July 2012
The Police are our Friends
Three undercover officers (on right) arrest man
who was threatening us (seated on ground).
Dear Christian friends,
Over the past 35 years witnessing on the streets, we have had many encounters with the police. Usually, someone will complain about our preaching, and the police will come. Normally, they take sides with the complainer. Often, they will shut us down or, in a few cases, actually cite or arrest us.
There have also been times when we could have used help from a policeman. Angry and intoxicated people have threatened us with violence and, on a few cases, actually hurt us — though never seriously. However, as the saying goes, “there is never a policeman around when you need one.”
On Friday June 8, we witnessed at 16th St. and Valencia. This neighborhood has a lot of clubs that attract young people, many of whom are hostile towards the gospel message. The last time we had tried to witness at this location, someone complained shortly after we began, and the police quickly shut us down.
Eric Martinez began singing a few worship songs and then started to preach. He was preaching a very gentle message about John 3:16. A tall, young man with a skateboard started heckling him. He loudly berated him, saying that Christians are ignorant and opposed to science. He came from a Catholic background and was very unhappy about it. He grabbed Eric’s music stand and threw it into the street, breaking it. The more peaceful Eric was, the angrier he got. He spat on Eric several times. I stood next to Eric and started to talk over the microphone, but the man tried to grab the microphone. A crowd was gathering around us. They did not seem to be sympathetic to our message.
At this point, I expected either Eric or I would be hurt by this man, and that possibly others in the crowd would join him in attacking us. Suddenly, three men threw the man to the ground and handcuffed him. They were undercover police officers! We did not press charges, but the man had warrants out on him so they took him to jail.
Open Air Campaigners
A youth group of 12 from Forcey Bible Church in Silver Springs, MD, will be with us from June 25 – July 21. Their leader, Paul Adams, is a missionary with Open Air Campaigners. The whole team has been trained to share the Gospel with children, teens, and adults using sketch board preaching, object lessons, and puppets. Last year, they spent six weeks witnessing in their own community and next year they will be doing an outreach in another country. In addition to our regular weekend outreaches, we will also be joining them, witnessing in San Francisco housing projects on weekdays.
They will also be running a Sketchboard Evangelism Training event from July 19-21. It is free and will be held at City View Church, 884 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco. Meetings will be held from 10 AM to 5:30 PM on July 19 and 20, with outreaches on July 20 from 7-10 PM at Powell & Market and on July 21 from 12-5 PM at UN Plaza. Call or email me for more information.
On the Streets
On May 5 we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square. Dave S. witnessed to Silka, who is from Germany. Silka had just spent three weeks at a convent, wanting to hear from God. While there, she had read the whole Bible and had counseled with the nuns. She had been living with her boyfriend Dale for three years and was in the process of moving out. After ministering to her, Dave invited her to attend church with him the next day. She attended church and brought her boyfriend. The pastor preached on “blessed are the pure in heart” and she started crying, saying that the message was just what she needed to hear. The next Sunday, Silka showed up for church again, this time with her boyfriend and father, who was visiting from Germany on a business trip. They have attended church several times since then. Please pray for them.
On May 12, we witnessed at Dolores Park. It was a sunny day, and over 1000 people were in the park. We had only 6 Christians that day, and could have used many more to witness to people. As it was, we needed to spend much of our time trying to protect our sound system from a few angry people. Paul and Noreen and Dave G. played music, and Eddie and I preached. Dolores Park is filled with young San Francisco natives, many of whom strongly oppose the gospel. At this park, we are careful to use a very gentle tone when we preach, and limit our preaching to 5 minutes at a time. Dave S. witnessed to Aaron. He was probably not saved, because he was trusting in his works, but he had been reading the Bible for a year and was thinking about going into ministry. Dave ministered to him about how we are saved by God’s grace, not by our works. Dave also witnessed to Jason, who as a young man was delivered from demons at a church. Today, he claims to be a Christian but is involved in drugs and sexual immorality.
After the outreach, the Park supervisor wrote me that she had received many complaints. I think our future permits are in serious jeopardy. Please pray that we will continue to get permits at Dolores Park.
On May 19, we witnessed in Berkeley. I witnessed to Sasha, a 16-year-old Jewish boy. He had previously been offered a tract, but he tore it up. I shared with him about the Old Testament prophesies that Jesus fulfilled. He had never heard about this before, and listened. “I can see you’ve done a lot of thinking about this,” he told me. Pray for Sasha.
On June 16, we again witnessed in Berkeley. While I was sitting down listening to the music, two teenage boys approached me. They asked me if I was a “hater.” They said some Christians had been there recently and had yelled and screamed at them that they were sinners and were going to Hell. They are freshmen at Berkeley High School and are Muslims from Algeria. I asked them if they believed in Heaven, Hell and Judgment Day. They said they did. Next I asked them if they knew they would go to Heaven. They did not know, so I shared the gospel with them, and they were receptive. Please pray for Abraham and Isim.
Coming Events
Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Friday July 6, 13, 20 7:30 – 10 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Sat. July 7 11 AM – 1 PM San Francisco Outreach, Justin Herman Plaza (Market & Embarcadero) 3-5 PM Union Square (Powell & Geary St.) Shelter Cove Church, Modesto.
Sat. July 14 and 21 12-5 PM UN Plaza (7th St. and Market) SF (July 14: Machaira July 21: Bridgepoint Community Church, Pacifica)
July 19-21 Sketchboard Evangelism Training (see article on left)
SOS-San Francisco July 4-7
We have set the dates for this summer’s SOS-San Francisco outreach—July 4-7. We are blessed once again to have singer Chuck Girard joining us, along with Paul & Noreen Coca and Tim Moon. The youth group from Maryland will also join us. We do not have a church to meet at or house workers this year, so we will meet each afternoon on the streets. A Christian in San Jose has offered housing for some people, if you have a car. Contact me for information. Otherwise, I can send you information about (relatively) inexpensive housing in the area.
SOS-San Francisco Outreach Schedule
Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Wed. July 4 1-5 PM Haight St. and Masonic, SF
Thurs. July 5 12:30-4:30 PM Telegraph and Haste St. Berkeley
Fri. July 6 11:30-3:30 PM 1st St. and Market, SF 7-10 PM Powell & Market St. SF
Sat. July 7 11 AM – 1 PM Justin Herman Plaza (Market & Embarcadero SF)
3-5 PM Union Square (Powell & Geary St. SF) Shelter Cove Church, Modesto.
A Final Word
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. It is a big help to us as we are preparing for SOS-San Francisco. This past month, we got a new computer for the ministry, as our old one was dying. It cost about $450 with software. We are happy to have Larry DuBois back in our house. Larry lived with us a few years ago. Since then, he has been traveling around the West Coast preaching in different cities.
One of my internet friends, Kostya from Calvary Chapel in St. Petersburg, Russia, said he was often asked if his evangelism is effective. “This is my answer when I’m asked how many people I’ve lead to Christ: “Every one.” I lead everyone to the Lord every time I talk about Christ, AND I always get a decision. When I talk about Jesus I lead them to the Savior, and they make a decision to follow Him or not. So, are my evangelism efforts effective? In a word: YES!
I hope many of you will join us for SOS-San Francisco — July 4-7.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
Dave G, Paul & Noreen minister to 1000 people at
Dolores Park on May 12. There was a line to use
the bathroom all day (right)
Living Waters Church, Alameda, worship
team sings at Union Square on June 2.
