ISEMA Newsletters
End Times Evangelism
by Larry Rosenbaum
Around the world, we are seeing a great move of God with many people coming to Christ. The U.S. Center for World Missions estimates that 2% of the world was Christian in 1900. By 1970, the percentage increased to 5%. By 1992, it was 10%. Today, multitudes are being saved in Central and South America, Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.
In contrast, in the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe, we are seeing what could be called a “satanic revival.” I do not think there has ever been a time when so many professing Christians and people raised in the church have turned away from Christianity. We all know about the anti-Christian bias in the news media, in our universities, and increasingly among our politicians. Many rock music songs are a blatant attempt to turn young people away from Christianity. What they advocate instead is occultism, satanism, pursuit of pleasure, and suicide. The rate of teenage premarital sex has increased 250% from 1963 to 1978. The rate of teens who have attempted suicide has increased 314% from 1960 to 1990. And the violent crime rate has increased 471% from 1960 to 1990!
Just when I think nothing can shock me any more, I pick up the newspaper and read about some British researchers who have developed a way to produce test-tube babies with the eggs taken from aborted female fetuses! God help us!
What can we do about these problems? Politicians and news commentators suggest spending more money on education, longer jail terms for criminals, turning in handguns, and putting warnings on violent video games. But none of these “solutions” deal with the real problem: the moral decay in our society caused by our rejection of Christianity and Biblical values. The Bible teaches that all real change must begin in the hearts of people. The only real answer is to preach the gospel and allow God’s Word to change people’s lives. The only thing that can stop the moral decay in our society is for people to be converted to Christ.
How do we reach Americans with the gospel? In many nations, God’s Word is going to people with little or no exposure to Christianity. Their hearts are open to the gospel and many are getting saved. In the U.S., many people attended church as children. Some attended churches that deny the essentials of our faith. Others grew up in evangelical churches but experienced hypocrisy. They saw people talk about God’s love and destroy others with gossip. Or they had a youth leader who molested them.
Many Americans had their faith destroyed by teachers who taught evolution and mocked Christianity. Others were influenced by the news media, or by the anti-Christian lyrics of rock music. They hear about the Salem witch trials, the crusades, the inquisition, the religious wars in Ireland, the TV preacher scandals, and they want nothing of Christianity. Many unsaved people hold liberal political views, believing that the liberals are the ones who care for the poor, while the conservatives care for the rich. Many people think they must change their political views in order to become a Christian. How do we reach these people?
The challenge we face in cities such as San Francisco and Berkeley is to reach people with distorted views of Christianity. These cities are trendsetters, and attitudes here are more extreme than in other parts of the country. Still, the rest of our nation is not far behind, and the lessons we learn here will help those in other places. The first thing we have learned is that our faith in Christ must be real. People can spot phonies. We must practice what we preach. People are turned-off by ministers that are greedy for money, so we never ask for money on the streets. We try to show people that we really care about them and want to help with their physical as well as their spiritual needs. We like to give out food and clothing to the homeless at our outreaches.
The most effective thing we do, I believe, is to bring the church to the street. It is very difficult to get unsaved people in San Francisco to attend church meetings. But when we have a “church on the street” rally, many will sense the presence of God as we worship Him in a public place. They will see the joy we have in knowing God. They will see Christians of different ages and races in unity. Often people will ask what church we are from. They want to attend such a church. At every outreach, we are planting and watering thousands of gospel seeds, many of which will one day result in salvation.
Personal witnessing involves a relationship between two (or more) persons. Often an unbeliever may respond to one person’s witness but not to another person. He may reject the witness of a young man but receive the witness of an older woman who reminds him of his Christian grandmother. One intellectual needs to hear from someone who can answer his questions about the Bible. Another intellectual responds best to a new Christian who can’t answer his questions but is obviously in love with Jesus. Many Christians who think they don’t have the “gift of evangelism” are actually the most effective soul-winners.
Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, defines effective witnessing as “simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, leaving the results to God.” How do we reach our generation for Jesus? The gospel of Jesus Christ has not lost any of its power. If we will go to people with the love of Jesus, many will ultimately be saved.
Coming Events
May 4-6 National Street Ministries Conference, London, England. Contact Scott Hinkle, Box 30642, Phoenix, AZ 85046, (602) 661- 6406.
May 5-6 Kentucky Derby Outreach, Louisville, KY. Contact No Greater Love, Inc., Box 263, DuQuoin, IL 62832, (618) 542-4503.
May 20 Riverwalk Outreach, San Antonio, TX. Contact Operation Christlift, 3400 W Park Blvd #2117, Plano, TX 75075, (214) 519- 0195. .
May 26-28 Indianapolis 500 Outreach. Contact No Greater Love, Inc. (address above.)
May 27, 1995 March for Jesus. Public praise marches scheduled for hundreds of U.S. cities and every nation on earth. Contact March for Jesus, Box 3216, Austin, TX 78764, (512) 416-0066.
June 15-17 National Street Ministries Conference, Columbus, Ohio. Contact Scott Hinkle (address above).
June 22-August 12 GO Europe! 95. Street witnessing throughout Europe. Contact Youth With a Mission, Kadijksplein 18, 1018 AC, Amsterdam.
June 24-July 8. Christ in Action Boot Camp (for youth ages 14 – 17). Contact Christ in Action, Box 4200, Manassas, VA 22110, (703) 368-8286.
June 30-July 8 SOS-San Francisco. Ray Comfort, Chuck Girard. Contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325..
July 26-29 Congress on the Holy Spirit and World Evangelization. Orlando, FL. Contact Orlando ’95, Box 2201, Lindale, TX 75712, (903) 882-1995.
SOS MINISTRIES is looking for two men with a desire to learn about and do evangelism to live in their ministry house. For more information, contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325.
FORWARD EDGE is sending outreach teams to Guatemala, Nicaragua, the Crow Indian Reservation, Romania, Kazakhstan, Israel and China this next year. Most outreaches are about two weeks long. Fees are $300-2500 depending on distance. For more information write or call them at 15121-A NE 72nd Ave., Vancouver WA 98686, (360) 57 57 574-EDGE.
HANDS FOR CHRIST is offering Christian tracts and bumper stickers on a donation basis. They also need used Christian Bibles, books and tapes to distribute to Third World countries. Contact them at 5720 Williamson Rd NW #111, Roanoke, VA 24012, (703) 362-1214.
JOB OPPORTUNITY: Assistant Ministry Director. Help build on present ministry. Creation of new ministries. Training churches in personal evangelism. Public relations. Ministry operations. Additional job openings in various skill areas for both men and women available. Contact Outreach for Christ, Box 4326, Virginia Beach, VA 23454, (804) 428-8227.
A Final Word
I want to thank each of you for your prayers and financial support for ISEMA. Please continue to send us information about what is happening in your community, teachings on evangelism, informa tion about upcoming outreaches, etc. so we can share these with our readers.
We have had a serious drop in income during the past year and we really need your help. Even $10 per year will help with the cost of sending this newsletter to you each month. Please consider sending monthly support to help us continue this ministry to street ministers, most of whom are very poor and can’t afford to support us.
Our Tape of the Month is Getting a Passion for Souls by Marc Estes. Marc is an Evangelism Teacher with Christian Equippers International, South Lake Tahoe, CA.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
