What Every Christian Should Know About Gospel Tracts

Today's topic is: Gospel Tracts.

Over the next few posts I will answer questions like: What are tracts? How expensive are they? What should you look for in a tract? Where can you get them? How can a Christian spread the gospel through tracts? Are they effective? Most importantly, are they Biblical?

The term "Tracts" is short for "Gospel Tracts." Most people use the two interchangeably.

I find that the best gospel tracts use an attention-grabbing image on one side, use bright complimentary colors around the text, or both. A glossy finish is preferred to minimize the effects of rain and to help draw they eye. The use of a material that is stiff, similar to most post cards, is better than thin paper. As you read about how to distribute tracts and you begin to use them, the importance of a stiff, glossy material quickly becomes evident.

If an image is used, it has one purpose: attract the eye and generate curiosity. Therefore, you should look for tracts that you find attractive or interesting. Chances are, the same image will be attractive and interesting to others.

Next, read the tract! I really can't stress this enough. You must read every tract you plan to purchase and distribute. A great image may draw the eye, but poor text is more likely to be immediately discarded. Even more importantly, you need to ensure that the gospel message is Biblical. For example, I like a number of tracts from the American Tract Society, but I don't use very many. The text is well researched and written, and the materials are top quality. However, the gospel message is weak, so although I read them for the information I rarely give them to non-believers. Tracts from the web sites listed in the left-hand column (see Recommended Evangelism Supplies) typically have very sound gospel presentations.

You should also read each tract so you can answer questions about it. While most people will take a tract that you offer, some will ask, "What is it?" That's not the time to suddenly realize that you have no idea what it says.

Not only do you educate yourself with the facts and points made in the text of a tract, they also include great examples of how to switch conversations from worldly topics, to spiritual topics (see an example of how Christ did this in John 4:7-26).

For example, the Mind Game tract from the Living Waters gospel tracts page shows a simple card trick, then includes this two sentence transition from the trick to a gospel presentation: "Most of us feel unintelligent when we find out how it's done. Of course, the most unintelligent thing any of us could ever do is ignore where we are going to spend eternity." Think of all the other ways you can change the topic of any conversation to things of eternity using this model!

Most importantly, tracts such as this one include a concise, but clear, gospel message: Repent, and put your complete trust in Jesus Christ as your savior (Mark 1:14-15).

Next time, I will continue the discussion of gospel tracts. Until then, be bold and remember that Christ can only work through you if you put some effort into the work.

No One Can Know What Happens After Death

I recall witnessing to three young men on the Boardwalk at Ocean City, MD.

The Boardwalk is a great place to share the gospel for several reasons, mainly because it is crowded most of the summer.

One evangelist said, "Let others gather the lost, we'll witness to them."

The beach, the sun, the sand... God's creation helps gather so many people, but so do the bars, the prospect of meeting people of the opposite sex, late nights out, and other not-so wholesome activities.

This particular night was clear and warm. I began the conversation by handing these teenagers a tract and asking if I could ask them an interesting question. When they said, "Sure." I asked, "What do you think happens when you die?"

This is a great way to share the gospel, originally taught to me by Mark Cahill (markcahill.org). Mark's book, "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven" is filled with stories and tips for sharing the gospel.

One of these teens, clearly a skeptic, replied sarcastically, "No one can know what happens when you die. No one has ever come back to tell us."

Really?

The Bible says that after placing Christ's body in a tomb and sealing it with a rock that could only be moved with significant effort, two Roman guards were placed at the entrance. This was a time when guards knew that any prisoner who escaped meant they would be punished in the same way the prisoner was scheduled to be punished. In this case, the guards would be put to death. These guys were motivated to do their best to ensure no one moved the stone and disturbed this grave site!

But what happened three days later? The tomb was empty. Christ was gone!

This was astounding enough. But the Bible also tells us that Jesus appeared several times after this, including once when Peter looked closely at His wounds, and once when Christ stood in front of more than 500 people.

These facts were written down and disseminated at a time when these witnesses were still alive, meaning they could be interviewed for verification, or they could dispute the reports. None ever did. No doubter at the time challenged these facts either.

So, the next time someone says to you, "No one can know what happens after death..." just give them the facts.

One did!

See Matthew 28:9-10; Mark 16:12; John 20:11-18, 20:24-29, 23:1-23; Luke 24:13-32, and especially Matthew 28:16-20 and I Corinthians 15:6

People Are Basically Good?

If you get out and talk to people about spiritual matters, you'll find that atheists and agnostics tend to want evidence.

Fact and figures, they say, are what they base their beliefs upon.

These same people, when asked about human nature, often state they believe that "people are basically good."

The Bible teaches the opposite. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;" (NKJV)

Which is right, the non-believer or the Bible? The one who wants "evidence" or the written record of the God of the Universe?

Let's look at some facts and figures, some hard evidence, to find out.

Note: all of the following are from government agencies in the USA, about the USA.

In the USA alone, there are about 16,000 murders annually. About 6000 of those murders go unsolved. That means 1/3 of all murderers are walking the streets with you and me.

About 93,000 times each year, someone commits the crime of rape. Some claim this number is artificially low since many rapes go unreported.

Robbery is defined as "taking something from a person against their will." This happens about 401,000 times each year.

Theft is the act of entering a property without permission and removing property. How many times does this happen in the USA? About 2,143,000.

The city of Boise, Idaho reported recently that 79% of all crime is unsolved.

It's not hard to see that every day each one of us probably walks past, stands next to, drives behind, or chats with a fugitive from the law.

So which is correct, the non-believer who says "people are basically good", or the Bible which claims "the heart is deceitful and wicked"?

You wanted proof? There's your proof. You wanted evidence? Done. You wanted hard facts and figures that can be tested and verified? You got them.

The fact is, the Bible is right and the non-believers are wrong.

If you are a non-believer, consider this: if you are wrong about this, what else are you wrong about?

Of course, the non-believer reading this may think, "well, others may not be so good, but I'm a good person."

Really?

Are you willing to test that too? If you are, then I challenge you to take the good person test now.

Just click: Take The Good Person Test or go to http://www.wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml

Why Do You Stand Watching?

The Book of Acts opens by describing an amazing scene.

Christ, the risen savior, has appeared to over 500 people on more than eleven separate occasions. He has walked with them, spoken to them, eaten with them, and shown them his scars.

Now, they stand on Mount Olivet and He gives them one final instruction: "you shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Then Christ rises into a cloud, to sit at the right hand of God the Father until He returns to earth.

What do His disciples do? They stand and watch.

Scripture tells us that two angels ask them "why do you stand looking into the sky?"

Today's Christians are too often like the disciples standing on Mount Olivet that night. We know Christ's commandments to "preach the gospel," to "be ready, in season and out," and to be Christ's witnesses in all the world, and yet, too often we stand around and watch.

We watch sports, we watch TV, we watch people walk by, we watch time tick away... when we should be sharing the truth with others.

Why do we stand watching?

Perhaps a better question is, how can we stand watching when we know the truth? How can we keep quiet when we know that the path to destruction is wide, but the road to righteousness is narrow? How can we watch people walk by when we know that without Christ those people are doomed on Judgment Day?

Today, stop gazing. Today, stop watching. Today, start sharing the gospel by handing out tracts or sharing the gospel with those around you.

For information on how to hand out tracts, or share the gospel, see the resources listed on the left-hand side of this blog.