Chinese New Year Parade Outreach
Dear Christian friends,
For over 20 years, we have witnessed at the Chinese New Year
Parade. This is the largest annual event in San Francisco, attracting
up to 400,000 people. Two years ago, Eric Livingston was arrested
by Captain Martel and taken to jail while witnessing at the parade.
A judge has twice dismissed the charges, but the District Attorney
continues to appeal the matter.
This year it did not rain on their parade (or our outreach). After
ministering at Powell and Market Street from noon to 1:30 PM, we
moved to Stockton and Geary, on the corner of Union Square. When
we arrived, we learned that this had become the central viewing
location for the parade! Paul and Noreen Coca sang and others
preached from 2 PM until 5:15 PM (when the parade began).
Thousands of people heard the gospel as they waited for the parade
to begin. Captain Martel walked by but we had no problem with the
police.
Sadly, it appeared that most people care more about the parade
than their eternal souls. Only God knows what is going on in the
hearts of those who make no visible response to the gospel. Pray
that many will be convicted of sin and trust in Jesus.
When I got home, I opened a newsletter that contained this quote
from Charles Spurgeon:
“If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our
bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms
around their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at
least let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”
God, cause us to weep over the condition of the lost! Cause us
to commit our lives to reaching as many people as possible
before it is too late!
Legal Update
Last August, during our SOS outreach, I was cited for “disturbing
the peace” and violating a noise ordinance. Our sound system was
confiscated. We filed a motion asking the judge to dismiss the
charges. The hearing was postponed three times. Finally, Judge
Mason issued her ruling on March 4. She refused to dismiss the
charges. However, she scheduled a hearing for April 16 at which we
could try to prove that the ordinance is being enforced discrimina¬
torily. My trial, if needed, is scheduled for May 7.
I am disappointed that she did not simply dismiss the charges. The
hearing will probably last a week. It will take many days to prepare
for the hearing. The trial could last a month. Any time they want,
the police can cite us again and we’ll have to go through the whole
ordeal another time.
Of course, the persecution we endure is nothing compared to those
who are tortured and killed for the gospel in other nations. Still, it
is very stressful and time-consuming having to defend ourselves
against criminal charges that are never brought against other
groups using amplification. Please continue to pray for me, our
lawyer Russell Davis, and Judge Mason, that she would dismiss the
charges at the April 16 hearing.
Singing in the Rain
On February 6, the Charles family–Tim, Lisa, Rick and
Cynthia–led worship at Powell and Market St. It was raining hard,
so we put up our canopies. Officer Dahlberg had told us we could
not use these canopies without a “temporary occupancy” permit.
When we called the person who issues these permits, he said we
didn’t need a permit. Still, we didn’t want to fight this issue in
court. Officer Dahlberg stopped by, but he didn’t say anything
about the canopies.
The rain adds to our difficulties. Will the music group show up on a
rainy day? Will their instruments or our sound system be damaged
by the moisture? Will we be cited for using a canopy? Will we be
arrested for violating a noise ordinance? Will our sound system be
confiscated? Despite these obstacles, the gospel must be preached.
People go to jail to save a redwood tree. How much is a person’s
eternal soul worth?
The canopies do not keep our sound equipment completely dry, but
so far, our sound system still works. To avoid arrest, we kept our
volume so low that people could barely hear us. Despite the rain
and low volume, we ministered to hundreds of people at this location.
At 1:30 PM, we moved a block away to Powell and Ellis Street. Mark
Whitehead and Paul and Noreen Coca ministered in music using
our 9-watt maximouse amplifiers. The maximouses are as loud as
our P.A. system, but the sound quality isn’t as good.
Witnessing in the rain is difficult. We get cold and wet. Our tracts
get wet. Still, thousands of people come to Market Street on rainy
days. They need to hear about Jesus. Perhaps our willingness to
witness in the rain will show them that we are serious about serving
God.
Fifty thousand football fanatics will sit in the rain or snow for hours
watching a football game. Four hundred thousand people will stand
in the rain to watch the Chinese New Year Parade. Why should we
be less dedicated to serving God than they are to watching football
or a parade?
New Friday Meeting Location
As you know, the Vineyard was forced to leave their building. They
are renting a school for Sunday mornings and are looking for office
space to use during the week. Glad Tiding Temple is allowing us to
hold our SOS-San Francisco outreach in their building, but we
needed a new meeting place for our Friday night outreaches. I
called Pastor Steve Weaver at City View Church and he immediately
offered to let us meet at this church. City View is located at 884
Rhode Island St. near 20th St. just east of U.S. 101 (take the
Chavez/Army St. or 9th St. exit off U.S. 101).
Coming Events
Note: All outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 531-5325 the
day before to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Friday April 2, 9, 16, 30 7:15 PM. Witnessing in various S.F.
neighborhoods. Meet at City View Church (location and direc¬
tions above).
Sat. April 3 San Francisco Outreach. 12-1:30 PM Powell and
Market; 2-5 PM Powell and Ellis.
Sat. April 10 Berkeley Outreach 1:30-5:30 PM. Telegraph and Haste
St.
Sat. April 17 San Francisco Outreach 1-5 PM. Washington
Square Park. Union & Columbus St.
August 13-21 SOS-San Francisco. Set aside this week to join us
for our 20th annual outreach to the people of San Francisco.
Ministry Needs
Again, we thank you for your prayers and financial support for this
ministry. Pray that God will bring a quick end to our legal struggles
and give us victory so we can get loudspeaker permits for 5
hours at Powell and Market and at other locations, and can
minister without fear of arrest. Pray for us as we plan our SOS-
San Francisco outreach, that many Christians and church
groups would join us and that many will be saved.
Please pray for those we ministered to on the streets this past
month including Dan (met on Castro Street, went to Victory Out¬
reach men’s home), Dana and Leonard (prayed with at 6th and
Market), and Daniel (prayed with at Powell and Market).
We need many more Christians to join our outreaches on
Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. Over 100,000 Chris¬
tians live in the San Francisco area. Surely, there are many
that God is calling to witness with us, and who are resisting
that call. We also need one spiritually-mature Christian with a
calling in evangelism to live in our ministry house.
Our Tape of the Month is Making the Heathen our Inheritance by
Dennis McNally. This message is an impassioned appeal for
God’s people to mobilize to reach the unsaved. Dennis is Pastor
of my home church, New Life Christian Church in Castro Valley
and a member of our Board of Directors. I hope many of you
will join us for an outreach this month. We need your help.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
