“If you’re going to San Francisco / be sure to wear some flowers in your hair / if you’re going to San Francisco / you’re going to meet some gentle people there…” (San Francisco, written in 1967 by John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas and sung by Scott McKenzie).

In 1978 I did go to San Francisco. Not with flowers in my hair, but with the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ in my heart. Accepting the Executive Director position at San Francisco Teen Challenge, my wife and I and our two children moved to the Bay area from Bakersfield after serving as Associate Director of Teen Challenge in that valley city 120 miles north of Los Angeles. I remained Executive Director for 3 1/2 years and some great accomplishments in Christ occurred through the ministry of Teen Challenge and a group of very dedicated staff members during that time.

The Gentle People Of San Francisco And The Bay Area

For the next fourteen years we lived and ministered in the Bay area, sharing God’s love to very receptive souls throughout northern California cities and towns. I was always amazed at just how open the people living there were to God’s Good News.  Our ministry prospered, and  thousands became born-again believers, while hundreds of thousands of youth ages 6-18 made the decison to say no to drugs through our drug prevention campaign, NOPE TO DOPE.

Then, for personal reasons and with God’s blessings, in 1992 we moved back to Bakersfield. And, although I knew we would never live in the Bay area again, I certainly believed we would one day come back to San Francisco and share God’s love in Christ Jesus to both the gentle and not so gentle souls living in the City by the Bay.

S.O.S. — SAN FRANCISCO. OAKLAND. SAN JOSE. — WALKING THE CROSS IN THREE VERY FAMILIAR CITIES

And sure enough, on November 17th and the day after I turned 68, Jeanette and I traveled to San Francisco for a four-day, three city cross walk. Our first stop: San Francisco. After a 5-hour trip and night’s rest, I left Jeanette in the hotel room we were staying to work on her crafts and journals and made the 20-minute journey from our Motel 6 to my destination: Van Ness Boulevard and City Hall.

Parking our Go-Ye-Mobile-2 truck at the top of Van Ness Blvd. and where North Point begins, I unloaded the 10-foot, 60-pound cross, hoisted it upon my left shoulder and slowly made my way down the long street and toward City Hall.

PRAYING FOR GREAT REVIVAL TO BREAK OUT IN SAN FRANCISCO

The people of San Francisco are friendly. I wasn’t surprised at how so many gave the thumbs-up sign or praised the Lord as they passed by. As I spoke with people and asked if they knew Jesus as their Savior, more often than not they would answer yes.

When I shared that I was praying for the people of San Francisco and for great revial to break out throughout the city, many shared that they would join me in prayer and pray that a whole lot of San Franciscans would accept Jesus as their Savior too.

PRAYING FOR SAN FRANCISCO’S POLITICAL LEADERS

The walk down Van Ness was long and very profitable. Many believers stoped to talk with me, and I was able to pray with several individuals about their pressing needs. My destination was City Hall. Forty minutes later, there it was. A huge and majestice structure, I couldn’t help but wonder how many Board of Supervisors knew Jesus as Lord, as well as the mayor.

Hoisting the large cross upright, I prayed long and hard for both City and County employees, that they all would accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and that the city would, indeed, experience great awakening and revival with a repentance that was genuine.

Many people came in and out of City Hall as I prayed. My prayer was loud and long because I want people to know what I am there for. God wants everyone to turn to Jesus for salvation. That’s why I pray for people, and that’s also why I believe that these prayers will not go back void to God, but will accomplish what He desires, which is the salvation of as many people as possible, including the political leaders and everyday citizens of this great city.

NORTH POINT AND THE SAN FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL PIER

After praying long and hard for San Francisco’s political leaders, I began the long uphill journey on Van Ness Blvd. and to North Point and the San Francisco Municipal Pier. I could sense the presence of God’s Holy Spirit throughout the entire walk, and many individuals were encouraged greatly at the sight of the large cross. I know this because many came up to me and thanked me for walking the cross in their city.

The cross walk didn’t seem strange to them at all. It’s as if God prepared the hearts of the people of San Francisco long before I came. And I was so grateful for that. As I approached North Point, I couldn’t help but to take in the beauty of San Francisco Bay. Walking onto the Municipal Pier (just northeast of Fisher’s Wharf), I traveled the full length of the pier, knowing what I was going to do after reaching the end.

Just like every coastal city I have prayed at, after reaching the end of Municipla Pier, I hoisted the cross upright and began praying loudly in the name of Jesus, that God would, indeed, send great revival to this city and its 800,000 inhabitants. There were many people (including tourists from around the world) on the pier, and they all got to hear this street evangelist petition the God of salvation and mercy to reveal Himself strong on the behalf of all the people living here.

I prayed at Municipal Pier for over 30 minutes. Now and then I would hear a whispered “Praise the Lord” or “Amen.” from individuals passing by.  The Holy Spirit directed my praise and prayer, and I sensed that, in the not too distant future, great revival would, indeed, come to the City by the Bay!

THIS CITY NEEDS REVIVAL — AND SO DO EAST BAY CITIES!

The tall buildings. The beautiful ocean and Bay. The serenity of the city. The gentle people of San Francisco. The mean people living here. Nothing and no one was going to stop God’s Spirit from seeing to it that all the inhabitants of this land have the opportunity to repent of their sin and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior!

Mission accomplished! This four hour cross walk was coming to an end.

As I walked from Muncipal Pier and toward Go-Ye-Mobile-2, a young man came up and began shouting “Hallelujah! That’s some cross. I know what you are doing. You’re praying for this city, aren’t you?” I nodded. Rudolpho is a believer, as you can tell. We talked for several minutes about the goodness of the Lord. He asked if I was going to take the cross to Oakland as well. I told him that I would be going there the next day.

Rudolpho began dancing in the Spirit. He declared, “I’m from there. And when you go tomorrow, I’ll be praying for you as well. They all need Jesus too.”

After a great talk filled with the joy of the Lord, Rudolpho said goodbye. As I tied the cross to the truck rack, I couldn’t help but smile real big. Not only did God’s Spirit move on the hearts of many people today; God was also going to do a great work here in the days and weeks to come. All it takes is a little seed planting to grow a big garden. And the Good News Seed was broadcast and sown all over the city today.

And now, it was up to the Lord of the Harvest to fufill His promise: “My word will not come back to me void or empty, but it will accomplish what I desire for it to do”( Isaiah  55:10-11). Amen and amen!