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Chick Tracts

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
A different story to go along: When I was in the navy, it was very well known that I was an active Christian. One day while I was deployed, the mailroom called me in because they wanted to be discreet and protect my reputation. A package from "Chick" had arrived, and they believed it was porn. Wanting to protect me, they delivered it to me in private. I thanked them, opened the package in their presence, and they got the first tracts out of the package!
Unfortunate name for gospel tracts, I guess!!


:laugh::laugh: I never thought about a misunderstanding about being called "chick" tracts.
I would expect tracts have about the same impact direct mail advertising or street flyers have -- about 3-4% actually read and heed them. With tracts, it's probably even less, frankly, given the attitude of the general public toward Christian materials and the gospel.
Evangelism is personal. People are far more likely to discuss their eternal destiny with a friend than they are a stranger on the street. Tracts aren't personal, and usually wind up in the trash.
I'm sure there are people who have heeded the message of a tract. But not nearly as man as have come to Christ through having a personal relationship with a Christian friend.


I agree 100%. Passing out tracts is not witnessing, although someone may be reached through these tracts and they can be a good tool (some of them) in witnessing to others.
While it does appear to me that all of them present the gospel message (at the end, anyway), I would be afraid that the falseness of some of the tracts actually degrade the message presented at the conclusion. It appears that many of these create a false scenario based less on fact and more on conspiracy/sterotype/urban legend to scare people into reading the way of salvation at the end of the tract. This makes me cautious about the “good” ones as well. I guess of the evangelistic tools out there this is one of my least favorite, although I think I’ve read every one of them over the past few weeks. Many seem to target an audience that is beyond comics.
 

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Right. While tracts might not have a HUGE impact on evangelism, they do have purpose. When fishing, one uses a variety of methods--nets, lures, baits. When fishing for men, the same is true. We have church outreach ministries, tracts, door-to-door evangelism, etc. By some means, win some!

Do you have any statical data conserning the ratio of people approached and people actually saved? What's your target audience and where a d when and by whom were they passed out. FYI....when I would do trade shows I would have to quantify all this stuff in reports to the bean counters in order to get the funding to do them the next year. I needed to show healthy return on investment. I know its not easy but you need to establish some criterion for both labor time and cost.
 

abcgrad94

Active Member
Do you have any statical data conserning the ratio of people approached and people actually saved? What's your target audience and where a d when and by whom were they passed out. FYI....when I would do trade shows I would have to quantify all this stuff in reports to the bean counters in order to get the funding to do them the next year. I needed to show healthy return on investment. I know its not easy but you need to establish some criterion for both labor time and cost.

Are you saying passing out tracts isn't "worth it" unless we have data proving their effectiveness? If one person gets saved, it's worth the effort.

You can use a net to catch a lot of fish. You can also use a lowly earthworm and a cane pole to catch a fish in a small, secluded pond. Maybe the little fish from the pond isn't important to the big industrial fisherman, but it's important to the one who caught it, don't ya think?

We are commanded to go fish. In this day and age, I'm happy for any Christian who actually does this, despite their favorite method of doing so.
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
Are you saying passing out tracts isn't "worth it" unless we have data proving their effectiveness? If one person gets saved, it's worth the effort.

You can use a net to catch a lot of fish. You can also use a lowly earthworm and a cane pole to catch a fish in a small, secluded pond. Maybe the little fish from the pond isn't important to the big industrial fisherman, but it's important to the one who caught it, don't ya think?

We are commanded to go fish. In this day and age, I'm happy for any Christian who actually does this, despite their favorite method of doing so.

That reminds me of someone who is saved because he picks up and reads the Bible placed in his hotel room. The idea of placing the Bible in the hotel is not a bad idea - and I do believe that God has used these Bibles to reach the lost - but I do not know that it is actually witnessing when compared to a believer sitting down with someone and explaining the way of salvation through the Bible.

I would hope that we would all evaluate the means of witnessing to others, particularly when it comes to "passive" methods. While God is not dependent upon us to save the lost, He does use us. It is important to be good stewards of our time and money.
 
That reminds me of someone who is saved because he picks up and reads the Bible placed in his hotel room. The idea of placing the Bible in the hotel is not a bad idea - and I do believe that God has used these Bibles to reach the lost - but I do not know that it is actually witnessing when compared to a believer sitting down with someone and explaining the way of salvation through the Bible.

I would hope that we would all evaluate the means of witnessing to others, particularly when it comes to "passive" methods. While God is not dependent upon us to save the lost, He does use us. It is important to be good stewards of our time and money.
And this post reminds me of the state prison inmate serving life for murder who used the free Bible he got at a Bible study to roll contraband tobacco into cigarettes. He'd been doing that for years, but one day, something on the page he was rolling up caught his eye. It was from the gospel of John, and when he finished the page -- both sides -- he picked up the Bible and began reading what he hadn't already smoked.

A week later, he gave his life to Christ. You're absolutely right, God can use any tool, any method to bring His children to Him. But as you said, He does use us, and I think the more we do to put ourselves in a position to be used -- befriending the unbeliever as opposed to handing him/her an impersonal piece of paper, for example -- is far more effective in helping him/her to see Christ in us, and decide they want Him in them, too. :thumbsup:
 

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
That reminds me of someone who is saved because he picks up and reads the Bible placed in his hotel room. The idea of placing the Bible in the hotel is not a bad idea - and I do believe that God has used these Bibles to reach the lost - but I do not know that it is actually witnessing when compared to a believer sitting down with someone and explaining the way of salvation through the Bible.

I would hope that we would all evaluate the means of witnessing to others, particularly when it comes to "passive" methods. While God is not dependent upon us to save the lost, He does use us. It is important to be good stewards of our time and money.

I know something about fishing and if you want to catch trout you use a fly cause that's what they eat. Trying that with a worm and a sinker line only gets you a dead worm.:smilewinkgrin:
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
I know something about fishing and if you want to catch trout you use a fly cause that's what they eat. Trying that with a worm and a sinker line only gets you a dead worm.:smilewinkgrin:

Or a crappie :smilewinkgrin:
 

righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Are these those tracks....

I hadn’t really looked at “chick tracts,” but since it was mentioned here a few weeks ago I took a gander. I get the concept of tracts – but many of these are based extraordinarily weak ground - some on outright falsehoods - (I suppose the concept in these cases is that the end outweighs the means).

Would it be acceptable to utilize these for evangelism (the ones that are actually biblical) or would it be supporting the more questionable of the production?

....a cute girl leaves when a guy uses a bad pickup line? :smilewinkgrin:

Sorry, but I had to say that!

Now for the tracks....I used to use them a lot, as they served more as a silent witness. You could leave them, like on a restaurant table, and pray the next person picked it up; read it; and saw the need to come to Jesus!

Many of you do not know about a large hamburger chain [family owned, no franchisees] that been imprinting Scripture verses on the bottom, inside lip of their drinking containers. They have done this for years. They also have a verse on payroll checks!

This chain was founded by a Christian family, and my brother hung out and went to school with one of the two sons. Both sons died tragically; my brother's friend died in a private plane crash while returning from a business trip, and his older brother, died from overdosing on prescription pain meds!

The mother ran the chain up through her death a few years ago, and now their only granddaughter runs it.

The name of this chain is In-N-Out Burgers, and if you're ever on the West Coast, or Arizona, Utah, Nevada or Oregon, and I hear Texas may be in their sights, get a burger and see what the hype is all about.

This is a Christian company, that lets their love for Jesus's shine!

So, while tracks/tracts maybe be acceptable in some minds, or they may not be, but this company does share scripture with every soda of shake purchased, and many people have been surprised as well as blessed with their silent witness!

Sometimes, printed witnessing material can be used to let another know that Jesus loves them, althoough, nothing takes the place of face-to-face, one-on-one lip service for the Gospel! :type:
 

Bob Alkire

New Member
All I can say about Chick Tracts, is in truck stops I've seem more Chick Tracts read or someone takes it with them. Most tracts in trucks stops are use to write phone numbers on if used at all. I've read some Chick Tracts that I like and some that I don't care for.
 

evenifigoalone

Well-Known Member
Chick tracts...quite a few of those that I don't care for and wouldn't leave lying around. Some of 'em are way too propaganda-ish and conspiracy theory-ish for me and I have reason to definitely disagree with some as well. (I listen to Christian metal for gosh sakes, so I'm not going to go leaving tracts about how Christian rock is evil.)

On the other hand, the medium used is awesome and obviously works well. People like comics.
So those that actually stick to the gospel message are great and I don't mind using those.


My mom gives out tracts wherever she goes and some people who have seen her before will ask her for more.
 
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robycop3

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I believe Chick woulda been all right if he'd stayed with tracts & comix such as "This Was Your Life". Not too many truck stoppers are interested in attacks on the RCC or boosting the KJVO myth. But the GOSPEL is another matter!


And I believe that placing tracts in such places as public restrooms & hotel rooms has worked very well. It's hard to witness in a restroom or similar, but often, a person being alone in such a place will pick up a tract and read it, thus sowing the seed. While a tract isn't a full witness, it IS a tool of witnesses which can steer a lost soul toward CHRIST and cause that person to seek a witness, or begin to read a Bible.
 

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I believe Chick woulda been all right if he'd stayed with tracts & comix such as "This Was Your Life". Not too many truck stoppers are interested in attacks on the RCC or boosting the KJVO myth. But the GOSPEL is another matter!


And I believe that placing tracts in such places as public restrooms & hotel rooms has worked very well. It's hard to witness in a restroom or similar, but often, a person being alone in such a place will pick up a tract and read it, thus sowing the seed. While a tract isn't a full witness, it IS a tool of witnesses which can steer a lost soul toward CHRIST and cause that person to seek a witness, or begin to read a Bible.

Come on!!!! REALLY?!? Does it come with a Holy Spirit scratch off for enlightenment? Personally, I am finding this just too incredible to believe or put much faith in. But there and again, I live in the North East.
 

evenifigoalone

Well-Known Member
My dad was KJO and somewhat of a conspiracy theorist and he even thought some of Chick's tracts were way out there, especially the RCC stuff. (Even though he wasn't exactly pro-RCC himself.)
 

Sapper Woody

Well-Known Member
Come on!!!! REALLY?!? Does it come with a Holy Spirit scratch off for enlightenment? Personally, I am finding this just too incredible to believe or put much faith in. But there and again, I live in the North East.

God promised that His word would not return void. I believe God is powerful enough to reach someone with a tract. It isn't meant to be the sole witnessing tool of a Christian. It's meant to be a supplement to spread the seed in ways you can't do personally. IMO, anyone who is against the dispersing of tracts is lacking in faith that God can use his word.

Now, for Chic tracts, I share the same opinion as many here. There are some good ones, and there are some bad ones. Like the Halloween one. I know of a guy who was totally ignorant of the origins of Halloween, but upon reading that tract became interested in and studied Wicca. He eventually became a full fledged Wiccan, all because of a tract. Reminds me of Paul's words about being ignorant of evil.
 

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
God promised that His word would not return void. I believe God is powerful enough to reach someone with a tract. It isn't meant to be the sole witnessing tool of a Christian. It's meant to be a supplement to spread the seed in ways you can't do personally. IMO, anyone who is against the dispersing of tracts is lacking in faith that God can use his word.

Now, for Chic tracts, I share the same opinion as many here. There are some good ones, and there are some bad ones. Like the Halloween one. I know of a guy who was totally ignorant of the origins of Halloween, but upon reading that tract became interested in and studied Wicca. He eventually became a full fledged Wiccan, all because of a tract. Reminds me of Paul's words about being ignorant of evil.

You are entitled toyour opinion....but without the regeneration and indwelling of the HS these things are useless. Anyway these would be the last thing id ever use to spread the gosple message.
 

Gregory Perry Sr.

Active Member
WARNING*Thread Derailer*WARNING

Chick tracts...quite a few of those that I don't care for and wouldn't leave lying around. Some of 'em are way too propaganda-ish and conspiracy theory-ish for me and I have reason to definitely disagree with some as well. (I listen to Christian metal for gosh sakes, so I'm not going to go leaving tracts about how Christian rock is evil.)

On the other hand, the medium used is awesome and obviously works well. People like comics.
So those that actually stick to the gospel message are great and I don't mind using those.


My mom gives out tracts wherever she goes and some people who have seen her before will ask her for more.

But brother....there is no such thing as "Christian" ROCK! You can't purify something that even it's originators recognize as carnal and wicked simply by changing the words. God isn't within a million miles of that! Leave the things of this world behind and "seek those things which are ABOVE." (Colossians 3:1-3)

Now..that said...back on track...KEEP giving out those Gospel TRACTS!

Bro.Greg
 

Marilyna

New Member
Whether they work or not, I can't say, but please, if you give out tracts, use some good ones.

I've always been a very avid reader, but other than Chick and Living Waters, most tracts are so boring even I won't read them! And I'll read almost anything with printing on it.
 

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I hadn’t really looked at “chick tracts,” but since it was mentioned here a few weeks ago I took a gander. I get the concept of tracts – but many of these are based extraordinarily weak ground - some on outright falsehoods - (I suppose the concept in these cases is that the end outweighs the means).

Would it be acceptable to utilize these for evangelism (the ones that are actually biblical) or would it be supporting the more questionable of the production?

I would tend to say no, as their attitude seems to be much more strident then how we should be concerning sinners...

Not as bad as Westbory baptists, but seem to be outside "mainstream!"
 

evenifigoalone

Well-Known Member
But brother....there is no such thing as "Christian" ROCK! You can't purify something that even it's originators recognize as carnal and wicked simply by changing the words. God isn't within a million miles of that! Leave the things of this world behind and "seek those things which are ABOVE." (Colossians 3:1-3)

Now..that said...back on track...KEEP giving out those Gospel TRACTS!

Bro.Greg

Eh, I understand the views of both sides, having been raised anti-rock and only having changed my mind after careful consideration a few years ago. This isn't the thread for that discussion, so I'll leave it at that.

In any case Jack Chick's tracts do hold some very debatable at best views, even among some fundamentalists.
Flip, some are even plain ridiculous.
 
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