January 2000 Newsletter

January 2000 Newsletter
SWAT Team for Christ
"He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak." Mark 7:37b

ARE THE DEAF LOOKING FOR A PUBLICK SIGN?

The old dog was taught a new publick ministry trick this past month. On New Year’s Eve the SWAT team joined forces with pastor Ed Ware’s church in Phoenix to preach to many hundreds of "partiers" gathering in Tempe, AZ for the Y2K (HA) celebration. As I preached a teenaged girl from the church stood beside me and signed the deaf sign language for my sermon. It was of no distraction to me but it sure did help some in attracting the attention of the ones who would normally pass right on by. It never occurred to me that as I preach there may be deaf folk walking by who would be totally unaware of what is happening. Michelle Kinsfather makes it her ministry to provide publick interpretation for the hearing impaired. She told me that although no one has actually responded to her directly, several folk have taken photos of her as she ministered. A photo of her ministry is on our web site at by clicking here. This is another way to publish the gospel and another opportunity for someone to minister publickly. Michelle learned sign language from a home school high school course and from a book. She has been at it about three years and plans to use it as a ministry for her Lord. Keep up the good work for the Lord Michelle.

BIBLE COLLEGE SWAT-TEAMER

We were real pleased to have a fine young Bible College student by the name of Chris Creed travel with us for the two weeks of Christmas vacation. Chris is a veteran of the 99 Blitz in CA as well as the 99 Blast in Memphis, TN. His father, Ron Creed will always be famous for his video taping of the Beale Street march last year. Chris is currently a student in Capitol City Baptist Bible College in Austin, TX., pastor Hank Thompson. Christ preached with us in Texas, Arizona and Mexico. "Quit ye like men"….Chris!

BEALE STREET BLAST

Speaking of the Blast in the paragraph above, let me call your attention to the flyer inserted with this letter. Yes…it is time to seriously consider and make your plans accordingly for this year’s national street preacher’s convention in Memphis. The seminars, fellowship and opportunities to minister will be sure to combine so that everyone who attends will have a BLAST. Better make your reservations right now for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. SEE YOU AT THE BEALE STREET BLAST! Click here for information.

ON THE STREETS

We preached to the business crowd in downtown Tyler, TX and among them was the religious reporter for the newspaper. She called for a photographer and the gospel made another big splash on the front page of the second section of the next day’s paper. Click here to see news article and pictures. A large photo including a scripture sign and a very good story carried the gospel further than our voices did on that day. Phoenix, AZ is a great place to both winter in and preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Patriot Square is crawling with three piece suit bums and their gophers. The buildings were designed by the city fathers so that we could get maximum reverberation from our preaching. With limited auto traffic and plenty of open-air cafes we preached here several times this month with great satisfaction. Tempe, AZ is right in the vicinity of Phoenix and this city just happens to house the Arizona State University campus. One of our favorite places to preach is along the strip of nightspots just off this campus. All of the Proverbs 30:11-14 folk are there along with all of the last days prophecy fulfillers in First and Second Timothy and Peter. We indulged in this publick ministry feast every Friday night of January as well as New Year’s Eve. I preached to the "sunbirds" in Yuma, AZ that we have a zero tolerance God. Although we have learned to tolerate sin of all shades and colors that God will bring ever secret thing into judgment. We teamed up with a fine national Mexican street preacher in Algodones, Mexico a couple of times for an unlimited publick ministry opportunity. We have supported Ulises Velazquez now for the past year. He is single, 25 years old and lives by faith. He is bilingual and is a very strong publick witness to the Mexican people. Write to him via email ulises@writeme.com or snail mail APDO. Postal 5-19 Durango, DGO Mexico CP34130. He told me that his goal for 2000 is to preach everyday somewhere on the street. Pray for Ulises…he’s a good man.

IN THE CHURCHES

We were honored to minister in the following churches during the month of January. True Vine Baptist, pastor Ed Ware, Phoenix, AZ, Truth Baptist, pastor John Howe, Yuma, AZ, Sun and Shield Baptist, pastor Steve Morris, Marana, AZ and First Baptist, pastor Mike Hoover, Payson, AZ. Thanks Brothers.

EASY BELIEVE-ISM FOR BETTER RESULTS?

It nauseated us to brush against some folks last month who freely state that if it takes more than 2-3 minutes dealing with someone to win them to the Lord, you’re wasting time. One man told me with an over abundance of pride that he went out with a street preacher once and "while he was preaching I won seven souls to the Lord." This is hard to speak against because they would quickly twist it that you are not for winning souls and this is not true with the publick ministers that I have been with. One youth director taught his youth that the Bible says, "He that WINNETH SOULS is wise…not he that passeth out tracts or preaches on the street." This same small church boasted of four men who had won 1200 souls to the Lord last year. Fellow publick ministers, let us covenant together not to bow to such tactics so that we can boast of great numbers. Let us be faithful to preach the gospel to every creature knowing that it "pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Let us require, as the Lord does, repentance before salvation and let us deal with each soul with all earnest in order that they truly might be won into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Be faithful to sow the seed for it is our God that brings the increase and keeps the Book of Life. AMEN AND AMEN !!!!!!!

We continue to have need of nothing but your prayer...

Preaching the gospel on your streets and around the world,
Gerald Sutek
and the S.W.A.T. Team for Christ
2 Tim. 1:8, Amos 5:10