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"The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15) 


Issue 9 - 2008
7 Reasons
Why I Use Gospel Tracts

by Steve Magill

SHORTLY AFTER COMMITTING MY LIFE to Christ in 1976, using tracts as a doorway to reaching people with the gospel has been a vital part of my relationship with Christ. Not only have they been a doorway, they have also been great for leaving with my hearers something for them to think about later.

Here are seven reasons why I use tracts:

1. An economical way of keeping the message of Christ, sin, and salvation before the conscious of a large volume of people.
Jesus tells us that the gate opening to hell is wide and the gate opening to heaven is narrow (Matthew 7:13).  Most of the people flitting through our lives everyday are going through the gate of hell.  Jesus told us that there are not a lot of people working to keep others from entering hell's gate (Matthew 9:37).  Tracts are a great way to reach a large number of people with the message of Christ, though only for a moment... but that moment is enough to stir the conscious.

2. Allows me to enter the lives of many people in search of the few ready to receive the gospel.
Following the footsteps of Jesus, we seek for the lost to help them find salvation (Luke 19:10).  We go outside of our comfort zone into places we would normally never go in order to compel others to become part of God's household (Luke 14:23).  Using tracts gives me the tools I need to enter territory not yet entered and approach people once thought unreachable.

3. Gives an introvert a vehicle for being bold.
We have the greatest news ever to proclaim to the world...we have the cure for the deadliest disease...we have the escape from an eternity in hell...we have the message of salvation to proclaim to all people.  Yet, too often we wait another day...we watch another die...we cower before the face of men.  Even as Paul, we need to seek "...that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness,  as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death." (Philippians 1:20)

Tracts helps the greatest of all introverts to be bold...to go to where no man has ever passed out tracts before.

4. Easy to carry a large number wherever I travel.
When I lived in Philadelphia between 1989-1991, I distributed close to a thousand tracts per hour on Cherry and Chestnut streets.  That meant I took three to five thousand tracts with me every time I went.  When you are in a vehicle, carrying 10,000 tracts is a piece of cake snuggled up close to all the other luggage.

5. Gives me something to do while my wife does the shopping.
I have to admit, sometimes my wife takes a little (lot) longer than I enjoy when I go shopping with her.  No problem...when the shopping trip grows long (and I know Betty won't mind) I pull out the tracts and do my thing.  I am on a mission wherever I go.

6. A great follow-up after sharing the gospel.
There are a lot of great tracts out there on various issues, doctrines, and other religions.  Being able to leave one concerning the topic at hand is a great way to continue the conversation long after you're gone.  Most topics I deal with are based on the question, "Do you know what will happen to you after you die?"  after our conversation I then leave them with a copy of my book, "100% Guaranteed:  You Have An Appointment With Destiny."  Other great sources of tracts are Living Waters and Chick Tracts.

7. Allows my children to see Dad continually doing something to reach the lost.
The best way to show your children what is important to you is by letting them see what you spend your time, energy, and money on.  What a great joy it is to watch my eight and ten year olds delight in passing out tracts and my older ones fearlessly proclaiming the word within their circle of influence.

Until next time...

Be so much the more, as ye see the day approaching