Dissatisfied with Christian Tracts Part 3

Ok, after part one and part two, you have to ask, “So what message should be on a tract?” That is a good question. Here is the final segment.

What should be on the tract?

If we look at Acts 17 when Paul preaches to the Greek Gentiles in the Areopagus, we can take some lessons as to what should be on the tract.

1. Paul related something of their current culture that they all knew. He took something physical that he saw in the shared space and related to that. “To the Unknown God,” and Paul declared who he will be talking about (vs 22-23). THE PEOPLE HAD IDOLS. THEY WORSHIPPED GOD IN IGNORANCE.
   • What do people worship in America that would be related to God? Maybe since there is a church on every corner, but yet people don’t worship Him even though they think they do?
   • People worship all kinds of things. For starters: self, money, power, idols, and sports.
2. God is the creator of everything (vs. 24). CREATOR
   • God is the creator of everything they see.
3. God is Lord of heaven and earth (vs. 24). LORD
   • God is Lord over heaven which people cannot see, and earth in the things they can see.
4. He does not dwell in temples made with hands (vs. 24). GOD DOESN’T NEED ANYTHING / NOT LIKE US
   • He does not need shelter or a dwelling place.
   • He is everywhere and not confined to space and time.
5. God is not worshipped with men’s hands (vs. 25). HOW GOD WANTS TO BE WORSHIPPED
   • Man cannot please God with their hands.
   • Human hands cannot serve His needs.
   • God doesn’t need anything from us.
6. God is in need of nothing (vs. 25). GOD DOESN’T NEED ANYTHING
   • God doesn’t need anything from us.
7. God gives life, breath, and all things (vs. 25). GOD GIVES US LIFE
   • But we need everything from Him. Everything we have has come from Him.
8. God made from one man every person on the face of the earth and determined their times, boundaries, and dwellings (vs. 26). WE ARE ALL DECENDANTS OF ADAM / DETERMINED WHEN AND WHERE WE WERE BORN
   • God determines everything about our life. Where we are, who we are, and what we receive all comes from Him.
9. God did this so that they should seek Him in hope to grope for Him and Find Him, even though He is not far from each of us (vs. 27). GOD IS NEAR THAT WE SHOULD SEEK HIM
10. In God we live, move, and have our being (vs. 28).
11. We are the offspring of God (vs. 28). GOD CREATED US. WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE.
12. Since we are His offspring, God is not like gold, silver or stone or something created and shaped by man (vs. 29). GOD IS NOT A THING OR IDOL
13. God overlooked our sin in times of ignorance, but now that you are aware, He now commands all men everywhere to repent (vs. 30). CALL TO REPENTANCE
14. Because He has already appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus who He has ordained; and we know He has because He raised Him from the dead (vs. 31). JUDGMENT IS DETERMINED / RESURRECTION

When those in the Areopagus heard that a man could be raised from the dead, some mocked while others were intrigued and wanted to hear more on the matter.

What are the main points?

For the world in which we live in today, the main points of a tract could be:

1. God is the creator of everything. Not like us, nor needs anything from us. He is the uncreated one.
2. He is Lord over all heaven and earth, including us.
3. He created us in His image from Adam. Gave us life. Determined our lives. We were in fellowship with God.
4. God gave man one rule, not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
5. The serpent, Satan, deceived Eve and she ate from the tree, then giving it to her husband and he ate.
6. Adam & Eve sinned therefore passing down sin to all men.
7. God once judged the world by destroying it with a flood because He saw the wickedness of man’s heart and every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart were only evil continually (Genesis 6:5). But God saved Noah, his family, and two of every kind of animal to make things right.
8. God is near to us all so that we may desire, seek, and find Him. We know He exists by the evidence of His creation all around us.
9. In times past, God overlooked our sin against Him and now calls us to repentance.
10. One day, God judge the world once again through His Son, Jesus in whom He ordained to be the savior of mankind, through His death, burial and resurrection from the dead.
11. That we would turn to Him through His Son, forgiven of our sin through the blood of Jesus Christ and be reconciled in eternal life to God our Heavenly Father.

Now, will it fit?

Now that we have an outline as to the gospel message that should or could be on the back of the million-dollar bill in question, it needs to fit. Of the questioned “Living Waters Million-dollar bill”, it has 943 characters including spaces. Can it be done?

"HERE IS THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION: Will you go to Heaven when you die? God, the Creator and Lord of all has given us the Ten Commandments as a mirror to show us the depth of our sin (Exodus 20). Here’s a quick test: Have you ever lied, stolen, or used God’s name in vain? Ever look at someone who is not your spouse with sexual desire? That is adultery of the heart (Matthew 5:28-29). If you have done these things, God sees you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart. The Bible warns that one day God will give you justice and punish you in a terrible place called Hell. But God is not willing that any should perish. Sinners broke God’s Law, but those that are saved who put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ, He cleansed their sin and Jesus paid their fine on the cross with His blood. This means God can legally dismiss their case (John 3:16). Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death. Today, repent and trust Jesus, and God will give you eternal life as a free gift. Then read the Bible daily and obey it. God will never fail you."

These changes made it longer to 1057 characters including spaces. 114 characters over including removing the website. Though the whole tract could be redesigned, Close, but no cigar. As you can see, I left a lot of other things out too.

There are tracts out there than cover everything for a Greek culture.

Thankfully we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are tracts that cover everything we want for a Greek culture that knows very little, if not, anything, about the Bible. They can be found at Answers In Genesis here:

• “From Creation to Bethlehem” by Ken Ham.
• “How the Bible is Unique” by Bodie Hodge.
• “The Purpose & Meaning of Life: From Creation to the Cross” by Ken Ham.
• “The Seven C’s of History” by Ken Ham & Stacia McKeever.

Though the booklets are available for $.79 each, it gives a clear synopsis of creation and the gospel to those who never heard. Using these would be a great way to end a conversation instead of at the start. This way you are reminding them of what you talked about, instead of striking up a conversation with it.

I hope in the near future to design such gospel literature. As you can see, it is a tough one indeed. But in every instance, we should explain what we are giving out to people in a way that is clear and thorough.