Coming Events
Friday April 7, 14, 21 1 3-6 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Saturday April 1, 8, 15, 22 12-4 PM San Francisco evangelism. (Call us at (510) 282-5629 for outreach location.)
OVERCOMING FEAR
Dear Christian friends,
I believe that SOS Ministries has had a tremendous impact on the people of San Francisco and many others from all over the world. We have printed and given out several million gospel tracts. We have trained thousands of Christians in evangelism, many of whom are now witnessing in their own communities. We have personally witnessed to thousands of people. We often receive calls and letters from people who were saved through this ministry. Countless others we will only learn about in heaven. We know God’s Word does not return void and that if we sow abundantly, we will reap an abundant harvest of souls for our Lord.
A great many in the church have a fear of witnessing. Our word martyr comes from the Greek word martus meaning witness. Because so many in the early church who witnessed died for their faith, the word witness became associated with death. We are fortunate in America today that we have great freedom to preach the gospel and little danger of physical harm or death for doing so. In 45 years of outreaches in San Francisco involving thousands of Christians, none of us have ever been significantly hurt while witnessing. Yet, it seems that fear of witnessing is even more prevalent here than in places where witnessing often results in death.
It seems to me that our main fear today that keeps us from witnessing is fear of ridicule or rejection. I believe that this is one of the main reasons we do not witness as we know we should — whether at work, to our friends and relatives, to people we meet in everyday life, or in special outreaches.
How do we overcome this fear? The first step is to recognize this as a sin, and come to genuine repentance concerning it. Second, understand that the reason we fear rejection, ridicule, injury or death as a result of obeying God as His witness is because we do not reckon ourselves dead to the world. Finally, we overcome fear of man by trusting in God’s love. Here are a few of the many scriptures relating to this:
“Do not be afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do….Fear not therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God; But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God” (Luke 12:4-11).
“If any man come to me, and hate not…his own life…he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).
“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung” (Phil. 3:8).
“Fear none of those things which you shall suffer; Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried…be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). “And they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev. 12:11).
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4: 18-19). “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4).
As we come to know God’s love, and are assured that He is with us and that nothing can come into our life that He does not allow, then we will be freed from the torment of fear and know His peace. “He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Heb. 13:5-6).
On the Streets
On Sat. December 3, we witnessed at 5th St. and Market. It rained most of the afternoon. We brought our canopies and tarps, trying to stay dry, but everything got wet. Fortunately, it appears that none of our PA equipment was damaged. Richard Griffin played music. Despite the rain, a lot of people were on the street, many doing Christmas shopping. Alex saw Edmond, a man whom he had witnessed to several years ago in that same location. Edmond was excited to see Alex and reported that his life has never been the same since Alex and Cal prayed for him. He says the Lord has been working in his life since that time and is so glad he had met up with Alex and Cal that day. Originally, Edmond was on his way to Humboldt County to work in marijuana fields when he heard SOS on the street preaching. He said he almost felt as if God had him rooted to the spot and felt God wanted him there to listen to the preaching. Edmond reports that he is about to get housing and is excited about what God is going to be doing in the future.
While parking our van, Mike witnessed to Marce, who works at a hotel next to City Impact, where Mike works. Mike shared the gospel with him and invited him to church. Mike also ministered to Edwin, 28, who asked him for help getting a bus ticket to Connecticut. He had been raised in a Christian home, but had drifted far from God. He wanted to go back to face criminal charges involving robbery at Yale University, where he worked as a cook. He said he was tired of running from the law. Mike shared the gospel with him and bought him a bus ticket. He texted Mike from the bus to let him know he was on his way back.
Tats witnessed to Zach, who was around 14 and involved in homosexuality. He had genuine questions about where he was going to go after he died according to the Bible, why trust in Jesus Christ, and what the Bible has to say about marriage and homosexuality. His friends were not asking genuine questions and were trying to pull Zach away from the conversation, but Zach was listening. In response, Tats explained that there is a Heaven and Hell after we die and that we all deserve Hell because we have broken God’s commandments. He explained that Jesus rose again after His crucifixion, and he shared God’s design for marriage and parts of his testimony about being delivered from homosexuality.
Tats also witnessed to two SF police officers, Officer Matsumoto and Officer Suzuki. Both were Japanese men in their 30s. Tats witnessed to them both in Japanese and English. Both of them were very receptive. Tats also witnessed to Brandon and Jake. They were Catholic and around 15-18 years old. They were genuinely seeking after God. Tats told them the gospel and Jake said that he truly believes that Jesus was crucified and rose again. Jake said that he was trying really hard to find God but he could not. Tats told Jake that we are saved by grace through faith. Brandon was asking what happens after he dies and how to be forgiven by God. Tats told him that Jesus was the only way to Heaven and without being forgiven by Jesus Christ through His gospel that there is a place called Hell. Both of them received what he had to say.
A Final Word
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry, After our Feb. 24 outreach, I had the opportunity to watch the movie “Jesus Revolution.” I thought the movie was excellent and deeply moving. While the events in this movie took place about two years before I was saved in 1970, I knew several people who were portrayed in the film. The ministry I was saved in, Shiloh Ministry, was the largest of the Jesus Movement communal ministries. Shiloh was originally called the House of Miracles. Lonnie Frisbee stayed there in 1968, as shown in the movie. In 1970, it changed its name to Shiloh. At our peak, we had about 40 communal houses in many of our nation’s largest cities. I grew up spiritually listening to Pastor Chuck Smith’s excellent teachings through the whole Bible. I met Pastor Chuck twice, first while I was at Shiloh and later I had dinner with him and some other ministry leaders a few months before he died.
I also met Lonnie Frisbee several times in the 1980’s. He preached at two of our SOS outreaches during that time. Besides being used in the massive growth of the Calvary Chapel and the Vineyard Church movements, he also evangelized in many nations around the world. He was a gifted evangelist and tens of thousands were saved through his worldwide ministry. Unfortunately, he fell badly, having some homosexual encounters that resulted in him dying from AIDS in 1993 at the age of 43. Fortunately, he got right with God before he died.
Chuck Girard was the lead singer and one of the co-founders of Love Song, the band featured in the movie. I listened to Chuck’s music a lot in the 1970’s but first met him in 1984, when he sang at our SOS outreach to the Democratic National Convention. About 1000 Christians participated in that outreach. Since that time, Chuck has continued ministering at our outreaches, most recently on March 4 of this year. I am honored to consider Chuck a good friend.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
