Coming Events
Friday November 4, 11 4-7 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Saturday November 5, 12 1—5:30 PM Witnessing at Fisherman’s Wharf, Embarcadero between Powell and Taylor.
SOS-SAN FRANCISCO OUTREACH REPORT
Dear Christian friends,
Our 43rd annual SOS-San Francisco outreach took place from July 6 – 9. Chuck Girard and Paul and Noreen Coca ministered with us all four days. Tim Moon joined us on Wed., but was unable to stay the rest of the week. Four Christians from Good Shepherd Church in Sacramento joined us the final three days. They sang, preached and shared their testimonies on the streets for the first time. About 10-20 Christians from Christ Forgiveness Church joined us every day. Most are in their teens and twenties. Steve Carothers drove here from Idaho.
On Wed. July 6, we witnessed at 16th and Mission and 16th and Valencia. Mike spoke with Otis, an LGBT pastor who’s now retired. Mike told him that homosexuality is listed as a sin in the Bible. Otis rationalized being pro- LGBT. He said that there’s a lot of heterosexual pastors who are cheating on their wives. Mike said God would deal with those heterosexual pastors that are in sin, but that it doesn’t justify Otis breaking God’s laws. Otis then told Mike not to judge. Mike said everybody judges. He asked him if he thought pedophilia was wrong. Otis agreed the pedophilia is wrong. Mike said therefore that Otis also judges. Otis agreed and they shook hands and he left.
Tats spoke with Javier who told him that he wants to believe in God but that he has trouble with forgiveness. The mob killed his family and he has bitterness in his heart towards God. Tats revealed that he also had bitterness regarding abuse from his family when he was a child, which he had to let go of. Tats mentioned Matthew 5:44, that unless we forgive others, we’re not in God’s will. He also mentioned that bitterness is toxic and it will destroy our own souls. We have to forgive for our own sakes also. Javier agreed. They left on good terms.
John spoke with William, a Jewish man who is agnostic. William has trouble with the doctrine of the Trinity. He also has trouble believing that Jesus is God. He said he needed more information regarding the New Testament. He wanted a sign from God. John said that he needs to start reading the Bible and seeking the truth for himself and not waiting for a sign. William agreed and then left.
The next day, we witnessed at 5th and Market and also at 4th and Market. Jimmy, who had heavy tattoos and a shaved head, approached me while we were setting up. He is part of Urban Alchemy, a new program that San Francisco implemented having ex-convicts to look after the streets of San Francisco. Jimmy was very combative and argumentative with me, so I asked Andy to talk with him. He spoke with Jimmy for about 45 minutes to calm him down. Jimmy is a former strong-armed robber, also a former human trafficker. He has spent most of his life in prison. He revealed scars on his belly from knife fights. Jimmy was very upset that SOS did not come to him and ask to set up on his turf. Jimmy seems to still think that he’s in prison with prison etiquette, even though he’s now working on maintaining San Francisco streets. Andy apologized for SOS not asking his permission to be there, and Jimmy then acknowledged that Christians being on the streets is a good thing for the city. He acknowledged that there’s a lot of crime and other problems on the streets that could be solved by people coming to God. Andy then asked him about his own walk with God, if he read the Bible and prayed every day. Andy showed him a verse in Ephesians that he can be a saint of God (Jimmy had a large tattoo on the top of his head that said he was not a saint). Jimmy said he didn’t want to be a saint. He was happy how he was. They left on good terms.
John spoke with CB, a drug dealer who had a table set up selling marijuana and prescription painkillers. John said that that’s illegal and that he was hurting people. CB said that he just had to look after his kids. John responded, “What about other people’s kids that you’re harming with these drugs?” CB said he really didn’t care about other people’s kids. John told him that God would judge him for what he’s doing. He didn’t seem to affected by that.
On Friday and Saturday, July 8-9, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. Andy spoke with a visiting French family. Eric and his wife Selena were there with their son Nick. They said that they were fine being secular and didn’t really need God. Andy told him they’re going to need God, as the economy is going to get much worse in the next year or so, especially in Europe with all the problems they’re having with energy. It got their attention. They agreed things might get worse in the future. Andy asked him if they have any such thing as Christian street preachers in France. They said that the only thing they have in France similar to this are Muslims, who can be vocal in the marketplace. Andy told him the difference between Christians and Muslims is that Christians love them and care about their souls. The father asked Andy why Christians care so much and he told him it’s because God has changed our hearts to care about others. Also, we want to see them go to Heaven. The French family was very moved by that. The father then asked Andy why he believes in the Bible so much. Andy told him that it’s the testimony of many credible witnesses in the Bible. Multiple witnesses went to their death testifying that they saw Jesus Christ after His resurrection. The whole family agreed that they should read the Bible and look further into the claims of Jesus Christ.
On Sat. July 9, Ryan spoke with Anthony, who was listening to the preaching. Ryan walked up and asked him if he had faith in God. Anthony said that he did and that he was studying to be a Christian counselor. He seemed to know about God, but Ryan didn’t believe that he was born again. Anthony had been reading psychology books in his studies to be a Christian counselor. Ryan mentioned that the Bible would be a much better book to study to be a good Christian counselor. Anthony agreed that he should also give counsel to people from the Bible.
Mike spoke with Antoine, who was sitting on a bench enjoying our music. He told Mike he’d been in a gang in Hunters Point. He knew the Bible, and had been going to church for a while but was no longer fellowshipping with other Christians. According to Antoine, his church had rejected him after he confessed a serious sin from his past to his pastor. The whole church apparently heard about it and became very cold to him. He felt that he been betrayed by the pastor. Mike told him not to give up on his Christian walk just because of one bad experience. Antoine agreed.
Tats spoke with a group of six teen boys. Tats told them about Hell and the risk of going there for all who are not in Christ. One of the boys got angry. He told Tats that truth is relative and that that’s not his truth, as he walked away. Tats said that he was a coward, since he’s running away from absolute truth. The young man came back and said that he’s an atheist. He asked Tats how he knows there’s life after death. Tats told him that Jesus talked about life after death very often in the Bible. Jesus also talked about Hell quite a bit in the Bible. The young man then said he was a homosexual. Tats told him that the Bible is very clear that God only approves of one man and one woman being together, and that it’s not okay to stay homosexual. Tats shared his testimony as a former homosexual. The other young men were all listening to the conversation. They were appreciative of Tats’ candor.
A Final Word
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry.
A few months ago, we lost a wonderful friend and co-worker in the kingdom of God. Douglas Shearer graduated into the presence of Jesus Christ! He was one of the initial founders of SOS Ministries. For 30 years he pastored New Hope Christian Fellowship in Sacramento. He also founded TAV Ministries, pioneering a unique ministry to the Jewish community. They brought together thousands of evangelical Christians and unsaved Jews in joint worship services in which the gospel was preached. He developed close relationships with some of the world’s top rabbis. Keep his family in prayer, his wife Sita, his four children and 13 grandchildren. For 40 years, I spent Christmas with him and his family. We will dearly miss our brother.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
