As a young Christian, I was opposed to using evangelistic tracts. I did not see how giving someone a booklet about Jesus would do any good. “People will never read something like that,” I thought. Most of the tracts I had seen were filled with silly and poorly illustrated cartoons. To be completely honest, I was embarrassed by these tracts because they seemed to make Christians look strange. Over time, I was exposed to more interesting tracts and began to realize what a great asset they could be to sharing my faith..
Basically, tracts are useful in two reasons. First, tracts are useful by assisting us in explaining the gospel. As you progress through the 5 stages of an evangelistic conversation, you will come to the point of sharing the gospel. Being able to walk the person through a visual version of the gospel can be very helpful. Some people understand things better when they can read it or see it for themselves. Tracts are useful in showing someone the gospel and allowing the other person to read along with you. Therefore, when a conversation reaches the point of explaining the good news of Jesus Christ, be ready with a tract.
Second, tracts are useful because they can allow us to present the gospel to anyone, regardless of how long we have to speak. As your relationship with Christ continues to grow, a burden for sharing the gospel with other people should grow as well. Christians must see people as more than just creatures, but as eternal souls destined to exist forever in either heaven or hell. The Bible explains that without hearing the gospel, no one can be saved1. With this in mind, our desire should be to take the gospel to every creature, including garbage men, cashiers, bus drivers, etc… There are instances when we may only have a moment to speak with someone. Since the gospel consists of a handful of necessary points, it is difficult to clearly explain in only a moment’s time. Toll booth operators need to hear the gospel. Bank tellers need to hear the gospel. People who quickly ask you for directions need to hear the gospel. But how can we get our great message to these people? Use tracts. Now, you cannot make someone read a tract, but what is the harm in at least putting it in their hands? In reality, you will be amazed at how many people will read what you give them. If our goal is to give the gospel to every person, we must have tracts on hand at all times.
There are basically two ways to hand out tracts. One way is handing out tracts to a number of people, one after another. This is common when witnessing at fairs, malls, and on the streets. Passionate evangelist, Mark Cahill, teaches that an excellent way to distribute them in this situation is to simply offer tracts by saying, “Free gift for you today!” or “Did you get one yet?” Before even getting the tract, they already think they are missing out on something.
Another situation involves distributing tracts, one person at a time. As mentioned earlier, examples of this involve drive-through operators, bank tellers, and waiters. In these situations, we should always try to make some kind of lasting impression. A lasting positive impression will increase the likelihood of someone taking our message seriously. Never simply leave a tract behind, expecting someone like a waiter to find it and read it. I have heard of people who leave a tract with their tip, but this is unwise. Either the tract will be swept away by the busboy or the waiter will pull his tip out from underneath and ignore the tract. What kind of message do we send by leaving the gospel as an afterthought?
A better way to hand out a tract is with a smile, a compliment, and a friendly introduction to what the booklet contains. I cannot count the number of opportunities I have had to share the gospel with waiters this way. You can create the same opportunities. After the meal is over and the other people at your table are on their way out, take a moment to locate your server. You can say something like, “Hey, thanks for the great service. You really did a good job! I would like to give you something to read when you get a break. This booklet explains everything you need to know about eternal life. My name and e-mail address are on the back. I would love for you to read it and shoot me an e-mail to tell me what you think.” By approaching someone this way, you leave a lasting impression, peak the person’s interest, and give a reason to consider what your tract has to say. The more personal you are, the more interested someone will be to be hear your message of eternal life through Jesus. You never know when your tract might be what brings someone to salvation.
