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Coming Events

Note: Outreaches are subject to change, especially on rainy days. Call (510) 282-5629 to confirm outreaches or for more information.

Friday April 3, 10, 17 6 – 9 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.

Sat. April 4 12 – 4 PM. San Francisco outreach. 5th St and Market.

Sat. April 11 11 AM—4 PM. San Francisco outreach. Fisherman’s Wharf. Jefferson & Mason.

Sat. April 18 12:30-4:30 PM Berkeley outreach. Shattuck and Center St.

Street preaching in the Bible

Dear Christian friends,

Life was much simpler in Bible times than it is today. There were very few ways to communicate ideas and information. Things are much different today. From the written page to the internet, there are many ways to transmit information.

Why then should we consider or emphasize the description of preaching found in the Bible? Should there be public street preaching today? The most obvious answer, as we will fully document, is God’s instruction within scripture. In this paper we will show the weakness found in contemporary approaches vs. the strength and power found in God’s way.

Many people think that only a few people, such as Pastors and Evangelists,

should be preaching the gospel. Additionally, the idea of “preaching” has been re-defined as witnessing, which for all practical purposes has eliminated the Scriptural practice of open air preaching. These two points work together to quench those who read and would follow the men in the Bible, leaving them with no example to follow. The high tech world of radio, TV, movies and internet has become the main venue for getting the Word out today.

All of these approaches share a common ingredient: they only communicate to those who want to hear or those who are already believers. The vast percentage of the audience is hearing information they already possess. Literature is useful, but only to those who take the time to read it. Witnessing is good, and should be the mainstay in a believer’s life, but again it is very hard to reach more than a few. While God uses these methods to reap some of those who are ready, the rest of the world goes without. In addition, it should be noted, many of the methods of today are very expensive, and a poor use of God’s money and the church’s time.

Public preaching is one of the most effective ways to get the Gospel to the most people in the shortest time at the least expense. And public preaching is the number one method of outreach used throughout the Bible—Old and New Testaments.

Mike prays with Susan, a homeless woman from the Ukraine, at Fisherman’s Wharf.

The Old Testament

The Old Testament is rich with accounts of PUBLIC PREACHING.

“Wisdom CRIES WITHOUT; she utters her voice IN THE STREETS: SHE CRIES IN THE CHIEF PLACE OF CONCOURSE, in the openings of the gates: in the city she utters her words…” (Proverbs 1:20-21)

“CRIES” means shouting out loud. “WITHOUT” means outside. “CHIEF PLACE OF CONCOURSE” means where the biggest crowds are.

Old Testament prophets often PREACHED at the GATES of the city. The gates were the busiest places in town. The cities in Bible times were surrounded by walls for protection, and all traffic in and out of the city went through the gate. It was the place to be to get a message to all visitors (Genesis 19:1) as well as the citizens (going in and out to work in the fields), and the king and all dignitaries.

A man PREACHING at the gate would not only reach large crowds, but also have an IMPACT on and a direct outreach to such varied arenas as: the business community, court decisions, idolatrous meetings, soldiers, government, etc.

“They hate him that rebukes in the gate, and they abhor him that speaks uprightly.” (Amos 5:10) Amos was a STREET PREACHER!

They “lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate…” (Isaiah 29:21) Isaiah was a STREET PREACHER!

“Thus said the Lord unto me, Go and stand in the GATE of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the GATES of Jerusalem; and say unto them, Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem that enter in by these gates: Thus says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 17:19-20) Jeremiah was a STREET PREACHER!

The best example in the OLD TESTAMENT of a foreign missionary is JONAH. GOD sent him to warn Nineveh. Did he rent a hall and invite people to come to a scheduled meeting? No. Jonah was charged to preach to Nineveh (as we are to the world!), not only to those who would attend his meeting, but to the whole city.

The BIBLE says Nineveh was “an exceeding great city of three days journey” (Jonah 3:3); i.e., it took 3 days just to walk around it. Diodorus confirms that Nineveh was 60 miles in circumference (Herodotus records that a day’s journey was 20 miles). Jonah 3:4 says “Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he CRIED, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” Jonah went “a day’s journey” into Nineveh, a city of 3 day’s journey, and CRIED. He was PREACHING as he was walking, i.e. OUTDOORS. Jonah was a STREET PREACHER, walking the streets as he preached his message of judgment and truth.

(To be continued. Edited from www.soulwinning.info/sp/lessons/01.htm)

On the Streets

Our first outreach of 2015 was on January 9 at Fisherman’s Wharf. Dave witnessed to Josh, who manages a shop across the street. He said he was raised in a Christian home, but he didn’t understand the gospel. Dave explained the gospel to him and gave him a New Testament. Mike met David, whom he knew from the Tenderloin district. David works at a parking lot across the street from where Mike works at City Impact. David was the head of a Christian drug program in San Francisco for seven years, but when the program closed he started drinking. Mike ministered to him and prayed with him. Amos and Ben ministered to James, a homeless man they had seen at 5^th St. and Market. He was struggling with drugs and they prayed with him.

Eddie ministered to Adam, a Christian from England who had also been struggling. Immediately after he was saved, his wife cheated on him. He was about to throw himself in front of a train, but God intervened, filling him with the Holy Spirit. Still, he had a lot of doubts and struggles with sexual temptation. Eddie and Ben also spoke with a Christian couple with a 5 year old daughter who had a very rare heart condition. They were living in a van while getting medical help for her.

The next day, we also witnessed at the Wharf. Paul and Noreen Coca ministered that afternoon. We were also blessed to have some SOS people who have been with us for over 30 years – Scott Crawford, Brian and Yvonne Clift, and Rodney and Cheryl Whitt. Dave witnessed to Patty, a Chinese Catholic who was in her 60’s. He shared about Jesus being our high priest. She said she understood the gospel and said she would talk to Jesus when she got home. Paul Coca, Ben and Amos witnessed to Matt and Thomas, both in their 20’s. Matt thought humans were simply advanced animals. Thomas pretended to be indifferent and said he didn’t believe in anything. They spoke for a long time. Mike ministered to Susan, a homeless woman from the Ukraine who had a lot of physical problems. She said she believed in Jesus, and they prayed together.

On Friday January 16, we witnessed at Powell and Market St. Shortly after we arrived, we met Almas, a young Christian tourist from Kazakhstan. He didn’t speak much English, but he passed out tracts with us most of the evening. Dave ministered to Mike, who was in his 60’s. He is a Christian who was listening to our preaching. He wanted to know that he had been forgiven for his sins. Dave prayed with him.

The next day, we were at Fisherman’s Wharf. Tim Moon played music. Dave spoke with Mike, a 21 year old homeless man whom he has been witnessing to for 1 ½ years. As Mike was leaving to pick up the van, he met Louis and Kevin, who were drinking. He shared the gospel with them and invited them to attend City Impact with him. They were both receptive to the gospel and, as Mike drove off, Louis said “I want to quit drinking.”

Ministry Needs

Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry.

We have a new member of our evangelism house. Ben Beasley (in photo above, second from right) grew up in the SF area, graduated from UC Davis and is a 23 year old software engineer. He also loves Jesus and loves to share the gospel.

Please pray for those we have witnessed to recently, especially those mentioned in this newsletter. I hope some of you will join us for an outreach this next month.