November 2011
1. The Bridge church youth pray for homeless man.
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Spiritual Multiplication
Dear Christian friends,
Soon after I moved to San Francisco in 1975, I rented a room in an apartment, which I shared with four roommates. My rent was only $70 per month. All my roommates were non-Christians, and I tried witnessing to all of them. Only one wanted to talk with me about Jesus. Tom was a senior at San Francisco State University and was a Buddhist. We had some lively discussions, sometimes turning into debates, about Christianity.
Within a month, Tom was saved. He started attending church with me. A few years later, he moved away and I lost track of him. This past month, Tom found me on the internet and called me. We got together for the first time in 30 years. Tom has continued to serve God for over 35 years. He works as a salesman, but also is involved in child evangelism. He works with churches to organize “Adventure Klub” meetings, often involving several hundred children whose parents are not Christians. Through these meetings, many hundreds of children and many of their parents have been saved. Tom’s children are now grown, and are also serving God. One of his sons is a missionary.
I wonder how many people have been saved through our ministry that
I know nothing about. How many people have been saved through their ministries?
Edward Kimble and the Shoe Salesman
Once we have been saved by Jesus, we are often excited about sharing our conversion with everyone and anyone who will listen. But, as time goes by, something changes and we find it much more difficult to speak to others about all the good Jesus has done for our lives. Sometimes it is because we are shy or perhaps low self-esteem or maybe self-doubt as we wonder “What can I possibly do for the Lord? I am no Billy Graham.” If this is how you are feeling, the following is a story about Edward Kimble and the Shoe Salesman.
It was July 1, 1885 when Edward Kimble felt the tugging of the Spirit to share his faith with a young shoe salesman he knew. At first Kimble vacillated, unsure if he should talk to the man. But he finally mustered his courage and went into the shoe store. There Kimble found the salesman in the back room stocking shoes, and he began to share his faith with him. As a result, the young shoe salesman prayed and received Jesus Christ that day. That shoe salesman’s name was Dwight L. Moody, and he became the greatest evangelist of his generation.
But the story doesn’t end there. Several years later a pastor and well-known author by the name of Frederick B. Meyer heard Moody preach. Meyer was so deeply stirred by Moody’s preaching that he himself embarked on a far-reaching evangelistic ministry. Once when Meyer was preaching, a college student named Wilbur Chapman accepted Christ as a result of his presentation of the gospel. Chapman later employed a baseball player to help him prepare to conduct an evangelistic crusade. That ballplayer, who later became a powerful evangelist himself, was Billy Sunday.
In 1924 a group of businessmen invited Billy Sunday to hold an evangelistic campaign in Charlotte, North Carolina, which resulted in many people coming to Christ. Out of that revival meeting a group of men formed a men’s prayer group to pray for the world. They prayed for Charlotte to have another great revival. God sent another evangelist named Mordecai Hamm. Hamm went to Charlotte in 1934 to hold a crusade.
Ham’s crusade went well, even though it did not have many converts. On one of the last nights under the big tent one tall, lanky young man walked up the aisle to receive Christ. That man’s name was Billy Graham.
Talk about a chain of events! And it all started with an ordinary Christian named Edward Kimble, who reached D.L. Moody, who reached Wilbur Chapman, who reached Billy Sunday, who reached Mordecai Ham, who reached Billy Graham. Look at what God has done over these many years because of the faithfulness of one person. (from treeoflifebiblechurch.org)
On the Streets
On Friday night, August 19, we witnessed at 16th St. and Mission. I witnessed to Elia and Jesus, high school students from Guatemala. Dave witnessed to Ray for a long time. He said he would start reading the Bible. We also ministered to Shanna, who is homeless, and tried to help her get off the streets.
The next day, about 40 Christians, 10 adults and 30 youth, from the Bridge Church in San Mateo witnessed with us at UN Plaza. Their youth band played and several of the youth shared testimonies and their pastor, Brian Goodell, preached and played with the band. Brian’s father, Gary, is also a pastor and was one of the founders of SOS Ministries. Brian first participated in an SOS outreach when he was a child. We witnessed to and prayed with quite a few people that afternoon. Dave witnessed to Jay, who was not saved even though many of his relatives are Christians.
On Sat. September 10, we witnessed at Dolores Park. It was a sunny day, and over 1000 people were in the park. Most are San Francisco residents in their 20’s and 30’s. “Factor 11” and the “Descendants of David” both ministered that afternoon, and I preached three times. At most locations, we only have people’s attention for a few minutes, as they walk down the street. At this park, hundreds of people listened to us for up to 4 hours.
Many of these people were quite hostile to the gospel message, but we presented the gospel in as gentle and loving a way as we could. One of our banners was torn down and covered with graffiti, but it was easily cleaned with alcohol. Dave witnessed to Jonathan, a Catholic from the Philippines, who was quite open to the gospel. He also witnessed to Anubi, a Jewish teenager who was kicked out of his home and living on the streets.
Coming Events
Note: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 761-6120 to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Fridays: November 4, 11, 18 Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods. 7:30-10 PM (Call for location).
Saturdays: November 5, 12, 19 San Francisco or Berkeley Evangelism Outreach (Call for location).
Ministry News
I received this letter from a Christian woman: “When we were in San Francisco on about July 4, we heard a street preacher. And he was preaching the gospel. It was so wonderful. I felt the people who lived here had no regard for the things of God. But those who heard the preacher, heard the Word. A nice lady there gave me a tract, and I wanted to send you some money to ‘preach the Word.’” And we received this email from a man from Greece:
”In our recent visit to San Francisco we enjoyed a few good words about our beloved Jesus along with some great music in a central square evening concert. Can you please let me know if these tracks are available somewhere because we’d really like to listen to them again? Kind regards. Panos Milis”
Thank you for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. Please pray for those who were ministered to during our evangelism outreaches.
We still have two openings in our house for Christian men who are serious about evangelism. Please pray that God will provide the right people.
I hope some of you will join us for an outreach this next month.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
2. The Bridge youth band at U.N. Plaza.
3. Sign in Academy of Art Institute window during U.N. Plaza outreach.
4. Factor 11 plays at Dolores Park.
5. Over 1,000 people hear the Gospel at Dolores Park.
