January 2001 Newsletter
SWAT Team for Christ
"…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Revelation 2:10

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH

"Faithful unto death"; what a noble thought, what a superb spiritual quality, what a way to go. I attended a funeral of a faithful, 85 year old servant of the Lord last year in which they referred to him as having "finished well". I like that, and I would love to have that said of me when I graduate. We had two faithful witnesses pass to their reward this past month. As far as I know both Steve Stephenson (a veteran publick minister for many years) and Mrs. Cheryl Deegan (wife of veteran street preacher, Kevin Deegan) were faithful to the very end. Several souls were brought into the kingdom by the passing of both of these faithful witnesses. Be sure and win your crown of life by being a faithful witness. Their passing leaves vacancies that we simply cannot tolerate on the front line. Will YOU jump in to fill these gaps in the hedge in these urgent last few minutes?

ON THE STREETS

New Year’s Eve always provides great opportunities for publick ministry. This year I preached a message of challenge to Hank Thompson’s Capitol City Baptist church during the watch night service and 54 of us joined in rank that same night to give a strong witness for righteousness in the club (bar) section of Austin, TX. I simply could not believe it was really happening when an officer approached us as we ministered in Pensacola, Fl., and told us that publick preaching was against the law. Bob Love and I could race back 32 years on that same street and call up fond memories of publick ministry there. Knowing the officer was ignorant of the law, we continued. The officer soon returned and added to his ignorance. He now admitted that his first claim was wrong and that we could preach but we had to have a permit to pass out tracts. This was even sillier and a quick call to his captain straightened everything out. Eddie Wendel also joined us that day in Pensacola. He and Bro. Love both attend Smyrna Baptist Church. It sure is good to see another church in Pensacola doing publick ministry. Some students from PBI and I went down to the bar section of Mobile, AL. late one Friday night to minister. The apathy in these southern cities is extreme. We might as well have been telephone poles as far as the response was concerned. The apathy has almost evolved into rocks in the city of Deland, FL. While we were passing from one intersection to the next, a shop owner in the middle of the block opened her door and shooed us off the sidewalk. Our intention was to pass to the next intersection but, suddenly this seemed a most appropriate spot for a street meeting. The authorities were quickly notified but chose not to respond. While ministering with signs, banners, tracts and preaching at a big intersection in West Palm Beach, FL., one of our publick ministers from Pastor Ted Hines’ Lakeside Baptist Church in Pahokee, FL. led a 63 year old man to the Lord. I’ll dare say that man did not intend to find the Lord as he passed through this junction of life, but thank God for faithful witnesses. I was saved in Miami, FL. some 37 years ago but have not been able to return until this past month. Don Brush’s church joined the SWAT team at Miami’s South Beach. The authorities must have heard that we were coming because there was an antique fair going on in Lincoln Mall and the ministering could not have been better. Lincoln Mall runs several blocks in the open air and the weather was simply ideal. We preached until we were tired of preaching and passed out many, many tracts. One man even gave me a free shower with the remnants of his water bottle. In the temperature of Miami, this was particularly refreshing…a nice welcome back, you might say.

IN THE CHURCHES

We were honored to minister in the following churches in January. Scenic Hills Baptist, Pastor Gary Evans, Austin, TX., Capitol City Baptist, Pastor Hank Thompson, Austin, TX., Westwood Baptist, Pastor Tommy Watts, Mobile, AL., Lighthouse Baptist, Pastor Roger Grandstaff, Defuniak Springs, Fl., Smyrna Baptist, Pastor Roy Julian, Pensacola, FL., Lighthouse Baptist, Pastor Skip Kish, Tallahassee, FL, Lakeside Baptist, Pastor Ted Hines, Pahokee, FL. and Iglesia Bible Baptist, Pastor Don Brush, Miami, FL.

PLAN FOR THE BLAST

Click here for information for the national street preacher’s convention in Memphis…THE BLAST. Don’t miss out on this great zeal booster and battle of Memphis all rolled together. Join us as we march several hundred down the middle of the giant street party on Beale St. and occupy for righteousness in the midst of a jungle of sin. WE NEED YOU HERE THIS YEAR. MAKE PLANS NOW!!!!

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

CONTACT US ANY TIME
Nationwide Voicemail: 800-428-3660
Cell Phone: 530-304-6107
E-mail: gsutek@streetpreaching.com

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