by Kevin Williams and Garret Holthaus.
A tract is a great way to share the Gospel, and I would encourage any Christian to regularly carry a supply of good Gospel tracts to give away. However, I do wonder if many of the popular Gospel tracts today are worth the effort.Problem No.1
Unfortunately, many Christians have the attitude that tracts must be as short as possible, otherwise people won't read them. Such reasoning comes from a seeker-friendly theology and results in giving someone a message that is vague and oftentimes shallow. Of course, longer tracts can be just as vague and shallow as well. The problem is not length as such, but a watering down of the Gospel message due to a fear that unbelievers are not willing to read a tract that is more than a few sentences long.
Problem No.2
The second problem with many modern Gospel tracts is the use of tasteless comical images. Last year there were tracts printed using the faces of Michael Jackson, Barack Obama, and a range of other celebrities including John Travolta and Tom Cruise, who are members of the Scientology cult. These cartoon images were used to make the tracts more appealing to lost men, but this seeker-friendly philosophy is no different - and no less distasteful - than trying to draw people to church by saying, "We serve Starbucks." Whatever flimsy and short message is on these tracts will likely be interpreted by the unbeliever in the following way: "Barack Obama says he's a Christian. The guys who gave me this tract obviously think he's a Christian too, otherwise his face wouldn't be on the tract. So basically everyone with a nominal belief gets to Heaven."
Problem No.3
One of the problems with the use of Christian concerts, face paintings and other gimmicks to draw crowds is that it becomes very difficult to be straight with people about serious things like sin and Hell after you've lured them in with fleshly entertainment. Any mention of these hard truths will seem superficial and out of place after you've been laughing and joking only moments before. It is the same with Gospel tracts that use comedy. Imagine your mother receiving a letter from the doctor telling her she has cancer, but the letter starts off by making jokes, and has comical pictures all over it. You would rightly be outraged! But is not the Gospel a much more serious message? How do we expect people to take what we say seriously if we start off in such a light manner?
The Solution:
In my experience, people are willing to take much longer Gospel tracts containing a more in-depth message. They do read them, even if they only contain text and nothing more. They also respond to them more than they typically would to a shorter tract. If a tract is written well, people will read it; especially if you pray that God will draw people to read it.
Useful things to look for in choosing good Gospel tracts are:
-An abundant use of Scripture ("Where the word of a king is, there is power" Ecc. 8:4).
-A well-written and engaging style, so that it keeps your interest as you read.
-Truth that is clearly explained in simple language.
-Christ-centered content that does not simply give Jesus a cameo role. Does the tract point you to, and make much of, Jesus Christ?
Ask yourself, "What will people get out of reading this tract?" Think especially of the different groups of people who will receive them from you.
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