Gospel Tracts

I encourage all to avoid Chick tracts like the plague.

 

Because Jack Chick is selfrighteous pharasaical stinker. The good news can be shared without bad witness.

 

I like this one: Are You Good Enough To Go To Heaven. More at www.JustWitness.com/tracts

 

If God puts something specific on your heart in witnessing to someone, you could make a tract on that topic if so inspired.

 

No, come on Johnv. Tell us how you really feel!

Seriously, a lot of Jack's tracts I would not use. However, there are several of the best ones translated into Japanese and they work well here in the land of "manga" comics. The Japanese don't know who he is and don't care.

In English, one of the most used tracts of all time is "What Must I Do to Be Saved?" by John R. Rice. It has had about 50 million printed in over 25 languages. The good thing about this tract is that though it is a typcical pocket tract size, it is a full treatment of 23 pages. You can read it at several places on the Internet.

Unfortunately, upon checking the website, I've just learned that this tract is currently only printed in a large print pamphlet edition at: http://www.swordofthelord.com/osb/itemdetails.cfm/ID/565.

Aha, I've just found somewhere that still prints it: http://www.solidrockbaptistchurch.org/salvation.htm

 

Fellowship Tract League of Lebanon Ohio has some very good simple tracts. They are a ministry that provides tracts for free. We are a distribution center for this ministry here in Ghana. My son works for that ministry as well. They have many tracts printed in many different languages.

 

Fellowship Tract League has printed some good tracts, and been a blessing in many countries. In some languages, they are the ones to go to.

Personally, though, I rarely use them in Japan because the print quality can be poor. The Japanese are extremely concerned about the outward appearance, and are not impressed with poor quality.

To be fair, though, we have a man in our church from the lower part of Japanese society (to say it nicely!) who was saved through one of their tracts.

 

Yeah, Eric, try Sterling's idea. Write your own tract, have someone good in English check the grammar and proofread it for you, then pay yourself for it to be printed. I'm sure it will cost less than you think!

I knew a man named Boone Helfrich, just a lowly janitor, who was saved through a certain tract. He then paid for that tract to be printed and passed them out for about 60 years! Boone died in his 90's, so who knows how many got saved through his tracts over the years!

 

has any one ever seen the "get out of hell free" tract?

 

No, woodyR, what is that one like?

 

Some months ago I was in Canada. Standing on Boulevard Maisonneuve West and giving out tracts. The first person, a white Canadian, refused. But surprisingly I found the immigrants taking the tracts. Those who are rich and prosperous don't like to receive tracts [they don't need God!]; but those who are strangers in a foreign land [immigrants] they have a hunger in their heart and they [surprisingly!] are ready to receive Christ!

P.S. I don't think much of Chick Tracts. They are not spiritual, but very 'fleshly'.

 

You are exactly right about the rich and prosperous. They think they have all they need. This is just one reason why Japan is "Gospel resistant."

The way Chick draws some scenes, I know what you mean about some Chick Tracts looking fleshly. However, some of his early ones are not that way: "This Was Your Life," "The Word Made Flesh."

 

Maybe you could print some of these out right from the source?

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Luk 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Luk 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luk 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luk 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded; nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
1Ti 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Jam 1:10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
Jam 1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

Jam 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Jam 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Jam 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
Jam 2:8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

Jam 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Jam 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Jam 5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
Jam 5:4 Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
Jam 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Jam 5:6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

 

Tracts with strictly scripture are good, LorrieAB. The verses you've listed would be a good start for a tract. One tract I've used before (don't remember the name), a yellow booklet in many languages, is like this.

What I do for my Japanese tracts is write them myself, specifically tailored to this culture. Many English tracts have been translated into Japanese, but I usually find them lacking. In particular, many English tracts leave out the resurrection, I guess since most English speakers are in a culture that celebrates Easter.

At least mentioning the resurrection is essential in a country like this, because they worship their ancestors. I heard of a girl who heard the Gospel minus the resurrection once, and said, "Why should I worship this Jesus? I already pray to my dead ancestors."

 

the get out of hell free trac looks like the monopoly card but says get out of hell free and on the back it has verses

 

Why is Japan so Gospel-resistant? I am sure that there are groups which realise that material prosperity is not everything. We need spiritual satisfaction through Christ.

Charles Cowman was a great missionary to Japan. I find his widow's book, Streams in the Desert, very refreshing. Especially in times of trial.

God bless your work in Japan, John. May we all be witnesses for Christ wherever we are. And may we uphold our missionaries in prayer! I believe that every Bible-believing church must be a missionary church.

 

Hi, procyon.

You know what? Your question about Japan is so good, I'm going to start a thread about it!

Charles Cowman may have been the greatest missionary ever to work in Japan. His biography was an inspiration to me, as his widow's books are to many.

Thank you for your prayers for us missionaries. I agree totally with you that every church must be a missionary church, or else how can we obey Christ's last command?

 

One tract I have used for years is, "Am I going to Heaven?"
You can get them at Grace Community Church, P.O. Box 775 Pharr, Texas 78577

Pastor Wally will be glad to send you some. Also in other langauges, Spanish for sure.

I like this tract because you can use it as a tool to get a conversation started, then explaining it to someone up to the point of leading someone to the Lord right then and there.

It's great to pass out tracts with the hope of someone reading it later and coming to the Lord, but as we know most people will trash them, and if they do read them they may not fully understand the message, so I try and make it a point to try and exlpain it to as many people that I can.