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Coming Events
Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Friday March 1, 8, 15, 22 6 – 9 PM Witnessing inSan Francisco neighborhoods.
Sat. March 2, 9, 16, 23 11 AM – 4 PM San Francisco Outreach, Fisherman’s Wharf (Jefferson St. near Mason)
Getting Our Priorities Right
Dear Christian friends,
As I was walking through our neighborhood, I encountered a Jehovah’s Witness man going door to door with his two children. Members of this cult come through our neighborhood about once a month. I have seen mothers bringing their infants in baby carriages. I have learned from a former Jehovah’s Witness that the average active Jehovah’s Witness spends about 4 hours a week witnessing. At that rate, it takes them about 16 years to gain one convert. Also, they spend many hours at their meetings practicing how to witness, using role-playing to go over various questions they might be asked, and learning how to respond.
Every time I see them, I marvel at their dedication to a false cause. They work secular jobs and support their families. They spend time with their families and participate in the activities at the Kingdom Hall. Yet, they all spend time going door to door spreading their message. Why can’t we Christians, who have the truth, do as much? We say we have no time for witnessing, but Jehovah’s Witnesses find the time to witness.
Many Christians say witnessing is ineffective because we don’t lead someone to Christ every time we go out. Yet the Jehovah’s Witnesses will patiently go door to door, facing one rejection after another, for 3200 hours to get one convert! Many Christians will not inconvenience themselves for even one hour to witness to an unsaved person. The only explanation I have is that Satan opposes our witnessing, but not theirs. Satan has given us a variety of excuses not to witness, and we have believed him.
Mormon youth devote two years to missionary work. Why can’t Christian youth do as much? Our goal at SOS Ministries is to encourage and train Christians to become more involved in evangelism, on the streets, to friends and relatives, at work and school, and on the foreign mission field. We also want to help those who are called to be evangelists to become more effective in their personal ministries and in equipping the church to witness.
Moved with Compassion
“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” Matt. 9:36‑38. It is interesting to study the word compassion as it appears in the Bible. In this passage, Jesus’ compassion for the multitudes leads Him to instruct His disciples to pray for more laborers. In Luke 10:33, the good Samaritan had compassion on the man who had been robbed, and helped him. In Luke 15:20, the father had compassion on the prodigal son. Often, it was said that a healing or miracle was motivated by Jesus’ compassion for someone.
In Matthew 24, Jesus said, speaking of the last days, “Because iniquity shall abound, the (agape) love (of Christians) shall wax cold.” Surrounded by so much wickedness, we Christians can easily harden our hearts to those around us. I get tired of people asking me for spare change, knowing most will use it for drugs and alcohol. I don’t want to support these habits, but I do want to have compassion for these people and seek to meet their legitimate needs. When I preach, I often speak of God’s holiness and judgment, but I must always preach with a heart broken by God’s love. As hard as people’s hearts may be, I must remember that God is not willing that any should perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance. God is able to, and often does, save the hardest sinner.
In 1 Corin. 13, Paul says we can even have the faith to move mountains and give all our goods to feed the poor, yet without charity we are nothing. Jesus gave us two commandments. The first is to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. The second is like unto it, to love our neighbor as ourselves. Who is my neighbor? Every one around me. If I truly love the unsaved people around me, I will do everything possible to tell them about Jesus and prevent them from suffering eternal torment in Hell.
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Are you following in the footsteps of our Lord? Is your purpose in life to seek and to save those who are lost? God, deliver us from Pharisaical religion! Give us compassion for those around us who are headed for eternal Hell without Christ!
On the Streets
On Jan. 18 we witnessed onCastro St. This is the center for homosexual activity in the city and, of course, a difficult place to witness. We witness in a very low-key way in this neighborhood, passing out tracts and talking with people. Dave witnessed to Conrad, who is Catholic. Eddie and I witnessed to Eric, whose parents attended theFoursquareChurch. His father apparently started drinking heavily and committed suicide a few years ago. Eric is 27 and had gotten free from heroin. However, he still used other drugs. We gave him a New Testament.
The next day, we witnessed inBerkeley. Dave witnessed to Kevin, about 20 years old, who is homeless and grew up in a Christian home but wasn’t saved. He also witnessed to Darleen, who is also homeless. Larry DuBois witnessed to Hank, who asked a lot of questions and then listened to his preaching. I witnessed to Ali, a young man who grew up Muslim but rejected Islam and Christianity. He said it was because both religions believe homosexuality is sinful.
Amanda and Phyllis had several good conversations that day. Emma was an atheist who has a Christian background. They answered many of her questions and prayed with her. Amir is a Muslim science student at UC Berkeley. He also had lots of questions and, at the end, said, “Ok, maybe I will read the Bible”. Josh was a Buddhist who was wearing a T-shirt with the Virgin Mary on it. They answered many of his questions and shared the gospel with him. He took a New Testament and asked where he should start reading in it.
On Jan. 26 we witnessed at Powell & Market. Six young people stopped to listen to our preaching. Dave spoke to Jordan, who initially mocked the Christians. As they talked,Jordantold how he overturned his car and nearly died. Initially he refused to take a gospel tract and left with his friends. However, he returned later and listened to more of the preaching and took a tract.
Dave also witnessed to Nicole, a Catholic fromBostonwho was quite receptive to the gospel. Eddie and Matt witnessed to Ricardo and his brother Alex, who are fromMexico. Matt took them through the law and the gospel. Matt got Ricardo’s phone number to follow-up on him. Eric Martinez witnessed to Rasi, who took a tract and walked away. Later he returned and said he had some questions about Christianity. Eric talked with him about the Trinity and Heaven and invited him to get together for coffee and talk some more.
On Jan. 27 we witnessed inBerkeley. I witnessed for about 45 minutes to Ryan and Joshua, who are in their 20’s and were sitting in People’s Park. Ryan used to attend an evangelical church, but he and Joshua are both now very heavily into New Age thinking.
Ministry News and Needs
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for the ministry. Eddie and Allan still need jobs. For the past six months, a computer programmer has been working on a new program for our mailing list and donation receipts. The program we have been using for about 25 years is outdated, and does not work in new computers. The new program is now ready and works really well. Last month, I wrote about Joshua, who Adrian and the team from the Lord’s Ranch met at Fisherman’s Wharf on November 2. They took him back to their discipleship ranch inSpokane. Since then, he gave his heart to the Lord and is growing spiritually.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum