Say No To Tract(s)

Please do not take this as negative criticism; that
is not my intention. But your post is confusing
because tracts is misspelled, using the word
tracks. Tracts are what you wish to discuss.

(I will be sure to notify you when I become perfect.)

See my explanation above.

[ September 13, 2003, 11:32 AM: Message edited by: Squire Robertsson ]

 

With regard to use of tracts, unfortunately some
who use them seem completely socially
irresponsible. Yes, used improperly, they most
certainly become litter and as such, a "black eye"
to the Name of the very One whose Name they
meant to lift.

If a tract is left at a bus stop, anonymously, at
least be sure that it is secure and will not be
carried away by the wind. That is certainly
littering.

If a tract is left at someone's door, make sure,
once again, that it is secure, for litter's sake.
And do not put it in the mailbox unless it has a
postage stamp upon it which has been cancelled:
that is a federal law. (A cancelled stamp is a
real postage stamp that has either gone through
the postal service or one that you scribble through
with ink so that it cannot be used again.)

If you leave tracts in your school, if caught, you
could be expelled, depending upon the school
district. Some civil disobedience is worth it, but
you must be prepaed to take those
consequences.

If you leave tracts in some other public place, you
could be arrested, depending upon the place and
the way that the tract was left, as well as what
happened to the tract after you left it. Again,
some civil disobedience is worthy, but you must
be prepared to take the consequences.

Tracts left on buses adds to the clean-up of
the bus; thus, leaving a tract on a bus could be
considered theft, because of the wage-losses
of clean-up. The same applies in other places.
This should be considered.

As I mentioned, I would not be happy with anyone
leaving a tract upon my car. This is littering. Why?
Because people don't like it and often get irritated,
throwing them on the ground and because the
wind blows them around even when people have
not touched them after they were placed.

Personally, if I ever find a tract (I am looking
through the thread listing some, with the intention
of checking them out), I will not leave them
anonymously or just leave them lying about. I
believe that the accompanying personal touch,
personal concern, and personal testimony, are
far more important; leaving an anonymous tract
seems very empty by comparison.

I love to talk about the Lord with complete
strangers and do so often. This bears much
more fruit than does a piece of paper. Personal
things can be discussed, Bible verses relevant
to the person can be quoted, prayers can be
prayed over specific situations. Yes, if I can
find a tract to leave with the person afterward,
that would be icing upon the cake, but I think
that personal touch is far more important.

[ September 13, 2003, 11:43 AM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]

 

I like the Chick tract, "This Was Your Life", which I personally give out, and very inexpensive. The "Ultimate Questions", by John Blanchard is a very slick booklet, but about .75-1.25 apiece. I do not randomly leave them, but rather give to those I am led to.

A man was sitting at the corner of a Walmart, with a sign, "will work for food". I had just sold some aluminum cans, and had 3-$2 bills. I stuck the bills in the "This Was Your Life", pulled up beside him, rolled down the window, handed him the tract, and said may God bless, and drove away. As I looked in the rear-view mirror he was reading the tract, and right beside a McDonalds, where he could now buy a burger. I know that he was exposed to the Gospel message, and that the one giving the message had also provided a meal. I do not know what happened, but he has not been back on the corner, when I was there.

I gave a Chick to a waitress at a Shoneys, with a $5 tip inside. The next time I was there, (although not at her table), she came over and told me how much all of the workers had enjoyed the tract, and did I have any more. I gave her a stack.

I gave one with a $5 bill in it to a girl on a bus, who was going to another town and did not have the money for a coke. I gave her the tract as I was getting-of the bus, and she looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

I have little money, but sometimes I feel led to give out a tract, and when tipping I tip more, and when giving I give whatever I am led to. I keep a few handy as a convenient way to share the Gospel, and as many with just the tract as with money. I just wanted to share a couple ways that I have used tracts in the past.

May God bless.

A servant of Christ,
Drew

 

Some tracts are very excellent but others are not worth the paper they are written on. Some suggest to pray a prayer and now you are saved. I have seen some non-christians make a mockery of that. Some have prayed the prayer and be lost as a goose.

Where does it in scripture make any suggestion to pray a prayer to be saved?

It talks about "believe on the Lords Jesus Christ," It talks about repentance.

 

Tracts do thier job when it is time for the person to listen. If they are not ready they will be fire kindling. It's us pushing them with a good attitude that makes them get read. It dosen't matter if it is a small piece of paper with the words Jesus saves, or a elaborate and expensive tract. It will have the reigt effect at the right time. And since we don't know who's time it is to hear we have to give them to everyone. just to be on the safe side!

 

Caretaker,A young lady we visited at the detention center said she accepted the Lord as her savior after reading the tract "this was your life"

 

My web site has a gospel tract on it.

So far seven people have accepted Christ as their savior and three more inquired about more information concerning salvation.

These people were either led to the site by another or were just casually surfing the web and found this tract. They sent me an e-mail concerning that profession of faith and I have kept in touch with them to ensure that they follow through with visiting a local Church to make that profession public.

Don't tell me that tracts are useless. Ten people would be in Hell today if it was not for that tract.

 

How do you know?

 

How do you know? </font>[/QUOTE]Well, Mike has spoken, therefore tracts are wrong.

 

Actually, had you read my post, you would have seen that all I did was ask "How do you know".

I'm not sure how you managed extrapolate from that, that I said tracts are wrong.

I've said a lot of things about tracts in these forums, but I've never said that they were wrong.

 

I don't think tracts are wrong - they can be a helpful evangelistic tool.

So if someone says they are completely wrong to use I would disagree.

But they can be abused if someone is shoving it someone's face. You have to have tact - to make contact.

Also those of us who use tracts cannot take our method and make it the standard by which we judge others.

For instance, I may the type of person who is not as comfortable going up in a complete strangers face and giving them the Gospel.

I might be really good and leaving tracts everywhere I go though.

On the other hand, I might be someone who prefers that I talk to each and every person I give a tract to, and I never just leave one.

Either way, the one style should not judge the other.

And on another note, those who are big on tracts should not be judging those who are not.

We all should(and are commanded to) share our faith. But we may do it in myriads of different ways - tracks only being one of them.

IFBReformer

 

My wife also accepted the Lord reading the This was your life tract

 

Good Tracts are a great way to do Evangelism. God will always bless His Word. International Bible Society offers the Gospel of John in a Tract form that can fit in your shirt pocket. I think they have it in the KJV, NKJV, NIV and NLT translations.

 

Hi everyone,
I gave out tracts and free new testament books and pens ( that had are church adress on them) to everyone who stopped at my garage sale.
Halloween night my kids and I pass out scripture candy, little toys that talk of Christ, and tracts ( are kid friendly and have a game on them). So I'm all for tracts.
Jeanne

 

I lived in my area for a couple of years before attending my church. You know who visitted my house and gave me an invitation? My church, the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses...that's it.

I don't know about you, but I would rather go where I have been invited than just go somewhere and take my chances at being welcomed.

I think of "tracts" like a Hallmark Card...they have written down what sometimes we have a hard time discussing eloquently. I know that I have a hard time speaking to people about my faith face to face unless I've at least had some sort of prior diologue. Tracts just make it easier for the Lord to work, without me hindering His work with my shyness.

If nothing else, it's an invitation to attend a church based on more than reading the yellow pages. (you can't tell anything from the yellow pages)

I don't have a problem with them. Our church hands them to people at their homes, or elsewhere. We aren't like solitiors that put them on parked cars at the Mall.

I've had people say "no, thank you" before. It's not a big deal. Usually what we get at the door is "Oh, you're from that nice Baptist church" I think by and large people like what we're doing. At least that's the impression I get from my personal experience.

[ October 01, 2003, 08:34 PM: Message edited by: Wisdom Seeker ]

 

Laurenda said it so well! Our church gives out those little handled bags that are printed with church info and inside is a weekly 'Communicator' (church newspaper with a calendar of events), a cute little Post-it note pad with a Bible verse and church info, a ball point pen with church info on it, a pamphlet with all our services and ministries listed and one tiny tract that has the plan of salvation...

Many people are shy and cannot witness. If they can share a tract or just invite someone to church... that's fine. I do NOT like the tracts and attitude of one local church that stands out by Wal-Mart screaming at cars about burning in hell.

Diane

 

Thank You Diane. I can't believe that a church would think that doing that was a good testimony or would win anyone over. But I've seen people stand on street corners with megaphones myself, so I know it happens. (plus you told me about those screamers before)

I also can't believe I misspelled "solicitors". How embarrassing. I always have trouble when I'm tired, ( Lauren kept me up because she saw a "vampire" in her bedroom in the middle of the night again. ) Ho hum...if I could only go to bed now...

 

That is a great idea!

 

LOL... Laurenda! If you hadn't mentioned it, we probably would not have noticed the spelling error. We seem to 'think' we see what we expect to see. I'm always shocked when I go back and read my posts and see partial thoughts.... or like in my post I couldn't remember what they call those plastic bags they used to hand out to put trash in ... hang them from the car radio buttons.... so I had to be very descriptive.

BUT... I like the pens, pencils, tracts at yard sales! Great idea!
Diane