"Not the Least Stroke of a Pen": The Anatomy of a Gospel Tract and The Challenge Every Tract Writer Faces, Part 1
This is the first part of a three part series of my research paper that I did for my online English college class, English 101, through Taylor University Online. Much thanks to Professor Jones who always pushed me to research well and write properly and clearly. This is perhaps my favorite memory and accomplishment while with TUO. I hope this blesses you as you see that the Gospel is worth all the dignity and time we can bestow upon it, both in our words and actions. I pray this encourages you to faithfully continue to reach others for the Gospel where you live, or even to pick up a pen or sit down at your laptop and start writing for Him.
Rebecca Jefferson
Professor Jones
ENG 110E M4 D1 Research Paper
November 19, 2011
"Not the Least Stroke of a Pen": The Anatomy of a Gospel Tract and The Challenge Every Tract Writer Faces
Anton Chekov was a very stoic playwright who did not let his personal opinions or commentary bleed through his writings. He instead let his characters speak for themselves. On a rare occasion, however, he let his artistic self show and revealed his reasons behind his writings when he expressed:
All I wanted was to say honestly to people: "Have a look at
yourselves and see how bad and dreary your lives are!" The
important thing is that people should realize that, for when they
do, they will most certainly create another and better life for
themselves. (Chekov qtd. in Macrorie 487).
A similar desire ails me. I want to done day become a Christian missionary, and, much like Chekov, I too want people to "have a look" at themselves. I want people to see clearly that their continuous inability to escape their sins and their constant lack of joy comes from their conscious rejection of Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives. The need is overwhelming, with an estimated 107 people passing through death's broad doorway every minute (CIA), all losing any further chance to repent of their rejection.
I desire to be a part of this enterprise of saving souls, and I know many of you reading also have the same unction. I want to explore how to write gospel tracts well by showing what a good gospel tract is and is not and what we should and should not let influence us as tract writers. I hope my readers will enjoy from my observations of how to (and how to not) present the plan of salvation through Gospel tracts.
There are many avenues to alert people to this rejection and to the ultimate consequence of it according to the Bible, Hell. One low-profile yet remarkable way of doing so is the gospel tract. Call it a pamphlet, a leaflet, or gospel literature, the tract has been instrumental in the salvation of many souls. J. Hudson Taylor, who lived in the 1800s, was one of those people who was brought to Christ because of a gospel tract. He recalls the impact one tract had upon his life in his memoir, A Retrospect:
One day which I shall never forget, when I was about
fifteen years of age, I had a holiday, and in the afternoon looked
through my father's library to find some book with which to while
away the unoccupied hours. Nothing attracting me, I turned over a
little basket of pamphlets, and selected from amongst them a
Gospel tract which looked interesting[.]
[W]hile [I was] reading it [I] was struck with the sentence,
"The finished work of CHRIST." Immediately the words "It is finished"
suggested themselves to my mind. What was finished? And I at
once replied, "A full and perfect atonement and satisfaction for sin:
the debt was paid by the Substitute; CHRIST died for our sins and
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Then
came the thought, "If the whole work was finished and the whole
debt paid, what is there left for me to do?"
(Taylor, 4, 5).
Faced with this revelation, Taylor surrendered his life to Christ and later went on to become a missionary to China. There he launched the China Inland Mission, now the missions organization OMF International.
Taylor's experience is just one testimony to the effectiveness of the tract. Other notables who were regenerated because of tracts include Moishe Rosen, founder of the evangelistic ministry Jews for Jesus, and Mitsuo Fuchida, leader of the Japanese bomber squadron who attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Despite these and many other success stories, some doubt the usefulness of the gospel tract or its place in modern culture. In answering the question of whether or not tracts are effective, Christian Smith, sociology professor at Notre Dame University, replied, "Very rarely. Most people become Christians through relationships, not by being handed pieces of paper" (Moon). To the same question, William Martin, a religion and public policy senior fellow at Rice University, answered, "These measures have very little positive effect, but considerable potential for irritating their targets" (Moon). After giving a brief overview of the negative experiences of two separate Christian ministries concerning gospel promotion, Martin continued,
I doubt that fliers containing a brief gospel message have much
impact. Tracts may be useful in addressing specific questions
that an unconverted person might have, but the chance of
matching the specific question with people receiving tracts on the
street seems rather small (Moon).
I would argue, however, that not single tract needs to attempt to answer the unlimited amount of questions concerning life and eternity that human beings may ask, for that would be the only way to solve Martin's proposed dilemma. Of course, there are questions central to the Gospel that a proper tract must answer. Later, I will review the qualifications of what makes a well-written, sound gospel tract. For the moment, though, what is the most vital question the tract must seek to answer, and thus, what is the most important point the tract must express?
I feel the Bible answers the former question when Luke, the physician of antiquity who authored the book of Acts, relates the incident of when his companions Paul and Silas were in prison after having preached and, consequently, suffered for the Gospel. They were singing hymns to the Lord when an earthquake rattled the jail. All the prison doors containing the residing prisoners flung open. The jailer saw the open doors, which was all he needed to observe for him to attempt suicide. Paul then alerted the jailer, telling him that none of the convicts had escaped. In desperation and fear, the jailer fell to his knees before Paul and Silas and asked, "'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'" So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved- you and your household'" (Holman Christian Standard Bible).
This simple answer given by Paul and Silas is in keeping with what many would refer to as the crux of the gospel, John 3:16, which says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (King James Version). The tract should center around this fact alone- that God saves his inherently sinful, rebellious human creation from a well-deserved, eternal punishment through belief in His only Son whom he willingly gave to die for the sinners. A question of such simplicity and depth as the Philippian jailer's deserves an answer of equal depth and simple truth. The answer to that single question is the sole purpose of the evangelistic gospel tract.
Posted on August 9th, 2019
Why Gospel Tracts (The Pre-Show)
Some years ago, while I was enrolled in Taylor University Online, I did a research project for my English course about writing good, sound Gospel tracts. I recently rediscovered the proposal to the project, which serves as an introduction to what the report is about. I'm putting it and my research project (coming soon) online as a resource and hope that it blesses you.
Rebecca Jefferson
Professor Jones
ENG 110E Module #4 Research Proposal
6 November 2011
One of the main challenges facing Christianity today- and especially those involved in missions work- is how to reach the lost, those who reject the person and deity of Christ by their beliefs and lives. Of the many ways to evangelize the lost, one way that has been found to be very effective, despite criticism from some circles in recent times, is gospel tracts. Gospel tracts have been credited for opening up the spiritual eyes of many people, including such noted Christians as the late missionary Hudson Taylor.
Perhaps the most powerful piece in a missionary's arsenal, a gospel tract is practical because its message continues with the person who has been given the tract long after the fact, even if not words are actually spoken by the evangelist. With the watering down of the Christian message over the past half-century, the usefulness of the gospel tracts has also been downgraded. The message behind many gospel tracts has generally changed from a pleading for people to repent to a comforting answer to the needs of the many.
The missionary who believes in Biblical doctrine can be part of the solution to the problem of unbiblical gospel tracts by not only buying good gospel tracts but by also writing good gospel tracts. A good gospel tract must be both effective and sound. The missionary must prepare himself for this task so he can learn how to write in a clear manner and to implement a message that complies with the Gospel.
Of first importance, however, is to know why to write clearly. In order for people to understand what is being written, the language must be clear rather than obscure. A few, in misunderstanding the Gospel, refer to God's plan for mankind as "God's dream." Not only is this doctrinally erroneous, but terms like this confuse readers and observers. In the Bible, the call to salvation in Christ is both simple and understandable. In order to believe in what the tract is proposing, people must first understand it. As philosopher John Stott said, "God certainly abases the pride of men, but he does not despise the mind which he himself has made" (17).
Missionaries and other gospel tract writers must take necessary steps to meet their readers where they are by making their writing coherent rather than talking above their readers. Fostering clear writing comes with writing repeatedly, so tract writers should write often. Some outlets for writing may include keeping a journal or a blog. In addition to adding to Christian growth, writing in a journal or blog makes invisible thoughts visible and encourages creativity and recall. The thoughts expressed in these pages or posts, whether it be musings on current events or spiritual lessons learned, also encourage effective writing because the writer is letting his passions and emotions flow freely.
Another way to encourage effective writing is to write letters to persecuted Christians. There are many benefits of doing this, but one of the main reasons why this is helpful to a tract writer's overall writing skills and outlook is that the writer learns to express his love and concern in Christ on paper to an actual person. The tract writer who utilizes this opportunity can offer this same love and concern to an unsaved audience in his gospel tract, for love and concern are the very characteristics the lost need to see in a gospel presentation.
Reading Christian books is also helpful to the gospel writer's outlook. The tract writer, in addition to reading for himself, can also observe how the authors methodically make their points and can capture the spirit behind what they are saying. He can then apply a similar organization to his own writing and learn from the authors' attitudes toward their readers.
Just as crucial to writing clearly is writing truthfully. This is sometimes made difficult or awkward by the pressure put on the missionary to compromise his message by making it more palatable to his readers. The truth cannot be changed, however, by readers who do not agree or accept what is being promoted, and tract writers should anticipate the many possible conflicting points of view that an an audience might bring towards an argument (Harrington, et. al. 185).
For the gospel tract writer, this responsibility is furthered by a higher responsibility under God not to be ashamed of the Gospel. Despite pressure from both inside and outside Christianity to cave to the laxity and ambiguity of modern times, the missionary must never deny the Gospel's power to save, for it is the very source that saved him from his sins. Much like journalists are expected to report accurate news, missionaries are also under obligation to share truth. The responsibility of a journalist is to respect the integrity of a basis of a work, to write intelligibly, and to write in a way that answer the questions readers will have concerning the work (Sherman et. al. 7). Missionary writers can hold themselves to the same standard as journalists and learn to utilize skills from good writing to pen sound gospel tracts.
Having such a fidelity to the truth will help missionaries to avoid writing in a manner that softens the issue of eternity or the character of God. A biblically-minded missionary would not write statements that would appeal to the unsaved such as, "The moment you were born into the world, God was there as an unseen witness, smiling at your birth" (Warren 63). Missionaries do not focus on speculation but on truth. They do not attempt to use emotional or mental ploys like a pitchman, but speak objectively and plainly like a journalist. To avoid writing in what may be a manipulative manner, missionaries must approach this with much prayer and ask God to help them to thoroughly love his Word so they will not be ashamed of his story of redemption, the Gospel.
I have perceived that some missionaries and missions organizations, but not all, have fallen into erroneous views of the gospel, especially social justice. This greatly concerns me, as the souls of many are at stake. Since my desire after I leave college is to be a missionary at some point in the future and use writing as a means to not only support me but to help others, I want to learn how to write accurate and Biblical gospel tracts. I want to guard against a wrong perspective on the Gospel, despite what may be otherwise promoted on television, the Internet, and other outlets, because my perspective will ultimately determine what I write. The purpose of this research paper is to explore how to write a sound gospel tract and the influences, both practically and spiritually, a writer should surround himself with in order to do so.
Current Thesis:
How a missionary writes a successful gospel tract largely depends on his spiritual outlook, his effectiveness, and his writing skills.
Posted on August 2nd, 2019
"Have Mercy on Those Who Doubt..."
Stop for a moment. What comes to your mind when you think of 1 Peter 3:15?
What about Jude 22?
You may not be familiar with the reference, so here is the whole context, Jude 22-23:
And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Jude 1:22-23 NKJV
It can be very easy for us as believers to point out error and those actively following and pursuing false teaching. But it can be just as easy, unfortunately, to not display mercy to those who doubt or are confused because of their encounters with false teaching.
My friend Jimmy, who often teaches at my church, pointed out that the "distinguishing" in verse 22 according to the Greek has to do with discerning by the power of the Holy Spirit between those who are falling into deception and those who are deliberately embracing it or even teaching it. Listen to the entire question and answer session on Jude he facilitated here: https://soundcloud.com/jimmy-coates-4/jude-q-a
Many believers know others who are reading or listening to something spiritually questionable to some extent. For some, the knee-jerk reaction is to leap on the person supposedly involved with the false teaching. But is this what Jesus commanded?
For many of those involved in "discernment" ministry, the modus operandi is to magnify error, followed by contesting individuals directly or indirectly, then finding out about friends, colleagues, or contacts who agree with the doctrine in question, then severing relations with said people after engaging in argument concerning said controversy.
Instead of becoming spiritual vigilantes against people that veer or could veer into false teaching, would it consume less energy and be more Christlike if we extended mercy to those who are struggling with their faith? Would there be little to no need to form discernment ministries if we as individual Christians exercised not only our Holy Spirit-granted personal discernment but also mercy toward others?
Having discernment does not just mean to be wise regarding doctrine and its source. Having discernment means to judge ourselves truly (1 Cor. 11:31) before we judge the faults of others and extend mercy based on the grace that we have been given. Knowledge will nearly always puff up, but love will always edify. And believers need to continually bear each other's burdens to fulfill the law of Christ...with mercy.
Posted on September 2nd, 2018
The Preciousness of Missions Work
#moments
If there was one corny, over-simplified, yet amazingly poignant hashtag to describe last week's happenings in the Baltimore-DC area, it would be that one word. Because sometimes, it's moments that God uses to centralize our thinking, planning, and doing from the flurry of life to answer the why of our life's purpose and mission. These capsules of past time and memory can be needed and refreshing reminders from our Heavenly Father who knows exactly what we need and when to minister to us.
Last week, I held a weeklong kids club at an apartment complex in Glenn Dale with Glenn Dale Baptist Church. The only thing we were missing for the majority of the week was kids. Many were inside playing on their stationery gaming systems. But at the beginning and middle of the week, God brought to us an extended family who stayed with us during the duration of the club on Monday and Thursday. They and their kids were very happy the club was in their neighborhood. One of the young boys even recounted to me a song that his mom had taught him about prayer, a song that came from one of the sweetest voices you'd be blessed to hear.
#moments
Then Friday came. A young girl and her great-grandmother joined us. After club, the five-year old was able to relay to me the entire story I had just shared from the sketchboard message of how Adam and Eve sinned against God. The grandmother explained they hadn't been able to make it to her church when she was a member because of her transportation situation. Pastor Roger, who was faithfully volunteering along with his wife Jenny, told the elderly woman that she and her grandchild were welcome to come to their church. Also, she said her great-granddaughter had asked her about going to church, out of the blue, just a few days earlier. Great-grandma noted that this was more than coincidence.
#moments
Late Saturday morning, I arrived at United Baptist Church in the Riverdale/New Carrollton area to participate in their annual end-of-summer FunFest outreach held in their parking lot. Many families passed through and benefited from the clothes and household items given by the generous folks at UBC. Near the end of the day, Pastor Everett Pope wanted me to do a gospel presentation. As he gathered folks around to listen to the sketchboard message, however, I started to get nervous. The crowd's anticipation was building, but so was my fear! Thank the Lord, I managed to get through the presentation. Pastor Pope then gave an open invitation to those listening to repent of their sins at that moment. Regretfully, a part of me expected no one to come forward, as I had experienced many times before when witnessing invitations/altar calls. But another part of me wanted to believe that God could and even would move on someone's heart that day. God gave me the grace to choose the latter. I looked up, and a young man emerged from the back of the crowd and walked toward Pastor Pope. He wanted the Gospel to change his life. He was ready.
I had noticed this young man earlier in the day when he stopped by to watch another message I had sketched up previously ("Solve This Riddle"). He listened as I explained the message to him and his friends, but he appeared quiet, if not a bit sad. After the meeting broke up and grilled food and cold drinks handed out, kids and teens bantered and played with the balls and danced to the music. I caught a glimpse of the young man who had just received salvation as he played along with the others. And I saw someone totally different than I had just a few hours ago. His eyes were bright with the hope of eternal life.
#moments
God gives every believer the chance to share the Gospel throughout their lives, if not daily. He gives believers the opportunity to bless others and leave the fragrance of his grace wherever they may be. So the only question left is, what will your #moment be?
Posted on August 27th, 2018
Prayers Needed for a Friend
Hi all, I'm writing a quick post to request prayer for a street preacher in the Pacific Northwest who is having some severe health issues at this point. He will definitely be off the streets for a while as he heals. Pray for his swift recovery and healing as he recuperates. Thanks to you all!
Posted on August 25th, 2018
Returning to Facebook (Sort Of)
Hey all! Becca here, and I'm excited to share with you what God will be doing and is doing in the weeks and months ahead concerning my missions work with Open Air Campaigners. I've been absent online to finish my distance courses with Moody Bible Institute.
It's in this time I've been gone that I realized I was becoming a Facebook addict. There, I said it. I have been able (by the grace of God) to get so many more things accomplished without always checking on my notifications every five minutes. Recently, I turned off my FB notifications on my phone (don't worry, you'll still be able to get in touch with me. I'll explain how below). :-) It has felt SO GOOD. A certain individual brought down the axe concerning my social media usage, but it has benefited me in so many ways. To that person, thank you. You know who you are :-)
So, as the month of September rolls around, I will be returning to Facebook, but not quite in the same way as before. By now, you've noticed this bare-bones Pistach.io blog that I've titled (perhaps somewhat haphazardly), The Middle of Everywhere. Because when you're in God's will, you're right where you need to be. And as long as you are walking with God, you never need feel lost. I'll be posting from here to Facebook for the foreseeable future. It has just been such a temptation for me to splurge my time responding to notifications and other flashing, suddenly-appearing, instantly gratifying stimuli. I'm hoping this will help me make better use of my time.
Those of you who have grave struggles among my Facebook friends-folks and/or their family members going through life-threatening and/or life-altering illnesses or disabilities- please know that I have not forgotten about you. I would still love to be kept in the loop to pray for and learn how your family member is progressing through their crisis. My email address is rebeccajefferson1@gmail.com. That goes for anyone else among my Facebook friends who needs prayer.
I have released a newsletter in the meantime that many of you may not have seen yet. The link for that is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16y8f6hgj2cx_dSK0Q4VHGIQfP2Ea58X6/view?usp=sharing
Also, the Open Air Campaigners site has gotten a new facelift! Go and check it out! www.oacusa.org
I know this platform is a little different, but I have to do what I can to be productive and time-conscious. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything.
I am glad to be back and can't wait to see what God has in store :-)
Posted on August 21st, 2018