March 2012

City of San Francisco in an Uproar

Outreach Photos 245

Descendants of David sing at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Dear Christian friends,

Last month, I included an excerpt from an 1857 book called Seven Years’ Street Preaching in San Francisco by William Taylor. It is interesting to think about how much things have changed, and how much they have not changed. Here are two more excerpts:

Sunday, twenty-third of February, 1851, was a day of great excitement in the city. It was ascertained that there was a large organized band of thieves and robbers in California in those days, operating at the same time in different parts of the state, yet all acting in concert. Men were knocked down and robbed in the streets, in the twilight; and stores and safes were broken open almost daily.

The public forbearance, which had been taxed to the last point of endurance, now gave way to one almost universal burst of indignation. The people gathered round the jail to the number of about ten thousand men. I was requested by Windred’s wife to visit him, as it was believed that the prisoners would be hung by the people before night. I had great difficulty in getting through the crowd; but finally succeeded in having an interview with the prisoners. Cries of “Have them out! Hang them!” filled the air. It was with great difficulty that the public indignation could be suppressed.

I preached on the Plaza that day to about fifteen hundred persons, on the value and indispensable necessity of the Bible, believed in and practiced. It is indispensable to our safety and happiness, personally, collectively, socially and politically. It is the very foundation on which the glorious structure of our confederated nation is built, the chart by which we may navigate the stormy sea of life and gain the peaceful haven of eternal rest.

Good order and great seriousness prevailed. Windred afterward was freed from jail, and cleared himself; Stuart was cleared by the courts. But the “Vigilance Committee of 1851” was organized as the result of these frequent robberies, and the inefficiency of the courts; and they executed some, and banished others.

Objections to Street Preaching Considered

I. Do I hear you say it is a degradation of ministerial dignity?

I reply: Any minister of the Gospel, whose “ministerial dignity” depends, for its elevation and support, upon the sacredness of a consecrated pulpit, is not, I confess, a suitable person for a street preacher. A preacher, to succeed in the streets, must be dignified by a special unction of the Holy Spirit. He must feel such an undying thirst for the salvation of sinners as will prompt him, like Aaron, to run out into the camp, and “stand between the living and the dead” — not only to offer the incense of earnest prayer to God on their behalf, but also to warn them from the example of their neighbors, who have perished in their sins. Then the accompanying presence of Him who hath said, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” will consecrate any place in which he may open his commission, as much as the spot where Jacob slept, and dreamed, and saw the ladder that reached from earth up into Heaven; and cause every one to feel, “Surely the Lord is in this place. How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God.”

II. It makes the preaching of the Gospel too common.

I think there is much more danger of making the preaching of the Gospel too uncommon than “too common.” Not common enough to flow readily into the common channels of human thought and sympathy, nor materially to affect the common relations and conduct of men. A man, to succeed as a street preacher, must be eminently practical in his preaching. Nothing but the simple preaching of our common Gospel, in a manner to arrest the attention and engage the feelings of the common people, will enable him to get, or to hold, an audience in the “highways.” It was this that made the “common people” hear Jesus gladly.

I will here add, that the street is not the place for sectarian discussions; but the Gospel, in all its essential characteristics, should be clearly announced.

lII. It creates riots and confusion in the streets.

I apprehend that much of the trouble which has been heard of in connection with street preaching, resulted from injudicious attacks upon Romanism, or upon personal character, or for want of tact in controlling large audiences. I do not know, definitely, the merits of any given case, but can readily see how, in various ways, a man could bring upon himself a great deal of trouble, and defeat the object of his mission.

Still, “men love darkness rather than light” and it would not be surprising if an earnest, faithful modern street preacher should share the same lot that St. Paul did at Athens, Philippi, and other places, but we never learned that the apostle considered that a sufficient objection to lead him to desist from preaching in the streets. I have been preaching regularly in the streets for more than ten years, and seven of them among California gamblers and rum-sellers, and through the good providence of the Lord, I have never had a serious disturbance, nor lost a congregation in the streets.

IV. It will bring the preacher into collision with the civil authorities.

We should be careful, while we do our duty fearlessly, not to provoke a collision with “the powers that be.” If we succeed in controlling the masses, and preserve order at our meetings, we will not be likely to have any trouble “at court.” But if, after all, we should be interfered with in the conscientious discharge of our duty, under the functions of our high commission, then return the apostolic answer, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak what we have seen and heard.”

Fruit that Remains

It has been over 150 years since William Taylor wrote this book. There are still Christians preaching the gospel in San Francisco. Every year, we sow many thousands of gospel seeds on the streets. These seeds need to be “watered” and eventually some will bear fruit in that a person will be saved. We sow in faith, trusting God to work in people’s lives and save some. Most of the fruit of our labors we will not see until we are in Heaven.

The decision to repent of one’s sins and trust in Christ is a very serious one, and not one to be made casually. That is why we do not try to pressure a person to make an immediate profession of faith. I have known evangelists who were good salesmen. They could talk almost anyone into repeating a “sinner’s prayer.” But few of these people showed any evidence of being true converts. Often, they became more resistant to future attempts to witness to them. Many of them told us, “I tried that and it didn’t work.”

Paul taught on the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corin. 7:10). Often when we go to a place like UN Plaza, where there are a lot of people who are in bondage to drugs and alcohol, and often living on the streets, many people come to us for prayer and profess faith in Christ. We usually cannot tell which ones are asking God to help them make their present situation better, because they have a worldly sorrow, and which have a godly sorrow and are grieved that their sin has displeased God.

On February 4, we were witnessing at Fisherman’s Wharf. A woman named Serena spoke with me. She said she had picked up one of our tracts on the ground seven years ago. A short time later, she saw us ministering in UN Plaza and she prayed with us to receive Christ. At the time she was a “meth” addict living on the streets. She has been free from drugs and serving God for the past seven years!

I’m sure we only see a small portion of the fruit that comes from our ministry, but it is a real encouragement to us when God allows us to meet someone who was saved through our ministry and is going on with God.

Coming Events

Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.

Friday March 2, 9, 30 7:30 – 10 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.

Sat. March 3, 10 11 AM – 4 PM San Francisco Outreach, Fisherman’s Wharf (Jefferson St. near Mason)

Sat. March 31 12-5 PM San Francisco Outreach (5^th St. and Market)

Ministry Needs

Thank you for your prayers and financial support for our ministry. Loi Carstensen has been replacing the front and back steps of our house. They were rotting and unsafe. This is costing us over $3000.

We have a new house member, Tale Yang. Tale is 30 and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College. He is planning to attend Patten Bible College this fall. Several other people have expressed interest in our house. Please pray that God will bring us the right people to live here. Our house is open to both men and women who are serious about evangelism.

Please pray about the situation in Berkeley. We haven’t been able to get permits there since the hotel across the street from where we set up was destroyed by fire last November. They need to reinforce part of the building so they can take down a fence across the street before they give us permits again. Please pray that this happens soon.

I hope some of you will join us for an outreach this next month. If we want to reap a harvest of souls, we must first plant some gospel seeds.