Author Topic: Passing Out Tracts  (Read 939 times)

OsoWeakbutHeIsStrong

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Passing Out Tracts
« on: March 05, 2023, 07:49:55 PM »
I've never passed out pamphlets before, but recently I aquired a large box of Bible tracts.  I was very excited to get started so I prayed that God would lead me to where I should go.  Today was a nice enough day (not rainy), so I decided to put them on car windows at a location where there are a bunch of differents bars and restaurants in one area.

As I was putting the tracts under the wiper blades of random cars, I wondered if that was such a great idea.  Am I being lazy by not handing them out to individual people...face to face?  Is there a more effective way I could be doing this?  My goal, of course, is for these to be read and not tossed out.  I know that even if I hand them out the same thing could happen, but at least it would mean that the recipient was willingly accepting something. When I put them on car windows, I'm kind of forcing something on them.  Or am I?  Maybe this method is okay.

I was just wondering if anyone could give me some feedback.  Have you passed out Bible tracts before?  How did you do it?  Do you have any advice or tips for me?  Is the car window idea a good one or not?  Thank you for any and all advice.

By the way, yesterday I actually gave out my very first tract to a person who knocked on my door.  They were asking for a donation for their little league.  One thing I know for sure, if you're a random person who knocks on my door, from now on, you're gonna get a Bible tract. 

Kenneth Winslow

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2023, 10:49:41 PM »
Just do it.
They are only for people who might be saved anyway. They won't do most people much good since most people reject repentance and faith.
The main question, is the Lord pleased with what you are doing and how you are doing it?
Nehemiah 8:8 KJV — So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

someguy85

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2023, 12:46:11 AM »
Take opportunities when you see them. Always keep some with you. This is what I've been doing for a while, leave them in phone boxes, restrooms, a computer terminal at a library, a booth in a restaurant after you've eaten, letterboxes in your local neighbour hood. Don't ask yourself "should I be handing these to people directly", ask yourself "is this somewhere it will be seen".

Another tip too, if you're in a city where homelessness is a problem, if you come across someone who asks you for money for food, if you're able to share some food with them, or buy them something from a nearby store, then hand them a gospel tract as well. There are a million and one places to leave them, and sometimes God says "put one there". The drawback about spreading the gospel this way is you'll rarely if ever know how many people have come to repentance through it. But as Paul said, it's up to some to plant, some to water, but ultimately God gives the increase. Go nuts  :)
Romans: {11:3} Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. {11:4} But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of] Baal.

Rowan M.

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2023, 06:30:27 AM »
One thing I used to do, and maybe could do again, was be a sort of "Gospel mailman" and just drop tracts in letterboxes. In New Zealand, most houses have letterboxes (or mailboxes, as I think you call them in the States) at the end of their front path. It is rare for a house in this country to have the letterbox/mailbox in the front door. During the two years that I lived in the US though, the house my parents rented had a letterbox in the front door, and I think most houses in our neighbourhood were the same. With that, you have to go onto people's properties a lot more and run the risk of being attacked by guard dogs. But in NZ, it's possible to stay on the street (although some letterboxes can be awkwardly positioned up or down shared driveways - my city is a very hilly one). I remember getting to know my local neighbourhood a whole lot better with this method. I would go on outings and target specific streets. Depending on the length of a street, I might do a single long street or several shorter ones.

In more recent times, I have also been leaving tracts on cars. Like you, Annalisa, I put them under a wiper blade. Occasionally, I even hand them directly to people! When I do that, I usually just ask them, "Would you like something to read?" Most of the time, they quite happily take it, and then I wish them a nice day and move on. Sometimes, I have seen them reading it as I've walked away. I usually say a little prayer for them in that case. (Well, I pray for them anyway, but if they're actually reading the tract in that moment, so much the better.) While most people seem to take the tract without any questions, someone will occasionally ask what I'm offering. So I will then say it's a Gospel tract. If they're observant enough, they can also work it out from the title.

Every once in a while, someone will refuse to take a tract from me. So far, they have always been polite about it, although I do remember one woman getting a little irate with me some years ago when I tried to leave a tract in her letterbox (she was just coming home as I left it, I think, so she took it out and gave it back to me). I usually just say, "OK, no worries, have a nice day" and move on. I used to use Chick tracts a lot, but have reservations about some aspects of them now (though I kind of like their latest offering, called Trust the Science!) At the moment I'm favouring tracts I bought some years ago from a guy who no longer sells them. They're in a "business card" format, which makes them ideal for leaving on cars and also for carrying around. They use the KJV and preach the Law, which I like. They do give the Gospel too, although they could be a bit stronger on repentance.

Aside from letterbox drops or leaving them on car windscreens (plus giving them directly to people), I have also sometimes left tracts on the table of a restaurant I went to, left them on buses or left them on an outdoor shop display. A few weeks ago, I actually did give a tract to a beggar, along with a small amount of money (I wasn't that generous with the money, but he looked the sort that might drink, so I didn't want to fuel his habit).

I don't know whether anyone has ever been saved from the tracts I've left, but there are a lot of people in my neighbourhood and general local area who will be without excuse on the last day, and their blood won't be on my hands. I do like the idea of giving a tract to people who come to your door too.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth (John 17:17)

Joshua JZB

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2023, 07:37:02 AM »
As long as they aren't scary looking like these!



A few months ago, two of these pamphlets were left on my windscreen one evening. They greeted me as I entered my car after my shift which finished at midnight - gave me a good fright lol :o It was to advertise for a local Seventh Day Adventist Reformed Movement event (not sure how they are different from regular SDAs.)

Encouraging to hear that you're getting material out there. :) This year I really want to start doing some public evangelism and getting material out there myself - to me this seems like a really good start.

For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. - Psalm 74:12

creationliberty

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2023, 09:10:24 AM »
One thing I used to do, and maybe could do again, was be a sort of "Gospel mailman" and just drop tracts in letterboxes.
Be careful about that in the U.S. There are laws against putting things inside mailboxes from anyone who is not a postal worker.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
-Psa 34:18

OsoWeakbutHeIsStrong

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2023, 07:17:59 PM »
Thank you all for your ideas, encouragement and advice.  I'm so glad that I was able to wake up to some helpful edifying posts from those of you who have more experience with this.  They were beneficial to read before I went out.  For example:

Quote
Posted by: creationliberty
« on: Today at 09:10:24 AM »Insert Quote
Quote from: Rowan M. on Today at 06:30:27 AM
One thing I used to do, and maybe could do again, was be a sort of "Gospel mailman" and just drop tracts in letterboxes.
Be careful about that in the U.S. There are laws against putting things inside mailboxes from anyone who is not a postal worker.

I didn't know this for sure.  I thought that Rowan's idea sounded like a good one, but it's good to know that this is something I should not do.

I loved this advice from Aussie Chris
Quote
Go nuts  :)

And followed Kenneth's advice:
Quote
Just do it.

So I ended up going to a bus transfer station and placing them on car windows again.  Then took one and put it at the bus stop.  I had two left and remembered that Chris and Rowan had said the library, so I decided to place the last two there.  When I was pulling into the parking lot, I saw two people (a male with lots of tattoos and an older female) outside smoking cigarettes.  I asked for God to give me a boldness if He wanted me to give the last two to them. 

Praise God, He DID!

I remembered reading what Rowan had said:

Quote
Occasionally, I even hand them directly to people! When I do that, I usually just ask them, "Would you like something to read?"

So, that was my exact approach.

They both were very receptive and I was even able to give them my testimony in a nutshell.  I just told them that Jesus had saved my life from 24 years of meth addiction and almost committing suicide, and I just wanted to share with people what Jesus did for me.  The female was smiling and she said that Jesus had saved her too.  At that point, I was even able to go on further in discussion.

I told her that we can compare ourselves to other people and think that we are good, but the only thing that we should actually compare ourselves to is the law of God, and when we know that we aren't as good as we thought, then we reach out to Jesus for salvation. 

I know it wasn't perfect, but I was very nervous and I just pray that God will water those seeds that I planted.  The tracts I gave them explain the law and everything that I didn't say, so I'm happy about that.

I'm sure that this will all get easier and I'll get more used to it, but since passing out tracts is new to me, it really did help to read your replies before I set out.  Thanks again for the encouragement.




anvilhauler

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2023, 03:22:28 PM »
I definitely don't think it is OK to put tracts under people's windscreen wipers. 

As you commented, it is sort of forcing it on to people, but it is also interfering with a motor vehicle and that is certainly illegal here in New Zealand.  The owner of the car has every right to come back to their car and drive away without first having to clear away advertising.  There is also the factor that you may damage the windscreen wiper blade itself or without realising there is paper under the wiper blade they might use the windscreen washers and that automatically activated the windscreen wipers that then damages the blade.  If the person doesn't want the piece of paper they can't give it back to you and if they thrown it on the ground that may be considered as littering.  They are then stuck with having to dispose of the paper and if people thought that was OK and a hundred people did it ......

For me, I have always been very annoyed when people have left advertising under my windscreen wipers as I feel violated that people have been interfering with my car in my absence.  Unfortunately it might do more against the gospel message than for it.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.  Micah 5:7 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)

OsoWeakbutHeIsStrong

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2023, 06:04:27 PM »
Thank you for your input Kevin. I do see your points.

Quote
Unfortunately it might do more against the gospel message than for it.

Yikes! Okay, this is what I don't want, so my next question is, do you have a different more effective way?  Any suggestions that might help me get over 600 bible tracts out there?  How have you done it?  Thanks again.

anvilhauler

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2023, 09:20:53 PM »
Thank you for your input Kevin. I do see your points.

Quote
Unfortunately it might do more against the gospel message than for it.

Yikes! Okay, this is what I don't want, so my next question is, do you have a different more effective way?  Any suggestions that might help me get over 600 bible tracts out there?  How have you done it?  Thanks again.

It is difficult to find ways to be in contact with people in order to try and get the gospel message to them.  Until I got banned from the local swimming pool for two years for advising as many people as I could not to take any of the injections, I used to be there regularly and talk to as many people as possible.  Once I had found CLE I could then point people to a reliable source of information that was also regularly updated and they/we/me were open for discussion.  I printed off tracts that I had made and that I had plastic laminated to protect them from the water at the pool.  Although no-one has actually become a Christian over that time a lot of seeds have been sown and I'm still in contact with some of the people. 

Once a lot of this current political trouble is over I'll be back to the pool and for those who are still alive I'm sure they will be more interested in what I have to say.

I like Kenneth's ministry of street preaching.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.  Micah 5:7 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)

someguy85

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Re: Passing Out Tracts
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2023, 06:46:33 AM »
If you really want to keep it low key, then if you manage to travel, then do some drops in restrooms/shower rooms, as far as I know in most parts of the USA and most English speaking countries, it's illegal to put any kind of surveillance gear in an area that involves people changing clothes or the use of privacy cubicles.
Romans: {11:3} Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. {11:4} But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of] Baal.