July, 2011 | SOS Ministries

July 2011

SOS-San Francisco July 12-16

Meeting location moved to 856 Cabrillo St. (10th Ave). SF.

This is the 32^nd year we have sent out an “SOS” to Christians to bring the gospel to the people of San Francisco. We have shortened the outreach this year, since it is getting increasingly difficult for people to take so much time off work. The outreach will begin Tues. night July 12 and ends Sat. afternoon July 16. We will be meeting at Christ Church at Park Presidio, 856 Cabrillo St. at 10th Ave. SF. We have housing and provide breakfast and lunch. Bring a sleeping bag and foam pad. If you prefer, we can send you names of hotels in the area.

The cost is $40 and fees will be waived for those who cannot afford it. I hope many of you will join us for this outreach. Talk with your pastor and youth leader. Ask them if this event can be announced at church and if your church can bring a team to the outreach. For more information, email us at mail@sosmin.com or call us at (510) 761-6120.

Tues July 12 6-8 PM Registration, evangelism training and prayer 856 Cabrillo St. San Francisco

Wed July 13 – Sat. July 16 8 AM evangelism training and prayer 856 Cabrillo St. San Francisco

Wed. July 13 12-4 PM Fisherman’s Wharf—Jefferson St. (between Mason and Powell) San Francisco 6-9 PM Evening outreach

Thurs. July 14 12-4 PM Telegraph & Haste St. Berkeley 6-9 PM Evening Outreach

Fri. July 15 12-4 PM Haight & Masonic St. San Francisco 6-9 PM Evening Outreach

Sat July 16 11:30 AM -1:30 PM Union Square (Powell & Geary) 2-3 PM March through Chinatown 3:30-5:30 PM Washington Square (Columbus & Union) SF

Why Have a City-wide Outreach?

Dear Christian friends,

I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then said I, “Here am I; send me” Isaiah 6:8.

When evangelist Luis Palau came to San Francisco in 1980, he gave five reasons for having a mass evangelistic crusade:

1. The gospel goes to many thousands more people than if just one or two churches were involved.

2. The whole city becomes “God-conscious” for the period of the outreach, making Jesus Christ and the Bible common topics of discussion among all groups of people for much longer.

3. The powers of darkness are disrupted as the light of Christ is firmly held up by a united church.

4. As a result of this disruption of Satan’s strongholds, evangelism becomes easier.

5. Churches grow and plant new churches in areas of the city where crusade decisions reveal a need.

In 1980, we held our first SOS-San Francisco outreach. We held two large worship rallies in Union Square with over 1000 Christians at each, gave out 400,000 tracts, and the whole city truly became conscious of Jesus Christ during that week.

The next year, about 3000 people came against us at Union Square, blowing whistles in our ears and tearing up our Bibles. They had been told that we “hated homosexuals” but God showed us we were only to worship Him, and the opposition dispersed as we sang “Oh the Blood of Jesus” over and over.

Since that time, several new churches have begun and are growing in San Francisco. Several thousand Christians have obtained experience in evangelism through SOS and many are now involved in outreaches in their own communities. Major city-wide outreaches patterned in part after SOS-San Francisco have been established in at least a dozen cities around the U.S. And only in heaven will we know how many people have been saved from eternal Hell because of those of you who took the time to come to SOS-San Francisco.

San Francisco is one of the most strategic cities in the world to reach for Jesus Christ. Many destructive trends have begun in San Francisco and quickly spread across the U.S. and around the world. The first of the violent 1960’s political protests began in 1960 at San Francisco City Hall. San Francisco saw the initiation of the topless bar, the drug movement, “acid rock”, the “gay” rights movement, the “Church of Satan”, the beginnings of numerous cults and new age philosophies, etc. Faced with such ungodliness, we need to remember that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Corin. 10:4).

Every year, the spiritual condition of our nation seems to deteriorate. When Oakland-based Harold Camping’s false prophesies predicting the date of Jesus’ return are promoted world-wide, it only increases people’s mockery of the gospel. The state of California now requires all public schools to teach about gender identity, in order to promote transsexuality. In Oakland this past month, first graders were taught that “gender is not inherently nor solely connected to one’s physical anatomy.”

God has given us powerful spiritual weapons to come against Satan’s work: united prayer, worship, and proclamation of the Gospel. SOS-San Francisco is simply a vehicle through which Christians can unite for these purposes. We have enclosed a registration form with this letter.

If you’ve never been to SOS before, let me say that the fellowship with other believers, the times of worship and personal ministry, and the times of outreach all make it an incredible and unforgettable experience.

SOS-San Francisco July 12—16

This is the 32^nd year we have sent out an “SOS” to Christians to bring the gospel to the people of San Francisco. We have shortened the outreach this year, since it is getting increasingly difficult for people to take so much time off work. The outreach will begin Tues. July 12 at 6 PM and ends Sat. afternoon July 16. We will be meeting at Christ Church at Park Presidio, 856 Cabrillo St. (at 10th Ave.) SF. We have housing and provide breakfast and lunch. Bring a sleeping bag and foam pad. If you prefer, we can send you names of hotels in the area.

On the Streets

On Friday May 6, we witnessed at 16^th St. and Valencia. The Roxie Theater, on the same block, had a one – man show called “A Wretch Like Me” about a “former teenage fundamentalist, and how he was saved from being saved.” One man grabbed our amplifier and threw it to the ground. It still seems to be working. Jeromy spent 30 minutes witnessing to Sam, talking to him about the law and the gospel. He also gave his testimony and answered many of his questions, bought him something to eat, and introduced him to Eric Martinez, Pastor of Calvary Road Church in San Francisco.

The next day, we witnessed in Berkeley. Chuck Girard was in town, and he joined us for the outreach, along with Paul Coca. Brian witnessed to Jake, who is 16 and a “cultural Jew.” He got angry and pushed him around a few times. Brian noted that this was the first time anyone had gotten physical with him while witnessing.

On Friday May 20, we witnessed at AT&T Park for a game between the SF Giants and Oakland A’s. The general attitude of people was mockery about Harold Camping’s prediction that the world would end the next day. About 100 people mentioned his prediction. In our preaching, we noted that Jesus said nobody would know the day of His return, but that He will return one day to judge the world. Dan witnessed to a waitress at the ballpark restaurant. She asked if the world was ending tomorrow. Dave witnessed to Jason, whose wife and son are both Christians. He also witnessed to a woman giving out cards for a strip club. She said she was a Christian and went to a Christian school. Her excuse for not serving God was that “she’s had a hard life.”

The next day, we had outreaches at Union Square and Washington Square. The band “Isaiah” from San Jose ministered at Union Square. This was the first time they had been with us. They are excellent musicians, and their songs truly glorified God. Kylan witnessed to a high school student named Richie. He had the Bible on his Ipad, and had questions about several scriptures. Kylan ministered to him and got his phone number. He also witnessed to Olivia, an Asian-American woman who had listened to audio recordings of the Bible when she was young but was not a Christian. Dave witnessed to Noel, a groundskeeper from the Philippines and Dino, a Catholic who was quite receptive to the gospel.

Later that afternoon, Paul Coca brought two youth groups from Valley Christian Center in Valley Springs and Burson Full Gospel Church to minister at Washington Square. They come from small towns and this was their first time witnessing in a city. They sang worship songs and some of them preached, gave testimonies, and performed some drama skits. We had many good conversations, including one with a man who was dressed like Jesus (because He was supposed to return that day). At the end, several of us witnessed to Jasmine, an Asian-American man. He started out espousing new age ideas, but soon he was saying he believed in Jesus and wanted to get right with God. We prayed with him, gave him a Bible, and referred him to Calvary Road Church in San Francisco.

Coming Events

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

Friday Evangelism Outreaches: July 1, 15, 22, 29 7:30-10 PM (Call for location).

Saturday San Francisco Evangelism Outreaches: July 2 Fisherman’s Wharf. (Jeff. nr Mason) 11:30 AM – 4 PM. July 23 UN Plaza (7th St. & Market) 12-5 PM July 30 Fisherman’s Wharf. 11:30 AM – 4 PM.

*** July 12-16 SOS-San Francisco ***

Ministry News

Thank you for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. Our San Francisco park permits will cost us $1000. Jeromy got a job (Praise God!). Please continue to pray that two other house members, Dan and Dave, will find work.

This past month, Kylan moved out of our house. He is seeking to raise financial support for a year-long outreach in Japan ministering to college students with a team from Campus Crusade for Christ. If you want to help, I can send you contact information. It was great having him in our house, and we will miss him. He is 24 and the next youngest person in our house is 39. It is very hard indeed to find young people who are serious about evangelism. We have two openings in our house right now. Let me know if you are interested, or know anyone who is.

I hope to see many of you at SOS-San Francisco.

Yours in His love,

Larry Rosenbaum

1. The band “Isaiah” plays at Union Square.