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Coming Events
Friday December 4, 11, 18 6 – 9 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Sat. December 5 11 AM – 4 PM Fisherman’s Wharf (Jefferson St. near Mason)
Sat. December 12 12 – 4 PM Fifth St. and Market SF
Sat. December 19 12:30 – 4:30 PM Berkeley Outreach (Shattuck and Center St.—outside downtown Berkeley BART station)
Evangelism and Social Action
Dear Christian friends,
I am writing this newsletter a few days after a terrible terrorist attack in Paris. We need to pray for those who were injured and the family and friends of those who were killed. We also need to pray for our leaders (1 Tim 2), for the leaders in Europe, and for the Muslim world.
When Paul wrote 1 Tim. 2, the Roman emperor was Nero, so we must pray for ungodly leaders as well as godly ones. Paul said that we should pray for our leaders “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” The world we are to pray for is one in which we would have peace, security and religious freedom. God can change the hearts of our leaders. We can also pray that God would remove ungodly leaders and replace them with godly ones (or at least ones who will lead wisely).
I suppose there has always been a dispute in the church regarding the relationship between Evangelism and Social Action. Many Christians emphasize the importance of urging unbelievers to repent of personal sins and trust in Jesus for their salvation. Others emphasize the importance of ministering to the physical needs of the poor and needy.
Certainly, there are many exhortations in the Bible for Christians to care for orphans, prisoners, and the poor. In the early 1900’s, liberal “churches” preached a “social gospel” that Christianity consisted merely of helping the poor and engaging in political action so that the government would care for the poor. Reacting to this, other churches became “fundamentalist,” emphasizing the Bible as God’s Word, salvation through faith, and sound doctrine.
Evangelical Christians are often criticized for not caring for the needs of the poor. In 1977, Ron Sider wrote Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. He criticized evangelical Christians in the US for living with great material abundance while most of the world was living in great poverty.
Today, several large missionary organizations are involved in helping the physical needs of people around the world. In this kind of ministry, there is often debate about whether to share the gospel with those being helped and, if so, in what way.
In many nations, it is illegal to preach about Jesus. Even where witnessing is legal, “missionaries” often do not talk with unbelievers about their need for salvation. Some think that “letting their light shine by their good works” is sufficient. Some are afraid of offending people.
Some feel so badly about the church’s past indifference to the poor that they think they need to make up for it by good works. They think, “Maybe one day, after Christians do enough good works and their reputation for helping the poor improves, we will have ‘earned the right to preach the gospel.’” Maybe they are waiting for those they are helping to ask them about Jesus. Maybe that will never happen.
Each year, tens of thousands of youth from evangelical churches go on short-term mission trips—both in this country and around the world. While some youth share the gospel through drama, music, or (rarely) through personal witnessing, the vast majority are involved in work projects to help the poor and needy. Often, those ministered to are never told about their need for salvation. Many of these youth, of course, are not saved. Often, the unsaved youth return home in a lost condition and the Christian youth return home with no training or experience in evangelism.
When I was in high school, I spent part of a summer painting houses in a poor neighborhood in our city, working with a church youth group. I felt good about what I was doing, but I never heard about Jesus. I do not know if anyone I worked with that summer was a born-again Christian. While there is some value in exposing middle class youth to poverty, it would be far better if we would bring our unsaved youth to Christ and train our Christian youth to share the gospel with the lost.
Jesus talked a lot about giving to the poor, visiting the orphans and those in prison, etc. However, He clearly was more concerned about the spiritual condition of people and their eternal destiny than their physical condition. When a crowd followed Jesus after He fed the multitudes, He said, “Labor not for the meat that perishes, but for that meat that endures unto everlasting life” (John 6:27).
We need to help the poor and needy. It is the right thing to do. Also, it helps others become more receptive to the gospel. Sometimes our good works will cause unbelievers to want to hear about Jesus. However, we do not need to “earn the right to be heard.” God has commanded all believers to preach the gospel and commanded all unbelievers to repent and believe the gospel. The fact that real or professing Christians may have treated them badly does not give them a valid reason to reject Jesus. We must not forget that our ultimate goal, which we never need to apologize for, is to bring the world to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
On the Streets
At our Monday night house meeting, we share testimonies from the past weekend’s outreaches. We pray for these people, and I try to put as many testimonies as possible in this newsletter. I’m sure there are many testimonies from Christians who don’t live in our house but witness with us, but I usually don’t hear them. Please pray for these people, that God will continue to work in their lives.
So much has happened on the streets that we don’t have enough space in this newsletter for all our August and September testimonies. I don’t want to get too far behind, so I will have to leave out a lot of testimonies and start with September 18.
On Friday Sept. 18, we witnessed at Powell & Market St. Mike ministered to Peter, a homeless man from India. He said he was a Christian and asked for prayer because he is troubled by demons. Mike saw him again on Saturday and ministered to him some more. Dave witnessed to Ian, from Spain, and Edsel, from the Philippines. Both heard the gospel and were receptive. Edsel said he would pray that night to make Jesus his Lord.
The next day, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square. At Union Square, Mike Hodgdon witnessed to Ahmed, a Muslim who was very friendly and receptive. He shared with him about God’s grace that saves us. Mike also spoke with Jessica, who was listening to my preaching. She said she was a Christian but she lived in the Tenderloin and wasn’t going to church. Mike told her about City Impact, which he attends. She attended church the next day, and said she really liked it.
On Fri. Sept. 25, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Ben and Kathy witnessed to two lesbian women, Linda and Chinell. Both were quite receptive to the gospel, but Linda was concerned that Chinell might leave her. While Mike was preaching, a man and two women approached him. They said they wanted to make sure he was a true Christian. The man asked Mike if he believed homosexuality was sin. When Mike answered him, he got indignant and walked off. Meanwhile, Jackie, his lesbian friend, was speaking with me. She realized what she was doing was wrong, and seemed to really want to know the truth about God.
On Fri. October 2, we witnessed at 16th and Mission. Dave spoke with Jacob, 20, from Australia. He had attended Christian school and agreed with the gospel message but was not saved. He also spoke with David, a Christian, and his friend Candice, who was unsaved but studying the Bible with him. She wept openly as he shared about God’s love for her.
The next day, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Paul and Noreen Coca played music. Kathy O’Grady prayed with a young man named Eric who said he wanted to be saved. Later, as Kathy was preaching, James and Dana were watching. When she finished, they said they wanted to give their lives to Christ. Several Christians prayed with them. Winkie Pratney and his son William also joined us that day, and William preached. Winkie is a well-known Bible teacher who has spoken to large groups around the world. I had heard him speak several times in the 1980’s and it was good to finally meet him.
Ministry Needs
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. God has really been faithful over the past 40 years to meet all our needs. We do need to print 60,000 more tracts. It will cost us about $1200. We also need to repair our maximouse amplifiers as only one is working.
I do want to wish each of you a blessed Christmas and New Year. Christmas is a great time to share the gospel, as we can remind people of why Jesus came to this world. I pray God will give you wisdom to share the gospel with your family and friends, as well as with strangers, and that some of you will join us for an outreach this next month.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
