ISEMA Newsletters
Summer Outreach Reports
SOS-Hollywood
(from the Holy Ghost Repair Service newsletter)
This year’s SOS Hollywood was 7 days of pushing powers of darkness back and building the kingdom of God. It was a kaleidoscope of events kicked off with a wonderful orientation dinner at Hollywood Presbyterian provided by Duane Pederson and some of his ministry team, followed by a prayer walk down Hollywood Blvd. Friday was our main training day, climaxed with a praise rally led by the Caleb Quaye band and Chuck Girard, with a closing challenge by Scott Hinkle. All the praisers then marched down the Blvd. to pray over the city and do spiritual warfare against the forces of the enemy. The remainder of the week included long hours of door to door evangelism, park ministry, street outreach, Vacation Bible School for children, praise rallies, some “power” demonstrations (by Warriors for Christ, San Antonio, TX), and witnessing on the streets, at LA Community College, and wherever we could gather a crowd. The Fourth of July celebration began the night before with a miracle night at the Palladium with Mario Murillo and Jeff Fenholdt (former lead singer for Black Sabbath). Over 1000 people attended that night and about 200 people responded the altar call that night. The week was climaxed with a Torch Run Rally commissioning young men and women to evangelize our world before the year 2000. 140 Christians participated in the outreach.
Jesus Loves You-New York
(by Mark Johnson, from the Forerunner Ministries newsletter)
This was the fourth year we had been involved in this outreach. We went several times to Tompkins Square Park, where there had recently been a riot as the homeless in the park were being evicted by the police. As we ministered in song there one night, we experienced a breakthrough and many homeless street people and others came forward to receive Jesus. I could really sense the Holy Spirit drawing them from the park benches.
We then moved to another area of the park–the center of the controversy–which was filled with hundreds of homeless people, dozens of police, and many media persons reporting on the event. The Lord prompted us to pray quietly and move in the opposite of the violent, protest spirit in this area. Finally we sensed a peace and the Lord instructed us to go and be friends with these people. We gave them Jesus Loves You-New York T-shirts and coffee packets. We were warmly received, the walls were broken down, and I met a man named Bill. He accepted Jesus as his Savior and joined us nightly for the meetings. Several days later, we learned that the police were expecting a riot that night but, instead, it was very peaceful!
I met a man named Shep at Tompkins Square whom I had prayed with last year. He was so drunk I didn’t think I had his address correct, but I had sent him one of our music tapes anyway. He was really surprised to see me and very thankful for the tape. We bought him some pizza, prayed for him and gave him some more literature. Pray for him, as he is very hurt from past rejection. Another night on 42nd Street, we met our friend Dave. Two years ago, we had prayed with him to rededicate his life to Christ. He is still walking strong and gave his testimony that night.
SOS-San Francisco
(from the Bay Area Outreach Ministries newsletter)
This past year was the tenth year for SOS-San Francisco. Each outreach has been different, but God has used these outreaches mightily to bring the gospel message to many people in San Francisco and to train many Christians in evangelism. About 200 Christians participated in the two-week outreach, with an average of 80 each day. Here are a few of the highlights of this year’s outreach:
On Thursday August 10, evangelist Ray Comfort preached at Embarcadero Plaza and Chuck Girard sang. Many businessmen stood around to listen and 200 took New Testaments. On Friday afternoon the entire SOS team went to Berkeley. We were preaching and witnessing at several locations in the area. The usual hecklers were there and it was quite wild at times, but God’s word went forth and many were ministered to. It was also an eye-opener for the Christians, who had never seen anything like it.
The final three days of the outreach featured a noon rally at the Powell Street BART station and an evening crusade at First Covenant Church. Aline Baxley, who has an amazing testimony of how she was taken down to see hell after a near-death experience, shared at the afternoon rallies and hundreds of people gathered to see her. Afterwards she prayed for many people. Some were saved and set free of demons. About a dozen people from that area came to the Friday night meeting, where Mario Murillo spoke. Ten responded to his invitation to receive Christ and were each counseled for about 45 minutes. One was a young man who had been involved in prostitution. He seemed really repentant so we took him home and arranged for a ride to take him to Lighthouse Ranch, a Christian discipleship program near Eureka, CA. As of this writing, he is still there, making friends, and growing in the Lord.
On the final day, another young man was saved. He told me that God had told him to drive to San Francisco from Los Angeles. When he arrived, he went to Powell St. where he heard Aline. He went forward for prayer and his big grin told everyone he was really saved. He joined us for the meeting that night. I left the outreach encouraged that God wants to save many people in the San Francisco Bay Area as His church will be obedient to pray, to get our own lives right with God, and to witness for Him.
Four Christians Arrested in Berkeley
On Friday August 25, Berkeley police arrested four Christians from Bay Area Outreach Ministries for preaching the gospel. A fifth person had been preaching earlier that night (with a permit) and a few troublemakers had provoked an angry crowd against them. When the police arrived, rather than protect the Christians, they arrested them for “disturbing the peace.” It was the third time in the past year Christians had been arrested in Berkeley. A federal lawsuit has been filed against the city of Berkeley and the University of California for violating the civil rights of Christians. Please pray about this situation, and for the funds to pursue the lawsuit. Although the legal fees are being donated by a Christian attorney, there will be thousands of dollars in legal expenses. Donations to the Bay Area Outreach Ministries Legal Defense fund may be sent to them at P O Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602.
Coming Events
October 25-29 Philadelphia, Newark, New York City Outreach. $160- 185. Deadline Sept. 25. Contact Center for Urban Outreach, Liberty University (Claude Dallas, Director), Box 20000, Lynchburg, VA 24506, (804) 582-2310.
November 10-21 La Paz, Mexico Outreach. Contact Final Frontiers (Richard Paradise, Director), 1650 Tribute Rd., Sacramento, CA 95815, (916) 649-9064 or 451-0664.
December 31-January 1 Florida Bowl Blitz. Orange Bowl, Gator Bowl, Citrus Bowl. Contact Youth Department, Trinity Assembly of God, 7255 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth, Fl 33463, (407) 965- 4166.
December 31-January 1 Rose Parade Outreach, Pasadena. 17th year. Contact Sondra Berry Young Ministries, P O Box 3044, Newport Beach, CA 92659, (714) 650-0525.
January 4-15 Mexico City Outreach. $1000-1200. Deadline November 3. Contact Center for Urban Outreach (address above).
February 23-25 Washington DC tour. $100-125. Deadline December 8. Contact Center for Urban Outreach (address above).
March 8-19 Caribbean Tour. $1300-1500. Deadline December 8. Contact Center for Urban Outreach (address above).
Ministry Needs
Many of you may be hearing about the International Street and Evangelism Ministries Association (ISEMA) for the first time at the National Street Ministries Conference in Dallas. ISEMA was founded in 1984 by leaders of several evangelism ministries. Our purpose is to help evangelism ministries help one another and to encourage Christians to get involved in evangelism. We have just put together a new ISEMA brochure that explains our purpose and vision more fully. Write us if you’d like to receive a copy.
We need your help to make the ISEMA vision a reality. Write us and let us know what is happening in your community. Send us outreach reports, a description of your ministry, and information about upcoming outreaches. Also, let us know of ways we can help you learn more about evangelism or be more effective in the ministry you are involved in. Become a member of ISEMA, if you haven’t already joined. If you have, consider supporting us on a monthly basis. Like most street-level ministries, we operate on a shoestring budget (about $500 monthly) and are often limited by lack of finance. As I write this letter, I am not sure if the funds will be available to go to Dallas for the National Street Ministries Conference.
Our Tape of the Month is “Witnessing to Children” by Sharon Flack of Child Evangelism Fellowship. In our witnessing, we often overlook the little ones, who are the most receptive to the Gospel. This is an excellent teaching on how to bring them to Christ.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
