Once again I have had the priveledge of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the San Francisco Bay Area. This report encompasses my time here from October 16, 2011 through November 7, 2011
A lot has taken place these last couple of weeks so as you read the stories please remember to pray for me and those who were touched by God.
Please click on any of the three tabs on the top of this page to look at the events and photos of each city. Thank you!
Bay Area Evangelists: Eric Martinez, Dan Losak, Larry Rosenbaum, Dave St. Marie, Amanda Moghadas, Scott Crawford, Kylan Schroeder, Sergio
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Testimonies & Praayer Requests
Bernadine, a woman who I met on two different days stopped to hear John 3:17-23 as I often quote this passage. She asked me about it and what it meant. I shared with her and then gave her a New Testament. A few days later she came by again and this time I prayed for her to have understanding and the ability to retain what she reads. She had been reading the N.T. that I gave her. Pray for her to have understanding, and also she is some sort of steward of a few disabled children.
Brenda , a woman who waited patiently until I stopped in between sessions shared with me, as tears rolled down her face, that as I was speaking she was sitting down and praying to the Lord that she wanted to repent. She already a believer and baptized was struggling so I prayed for her before she left on a bus. This was very encouraging to say the least.
A man and a woman stepped off the bus and as they came by and the man stopped to listen and she kept walking all the time telling him to come on and she didn't want to hear me. He said that He would stop and hear no matter what she did, this caused a bit of a scene as she screamed across the street. He stayed and he blessed me with a prayer and told me to pray for Alfredda. Christ causes division. Praise God for this man's confession before men.
In the course of going downtown I met two men who standout, both are Christians. The first man is from Nigeria and was in town to take firefighting training. His government sent him here.
The other man was young, in his twenties, and from Ethiopia . He took a Bible and was in need of a place to fellowship. May the Lord answer his request.
On two different occasions a school group came by where I was preaching and in both cases the leaders didn't seem to know which way to go, but just stopped right by me. This allowed a small window of opportunity to tell the kids about Jesus. Tracts don't usually work in these situations but the preaching is something they cannot stop the kids from hearing.
Only Day Across From Protesters: The bulk of the crowd from what I could see showed no visible signs of anything but deadness. I continued to preach while in my mind I was asking the Lord to send somebody, like another Christian, seconds later and then for the next few minutes I had several Christians come by and give me the, "thata boy" and keep going encouragements. I preached virtually unhindered even as police on bicycles across the street stood and watched.
You may have heard of "Occupy Wall Street", we use to call it a "sit in" I am not sure exactly what they are protesting but it has been all over the news. Here in Oakland they have had several instances with the police as they were told to vacate the downtown area. This ended up to be a battle. Also last Wednesday the Occupy Oakland group called for an all-city rally in which they shut down the Port of Oakland. I was in San Francisco that day preaching.
I did however go into Oakland on the day after and it had evidence of riotous behavior with broken out windows and graffiti all over. Most of my preaching in Oakland was done two blocks away on 12th and Broadway. Here is a link to a photo journalists report on the first conflict between Police and protestors. CLICK HERE
Although not interviewed (Thank God) a reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle talked with me asking me why I wasn't down where the action was. In my discourse to him about my strategy I was able to share the Gospel.
MORE PHOTOS
OVERVIEW
Today I went preaching in downtown Oakland at the corner of 13th and Broadway. I have been there before but across the street. This is the first time I went preaching in Oakland since Richard Latimer was here at SOS and we went there often during the summer of 2007. Wow has it been that long?
There were many in Oakland who stopped and listened to the preaching of the Gospel. Because of this I was able to hand out many New Testaments, as well as, some other Christian booklets. I was able to encourage and pray for several individuals who the Lord was drawing. I believe it was and is well worth the time to have ministered in this city.
I preached a total of seven days that were scattered among the couple of weeks I was here in the Bay Area. Another item of note is that to my knowledge there is not a street preacher that frequents downtown Oakland. All the guys in the area here that I know are either going to San Francisco, Berkeley, or San Jose. On Facebook and other internet networks there are certain city's that have a number of preachers in and around evangelizing, but to my knowledge, not Oakland. There are those who minister in other areas of town and that I am thankful for.
Today was blistery and raining somewhat but I went to preach in downtown Oakland. I was met with the downtown in a shambles; broken windows and graffiti all over. Banks had the windows boarded up. Not sure if it was prevention or after the fact. Crews private and public were out scrubbing and removing paint from buildings. I didn't see the news but some encounter with the Police was last night. I noticed other spiritual warfare as well. I was at 12th & Broadway a proven spot.
The people interested in the things of God were far and few between today. Like a cloud of antichrist spirit had covered Oakland. I had a few nasty hecklers although they were short on staying. An argument in front of Wells Fargo broke out between security and an unhappy customer at the cash machine. A lady stumbled and fell on the corner in front of me as so often happens when the preaching is present. I had a hard time getting out the Gospel and it was a real battle. Even with all this I passed out the rest of the box of items I had such as; New Testaments, Christian booklets and The Gospel of John's.
San Francisco, the most densely populated city outside of New York has many people to witness to everyday. The Lord allowed me to preach in San Francisco on ten different occasions, some of those days were an all day venture. Fisherman's Wharf, The Powell & Market area, (where the cable cars turnaround is located), are among the many places to go. 4th & Market proved to be a very good place to preach to thousands of pedestrians as they pass by.
The weather was excellent here and it allows for many opportunities to witness. I often hear that street preaching is impersonal and that relational or friendship evangelism is a superior method. I want to share with you the people who I saw here this trip that in the past I have developed a relationship with because of the street preaching; Caesar, Tom, Les Union Square Security, William, Freddie, Jesse, Kevin, Harold, Margaret, Michael, Jerry, Fredrick, Officer Dalburg, and old friend, Dennis Hitchcock.
SF Ferry Building Embarcedero
CLICK PICTURES TO ENLARGE
Chris (Scrap)
It was Thursday on 4th and Market and thousands must have heard the Gospel that day as I was there preaching for two hours. I noticed at the pinnacle of sharing Jesus on the cross several men stopped and came up close and listened. There is something about the cross. A young man named Scrap also came up and asked about a Church. So I told him to come this Sunday to Calvary Road. I didn't have one invitation card on me but I drew him a map. He came that following Sunday and received a Bible. Pastor Eric talked with him at length and Chris is not saved. We prayed for him but I have not seen him since.
I prayed for a man who stood 5 feet away and listened to me for at least 45 minutes. His name was Ernie and he was in bad shape physically and mentally and spiritually. I prayed for him to have deliverance and he was crying. He was very thankful and I visited with him at the end as well. He confessed of always backsliding.
On a Friday night we went to the Fisherman's Wharf. The highlight of the evening is that Dave from SOS Ministries talked to a couple who were inquiring about the Lord. He gave them a Bible. Also there was a man, Steve, who I don't think was saved going to Afghanistan we prayed for him. There were two drunks that need our prayers as well.
After many hours evangelizing on the embarcadero. I did have a divine appointment with Robert, a man on methadone, that is a believer. I was sharing about the sermon on the mount, about mourning. Robert said he was mourning over his sin. I prayed and encouraged him. I gave him a New Testament. Praise God!
4TH
&
MARKET
POWER TO
THE PEOPLE
OBAMA PROTESTERS HEAR THE GOSPEL
Unbeknownst to us President Obama was in SF the day we were preaching downtown. There was a group of protesters that came by with a police escort. Ironically they were very quiet as they passed us so I continued to preach. There was visible favor from several of the officers as they stood for several minutes at that corner. There were patty wagons, motorcycles, and police cars all ascending on the corner. As the group passed by it was if the Lord caused them to be quiet. The other people passing by were quiet as well, almost an erry feeling. It was amazing as hundreds at one time heard the Gospel. After they turned the corner and left us you could hear the roar of them shouting out and chanting there agenda again.
Dan, Seth, Walter, and I witnessed in Livermore this Halloween. Dan had about 75 chick Halloween tracts. We prayed and went into downtown Livermore. The highlight was talking to about a dozen or so youth from their late teens to early twenties. Hannah was the most engaged in our conversations and although she had many questions she is not born again. She professes a faith though. There was also A.J. a Hindu who we shared with but could not get past the many roads lead to Rome theory. We prayed for these as well as the others.
OAKLAND
SAN FRANCISCO PHOTOS MARKED WITH * COURTESY OF DAN LOSAK
