ISEMA Newsletters
Ernie Carlson, Master Soul Winner
by Mel Gerrard, from the Wayside Harvester Newsletter, Box 4307, Palm Springs, CA 92263
Every Saturday, Ernie’s soul-winning team goes to Griffith Park (near Los Angeles) to go “fishing.” Ernie Wears a fisherman’s vest — he fills the pockets with gospel tracts.
38 years ago, Ernie came into my automotive tune-up shop. He wanted to talk. I was a young business man intent on success. I had been a Christian for 9 years – but I had never shared my faith with anyone.
I was not overly interested in talking to Ernie — my mechanics were waiting to go to work. Yet, I didn’t want to be rude to Ernie, so I listened to him. After all, I had never seen anyone quite like Ernie. He had a little sign attached to his dip-stick under the hood. I believe the sign said something like, “Heaven or Hell — Which?” He would have the audacity to ask a service station attendant to check his oil!
Ernie smiled and said, “Mel, there is a story in the Bible (Luke chapter 19) about a Nobleman (Jesus) who called his servants. He gave them money to do business with. Then, Jesus left for a journey to receive his kingdom. He then returned and called these servants before him to ask each what he had done with the money.”
The first said, “Lord, your pound earned 10 pounds.” Jesus said, “Well done, good servant. You can rule over 10 cities!”
The second earned 5 with his pound — so Jesus gave him the right to rule 5 cities. Then Jesus asked the third what he had done with his money. He had tied it up in a napkin and buried it away!
Jesus said, “You wicked servant — why didn’t you at least put it into the bank so I could earn interest?”
Jesus then told the people standing near to take away the servant’s money and give it to the one who earned 10 pounds. Jesus also said that whoever has — more will be given. Whoever has nothing — even what he has will be taken away.
Then, Ernie said to me, “Mel — how many cities are you going to rule over in eternity?” I realized that this Bible story was not speaking about eternal life. Eternal life is a gift, paid for by Christ dying on the cross for our sins. It is, however, speaking about obeying the command of Jesus to go into all the world and preach the gospel and to use our lives and our resources to bring others into the kingdom of God.
Ernie left and I went to work. However, his little ten minute talk spoke to my heart. I could see that everything that I was doing was only for this short life now. I was doing nothing that would be of eternal value, that could bring others into the kingdom of God, that could earn an eternal reward. I then started doing something that I had never done — sharing my faith in Jesus with others.
What’s Ernie doing now — 38 years later? He’s never changed! He’s as excited about Jesus as he was then. He’s still out there sharing his faith in Jesus with everyone who will listen. Here is a letter I received from him recently:
Dear Brother Mel,
Lewis and I went “fishing” at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. It was a day of thunder, lightning and rain. I reminded the first two families we talked to about Noah. Then we shared the “Know our Future” booklets with them. The rain stopped and we had a good time. Many children prayed with us to invite Jesus into their lives.
We watched a group of approximately 20 Korean children playing tug of war. I asked the adults with them if we could share the gospel with them. They gave us permission, so we gave them all booklets and read through them with them. When we came to the prayer, all prayed in unison with us to receive Jesus into their hearts. Then, Lewis led an Hispanic man to Jesus using the Spanish booklet. We handed out many tracts — then came home rejoicing!
Love to everyone, Ernie.
Pioneer Days Outreach — 29 Palms, California
by Mel Gerrard
Every year in October, this High Desert Marine Base city hosts a carnival, along with other activities. A new entry this year, right next to the carnival rides, was Mel and Carol’s 40 foot motorhome. Signs on the side stated: “Know Your Future: Free Admittance.”
Ralph Porter lined up almost all of our workers — 26 of them. Many were Christian Marines. This was one of our most fruitful years. During the four days of the carnival, we shared the gospel message of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ with 308 people. Two hundred of these prayed to invite Jesus into their hearts and lives!
For follow-up we had available New Testaments, “Beginning with Christ” booklets, and “Treasures in Heaven” booklets. We encouraged them to begin sharing their faith in Jesus with others — and we invited the ones that we were able to, to attend a good church.
San Francisco Outreaches
from the SOS Ministries Newsletter
During April and May, we held outdoor outreaches at the Powell St. BART station almost every Saturday and Sunday, using the last of our permits. Our permits for June were denied, but we ask that you continue to pray that God would once again open the doors for us to do rallies at Powell St.
We have gotten permits through September for outreaches two or three Saturdays a month at three parks: Dolores Park, Washington Square, and Union Square. These parks each have several hundred people in them in good weather and are good places to reach people with the gospel. Dolores Park is in the Mission District and has a combination of Hispanics, gays, children and drug dealers. Washington Square is in the North Beach area and has a wide variety of people from many different ethnic backgrounds. Union Square is three blocks from the Powell St. BART station and has shoppers, tourists and some street people. We do ask you to pray that we could continue to get permits in these locations. Future permits could be denied because of complaints, or the cost could be made prohibitive. We also intend to return to Berkeley once a month and possibly to do outreaches at Powell St. with a smaller sound system.
The concentration of outreaches at Powell St. resulted in increased response to the gospel in this area. We were praying with 10-50 people at almost every outreach. Some were dedicating their lives to Christ. Many wanted deliverance from drugs and alcohol. On May 14, a Christian man walked into the Powell St. area with his unsaved wife and son. The wife and son responded to an altar call and prayed to receive Christ. On May 28, we had one of our best outreaches ever as about 70 people from Family Worship Center in Pleasant Hill joined 60 high school youth from Calvary Temple in Concord. Family Worship Center ministered through music while the youth group did dramas, including a powerful reenactment of the crucifixion. Most of the afternoon, over 500 people crowded into the plaza to watch. At times, it was difficult to walk through the area. One of the Christians who was giving out tracts was Robert. Robert had been at Powell St. two years ago while Family Worship Center was ministering. He committed his life to Christ that day and they took him back with him. He has been with them ever since, growing as a Christian. After the outreach, I overheard two street people talking. “Where’s Willie?” one of them asked. The other responded, “He got saved. He’s with Victory Outreach.”
Coming Events
August 1-6 Miami Outreach. Contact Rescue Atlanta, Box 965039, Marietta, GA 30066, (404)s 924-0201.
August 4-7 Milwaukee Outreach. Contact Heart-Fire Ministries, Box 14031, Milwaukee, WI 53214, (414) 445-9490.
Saturday August 6, 13. Church on the Street Outreach, San Francisco. Meet at Dolores Park (19th St. and Dolores), 1-5 PM. Contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325.
August 8-12 Reach Atlanta. Contact Rescue Atlanta (address above).
August 19-27 SOS-Salem, Oregon. Contact Mark Johnson, Forerunner Ministries, (612) 722-0751.
August 22-27 Toronto ’94 Outreach. Contact Christ in Action, Box 4200, Manassas, VA 22110, (703) 268-6286.
September 22-24 National Street Ministries Conference, Dallas, TX. Contact Scott Hinkle Outreach Ministries, Box 380306, Duncanville, TX 75138, (214) 283-3900.
A Final Word
1994 is half over, so we are offering 1994 ISEMA memberships at half price until the end of the year–$10 for individuals and $17.50 for churches and ministries. For $5 extra you can have a Street Ministry Directory. Don’t forget to send us reports on summer outreaches you were involved with. We would like to in clude as many as possible in this newsletter.
Our Tape of the Month is “Overcoming Fear in Evangelism” by Bill Henderson. Bill is Director of “Word on the Streets Ministries” in San Diego. He has ministered on the streets of this nation and around the world. He recently preached to a crowd of 10,000 at a bull ring in Mexico at which 3000 responded to an altar call. This is the teaching he gave at the San Diego Evangelism Conference. In this tape, he tells some amazing stories, including one in which God used him and his son to pray for a boy in a wheel chair with a withered hand and foot. As they prayed, the hand and foot grew out and the boy stood up and walked!
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
