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In Chile, a young mother came to Christ
after reading a tract a missionary had given
her. A man in the southern US was born again
in his prison cell after reading a tract
handed him by one of the guards. A Soviet
paratrooper read a tract he was using to
light a fire, and his life changed for
eternity.
Why evangelize?
Most of us are not "evangelists" according to the classic
definition. We reserve that role for the
Billy Grahams and D. L. Moodys of our day.
But the Bible is clear that we are to share
the gospel.
Why Us?
God has chosen to reach the world through us. In fact,
God uses our faithful (and sometimes
fearful) efforts at evangelism to grow us.
Through evangelizing we must commit
ourselves to God in trust and we must be
familiar with His Word. The more we know
about God, the better our ability to answer
the questions put before us.
There are many other blessings associated
with evangelizing, but the greatest I have
experienced is the personal joy of seeing
someone come into a relationship with
Christ. And of course, one of the most
effective methods of evangelizing I know of
is the distribution of quality Gospel
tracts.
Why Tracts?
It has been said that nothing cost less, goes farther,
lasts longer or says it better than a gospel
tract. But what is a tract? We at the
American Tract Society have been developing
these tools for 180 years. In short, a tract
is any tool that is to the point, relevant,
arrests our attention, contains the gospel
and takes us closer to Christ.
Tracts are indispensable. I want to
encourage you to think about their strategic
use as you go out into the world each day.
When you make them part of your spiritual
repertoire, God will give you many
opportunities to share. A tract is so
wonderfully crafted that it can go to work
if even a child finds one on the floor.
Regardless of your spiritual maturity or
experience in sharing the gospel, a tract is
an indispensable helper.
Here are Dan Southern's suggestions for developing an
effective tract ministry.
1. Pray.
You cannot win anyone to Christ, neither
can a tract. Only the Holy Spirit can do
that.
2. Give appropriate tracts.
Always carry several different types of
tracts with you-so you can match the message
to the person.
3. Engage your audience
This can be done by making eye contact,
with a simple smile, asking questions and
listening carefully to what is said.
4. Don't force tracts on people.
I recommend distributing a dozen tracts
carefully, prayerfully, and judiciously over
handing out a hundred indiscriminately.
5. Use top-quality tracts.
Invest in the best tracts available. You
and your Lord will be judged by the
equipment you use.
6. Keep your tracts in good condition.
Make sure your tracts are clean and
fresh when you hand them out.
7. Use positive tracts.
Our job is not to put others down, but
to lift Jesus up by presenting the positive
truth of the gospel.
8. Find new ways to use tracts.
Be original. Never leave home without a
tract.
9. Get organized.
Place tracts where they will be readily accessible for
your use, like in your closet, car,
backpack, or purse.
10. Give out a tract each day.
You will be amazed as you see the Lord bless your
efforts. |
