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Coming Events
Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Friday June 14, 21 6 – 9 PM Witnessing inSan Francisco neighborhoods.
Sat. June 15 12-5 PM UN Plaza 7th St. and Market San Francisco. Machaira
Sat. June 22 11 AM – 1 PM Fisherman’s Wharf (Jefferson St. near Mason)
3-5 PM Union Square (Powell St. near Geary) SF. Bridgepoint Community Church, Pacifica.
SOS-San Francisco Outreach Schedule
(Schedule subject to change. Call 510-282-5629 to confirm.)
Wed. July 10 12-4 PM Berkeley Outreach. Telegraph & Haste St.
Thurs. July 11 11 AM – 4 PM Fisherman’s Wharf Jefferson St. near Mason.
Fri. July 12 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM 1st St. and Market, SF. 6-8 PM Haight St. & Masonic, SF.
Sat. July 13 12-5 PM UN Plaza 7th St. & Market SF.
An Invitation
by Scott Crawford
Dear Christian friends,
Scott Crawford is one of the founders of SOS Ministries. He came up with the idea of a week-long SOS-San Francisco outreach, along with the name “SOS.” He also started the annual outreach to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans that continues to the present day. He was one of the leaders who helped start the National Street Ministries Conference and the International Street Ministries Association in the 1980’s, encouraging street ministries to work together with one another and with the local church. He lived in Northern California and evangelized our cities and small towns for many years before moving to Colby, Kansas. Now he is back in Northern California and we are blessed having him with us once again — at least for the next four months.
At the age of 73 the Holy Spirit has prompted me to preach in the streets of every city and town in Northern California. I will also be involved in the annual SOS-San Francisco outreach, July 10-13.
There are two things I want to ask you to do this summer:
1. Put the dates July 10-13 on your calendar and come be part of this outreach. If you can’t make it all four days, at least come out Sat. July 13. We will be at UN Plaza, 7th St. and Market, from noon to 5 PM that day. Just bring your testimony to share with others who need to know Jesus. We will have great praise, worship and preaching.
2. If you live in Northern California, contact me at Scott333bx@yahoo.com and let me know what town you live in and your phone number and email. If you do, I will let you know when I will be in your town. I would love to fellowship with you. Perhaps we can gather a small group of Christians to evangelize your town.
I am also available to help train Christians in soul winning and street preaching. I have been doing this continuously for 43 years.
I ran across this poem about street preaching that my friend Bob Smith wrote after watching me preach on 14th and Broadway in Oakland CA:
Little bit o’ preaching’
somebody’s gettin’ saved.
God’s gentle hand is reachin’
to us from crib to grave
Somebody’s on the corner,
being a fool for the Lord
He’s telling all the mourners,
to rejoice in the word
People don’t understand,
this supernatural power
Their lives are grey and bland,
but God’s got for them an hour
Pedestrians pass by,
they wonder, What’s the catch?
By words that you can’t buy
their soul’s surface is scratched
Lone preacher in the night,
a voice in the wilderness
The jungle of neon lights,
of crime and bitterness
Through this foolhardy soul,
God works invisibly
He just fulfills his role,
and they hear of God’s family
Who knows the repercussions,
of chain reaction zeal?
Amidst the truckin’ and fussin’
no one appears to feel
But despite the indifferent mob,
the light of Christ can’t hide
Amidst the traffic’s throb,
someone’s cryin’ inside
On the Streets
On Sat. April 6, we witnessed in Berkeley. A team of 40 Christians from River of Life Church in Aberdeen, WA joined us. Their group consisted of parents with small children, and youth from junior high through college. I did some teaching on evangelism in the morning and they ministered with us that afternoon. They had prepared some drama skits that required too much room to do on the street corner where we set up. Instead I suggested they go to People’s Park, which is half a block away. This was the first time we had ever tried doing an event at this park, where many homeless people live.
When we arrived, some volunteers were fixing the stage. The head person told the group they could use the stage but asked if he could borrow their generator to cut some wood for the stage. Soon the stage was finished, and the team set up their PA and did their drama skits. Everyone, including the small children, participated in the skits. Afterwards, I preached for 5 minutes and a man started threatening us and unplugged our speakers. He said that we couldn’t talk about Jesus there because of “separation of church and state.” Then an older woman started screaming obscenities at us, saying that there was no God.
This team was from a small town and Berkeley was quite a culture shock for them and a bit overwhelming. Afterwards, I spoke with some of the high school students and encouraged them to witness to their friends. Several of them told me that it was a very good experience for them.
That afternoon, I spoke with Jacob, who grew up in a Christian foster home in Oregon. He said he believed in Jesus and read the Bible every day, but had been living in the park for the past month. Eddie witnessed to Sean, a Catholic student at the university who thought he was saved by works. Dave witnessed to Daniel, another Catholic student and Greg, a Thai student from Santa Cruz who had never heard the gospel. He gave him a Bible, and Greg said he would read it.
On Fri. April 12, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Shortly after we arrived, I noticed two teenage boys reading our tracts. I spoke with Tanis. Dave spoke with Alex. Both are Catholics and both were quite receptive to the gospel. Later, we witnessed to Jordan and Jonathan. Both were about 20 and were Jews from Connecticut. I shared with them about how Jesus fulfilled many Old Testament prophesies, and they were listening.
That night, Kris witnessed to Ashley, 17. She is from a family of gypsy fortune tellers and we have spoken to her before. She claims to be a Christian, but is quite confused about the gospel. Allan witnessed to a young homeless man (about 25) also named Allan. He bought him some socks and some food. He is an alcoholic and can’t sleep at night, but wasn’t ready to put his trust in Jesus. Mike witnessed to another young homeless man, Keith. He bought him some food, shared the gospel with him and prayed with him. Dave spoke with Allie and Andrew. Allie is a Christian but her fiancé Andrew is not. Dave shared the gospel with him.
The next day, we witnessed at 5th St. and Market. There was a large socialist demonstration nearby, and Eddie witnessed to one of the demonstrators, Antoine, who is from Brazil. Dave witnessed to Eric, a homeless man. He bought him some food and shared the gospel with him. He was quite open to the gospel message.
Ministry News and Needs
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for the ministry. We have two new members of our evangelism house. Isaiah Harrison is 28 and comes from a small town in Louisiana, but he attended Patten Bible College in Oakland for 2 years. Mike Sheafe is 31. He is a mobile auto mechanic and also ministers on Sunday in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco with City Impact. It is a blessing having them join us.
We have set the dates for this year’s SOS-San Francisco outreach – July 10-13. This is our 34th year. We have printed 3000 cards to publicize this event. Let me know if you need any to distribute at your church, Christian bookstores, and other locations where Christians gather. I will be happy to mail them to you.
Please pray for those people we have witnessed to this past month, especially those I mentioned in this newsletter. I hope many of you will join us for an outreach this next month.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum