent opportunity to share Jesus with people from many countries, all in one place. One Sunday afternoon at Battery Park, I had the opportunity to talk to two Muslim men from Egypt. They listened to the music, watched the drama, and were very receptive to the words I shared with them. They allowed me to pray for them that they would allow God to draw them to a reality of the gospel by His Spirit.
In the Bushwick area of Brooklyn, Chuck Girard and I went for a walk through one area and he couldn’t believe it as we watched junkies openly shooting up drugs, blood oozing out of their veins. Later, Ricky Del Rio and I walked back through the same area. A young man leaning up against the wall was in tough shape. His lip was bleeding and he was stoned out of his mind. He said he had just been rolled for his money. As we talked, Rick said to him, “You have AIDS, don’t you?” He said yes. He was taken that night to the Genesis house.
Twin Cities for Jesus (Minneapolis, St. Paul)
I was touched the other week when I received a phone call from a nine year old girl who received Jesus into her heart at the Mt. Airy meetings. She said she wanted a Bible and I was also able to pray with her. This was the same housing project we went to last Christmas. God is developing good relationships with the people there which is an open door for the gospel.
The following report was given to me from Ann Jamison of Mission America who was involved with the outreach. Two women who are deaf attended the Mt. Airy meetings. Sue, a member of the Salvation Army, met with the St. Paul Major (of the Salvation Army). He got excited over the news of the outreach and on the spur of the moment they decided to do an outdoor meeting at a local park in St. Paul on their own. Twenty kids came to the Lord!
There was a tremendous prayer covering during this outreach. The Minnesota Prayer Watch prayed 10 days all day, prior to the outreach, which we saw really accounted for the smoothness and effectiveness of the operation of the outreach.
National Street Ministries Conference
Ralph Silvestri, who lives in our ministry house in Oakland, just returned from the National Street Ministries Conference in Dallas. About 650 Christians attended this conference. Ralph was particularly impressed by the messages by Sonny Arguinzoni (founder of Victory Outreach) and Tommy Barnett (Pastor of First Assembly of God, Phoenix). Sonny spoke about the need for the evangelist to work with the local church and disciple new believers. He shared about their ministry’s vision to train leaders to evangelize the world. Tommy spoke of the need to be sold out for Jesus and “overdose on the Holy Ghost” to do effective evangelism. God is doing a tremendous work in both of these ministries. Victory Outreach is growing at a tremendous rate with churches all over the world, built through extensive street evangelism. Their outreaches in England, Holland and Spain are growing rapidly. The First Assembly of God has dozens of different kinds of evangelism ministries, including a large street outreach and 50 buses to bring people to church each week.
Coming Events
Saturday November 30, December 7 San Francisco Worship Rally and Evangelism Outreach. 3-6 PM. Powell St. BART Station. Contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325.
December 29-January 1 Florida Bowl Blitz–Jacksonville to Miami. Contact Rescue Atlanta (Mel Rolls, Director), Box 965039, Marietta, GA 30066, (404) 924-0201.
December 31-January 1 Rose Parade Outreach, Pasadena, CA. Contact Sondra Berry Young Ministries, Box 3044, Newport Beach, CA 92659, (714) 650-0525.
January 1 Cotton Bowl Parade, Dallas, TX. Contact David O’Dell. Operation Christlift, 3400 W. Park Blvd. #2117, Plano, TX 75075. (214) 519-0195.
February 27-March 3. Mardi Gras Outreach. New Orleans. Contact Christ in Action Box 100, Chatsworth, GA 30705, (404) 695-1868 or Rescue Atlanta (address above).
Tape of the Month
Some of you are still wondering, who wrote that we need to encourage the use of the law in evangelism? Yes, it was Ray Comfort. Ray is the author of 23 books, including Hell’s Best Kept Secret and his newest book, My Friends are Dying. Our Tape of the Month is his teaching “Evangelical Fervor.” This teaching was given last summer at SOS-San Francisco. We all need to be renewed in our fervor to preach the gospel.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum