SOS Monthly Newsletter - January 2003

The Trial-Part II &Evangelism and the Local Church

Dear Christian friends,

Happy New Year. I hope you had a wonderful time remembering our Lord's birth and are seeking God's direction for the coming year. I am writing this letter on December 12. Our civil rights trial in Federal Court began on December 2. I testified for three days, presenting a lot of videotape evidence of times we were arrested or shut down by police. I also presented videotape evidence of non-Christian groups that the police allowed to use amplification without permits in the same locations where we were denied permits. Eric Livingston testified one day. Several other witnesses testified, coming from as far as San Diego and Tacoma, Washington.

The city is now presenting their case. Basically, they are arguing that, even though they denied some of our permits, they also gave us a lot of permits. Although they arrested us, they didn't arrest us most of the time we had outreaches. There are also some technical legal arguments about the original complaint we filed in 1996 and the earlier ruling made by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in our case.

It is hard to tell how Judge Chesney will rule. I expect the trial to end early next week, and do not know when she will make her decision. Regardless of who wins, we expect an appeal to the 9th Circuit, which will take another year. Thank you for your prayers that we will have a big legal victory. We are seeking an injunction to prevent some of the arrests as well as an order for the city to issue loudspeaker permits to us for six hours at Powell and Market, 4th and Market, and Fisherman's Wharf. Please continue to pray about this matter.

This has been in incredibly difficult and stressful time both for me and for my lawyer, Russell Davis, a Christian man who has been defending us at his own expense. He became very sick Tuesday night, in part due to the stress. This postponed the trial for at least two days.

Evangelism and the Local Church

One of the most difficult issues I face as an evangelist is how to relate properly to the local church. A Christian who is involved in evangelism will receive a lot of rejection from unbelievers who do not want to follow Jesus. However, the rejection we receive from other Christians who do not understand or appreciate our ministry is much more painful. The apostle Paul suffered a great deal of persecution as he preached the gospel, being beaten and imprisoned many times. But his greatest pain was finding that as he was in prison, Christians would be spreading rumors that he was not a true apostle and was in jail for his own wrongdoing.

At the end of Paul's ministry, he wrote these sad words from prison, "Demas, because he has loved the world, has deserted me...Only Luke is with me...Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm...At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me" (2 Tim. 4:10-16). Paul was tempted to get bitter, but he resisted that temptation and trusted in God's faithfulness: "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength."

Often, an evangelist will find that his gift is not wanted or appreciated in the church. The evangelist who wants to encourage church members to get involved in outreaches may find himself at odds with church leaders who want those members to be more active in church functions. Very few churches have a full-time minister of evangelism. A large church may support many full-time pastors, administrators, secretaries, and janitors but not a single evangelist. As a result, it is very difficult for an evangelist, especially one who must support a family, to be involved in full-time ministry.

As an evangelist, I have my faults and the local church has its faults, but we must work together. I need the fellowship of other believers. I need to be encouraged in my Christian walk. I need to join together with other believers in worshiping God. One of my main functions as an evangelist is to equip believers in evangelism (Eph. 4: 12). And those I lead to Christ must have a church home if they are to be discipled.

The Church of Jesus Christ has been given three main tasks: to love God, to love one another, and to love the lost??worship, fellowship and evangelism. Like a tripod, a church needs three "legs" of equal length to stand. A church that neglects evangelism will become a self-centered "bless me club." It will die of stagnation. I personally cannot understand how it is possible for a person to be a Christian, believe in the Bible and what it says about eternal hell, and not have a burden for souls. However, the fact is that most Christians do not have this burden. The evangelist is needed to stir up this burden within the believer and facilitate his involvement in evangelism.

A church needs variety in its evangelism. All Christians are not evangelists but all Christians are called to witness for Jesus. Most people come to Christ through the personal witness of a friend, co?worker, or family member. We need to be witnessing to people in our everyday lives. Yet, some people will not be reached through "friendship evangelism." Many are saved by being invited to church meetings or evangelistic crusades. But many people will not attend such meetings. We need to go into the "highways and hedges" and compel people to come to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Luke 14:23). I believe that every local church should have its own outreaches-ministry to nursing homes and prisons, door-to-door witnessing, street witnessing, etc.

Some Christians are critical of "parachurch" ministries, i.e., ministries that are not part of a single fellowship or denomination. But some ministries must by their nature be interdenominational or "parachurch." For example, much of the success of Billy Graham's crusades comes from bringing together Christians from many different denominations. In John 17:21, Jesus prayed, "that they also may be one in us, that the world may know that you have sent me."

Many unbelievers are stumbled by the divisions they see in the church. If they see an outreach organized by a single church fellowship or denomination, they may think that "they are just trying to promote their church." If they see an outreach organized by Christians of different denominations, they will see a tangible demonstration of the unity Jesus prayed for in John 17:21.

SOS Ministries was established to bring together Christians from different denominations to reach the people of San Francisco and the Bay Area for Jesus. We believe in the local church and we want to serve local church fellowships. We require that all the members of our ministry house be part of a local church. We refer new believers to local churches for follow?up and discipleship. And we provide a means through which local churches can join together in a united witness for Jesus Christ.

On the Streets

On Saturday October 19, we held our second outreach at Union Square since it reopened. A management company has taken over operation of the park. A few days before the outreach, they asked me if we had a banner we wanted to put up. I said, Yes. Workers from the management company climbed up the 30 foot stage to put up our banner where everyone could read it: "Only One Way to God: Jesus." This is the first time this has happened in the 23 years we have been doing outreaches in San Francisco. One time, a Police captain sent out a special work crew to take down our banner at Washington Square. Another time, a city bus driver cut down our sign.

However, this change is not totally for the good. The woman who was running things for the management company gave us a hard time. Also, we hope that this management company does not take over permitting at Union Square. They could start charging us thousands of dollars every time we use the park, like they do at another city park they run (Yerba Buena Gardens). This might get us into another lawsuit, which we hope to avoid.

That afternoon, we shared the park with an art show, which brought lots of people to hear the gospel. Last Days Harvest Church from Sacramento ministered that afternoon, and many people enjoyed the music. We have scheduled three outreaches at Union Square for January through March of next year.

	Last Days Harvest Church at Union Square
	People who come to Union Square for Art Show hear about Jesus
	Jeff witnesses to man at Powell and Market while Paul & Noreen Coca minister to others
	John witnesses to man at Powell and Market

Coming Events

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

Friday January 10, 17, 24 7:30-10 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods (Call for location).

Sat. January 11 Berkeley Outreach 12:30-4:30 PM Telegraph and Haste St.

Sat. January 18 12-1 PM Powell and Market St. 2:30-4:30 PM Union Square, Powell and Geary St. SF

Sat. January 25 12-1 PM Powell and Market St. 2-5 PM UN Plaza (7th St. and Market) SF

Ministry Needs

Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. Don't forget to take the week of June 20-28 off from work so you can attend next summer's SOS-San Francisco outreach. Also, we need more Christians to witness with us on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons.

We hope our trial in Federal Court will be over before Christmas. Regardless of the outcome of this trial, we intend by God's grace to continue to witness for Jesus Christ in San Francisco and Berkeley. Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. More than anything else, we need your prayers during this time. I am personally under tremendous stress and an unbelievable workload. After December, I hope that most of my legal work will have ended and I will be able to focus my energy on reaching people for Jesus.

Our Tape of the Month is "Street Ministry through the Local Church" by Mel Rolls. Mel is Director of Rescue Atlanta, an evangelism ministry to inner-city Atlanta. He also sends teams to do outreaches at major events around the country. Mel was formerly the youth pastor of a large Assembly of God church and now pastors a small inner-city church, so he can discuss this issue as both pastor and evangelist.

Yours in His love,

Larry Rosenbaum