Coming Events
(Outreaches subject to change. Call (510) 282-5629 a few hours before the outreach to confirm)
Friday February 21, 28 5-8 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Sat. February 22 12 – 4 PM 5th and Market St. S.F.
Sat. February 29 12 – 4 PM Berkeley outreach (Shattuck and Center St.)
HOW SOS MINISTRIES GOT STARTED – PART 10
Berkeley Lawsuit
Bridgepoint Community Church worship group at Union Square.
Dear Christian friends,
After our criminal charges in Berkeley were dismissed, our lawyer, Julia Spain, also filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Berkeley and the University of California for violating our civil rights. Proceeding with a lawsuit against the government is a long and expensive matter. The ministry in which I was saved (Shiloh Youth Revival Centers) was forced into bankruptcy after spending $200,000 to defend itself against the IRS. A Christian anti-cult ministry spent over $300,000 to defend itself against a lawsuit, but was forced into bankruptcy when it ran out of money. And we were filing a lawsuit against two government agencies which had unlimited budgets. We had no money and a Christian lawyer defending us at her own expense. It was truly a “David and Goliath” situation. I remember going to a deposition at the offices of the law firm representing the University located in the fanciest suite I had ever seen. They had six high-priced lawyers plus several law clerks on their side while I had one lawyer.
Halfway through the process, Julia Spain decided to leave law practice. Amazingly, her law partner Jack Leonard, not an evangelical Christian, agreed to continue the lawsuit at his own expense. He spent about 20 full days in depositions and thousands of dollars in legal fees. Eventually, the city realized that we weren’t giving up and agreed to settle the case. At the settlement hearing, the Berkeley city attorney told me that this was the first time they had ever agreed to change their policy in response to a lawsuit. We reached a settlement on March 24, 1992. The Berkeley Police Department changed their official policy regarding the handling of street preachers in a way that was fairer to us. The City of Berkeley acknowledged our “right to conduct a public ministry” and committed to “make every effort to avoid future unnecessary confrontations.” And both the City of Berkeley and the University paid us a token amount to settle the case.
Once that lawsuit was filed in August of 1989, we noticed a dramatic change in the behavior of the police. They became very nice. Never again were we even threatened with arrest. They rarely even asked to see our permit. The arrests and the lawsuit became front page news in the Daily Californian, the student paper. Many people were sympathetic to the problems we were facing. And as the police stopped harassing us, the opposition on the street decreased dramatically. Street vendors who had vowed to get us off the street were silent. And most of the hecklers started leaving us alone.
Today, we have tremendous freedom to preach the gospel in a peaceful atmosphere. No longer do we dread going to Berkeley. At the least, the legal battle has given us several more years of freedom to preach the gospel in Berkeley.
In 2009, a few Berkeley street vendors and store owners staged a protest against our outreaches on Telegraph Ave. Soon after, the city proposed two new noise ordinances that would have stopped us from getting permits there. The ordinances limited where permits could be issued and how many someone could get. Clearly, they were written in a way that would prevent us from getting permits.
Both laws passed upon their first reading. I learned about it by reading a news article. I sent out emails to various left-wing groups, because these ordinances could also affect their First Amendment rights (though in reality I knew the city would only enforce the ordinance against us.) About 20 left-wing activists attended the City Council meeting and protested. Of course, the city rejected both ordinances.
Unfortunately, a few years later the permit officer found another excuse to deny us permits on Telegraph Avenue. He said there was too much traffic on the street. This was not true. However, I decided not to dispute the matter. We had started getting permits outside the Berkeley BART station, and it was actually a better location than Telegraph Avenue, which has become less busy in recent years.
On the Streets
On Sat. Sept. 14, we witnessed at Union Square. New Life Christian Church, Hayward, played music. This has been my home church for over 30 years. Janet Long (who first witnessed with us in 1984) witnessed to Velma, a deaf woman, using the limited sign language she knew. Velma took a tract and read it. Alex witnessed to Jim, a Jehovah’s Witness, who listened to the gospel and went through verses proving that Jesus is God. Mike witnessed to Ann, 30, a Chinese woman who asked lots of questions. She took a gospel of John. He also witnessed to 5 young people from Norway — three men and two women. He shared his testimony and the gospel message with them. He witnessed to two women who were part of a basketball team at UC Davis. They were unsaved, but had occasionally attended a Christian group on campus. Finally, he witnessed to Sean, from Australia, who was attending an Oakland A’s baseball fantasy camp. He was Catholic, and Mike spoke with him about salvation through faith and there being only one mediator between God and man.
On Friday Sept. 20, we witnessed at 16th and Mission. Alex witnessed to Jose, whose grandfather used to preach on this street corner. Jose was not saved but was receptive to the gospel. Alex prayed for him. Brandon, Mike and Alex all witnessed to Victor. Victor approached Mike and asked, “Could you answer one question? Why do I struggle with alcohol?” Victor grew up in Nicaragua and was molested by a man when he was 5. As an adult, Victor had a chance to murder that man. He pointed a loaded gun at the man’s head. The man pleaded for his life. Victor decided to forgive him. Victor was familiar with Bible scriptures but was unsaved. Brandon, Mike and Alex shared the gospel with him, prayed for him and bought him food.
The next day, we witnessed at United Nations Plaza. Alex witnessed to Carlos, who said he wanted to follow Jesus but struggled with a meth addiction. He also witnessed to Scott, who struggled with opiates and was homosexual. He said, “I want my body again to be a Temple.” Mike witnessed to Rudolph, from El Salvador, who was recruited as a child soldier when he was 12. He saw many people dying and started drinking. He quit drinking in 2001. Mike shared the gospel with him and invited him to City Impact. He also witnessed to Resa, from Iran, who had a friend who is a pastor. Brandon witnessed to Javier, 25, who said he really wanted to get right with God. Dave and Mike witnessed to Adam, 23, who was addicted to methadone. He was separated from his wife and had a Pentecostal background. They invited him to City Impact and he came the next day. He also attended a Bible study and care group.
On Friday Oct. 4, we witnessed at 24th and Mission. Mike ministered to Tommy. He had been kicked out of a Salvation Army program that day and had been drinking. Alex witnessed to Matthew, who had a drug problem. He took a Bible and let him pray for him.
The next day, we held our last Union Square outreach of the year. The worship group from Bridgepoint Community Church in Pacifica ministered. Alex, Mike, and Kathy all ministered to Paul, 50, who is a Christian but said he was not right with God. He said he could not read, but God gave him the ability to read the Bible when he was saved. Alex witnessed to Jesse and Eileen, both Jehovah’s Witnesses. Alex shared his testimony with them and they listened. He also told them about Stephen in the Bible, who grew up in a religious system and had to oppose that system and face persecution when he was saved. Mike witnessed to Alex, 23, an atheist from Russia. Mike showed him about fulfilled Bible prophecies and he said it was very interesting. He said he had been listening to Hillsong worship music.
How SOS Ministries Got Started
Part 1: 1975-1979
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=201903
Part 2: 1980
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=201904
Part 3: Leadership
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=201905
Part 4: 1981
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=201906
Part 5: 1984-1985
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=201908
Part 6: Discipleship Houses
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=201910
Part 7: The Laborers are Fewer
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=201911
Part 8: Division
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=201912
Part 9: Berkeley
http://www.sosmin.com/?m=202001
Ministry Needs
Thank you for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. We still have room for two men in our ministry house. We are looking for spiritually mature Christians who are seriously interested in doing street evangelism. Whenever we announce openings in our house, we get inquiries from Christians who lack spiritual maturity or only want a cheap place to live. We are also looking for younger Christians, as our desire is to see this ministry continue for many decades.
We also need someone to play music on our Friday night outreaches.
I hope many of you will join us for an outreach this next month.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
