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SOS Ministry Newsletter - November 2009
Retirement
Dear Christian Friends,
In a little over a year, I will have my 65th birthday. People often ask me if I am planning to retire. My usual answer, simply, is “no.” I hope to continue preaching the gospel as long as God gives me the strength to do so. I wonder what it would be like to retire as a Christian. Some Christians purchase a cabin in the country. They spend their time fixing up the place. Some like to fish. Some play golf. Others drive around the country in their RV. Is that why God created us?
Our adult years tend to fall into three portions. From about age 18 to 25, our lives are usually devoted to getting an education and entering the job world, also on finding a mate. From about age 25 to 55, we work, raise a family, and watch our children grow up. At about age 55, our children are grown and we hope we can retire soon, usually around age 65.
The Mormons expect their children to spend two years in full-time missionary activity before they get married. Unfortunately, most Christian parents do not have the same expectations for their children. Young people have energy and idealism. The years before marriage are the ideal time for them to dedicate themselves to evangelism. Sadly, very few do this. Most Christian youth are in a hurry to get their education, get married and start a family. Reaching the lost is not a priority in their lives.
During the period from about 25 to 55, Christian parents are busy working and raising their children. This is, properly, a priority for them. If they were not accustomed to witness for Jesus in their younger days, when they had fewer responsibilities, they are not likely to witness for Jesus during this period of their lives. They say that they are too busy.
Once their children are grown up and leave home, they don’t have the same financial responsibilities they had before. At this point, many Christians are looking forward to the day they can retire. Often they worked at jobs they didn’t particularly like, just to pay the bills. They can’t wait until the day comes when they can dedicate themselves to their favorite past time and not have to go to work every day. Sadly, for most Christians, witnessing for Jesus was not a priority in the earlier parts of their life. Now that they actually have plenty of time to witness for Jesus, it doesn’t even occur to them to do so.
My life has been quite different. From age 20 to 24, I dedicated my life to wild living. At age 24 I was radically saved. Soon after I was saved, I started witnessing for Jesus and I realized that there was nothing more important that I could do on this earth. I have dedicated myself to doing something that I love. Why should I retire?
I think of Sabine Ball, who died on July 7 at the age of 83. I knew her for over 30 years. Sabine owned a piece of property in Mendocino County, which was a hippie commune. When she got saved, she turned it into a Christian commune, which she called the Lord’s Land. Over the years, many Christians went to this place as a retreat center, to get spiritually refreshed. Sabina spent countless hours cleaning cabins so they would be ready for guests. But she never lost her desire to evangelize. Even though she lived in the country, she would pick up hitchhikers on the way to town. She witnessed to them and brought many of them back to the Lord’s Land. She joined us for SOS-San Francisco several times, and brought other Christians with her. Over the years, many people were saved through her ministry, including several who now are pastors and leaders.
When she was 67, she returned to her homeland in Germany. She saw many homeless and alienated youth on the streets of Dresden. While praying for them, God showed her to take the $1500 she had and rent a former liquor store. She turned it into the Martin Luther Street Café as a gathering place for youth. Where ever she went she spoke freely of her experiences and was thus able to encourage and challenge others to surrender their lives entirely to God’s will. She died in her sleep. What an example for us all, that God desires to use us as long as He has us on this earth.In a little over a year, I will have my 65th birthday. People often ask me if I am planning to retire. My usual answer, simply, is “no.” I hope to continue preaching the gospel as long as God gives me the strength to do so. I wonder what it would be like to retire as a Christian. Some Christians purchase a cabin in the country. They spend their time fixing up the place. Some like to fish. Some play golf. Others drive around the country in their RV. Is that why God created us?
Our adult years tend to fall into three portions. From about age 18 to 25, our lives are usually devoted to getting an education and entering the job world, also on finding a mate. From about age 25 to 55, we work, raise a family, and watch our children grow up. At about age 55, our children are grown and we hope we can retire soon, usually around age 65.
The Mormons expect their children to spend two years in full-time missionary activity before they get married. Unfortunately, most Christian parents do not have the same expectations for their children. Young people have energy and idealism. The years before marriage are the ideal time for them to dedicate themselves to evangelism. Sadly, very few do this. Most Christian youth are in a hurry to get their education, get married and start a family. Reaching the lost is not a priority in their lives.
During the period from about 25 to 55, Christian parents are busy working and raising their children. This is, properly, a priority for them. If they were not accustomed to witness for Jesus in their younger days, when they had fewer responsibilities, they are not likely to witness for Jesus during this period of their lives. They say that they are too busy.
Once their children are grown up and leave home, they don’t have the same financial responsibilities they had before. At this point, many Christians are looking forward to the day they can retire. Often they worked at jobs they didn’t particularly like, just to pay the bills. They can’t wait until the day comes when they can dedicate themselves to their favorite past time and not have to go to work every day. Sadly, for most Christians, witnessing for Jesus was not a priority in the earlier parts of their life. Now that they actually have plenty of time to witness for Jesus, it doesn’t even occur to them to do so.
My life has been quite different. From age 20 to 24, I dedicated my life to wild living. At age 24 I was radically saved. Soon after I was saved, I started witnessing for Jesus and I realized that there was nothing more important that I could do on this earth. I have dedicated myself to doing something that I love. Why should I retire?
I think of Sabine Ball, who died on July 7 at the age of 83. I knew her for over 30 years. Sabine owned a piece of property in Mendocino County, which was a hippie commune. When she got saved, she turned it into a Christian commune, which she called the Lord’s Land. Over the years, many Christians went to this place as a retreat center, to get spiritually refreshed. Sabina spent countless hours cleaning cabins so they would be ready for guests. But she never lost her desire to evangelize. Even though she lived in the country, she would pick up hitchhikers on the way to town. She witnessed to them and brought many of them back to the Lord’s Land. She joined us for SOS-San Francisco several times, and brought other Christians with her. Over the years, many people were saved through her ministry, including several who now are pastors and leaders.
When she was 67, she returned to her homeland in Germany. She saw many homeless and alienated youth on the streets of Dresden. While praying for them, God showed her to take the $1500 she had and rent a former liquor store. She turned it into the Martin Luther Street Café as a gathering place for youth. Where ever she went she spoke freely of her experiences and was thus able to encourage and challenge others to surrender their lives entirely to God’s will. She died in her sleep. What an example for us all, that God desires to use us as long as He has us on this earth.
On The Streets
The SF Bay Bridge was closed on Labor Day weekend. We decided to take the BART train on Friday night. We bring a lot of equipment, but managed to get it on the train. We witnessed at Powell and Market, right outside the BART station. Eric Martinez sang, Larry DuBois and I preached, and the rest of us passed out tracts and witnessed. Tom Stebnisky joined us for the weekend. He first learned about our ministry from Chuck Girard 20 years ago, but was not able to make it to one of our outreaches until this summer. He witnesses regularly in Fresno, and prayed with quite a few people this weekend. On Friday, he prayed with Katy and Ray, both in their early 20’s from San Francisco. He also prayed with Lucas, a teenager from Australia. When we arrived, we found a lot of resistance to the gospel. I passed out tracts for about 15 minutes before anyone took one. However, by the end of the evening, half of the people I offered tracts to would receive them. A police officer stopped to order us to take down a banner, but otherwise we had no problem.
On Saturday, we needed to drive to UN Plaza, because we had an entire sound system to set up. It took us an extra hour, but we had no real problem with traffic. Tim Moon ministered with music, and Larry DuBois, Jeff King and I preached. Before we began, Tom and I witnessed to David, a young Catholic from Santa Rosa. We believe he genuinely prayed for salvation. Throughout the afternoon, we ministered to and prayed for many people.
The following week, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf both Friday night and Saturday afternoon. We hadn’t been to the Wharf for two months, and it was good to return. The area has become more popular with street performers, so it has become difficult for us to find a location to witness there. We can reserve a location, but this requires someone sitting at a monthly meeting for six hours while the various street performers request various locations for that month. These street performers make their living at the Wharf, so this meeting is worthwhile for them. Since we only go to the Wharf once or twice a month, it usually is not worthwhile for us to attend this meeting. Instead, we hope that there is some location available for us to minister.
This weekend, there was only one spot available, but fortunately it was our favorite spot, across from Johnny Rocket’s Restaurant. This is the first spot we came to when we started ministering at the Wharf with a PA system six years ago. This seems to be the best place to avoid conflicts with local businesses and other street performers. A Catholic lady who works across the street actually misses us when we aren’t there. And, for some reason, the other street performers don’t seem to like it.
On Friday night, Eric Martinez sang and Larry DuBois and I preached. Eric Baxter and I both witnessed to Franklin, a teenager from El Salvador. Franklin actually was carrying a Bible, and was quite receptive to the gospel, though he is not saved. Please pray for him. On Saturday, Mark Whitehead brought a few Christians from the church he pastors, Victory Assembly of God in Ceres. The nice weather brought thousands of people to the Wharf. Mark sang and several of us preached.
Coming Events
Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 531-5325 or 926-3299 to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Friday October 30, November 6, 13, 20 Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods. 7:30 - 10 PM (Call for location.)
Saturday Oct. 31, Nov. 7, 14, 21 Evangelism outreach. Berkeley (Telegraph & Haste St.) or San Francisco (Jefferson St. between Powell and Mason). (Location depends on weather. Call Sat. from 8-10 AM for location.)
Ministry Needs
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. Our tract supply is getting low and we need to print some more tracts. It will cost us about $1300 to print 60,000 tracts. We also want to put in some new landscaping in the front yard of our house. It is looking pretty bad, and is a poor witness to our neighbors. This will cost about $1000.
We still have two openings in our Oakland ministry house. We are looking for men in their 20’s or 30’s who are spiritually strong and are committed to evangelism. We need to train younger believers in evangelism – to reach a new generation and help us continue this work of evangelizing San Francisco and Berkeley. We are also open to having older Christian men live in this house.
Please pray that God will bring the right people for our house. Our CD of the Month is Introduction to Personal Evangelism. This is part 1 of a teaching I gave at my home church, New Life Christian Church in Castro Valley.
I hope many of you will join us for an outreach this next month. Halloween falls on Saturday this year. This is an especially good time to witness, since people are already thinking about spiritual things that day.
Yours in His Love,
Larry Rosenbaum
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