SOS – The International Distress Signal
Dear Christian friends,
It is said that the Roman emperor Nero played his fiddle while Rome was burning. His behavior was understandable: he had started the fire himself, cared nothing about the people who would die in it, and intended to use the fire as an excuse to murder Christians. What is harder to comprehend is the behavior of today’s Christians, who are so different from those who gave their lives as witnesses for Jesus Christ in Nero’s day. We calmly “play our fiddles” while the people around us are heading straight for the fires of eternal Hell. Why is this? I am convinced that Satan has used our material wealth and freedom from persecution to lull us to sleep, giving us an abundance of convenient excuses for not witnessing.
If I lived in an apartment building and awoke one night to find the building on fire, would I merely run out of the building or would I bang on people’s doors, waking them and warning them to get out immediately? Would I be content to save only myself, or would I try to save others? Certainly, people might be upset with me if I banged on their doors in the middle of the night. But those I could persuade to leave the building would thank me later.
How can we — who believe in Heaven and Hell and know that ending up in eternal Hell is a far worse fate than dying in a burning building — fail to warn the wicked? What happened to our sense of urgency that would cause us to say with Paul, “I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” 1 Corin. 9:16? In Luke 21, after speaking of the end times, Jesus warned us, “Watch out! Don’t let my sudden coming catch you unawares; don’t let me find you living in careless ease, eating and drinking in excess, and occupied with the problems of this life, like all the rest of the world.”
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-San Francisco 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.
On the Streets
On Saturday May 9, about 100 Christians participated in an outreach at Powell and Market, in the center of the city. Thirty young people from Youth With a Mission, Denver, performed some drama skits and witnessed with us. Last Days Harvest Church from Sacramento and “Machaira” from Grass Valley ministered that afternoon, along with “Children of the Rock” from San Francisco. Hundreds of people stood around all afternoon listening to the music, the preaching, the drama, and the testimonies. We prayed with several people, including Gonzalo from San Francisco, who reportedly was healed of deafness.
Ralph, a reporter with the San Francisco State University Newspaper, was planning a story on street musicians when he saw our outreach on May 9. He was so touched by what he saw that he decided to change the story to focus on our outreaches. He returned on May 16 to take photos and interview members of “Children of the Rock.” Pray for the article and for Ralph, that he will be saved.
On May 16, “Children of the Rock,” “SALT,” and Paul and Noreen Coca ministered with us at 6th St. and Market. We prayed with about 30 persons that afternoon including Orlando, Danny, Ricky, Todd, Marie, Juan, and Jose. It truly was a glorious day. We believe what we have seen the past two weeks is but a taste of what God wants to do during SOS-San Francisco this summer.
SOS-San Francisco
Last year, Pastor Gary Goodell from the San Diego Vineyard brought a team from his church, including worship leader Mark McCoy, to join our outreach. A youth group from Canada, led by Trey Bourette, also joined us. They led us in a very joyous form of worship at our outdoor outreaches, celebrating our joy in knowing Jesus through music and dance. These groups will be with us again this summer.
Last year was also the 30th anniversary of the “Summer of Love.” In 1967 and 1968, thousands of “hippies” (including myself) came to the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco looking for love and peace. What we found then was a counterfeit, but now we have found the real thing. This summer, we will be ministering throughout the city, but especially to the youth in the Haight-Ashbury district. We have applied for permits to hold two rallies at Sharon Meadow, near “hippie hill” in Golden Gate Park.
Thousands of youth are still coming to San Francisco each summer, seeking the same things the “hippies” were looking for 30 years ago. Several dozen of these youth have come to know Jesus. We hope many more will be saved this summer. Jesus said, “the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” We urge you to join us for a day, a weekend, or the whole week as laborers in our Lord’s harvest field.
We have enclosed a registration form with this newsletter. Free housing is available at the Vineyard Church. Bring a sleeping bag and foam pad. If you prefer, we can send you hotel information. We will be serving breakfast and lunch starting Monday August 3. (No meals the first weekend. However, there are inexpensive restaurants nearby to get dinner.) If you live in the Bay Area and must work, you may join us at night and on weekends. Please call or write us if you have any questions. See the bulletin insert enclosed with this newsletter for more outreach details.
We need your help!
We have printed 3000 posters and 15,000 bulletin inserts to let people know about SOS-San Francisco. Please help us get this literature to churches, Christian bookstores, and Bible schools in your area. Also, you can give them out at Christian concerts and other events. A response sheet has been enclosed to order literature. Also, talk with your pastor and Christian friends and encourage them to get involved. Set aside the week of July 31- August 8 to attend the SOS outreach and bring a friend.
Coming Events
EVERY FRIDAY 7:15 PM. Witnessing in various S.F. neighborhoods. Meet at Vineyard, 7th St. and Harrison, San Francisco. Call (510) 531-5325 for more information.
Saturday July 11 and July 25 San Francisco worship rally and outreach. 12 – 5 PM. Call (510) 531-5325 for time and meeting location.
Saturday July 18 Union Square outreach, San Francisco (Powell & Geary St.) 12-2 PM. Call (510) 531-5325 for more information.
July 22-26 Invasion Milwaukee Outreach. Contact Heart Fire Ministries (414) 445-9490.
July 31-August 8 SOS-San Francisco/Summer of Love Outreach. Year 19. Call (510) 531-5325 for more information.
More Legal Problems
In February, 1997, Eric Livingston was taken to jail for “disturbing the peace” at our Chinese New Year Outreach. Since that time, however, we have not been cited or arrested. For the past year, we have also been granted all the loudspeaker permits we applied for.
But just as we thought things were getting better, the police have once again begun attacking us. In April, I learned that the police are seeking to limit most of our weekday permits to one hour. Then on May 20, I learned that all our future events at Powell and Market St. will probably be denied. This is because one woman who sells cable car tickets there complained. A few street vendors are also complaining. Please pray that we continue to get permits at Powell and Market. This is the best location in the city, and without it there are very few places left where we can hold outreaches.
On May 23, we held an outreach at Powell and Market St. A worship group from Portland Bible College ministered wonderfully. But less than 10 minutes after we began, two police officers cited me under an ordinance that makes it illegal for amplified sound to be audible 250 feet “from the periphery of the attendant audience.” I explained to the officers that it is impossible for me to determine if our sound is audible 250 feet in every direction in 10 minutes, but the officers didn’t care. They cited me without warning.
The next day I went to the Carnival Street Fair (patterned after the Mardi Gras). They had three stages. The sound at each was audible well over 250 feet from the audience. I complained to the police, as I have for the past three years, but they did nothing.
The court date on my citation is July 30, the day before SOS. Please pray that these charges will be dismissed. Please pray that God will strengthen us to continue preaching the Gospel despite persecution.
Ministry Needs
In March, 1996, we were holding a rally at 5th St. and Market. Eighty Christians from two San Francisco churches were involved in the outreach. Fifteen minutes after we began, Off. Dan Gallagher, the San Francisco noise abatement officer, arrived. He cited Eric Livingston, revoked our permit, and ordered us to shut down. Since that time, many Christians have prayed that God would save Off. Gallagher or get him out of the way. I recently learned that Off. Gallagher has been transferred. Please pray for Off. Ed Anzore, the new noise abatement officer, that he will treat us more fairly.
Our legal problems are far from over. On May 20 I learned that all our future events at Powell and Market St. will probably be denied. This is because a woman who sells cable car tickets complained. Please pray that we continue to get permits at Powell and Market. This is the best location in the city, and without it there are very few places left where we can go. Please pray also for our lawyer Russell Davis as he pursues our lawsuits concerning this matter.
The police continue to look the other way as non-Christian bands play on the streets without permits. Please pray that we continue to get permits without such severe time limitations. Please pray also for our lawyer Russell Davis as he pursues our lawsuits concerning this matter.
Please pray also for the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in San Francisco. They have generously opened up their facility to us each year for our Friday night outreaches and for SOS-San Francisco. Their lease ends August 31, and they will need to find a new facility unless God works a miracle and the owner agrees to extend their lease at a reasonable cost. They spent close to a million dollars fixing up the place. We put in showers two years ago for our SOS workers. Because of the high rents in San Fran cisco, they may not be able to afford a facility that can be used all week. If this happens, we will need to find a new place to meet for SOS.
We still need to print about 150,000 tracts to use this year. We need some nice signs to use on the streets. Also, we still need a Christian to live in our evangelism house. This house is not for new believers but for those who are ready for evangelism ministry.
Please pray for those we have prayed with on the streets and those who have written us in response to tracts this past month, including Rafael, Luis, Inna and Marlon (SF), Rick (Orinda, CA), and Leo (Tennessee Colony, TX prison). Our Tape of the Month is “The First Amendment and the Gospel” by Jay Sekulow. Jay is General Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice and has won several cases involving religious freedom before the U. S. Supreme Court. Also, we are offering a special book: Street Smarts: A Survival Guide to Personal Evangelism and the Law by Steve Levicoff. This 228 page book has chapters on witnessing on the street, in shopping malls, at school and work, at stadiums and concerts, at airports, prisons and at home. It covers court cases regarding our rights and gives practical advice in handling problems.
Remember to pray for us that God will direct us in our preparations for SOS and provide our needs. Our expenses are greatest in the spring, as we prepare for SOS-San Francisco. I hope to see you at one of our upcoming outreaches and, especially, at SOS-San Francisco.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
