March, 2011 | SOS Ministries

March 2011

Witnessing at Work

Dear Christian friends,

One of our goals for this newsletter is to provide each of you with some practical help in witnessing for our Lord. I thought I’d start with some suggestions for witnessing at your workplace. Our time at work should accomplish more than making money. Some Christians have led many people to Christ through their jobs. The great evangelist D. L. Moody got saved through the witness of a shoe salesman, while he was trying on some shoes. God wants to use you to witness to others at your job, as well as at other times. Here are some tips that I think will help you:

1. Get and keep your heart right with God. Confess and forsake any known sin. Spend time in prayer and God’s word in the morning before work. The more you are walking in the Spirit at work, the better witness you’ll be and the more you’ll hear God when He tells you to witness to someone. At the same time, don’t fall into condemnation, thinking you can’t witness because you aren’t “spiritual enough.” If you lose your temper at work (for example), apologize to those who were affected.

2. Choose the right job. Are you where God wants you? God used Jonah while he was running away from Him, but He would rather use us when we are in His perfect will. If you aren’t sure you are in the job God wants you to have, ask Him. If He wants you somewhere else, He’ll make it very clear to you. When you are preparing for future work or looking for a job, spend much time praying for God’s direction. Some jobs provide more opportunities to witness than others do. This should be an important consideration in your job choice. Being used by God to witness at a job will greatly contribute to your happiness with that job.

3. Let everyone know you are a Christian from the start. The longer you work at a job without telling people, the harder it will be to do so. Also, once you tell people you are a Christian, you will be conscious of your need to maintain a good witness before them. One easy way to do this is to send each co-worker and client a personal card or letter at Easter or Christmas with a clear gospel message in it, perhaps with your testimony in it.

4. Be sensitive to each person and to the Holy Spirit as to how much you should witness to them, and the best way to do so. Everyone reaches a place of crisis in their life at some time, when they are desperate for help. If they see you as a friend and a stable person, they will be likely to turn to you for counsel. Then they will listen eagerly as you share.

5. Avoid self-righteousness and legalism. Many people think of Christians this way. Let them see that your relationship with God is vital and gives you joy and peace, fulfillment and direction in your life. At the same time, we do need to take a stand as to what we will and won’t do at work. We must avoid all dishonesty and other immorality. It is better to leave your job than sin against our Lord.

6. Be a friend to your co-workers. Don’t gossip about them or anyone else. That way, they won’t be afraid to confide in you. Invite them to your house for dinner. Or invite them to go with you to a “non-churchy” Christian event that you think they might enjoy. According to a recent survey, 96% of non-Christians said they would be at least somewhat likely to attend church if someone invited them.

7. Use tracts. Ron Woodruff, who helped start SOS Ministries, worked at a glass factory when he got saved. He bought hundreds of comic-book tracts and left them in everyone’s lockers and everywhere around the factory. People avoided Ron because he talked to them about Jesus and wouldn’t listen to their dirty jokes. But they couldn’t deny the change they saw in his life. Within a few years, almost a third of the factory had gotten saved.

8. Become indispensable at your job. Be such a good worker that your boss can’t do without you. Your boss probably won’t mind if you witness to people as long as it doesn’t interfere with your work. Of course, this varies with the boss and the job. Once I worked at a hamburger stand and the manager (a Catholic) let me put tracts in the bag with each hamburger. Another time I worked as a cashier at a high-class restaurant. I witnessed to the waiters and quite a few customers. The owner thought it was cute and boasted of his “preacher-cashier.”

9. Don’t become a “workaholic.” Make sure your priorities are right. You need to spend time each day with God, spend time with your family, have regular church fellowship, spend time with friends, spend time in some kind of ministry activity, and have some time for rest and relaxation. If you find yourself working 50 or more hours a week, maybe you should look for a job with a better hourly wage, or simplify your lifestyle so you don’t spend so much money. Our time is our greatest asset. “Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Eph. 5:15).

Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides general rules for all private workplaces employing fifteen or more people. It stipulates that a company that allows employees to engage in non-work related conversations, such as those about politics, family, sports or other such topics, may not prohibit voluntary religious discussions between employees either.

On the Streets

Our first outreach of the year, on Friday January 14, was at the Sony Metreon. I walked inside the Metreon and noticed it was almost empty. Almost all of the stores have closed. They are being replaced by a Target store. The movie theater is staying, and there were still quite a few people to witness to on the street. We had many good conversations that night.

When we arrived, a homeless man named JR was very upset that we were there. He gives out “Street Sheets” to get money, and said he makes $10/hour and we were ruining his business. He said he was hungry, so Dave gave him $10 to get food. His attitude immediately changed, and he became quite friendly. He phoned us that night, asking for help. We are trying to reach him, but he only has a message phone. Dave also gave out New Testaments to Kevin and Hudson, two teenagers who were very polite and receptive to the gospel. Dan spoke with Jim, a Korean war veteran who was raised Catholic. Jeromy witnessed to Jerry, who had tears running down his face as Jeromy went through God’s law to show him his need for a savior.

The next day, Paul and Noreen Coca and Chuck Girard ministered with us at Fisherman’s Wharf. Dave and Kylan witnessed to Robert, a homeless man whom we had spoken with before. He had lost his wife and 5 year old daughter in an accident involving a drunk driver, and did not understand why God allowed this to happen. Kylan also witnessed to Megan, an 11 year old girl who said she was having problems understanding the Bible. Her parents were there, and didn’t seem to mind.

The following Friday, we witnessed at 16^th St. and Valencia. Eric Martinez, who plays guitar on Friday nights, arrived at 7 PM. He immediately came down with food poisoning and left before we arrived. We did a lot of preaching that night, and had a lot of opposition. Three of our four Christian signs were painted with graffiti, and one man kept trying to unplug our amplifier. Kylan and I witnessed to Dan, who had been heckling my preaching. He could not understand the justice of God sending His son to die.

The next day, we again witnessed at the Wharf. Our van would not start (the battery was dead) but fortunately Jeromy has a big truck that we could fit everything and everyone into. Richard Griffin and Dave May played for the first half of the outreach. While he was singing, Lamont Dozier came by. He is a legendary singer and songwriter who is largely responsible for the “Motown” sound of the 1960’s. He said he was a Christian, and was glad we were there. Richard was singing with pre-recorded sound tracts. He came to a song he had written called “Choose Life.” As he was singing it, the annual March for Life (and against abortion) came by our location on the Wharf. Needless to say, the marchers were delighted.

About 35,000 people participate in this event. While there were thousands of evangelicals, the event is organized by the Catholic Church and most of the participants appeared to be Catholic. There were banners referring to the rosary, Mary and the saints. So it was clear that many of these people were not saved. Kylan and I preached to this crowd. I do not think I had ever preached to so many Catholics. I spoke about how salvation comes by faith in Christ, not by good works or church attendance or religious rituals. We gave tracts to hundreds of Catholics, including many children. It was a lot different from our usual San Francisco audience. It took about an hour for the entire march to pass us.

Blue Mosaic, a new music group from Jews for Jesus, finished the outreach. They are excellent musicians, and it was great having them with us. While they were singing, Dan was in a nearby restaurant wearing a T-shirt with John 3:16 in Hebrew. Chaim, an Israeli eating there asked him about it, and Dan shared how we could have a personal relationship with God through Jesus the Messiah and gave him an “Empty Tomb” Chick tract. Jeff, from Jews for Jesus, witnessed to another Israeli, Youchev, an atheist, who stopped because he heard a song in Hebrew. Jeff shared with him from Isaiah 53.

Coming Events

Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 761-6120 to confirm outreaches or for more information.

Friday March 4, 11, 18 Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods. 7:30-10 PM (Call for location).

Sat. March 5, 12, 19 San Francisco or Berkeley Outreach. Location depends on weather. (Call for location).

A Final Word

We have a new member of our house, Jeromy Hicks. Jeromy is from Enid, Oklahoma. He is 38 so we now have house members from every decade from the 20’s to the 60’s. He is a relatively new believer, but he is very zealous to know God, study His word, and witness for Jesus. He is also tall – 6’ 8 ”. That is a record for our ministry. It is a real blessing having him in our house.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. Please pray for those we have witnessed to this month, especially those mentioned above in this newsletter. I hope some of you will join one of our outreaches this next month.

Yours in His love,

Larry Rosenbaum

Photo 1 Outreach Photos 171