SOS Monthly Newsletter - April 2003

Spiritual Resistance Against the Church

By Doug Stringer -Edited from the Ambassador Report, Turning Point Ministries, Box 570663, Houston, TX 77257, (713) 621-1498.

About 85% of the world’s population now lives in cities. We are facing the possibility of an exploding world of chaos and difficulty. We are getting ready to face an urban nightmare, unlike anything mankind has ever known. We've got to win our cities for the Lord!

The first time the word "city" is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 4. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in Nod. In Hebrew the word "Nod" means "a place of wandering." Cain was a man of rebellion, a murderer, running away from God. He then built a city in the land of Nod.

The first time a city is ever mentioned, people are running away from God, running from His presence thinking that they can hide. The first city was truly a stronghold to keep God out, a personal monument to man's own abilities.

The next place that the term city is mentioned is in Genesis chapter 10. Here it says Nimrod built Nineveh, the same city that God later called Jonah to go and cry against because of its great wickedness. He built another city called Calah, which means "complete," carrying the idea of "we arrived." And finally another one called Rehoboth, meaning a "broad place." Remember that Jesus said, "narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:14).

I see a two-fold reason that our world and its cities and people are in such crisis. First of all, because the Church is apathetic and complacent. Secondly, there are evil powers that lurk in the city which control and dominate it. Until we, the Church rid ourselves of the carnal, sensual compromise and the mixture of the leaven (impurity) that's in our own lives, we'll never see the Lord Jesus arise powerfully to change our cities. If we have not circumcised our own hearts or prostrated ourselves before a Holy God and said, "God, we have offended You by our apathy and indifference, our seeking of comfort and pleasure," we will never see the enemies of the Cross routed. "WE MUST BE IN THE CITY BUT WE MUST NOT HAVE THE CITY IN US."

God showed me a principle concerning spiritual warfare. He woke me up in the middle of the night and I saw myself in a boxing ring. I had been pumping up, working out a lot and building myself up physically for this match. I was in the ring beating this guy up. Then all of a sudden he disappeared. My opponent was gone. Next thing I knew, he was beating me up, because I couldn't see him.

I didn't know who I was fighting or where he was. The Lord dealt with me, saying, "Doug, you can work on your physical muscles, but you had better start building your spiritual muscles, if you are going to fight a spiritual war." I pray that we all can come to understand that principle, for we truly do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities.

On the Streets

On Saturday January 25, three music groups from Shiloh Full Gospel Church in San Francisco ministered with us at Powell and Market and UN Plaza. That afternoon, they met the owner of the Cafe de Brazil, a restaurant across the street from UN Plaza. He invited their music group to play at a "soul food buffet" at his restaurant on the first Sunday of each month. They agreed to do this. Also, six people whom we witnessed to that day attended Shiloh Full Gospel Church the next morning.

On Saturday February 8, we held our second outreach at Union Square since it had been remodeled. Raymond Landry and musicians from the Independent Community Church in Richmond ministered. Mark Whitehead, Pastor of Evangelism at Abundant Life Church in Cupertino, brought a dozen people from his evangelism class to witness with us that day. Paul Coca prayed with William, an architect who helped remodel Union Square, and Adrian, a man who sells buttons at Union Square.

Paul and Noreen Coca have been joining our outreach team on Friday nights as well as Saturdays, and bringing other Christians with them. We really appreciate their sacrifice. (They live 100 miles away.) It is also a blessing having music on the streets once again on Friday nights. It really adds to the effectiveness of our outreaches.

Please pray for those who have written us in response to tracts this past month, including Albert, David, and Roeshawn (SF), Channon and Jason (Berkeley), Jeff (Clayton, CA) and Dusty (Corcoran CA prison).

	Raymond Landry preaches at Powell and Market.
	Young man reads tract at Powell and Market St.
	Brenda witnesses to man at UN Plaza on Feb. 15.
	Tom, Paul and Noreen pray with Adrian at Union Square on Feb. 8.

SOS-San Francisco June 20-28

While we are making a special effort to involve youth groups this year, Christians of all ages are welcome to participate in SOS-San Francisco. This year we will again be meeting at Temple Baptist Church, 3355 19th Ave. (near Ocean), San Francisco. Registration begins on Friday June 20 at 6 PM. Meetings are scheduled daily except Sunday at 9 AM and 6 PM from June 21 - 28. Evangelism training will be provided throughout the week. We will be holding daily noon worship rallies in city parks, bringing the church to the street. Free housing is available during the outreach. We will be serving breakfast and lunch from June 23 - 28. Youth under 18 need adult supervision. This outreach is an opportunity to bring the love of Jesus Christ to people who desperately need to know Him. It is truly a life-changing experience.

We have printed thousands of full-color cards to let people know about this outreach. Please help us get this literature to churches, Christian bookstores, and Christian schools in your area. You can give it out at Christian concerts and other events. Please encourage your Christian friends to get involved. Set aside the week of June 20 - 28 to attend the SOS outreach and bring a friend.

Coming Events

All outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 541-3147 (cell phone) to confirm outreaches or for more information.

Friday April 4, 11, 18, May 2, 9, 16 7:30-10 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods. (Call for location).

Sat. April 5 The Call Prayer Gathering 3Com Park. Call (415) 558-9900 for information.

Sat. April 12, May 3 12-1 PM Powell and Market St. 2-5 PM UN Plaza (7th St. and Market). SF

Sat. April 19 12-1 PM Powell and Market St. 2:30-4:30 PM Washington Square (Columbus and Union St.)

May 9-11 Whole Earth Festival Outreach, Davis, CA.

Sat. May 17 12-1 PM Powell and Market St. 2:30-4:30 PM Union Square, Powell and Geary St. SF

Ministry Needs

Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. We still need to print 100,000 more tracts for this summer's outreach. Please set aside the week of June 20 - 28 to attend this year's SOS-San Francisco outreach. Please pray for us as we prepare for this important outreach. Pray that God will provide our needs and guide us in planning the outreach.

Also, please pray for our lawyer, Russell Davis, as he prepares legal briefs summarizing the evidence we presented at our Federal Civil Rights trial last December. He will be working on it through the end of May, and I will be helping him. Please pray that God will help him to present clearly our argument as to why the Court should stop the San Francisco police from arresting us, threatening us with arrest, and denying and restricting our permits.

We have one opening in our ministry house for a mature Christian with a desire to evangelize. Also, we need more Christians to witness with us on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons.

Our Tape of the Month is Small Town Evangelism by Scott Crawford. Scott, one of the founders of SOS Ministries, currently lives in Colby, Kansas. We haven't seen him for many years, but we look forward to seeing him at this year's SOS-San Francisco outreach.

Yours in His love,

Larry Rosenbaum