Choosing which tracts to use is always a decision for me. I want to feel completely confident in giving them out. While the Living Waters tracts are uniformally solid in their presentation of the Law and the Gospel, some work better than others in certain situations. After all, the goal of giving out tracts is for the recipient to actually read and consider the message, right?!
Here is a brief description of which tracts are working for me best right now, and how I use them:
-The Million Dollar Bill
Kind of the big daddy of tracts. Usually, it doesn't take much talking to peak a person's interest in receiving one. The curiosity and realism of it intrigues people. It also makes a fine tract to leave behind you for someone to find on their own. I use it alone, but also in combination with the Ticket to Heaven tract, and I also include it in my Gospels of John from the Pocket Testament League.
-The Ticket to Heaven
Another super tract that can be left on its own but also is fun to give people. I've enjoyed walking through a crowd coming out from a theater and handing these out very rapidly saying, "Would you like a free ticket to the big show?" or something like that.
It is interesting enough to get people to read through it and try the trick of tearing it. Lately, I've been giving them out along with the million dollar bill, mostly because it seems people enjoy getting a couple of items instead of just one, and this with the million dollar bill is unusual enough looking to get people to take it.
-Giant Money
This is just about my favorite to hand out in large groups of people, especially if it is in a venue where other people are handing out flyers and things. The size of it really hooks people, who think they are really getting something special. And they sure are! The text on the back is terrific and leads people right into the Gospel in a meaningful way. When you're in an area where people see to be kind of resistant to getting what they think are Bible tracts, try handing these out to them, and watch them go!
-The Curved Illusion Cards
I don't give out too many of these at one time, but they have come in very handy when I am already talking to people and they try and tell me that they don't really care about where they go when they die, or they say they realy don't believe in Heaven. To step back and break the ice a bit, I bring these out and lead them through the illusion. Then I tell them how our minds can play tricks on us, and I also engage them to understand how precious their eyes are, and how much more precious their eternal soul is. This usually gets the conversation back on track. I've also left these behind me, because they have a great text that is self- explanatory.
-The Mind Game card, Optical Illusions pamphlet, and the Smart Card
These three tracts can be terrific ice breakers when talking to someone, especially to demonstrate how susceptible our minds can be. (Unfortunately, a person can use that argument against the Gospel, as well) I've found that these tracts are better received among the younger crowd, like teenagers and young college aged kids. Handing them out in person to older adults doesn't have the same punch. But how I enjoy using these the most right now is as leave behind tracts, especially on the bus, in stores, near ATMs, anywhere where people come to who will be surprised by seeing one of these there. The tracts messages themselves are dynamite.
-The Pressed Penny and Gospel Coin
These tracts I use almost exclusively as leave behind tracts right now. However, I do use the pressed pennies to give to young kids as often as I can. This is the only tract that does not discuss the issue of lust, which is a topic I find unsuitable to bring to young children. But they love the pennies, and I can talk to them about the 10 Commandments and encourage them that, since the print is so small and needs to be held to the light just right to read it, so to is Jesus Christ our light by which we can truly understand how we have broken God's Commandments and need a Savior.
-The Gospel of John
There are many great resources to use that present in-depth Scripture, but this is the one I keep using time and again. The Pocket Testament League, http://www.pocketpower.org/, is a neat ministry in that they make it very easy to receive these affordable small booklets. While the Gospel message in the front doesn't quite get at the heart of a person's own sin and need for repentance the same way that Living Waters materials do, having the entire Gospel of John to hand to someone is a real blessing. If a conversation with someone on the street goes well, I will offer this to them as an encourgement to get into the Word. It also makes a cool leave behind tract, and I put a million dollar bill in there, marking the page which has John 3:16.
Well, thanks for reading this post, I know it was a little long. I look forward to comments or other posts about which tracts are also working out there. Oh yeah, I didn't mention the Celebrity Million Dollar Bills, which I just received and plan to try using soon, but in a slightly different way. I will post an update once I see how it all works out. God bless!
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