SOS-San Francisco – June 26-July 4
Fundamentalist Trend Reaches S.F.
from the San Francisco Chronicle Feb. 3, 1992, page 1
For years, the organization that claims to speak for Bay Area Christians has been a hotbed of liberal theology and leftist politics. Not any more. Shifting religious alliances and the rapid growth of fundamentalist churches have presented the liberal Northern California Ecumenical Council with the greatest challenge of its 77 year history….
Although fundamentalist and charismatic churches have long been a force in San Jose and other South Bay suburbs, their influence only recently has been felt in liberal San Francisco. After a decade of steady growth, fundamentalist churches simply have become too big for San Francisco’s religious establishment to ignore….
Socially Hip Church in the Vanguard
Standing between his pulpit and a set of drums, Pastor Michael Brodeur got a laugh out of the Sunday morning congregation at Vineyard Christian Fellowship. “There are some branches of the church that think any music with a backbeat is from the devil,” said the bearded, 35-year-old preacher. “If it’s not Christian Muzak, it’s just not right.”
Some 500 worshipers were packed into an upstairs meeting room in San Francisco’s South-of-Market area–a church that began only six years ago as a handful of people gathered in Brodeur’s living room. Most had Bibles in their laps, but other than that, it looked like the kind of crowd you would find in the latest jazz club or coffee house in this trendy neighborhood….
Brodeur’s fast-growing church–theologically conservative, but socially hip–is among the vanguard of new fundamentalist and charismatic congregations springing up around the Bay Area. It combines a literal reading of the Bible, ecstatic worship style and a decidedly San Francisco ambience. “We are trying to be a church that is indigenous to San Francisco, culturally conducive to baby boom people but consistent with the Gospel,” Brodeur said in an interview. “We stress genuineness and simplicity. It is real….”
David vs Goliath
When I think about San Francisco, I am reminded of David and Goliath. San Francisco stands before us like Goliath, boasting that none of God’s people can touch him. And Christians cower in fear, thinking that our God cannot save the people of this city, known around the world for its wickedness. The city of Ninevah was certainly as wicked as San Francisco, yet everyone in the city repented at the preaching of Jonah. And Jesus said even Sodom would have repented, had it seen the miracles done in Bethsaida.
San Francisco has seen past visitations of God. Recently I came upon this report in a biography of Smith Wigglesworth: “It is said than when he visited San Francisco, so many people wanted to hear him that he preached and ministered by walking the streets. The people brought out their sick and laid them on mattresses so that the shadow of Wigglesworth could pass over them. As it did, the sick were healed.” (Smith Wigglesworth: the Secret of His Power by Albert Hibbert c.1982 p.69)
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, many young people here were dramatically saved in the “Jesus Movement.” In July, 1972, the Full Gospel Business Men held their International Convention at the San Francisco Hilton. Six thousand delegates attended the convention. Hundreds were saved and healed when Kathryn Kuhlman ministered at the convention.
Yes, we serve the God who created the heavens and the earth. There is nothing too hard for Him. Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes.” The gospel message which we preach is powerful–able to save the most hardened sinner and the most skeptical unbeliever.
SOS-San Francisco – June 26-July 4
“But the people who know their God shall be strong and do great things” (Daniel 11:32). Once again the Full Gospel Business Men will be holding their International Convention at the San Francisco Hilton. And we will be working together with them in a major evangelism outreach to the people of this city.
When Full Gospel founder Demos Shekarian was told about this outreach, he got really excited. He decided to cancel their Friday men’s luncheon so all the men could join us for an outreach to the business community at the Embarcadero. Demos will be speaking, along with Gene Ellerbee, one of the top executives at Procter and Gamble. Can you imagine 3000 business men from 60 nations, wearing their native clothing and carrying their nation’s flags, gathering for a worship rally in the heart of the S. F. financial district! Many of these business men will be joining us for outreaches throughout the week and our rally and march on Saturday July 4. A large youth group from the Convention will be witnessing with us. We will be attending some of the evening meetings at the Hilton, which will feature internationally known speakers such as Benny Hinn.
This year, Jerry Brandt will begin the outreach with an evangelism training seminar on Friday night and Saturday morning. He will also be organizing an outreach to the homeless during the week. Pastor Gilbert Alcala of San Francisco Victory Outreach is helping us plan the outreach and is organizing a special outreach to the Hispanic community at Dolores Park.
San Francisco is certainly one of the most influential cities in the world. This city was recently voted the most popular tourist destination in the world. And it contains large communities of immigrants from almost every nation on earth. Many of these people have had little or no exposure to the gospel. During the past year, a new church in the Tenderloin has been seeing many Buddhist youth from Viet Nam saved and discipled!
So for the thirteenth year we are sending out an “SOS” — a call for Christians to “preach the Word of God urgently” (2 Tim. 4:1) to the people of San Francisco. God also wants to use this outreach to shake us from our spiritual apathy and lukewarmness and give us a new excitement about serving Jesus. Those who think Christianity is boring have never been to SOS-San Francisco.
Outreach Details
We have printed 5000 posters and will soon be printing 40,000 bulletin inserts to let people know about this outreach. Please help us get this literature to churches, Christian bookstores, and Christian schools in your area. Also, you can give it out at Christian concerts and other events. Talk with your pastor and Christian friends and encourage them to get involved. Set aside the week of June 26-July 4 to attend the SOS outreach and bring a friend.
We have enclosed a registration form with this letter. If you register by June 1, you will also receive a free SOS T-shirt. Free housing is available during the outreach. Bring a sleeping bag and foam pad. We are planning to serve breakfast and lunch from June 29 to July 4. Meetings are scheduled daily except Sunday at 9 AM and 6 PM (7 PM on Friday and Saturday). So, ask your boss now to give you the week off. You’ll return to work more refreshed than if you had spent the week on a beach in Hawaii. If you can’t get the week off, come for as much of the outreach as you can, at night and on weekends. Your life will be transformed, as will the lives of those you touch with the gospel.
DON’T DELAY. SEND IN YOUR SOS REGISTRATION FORM TODAY!
Outreach Reports
God has been doing a wonderful work as we have ministered on the streets of San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland this past month. One Saturday, we joined several local churches for a block party at an Oakland housing project. On Saturday February 15, the New Life worship group led us in worship and Pastor Dennis McNally preached. It rained most of the afternoon, but many people stood around to listen. One group came from Lighthouse Christian Fellowship in Pacifica. Ray Flores, who speaks Spanish and has a special burden for Latin people, spoke with two people from Mexico that afternoon. One was a teenager who had just arrived in the city and had no friends here and no money. He was being tempted to sell drugs to survive, but didn’t want to. Ray shared the gospel with him and drove to three Christian bookstores looking for a Spanish New Testament to give him. He finally got him one, along with a bus ticket to Southern California where he had relatives. The other man was a Christian who lived in a shelter and witnessed to the homeless. Ray was able to encourage him and refer him to a local church where he could get fellowship.
That night, we witnessed at the Chinese New Year Parade. This parade, which draws over 200,000 people plus a television audience, contains many floats of various Chinese gods, and is financed largely by tax dollars. One float showed the god of money and was sponsored by the California lottery. We preached and gave out tracts on Market Street. We ministered for almost an hour to one young man named Jack who was backslidden, and said he wanted to get his life right with God. At midnight, a man who had received a tract from the outreach called us. George spoke with him for over two hours and has continued to minister to him.
Ministry Needs
There are many expenses involved in preparing for SOS-San Francisco such as printing and mailing posters and fliers, purchasing New Testaments, and getting permits. We certainly appreciate any help you can give us with these expenses.
We still need two dedicated Christians to live in our ministry house. Also, we need much prayer for this ministry and the SOS-San Francisco outreach, that God will bring many laborers and we will see a great harvest in this city. Come join us for our prayer meeting the first Friday of each month at 7 PM (see below). Also, join us for one of our outreaches this next month.
Our Tape of the Month is “The Great Commission” by Pastor Dennis McNally. This teaching was given at New Life Christian Church this past month and is a powerful presentation of our responsibility to bring the good news to a dying world.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
