Twenty Years
Dear Christian friends,
Twenty years ago, in the spring of 1975, God called me to come to San Francisco and witness on the streets. I had lived in San Francisco before I was saved as a “hippie” and I always had a special burden for this city. My only plans were to get a part- time job and spend the rest of my time witnessing. I never expected to start a street ministry. For the first year, I lived in a $55 a month room on Mission St.
My main desire was to find a few Christians to witness with me–a difficult task. In the process God led me to some pastors and evangelists with a desire to reach San Francisco for Jesus. Together we started SOS Ministries. During the past twenty years, thousands of Christians have participated in an ongoing outreach to the people of San Francisco. We have organized hundreds of outdoor worship rallies, given out several million gospel tracts, witnessed personally to tens of thousands of people, and seen hundreds and perhaps thousands saved. A team of Christians has been witnessing on the streets of San Francisco and Berkeley on Friday night and Saturday almost every weekend for eighteen years!
Sometimes Christians are amazed that I am still in San Francisco, witnessing on the streets, after so many years. Street ministries tend to be short-lived, and San Francisco is a very difficult city to witness in. What I know is that God has called me here. He has established SOS Ministries and He has sustained us over the years. I am willing by God’s grace to continue the work here as long as He wants me to.
Good News
We read about so much bad news in the newspapers every day that it is refreshing to hear some good news. God is at work in the San Francisco area, and many encouraging things are happening. In March, Calvary Temple in Modesto hosted a play called “Heaven’s Gates/ Hell’s Flames.” This play, which graphically presented the gospel and the reality of our eternal destiny, was seen by over 60,000 people in the six weeks it was performed. According to reports, a thousand people a night were being turned away from the 2300 seat auditorium! 19,000 responded to altar calls and follow-up was done by 200 local pastors.
In San Francisco, God is raising up churches in the inner city. Forest Beiser was a missionary in Africa who had been instrumental in planting several churches there when God called him to return to the U.S. and start a church in the Mission District of San Francisco. He began The Ark (an Assembly of God Church) last summer, and the church continues to grow and is actively evangelizing the Mission and Castro Districts.
Meanwhile, Hosanna Celebration Center (a Foursquare church) moved from the Sunset to the Castro District and has about 150 members. They have a multi-racial, multi-ethnic church. We are hoping their worship group will minister during SOS week. A few blocks away, the Open Bible Church has a new pastor, Gary Vian. Gary has been doing outreaches with us for several years and also will be working with us during SOS week. The church, which previously had only about 8 members, has grown to about 70. They have plans to start a coffeehouse next to the church.
Evan Prosser came to San Francisco recently to start The Homeless Church. They have Bible Studies every morning and evening at various hangouts for the homeless, and are seeing some of them get saved and discipled. On Sunday morning, their congregation meets with City View Assembly of God.
For years, we rarely saw other Christians witnessing in San Francisco. Recently, we have seen several new street outreaches. Westside Baptist Church in Pacifica witnesses every Friday night at Fisherman’s Wharf, bringing about 15 Christians including their pastor. Calvary Chapel witnesses on Saturday nights in the Castro and other areas. Youth With a Mission witnesses on Polk Street on Friday night, bringing soup and cookies and getting to know the street kids. Teen Challenge has begun witnessing in the Haight district on Friday nights. A new ministry called Calvary Street Ministry is witnessing in the Tenderloin District. Please pray for all these ministries and churches–as well as those I didn’t mention–that God will bless, guide and strengthen all those who are reaching the people of San Francisco for Jesus.
Ministry News
For several months, we have been telling you about our need for Christians to live in our evangelism house. This past month, Jim and Dona Gowker moved into the house. They have been witnessing with us for the past two years, and attend Victory Outreach Church in Hayward. They are a real blessing to us. We still have two rooms open at this time.
In March, Robin Woodruff and John Spangler (who committed his life to Christ two years ago at an outreach on Powell St.) met a 30 year old man named Robert. Robert grew up in a wealthy suburb of San Francisco but had gotten involved in drugs and alcohol. He prayed to receive Christ, stayed at our house a few days, got baptized, and is now in the San Francisco Teen Challenge. He is growing in the Lord, and will be transferred soon to another Teen Challenge center.
On April 22, West Heights Christian Church from Santa Cruz led an outreach at 5th St. and Market. They brought almost their whole church and ministered through music, dance, and drama. I received several reports of people asking God to save them that day. Please pray for these new believers, as well as those who have responded to tracts the past two months: George, Benedicto, Herb, Paula and Charles (San Francisco), Jean and Gordon (Daly City), Matt (New York), Alvin (Florida State Prison) and Richard and David (San Quentin Prison). Please pray also for Walter, who prayed to receive Christ at a “Grateful Dead” Concert.
This morning, I spoke to a woman in the Park Department, who said we would be getting a letter next week granting us permits for our July outreaches. However, she said the letter would state that our permits could be revoked if they receive any complaints. I believe that this is illegal since we cannot prevent people from complaining and the fact that someone complains does not mean we have violated any rules. Also, other groups are not treated this way. However, at least we should be getting our permits. Pray that God will give us wisdom in handling this situation.
SOS – San Francisco
June 30-July 8
As I write this letter, hundreds of rescue workers are risking their lives in Oklahoma City — even though after six days there is almost no chance of finding anyone alive. We have a far more urgent and important task than they — one that will affect the eternal destinies of countless people. We need to use every hour we have left to reach as many as possible for Jesus. Every person on this planet will spend eternity either in the eternal bliss of Heaven or in the eternal torments of Hell. We have the Words of Life that can change the eternal destiny of many people. Will we keep silent or will we open our mouths? It is not too late to reach billions of unsaved people–but soon it will be.
SOS – San Francisco is an opportunity to get training and practical experience in evangelism. 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. Satan does not want Christians to witness for Jesus and he will do everything he can to keep you from coming to SOS.
Please don’t miss this year’s SOS-San Francisco outreach. If you can’t join us the entire week, come on Saturdays, on July 4, and as many other days or evenings as possible. Registration begins Friday June 30 at 6 PM with worship, orientation and evangelism training at 7 PM. On Saturday July 1 we will have a noon worship rally at Union Square, Powell and Geary St. Meetings are held daily except Sunday at 9 AM and 6 PM (7PM on Friday and Saturday) at Vineyard Christian Fellowship, 1098 Harrison St. at 7th St. in San Francisco. Special guests include Chuck Girard and Ray Comfort. Free housing is available during the outreach. Bring a sleeping bag and foam pad. If you prefer, we can send you names of hotels in the area. (The Pacific Bay Inn, 415-673-0234, charges $200 per week for a room with bath for 2 persons.) Enclosed with this newsletter is a flier with more information about the outreach. If you can’t afford the registration fee, come anyway. While we appreciate advanced registration, it is not required. This outreach is guaranteed to change your life–and the lives of those you will reach for Jesus.
Ministry Needs
As always, I want to thank you for your prayers and your financial support for this ministry. This outreach involves a lot of expenses, and we appreciate whatever you can do to help us. Also, consider supporting a worker for SOS. Many Christians would like to participate in the SOS outreach, but cannot afford the registration and meal costs.
Our Tape of the Month is The Wedding of the Lamb: Preparing His Bride. This is a professionally-produced tape of original music by Bruce and Lynnette Mello and the West Heights Christian Church choir. It is an anointed tape of songs encouraging Christians to live holy lives before the Lord. West Heights will be ministering at the SOS outreach.
Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for SOS-San Francisco. Pray that God will guide us in every area of planning. Above all, set aside the week of June 30-July 8 to come to SOS-San Francisco–and bring a friend. God bless you all. I look forward to seeing many of you during SOS week.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
