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Coming Events
Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Friday September 5, 12, 19 6 – 9 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Sat. September 6 12-4 PM 5th St. and Market, SF.
Sat. Sept. 13 1-5 PM Dolores Park, 19th St. and Dolores, SF
Sat. Sept. 20 12-5 PM UN Plaza, 7th St. and Market SF Sonhouse band.
Using Gospel Tracts
Dear Christian friends,
Often, when I am out on the streets, I will find myself mainly giving out tracts to people. In some places, like the business district, people are in a hurry and won’t stop to talk, but most will take a tract. The same is true at crowds leaving sporting events or rock concerts, at parades or other events. In large cities, people are less likely to get into a conversation with a stranger, but most people do take tracts.
There are many advantages to using tracts. A well-written tract has a clear explanation of the plan of salvation and a prayer the person can use to receive Christ. It also has an address and phone number for the person to call if he wants more information. We constantly get calls and letters from our tracts, having distributed several million. Some people have questions or need help. Others have received Christ from the tract.
Many people tell me they collect tracts and read them from time to time. Often a person will read a tract when he is depressed or in a crisis. If a person is drunk, or doesn’t want to talk to you while his friends are around, he can take the tract home and read it later in the privacy of his home. Even if he throws the tract on the ground, tears it up, or throws it in the trash can, someone else may pick it up, read the tract or fragment of the tract, and get saved! I know of several instances where this has happened.
If someone doesn’t speak English, you can give him a tract in his language (preferably with the address and phone number on it of a local church where his language is spoken).
You can probably find some good tracts at your Christian bookstore. There are tract companies that will send out tracts for free, or on a donation basis. Write us, and we can send you some addresses. Or you can write and print your own tracts. You can either use general-purpose tracts or tracts for special events.
We write most of the tracts we use, and print them inexpensively. (You can download our tracts from our website and take them to a printer or copy shop.) We try to relate our tracts to the things people in San Francisco and tourists are interested in, and to write them in a contemporary style.
Giving out tracts is one of the easiest things you can do, but more people will take them if you follow a few guidelines:
Dress neatly, smile, and be assertive. The busier people are, the more aggressive you need to be. Stand directly in front of someone and say in a loud voice: “Hi. Here’s something for you to read,” or “Did you get one?”
If people aren’t in such a hurry, you might add, “It’s about Jesus” and sometimes they will stop and talk. This is a good way to filter out those who are receptive in a large crowd. Sometimes, if you say it’s about Jesus the person will refuse it, whereas if you don’t say anything they’ll at least read part or perhaps all of the tract.
If you hold out the tract near their hand, they are more likely to take it. If you act like what you’re giving out is good news and important, which it is, people are more likely to receive one. If you look dejected, people probably won’t want to read what you’re giving out. These are simple suggestions, but they make a big difference.
I try to carry tracts with me wherever I go. You can give out tracts to people you pass on the street, to the person sitting next to you on the bus or to everyone on the bus. You can leave tracts in all sorts of places, such as in phone booths or with a tip in a restaurant.
Carry special tracts for children as well as adult tracts. Children from 7-11 years old usually cannot understand adult tracts. However, they are normally very receptive to God’s Word and will read carefully a tract designed for them.
On the Streets
On June 27, we witnessed at the Sony Metreon. Dave and Eddie ministered to Joshua. He was with his girl friend. He claimed to be a Christian but his girl friend is unsaved. He was living with her and claimed to be “married in God’s eyes” though he had no license. Dave told him that a marriage is a public commitment made before God and men. Dave also witnessed to Tox, a Nigerian, and Steve, a Filipino Catholic. Both of them thought their works would save them. Our amplified preaching was shut down by the police that night after a security guard complained about our preaching. In recent years, the police rarely shut us down. The officer told us we could use our amplifier a block away on Market St.
The next day, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square. The worship group from Living Waters Church in Berkeley ministered at Union Square. Dave witnessed to Julio, an Hispanic in his 20’s. He said, “I’m Catholic but my girl friend is Christian. Thank you for sharing with me.” His brother was with him, and got angry at Dave for witnessing to Julio.
Justin emailed me after the outreach to say that his old co-worker, Robert, who has asked him questions about Christianity, was at Union Square that day and texted him when he saw us. Justin told him to talk with us, and he said he might do that when the music was over. I don’t know if anyone spoke with Robert, but he heard the gospel that day.
On Friday July 4 we witnessed in downtown Berkeley. Eddie witnessed to Sky, a “hippie kid” who was listening to our preaching. He also witnessed to Adam and his cousin Thomas, UC Berkeley students who were also listening to our preaching. While Eddie was preaching, a crowd started to gather. Four men who were cultural Muslims started heckling. Eddie answered many of their questions and shared the gospel with them.
Larry DuBois and Dave witnessed to Mylan for about 40 minutes. He was into singularity, the concept that artificial intelligence (computers) will one day exceed human intelligence. Dave spoke with him about the Tower of Babel, and Mylan conceded that God could confound man’s efforts to create life.
Dave also witnessed to Marcello, an atheist. He asked him, “Which is more logical – that everything came from nothing or that it came from something?” He said, “that it came from something.” Dave responded, “Is it possible that the something is God?” Marcello agreed. Dave also witnessed to Randy, who said he was offended by our preaching. He walked away, but later came back and asked lots of questions.
Mike witnessed to a young woman who had grew up in a Pentecostal church, but had recently become a Mormon.
The next day, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Mike witnessed to Tony, an Asian man who is homeless. He said he wanted to get right with God, so they prayed together.
Afterwards, we witnessed at Union Square. The worship group from my home church, New Life Christian Church in Hayward, ministered that afternoon. About 50 people stood around listening to the music. Many were Christians who joined in worshipping God. Eddie and Matt Herz witnessed to two young men from Thailand, who were atheists, but were convicted of their sins. They also witnessed to Priscilla, from Montreal, who was also an atheist and had never heard the gospel. She asked lots of questions.
Dave witnessed to Mike, who goes to church and was very close to coming to God, and Amir, a cultural Muslim from Iran, who was smoking pot and asked him if God loves Muslims.
In addition to our weekend outreaches, several members of our house witness during the week. Dave and Larry DuBois witness regularly in downtown Oakland on Wednesdays. Larry also witnesses several other times a week. On Monday July 7, as Larry was preaching at 4th St. and Market, Jordan, who was about 20, took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and threw it away. Then he started crying. He is a pastor’s son and said he had been living a double life and wanted to get right with God. They prayed together.
Ministry Needs
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. We have another new member in our house. Amos Mellbom is 28 and graduated from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. He works as a structural engineer in SF’s financial district. He did campus evangelism at Cal Poly for several years and we are blessed to have him join us.
Our 35th annual SOS-San Francisco outreach went very well. We will have a report on the outreach in next month’s newsletter.
Please pray for those we have witnessed to recently, especially those mentioned in this newsletter. We still need a Christian musician for our Friday night outreaches. Please let me know if you can help or know someone who can. I hope some of you will join one of our outreaches this next month.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum