ti-dingz blog| Are Tracts Effective?
Are Tracts Effective?
Gospel tracts have been a powerful tool for sharing the message of Jesus Christ for decades. These small booklets or pamphlets are filled with the inspiring gospel story, scriptures, and messages of hope. This makes them an ideal resource for spreading the Gospel.
Gospel tracts have played a significant role in touching lives and transforming communities. Some of our greatest evangelists have attested to this.
“A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God, not just as tracts, mind you, but as things of beauty to the praise of God. An artwork can be a doxology in itself.”
Francis A. Schaeffer
“… a touching gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Therefore, do not go out without your tracts.”
“There is a real service of Christ in the distribution of the gospel in its printed form, a service the result of which heaven alone shall disclose, and the judgment day alone discover. How many thousands have been carried to heaven instrumentally upon the wings of these tracts, none can tell”
Charles Spurgeon
“It is a self-imposed ‘rule’ of my life never to go anywhere without tracts, and wherever possible I seek to pass them on to people I happen to meet.”
Roger Carswell, evangelist & author, UK, The Tract As A Tool
“The only way to carry out the Great Commission will be by the means of the printed page.”
Dr. Oswald J. Smith
The power of gospel tracts
“Nothing surpasses a tract for sowing the seed of the Good news.”
Billy Graham, Evangelist
Gospel tracts provide a simple and tangible way to share the love of Christ with others. A good Gospel tract should provide a clear and straightforward presentation of the gospel, making it easy for anyone to engage with and understand.
These compact pamphlets or booklets easily be carried and distributed anywhere—on the streets, on public transportation, at events, or even left in waiting areas.
One of the most significant benefits of using gospel tracts is their ability to reach people who may not otherwise engage in conversations about faith.
Some individuals may be hesitant or uncomfortable discussing the Gospel openly with strangers but might be more receptive to reading a tract at their own pace. A Gospel tract allows readers to reflect on the message privately and make personal connections with its content.
Evangelist R.A. Torrey says:
“For the conversion of the unsaved, a tract will often succeed in winning a man to Christ where a sermon or a personal conversation has failed. There are a great many people who, if you try to talk with them, will put you off; but if you put a tract in their hands and ask God to bless it, after they go away and are alone they will read the tract and God will carry it home to their hearts by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
More Reasons to hand out gospel tracts
1. Reach a wide audience
Gospel tracts allow you to reach people from all walks of life—whether it’s someone on the street, a coworker, or even a family member. By sharing these booklets with others, you have the potential to impact lives beyond what you can imagine.
2. Plant seeds of faith
Even if you don’t see immediate results from handing out gospel tracts, remember that every interaction is an opportunity to plant seeds of faith in someone’s heart. Your act of kindness might be the starting point for someone’s spiritual journey.
Statistically it has been said that a person hears or reads the gospel message multiple times before becoming a Christian. Paul said, ‘I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow’ (1 Cor. 3:6, NIV). You are planting or watering seed when you distribute gospel tracts. Then God will enable the growth.
3. Break down barriers
Gospel tracts provide an avenue for conversations about faith that may never otherwise occur. By initiating discussions through the distribution of these pamphlets or booklets, you can create opportunities for deeper connections and genuine engagement.
The Barnar Research Group’s survey recently asked, “What Are People of No Faith Looking for in Faith Conversations?”
The overwhelming response was that they were looking for, “Honesty, Care & Understanding,” and “the top thing people look for in a conversation with a Christian is that they listen without judgment.’”
Here are some great things to remember when distributing tracts:
- Genuinely listen to understand
- Be kind, speak gently and courteously
- Offer the love of God through prayer and practical help
- Give hope through sharing God’s good news message.
- Share your personal testimony
4. Be part of God's work
When you hand out gospel tracts, you become part of something much bigger than yourself—God’s work in transforming lives. We were commissioned to proclaim the gospel (Mark 16:15). Every tract distributed has the potential to bring hope and salvation into someone’s life.
Read David Hamilton’s account of what happened when someone left a tract on his bed in prison. His immediate response was to screw it up and throw it away, but it prompted him to reflect on his life and how he had been spared from death on a few occasions. He concluded, “It was God who kept me alive!”
He writes, “Suddenly, I knew I wanted to become a Christian, although I wasn’t sure how. Thankfully, the next morning I encountered the very man who had put the tract on my bed. To my surprise, I began confessing my interest in becoming a Christian. I thought he would laugh at me because I had mocked him so many times for his faith. Instead, he simply gave me a hug. He also gave me several more tracts—enough reading material for a month”. You can read the full story here.
Let's make an impact: Tracts are seeds for sowing
We need more individuals who are willing to boldly share their faith and spread the message of Jesus Christ.
Dr Larry Moyer from Evantell Evangelist Training says:
“Non-Christians are much more interested in receiving a tract than Christians are in distributing them.
After 50 years in evangelistic ministry, I have seen this truth confirmed time and time again – even in 2023. Very rarely have I given a tract to a non-Christian without getting a favorable response.”
Why not spread some seeds by actively engaging in handing out gospel tracts? You can be a catalyst for change and transformation in your community.
Imagine the joy of knowing that someone’s life was forever altered because they encountered the message of God’s love through a simple gospel booklet from you. Your efforts to distribute gospel tracts can have an eternal impact on those who receive them.
Get started with our handy hints on ‘How to hand out gospel tracts’. Find our range of gospel tracts made in Australia here.
I will leave you with these encouraging words from best selling author Ray Comfort :
“If you have never given out tracts, why not begin today? … You will also have a deep sense of satisfaction that you played a small part in carrying out the Great Commission to reach this dying world with the gospel of everlasting life.
Don’t waste your life. Do something for the kingdom of God…”
Blessings Deb
Founder of ti-dingz gospel tracts Australia
(tidingz, tidings)