So you want to give the gospel to someone. Maybe that someone is a family member, a friend, a neighbor, a coworker, or a complete stranger. Maybe you're good at starting up conversations, maybe not. Maybe you have plenty of time to speak to the other person, or maybe you have only a few seconds. May I humbly suggest keeping a few tracts on you everywhere you go so that - whatever your situation may be - you can take advantage of any opportunity? Read on to find out all the details you need to start using tracts as part of your service for the Lord! At the end I will give you pictures, links, and tips for fourteen of my favorite tracts to use.
What Are Tracts?
Dubbed "little missionaries" by some clever soul, tracts are items that you can give to someone that have an explanation of the gospel on them. They are usually a pocket-sized item made from paper or cardstock, however there are many other creative forms that tracts can take. We'll explore lots of different options in a moment, but first let's lay some groundwork for using tracts.
What Are the Advantages of Tracts?
There are many reasons to use tracts, but here are a few of the major advantages:
Tracts always say the right thing. Many people (myself included) worry about "messing up" when presenting the gospel to someone. Tracts don't worry about that at all. They have a pre-planned presentation, and they get it right every time.
Tracts always stick to the point. If you've ever engaged someone in a serious conversation about anything (spiritual or otherwise) then you've probably had the experience of that person trying to change the subject. That doesn't work with a tract. They have a message to give, and there is no room for distraction.
Tracts are more patient that you are. Some people requires days, weeks, months, or years of persuasion in order to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. You and I may grow weary, but tracts never grow weary. They can wait as long as necessary, giving the same message every time without fail.
Tracts can go places (or stay places) where you can't. You can't follow someone home in their pocket, but a tract can. You can't go into someone’s home uninvited, but a tract can. You can't linger in the checkout lane at the grocery store for twenty minutes to talk to the cashier, but a tract can stay there all day long.
Tracts can talk when you don't have time (or when you're too nervous or shy). Are you in a hurry? A tract is never in a hurry. Are you nervous about speaking to a family member about the gospel? Tracts don't get nervous. Are you too shy to strike up a conversation with a stranger? Tracts are as bold as a lion every time. That's not to say that tracts are only for the hurried and the shy, however. For those of you who are gregarious and outgoing, tracts can still be a wonderful conversation-starting tool, and they allow the person to have something to look at again after the conversation is over.
Tracts put the word of God in someone's hand. In 2024, the estimated world population is over 8 billion people. Now imagine how many of those people do not have their own copy of God's word. And imagine how many have a copy of God's word, but have never actually read it because it is "too long" or "too difficult." A tract is quite literally an opportunity to sow the seed of God's word (Luke 8:4-15). You are giving a small portion of God's word to another person that they can keep. For some, it may be the only piece of God's word they ever read. That alone makes a tract a worthy investment of time and energy. Which leads to the last point...
Tracts are a small investment with a big return. Most tracts are very inexpensive, and can take less than 10 seconds to give to someone. Billy Graham, Charles Spurgeon, and Robert Murray M'Cheyne were advocates of tracts. Peter Ruckman devoted 23 pages of his book titled Soulwinning to tracts. Both George Whitfield and Hudson Taylor came to Christ as a result of tracts. Can you imagine the surprise you could have one day when someone (or a group of someones) approaches you in heaven, and they are there because you invested a handful of pennies and a few seconds of your time to give them a tract, or leave a tract somewhere?
What Makes Something a Good Tract?
Hopefully I've convinced you that tracts are well worth your time. But don't run out and get some tracts just yet. We need to think about what makes a good tract first. As someone who has looked at hundreds of different tracts over the years, I can tell you that not all tracts are created equal. Here are five guidelines on what to look for (and after this I'll give you some recommended tracts to help you get started!).
CRITERIA 1: CLARITY
This is the most important thing to look for. Is the gospel presentation clear? Really pause and give this one some thought, because this disqualifies more tracts than any other criteria on the list. Some tracts have a lovely message from the Bible, but they fail to give the gospel, which defeats the purpose of a tract. Some tracts give the gospel, but get so tangled up in trying to explain it that it becomes ineffective, or try too hard to be clever in the presentation that the gospel itself gets lost. What we're looking for is a CLEAR, CONCISE presentation, preferably one that relies more of direct quotes from SCRIPTURE than anything else (God said what He wanted to say in the Bible, so get out of the way and let Him say it!). Pay careful attention to some common words and phrases in gospel presentations that can mislead someone into false doctrine (and potentially undermine that person's opportunity to get saved!). What sort of misleading things am I referring to?
Anything that implies a person must do someone to work for or earn his or her salvation
Anything that implies a person can lose his or her salvation after receiving it
Anything that gives or implies a poor definition of repentance
I'm sure there's more we could list, but you get the idea. Read any tract you're considering carefully and prayerfully. If you want to make sure the gospel is clear, you could use the Q+A on Salvation posted here on Vanguard to help you think it through (you can read the post at this link).
CRITERIA 2: QUALITY
Ideally, you want to use a quality tract. Why? For the same reason you dress up for a job interview: first impressions are important. You are giving someone the word of God - the most precious thing any person could ever have. Don't hand them someone that looks like debris. Don't leave one lying around somewhere that people will mistake for garbage. That means you're going to need to find a way to carry them with you so that they don't get all bent, crumpled, or banged-up in your pocket, wallet, purse, or backpack. Some tracts make this easier than others, but we'll consider that when we look at some of the recommended tracts below.
CRITERIA 3: APPEAL
This criteria goes along with quality. We live in a loud world full of nearly infinite distractions. Does the tract look appealing? Does it look like something that someone would want to pause to consider. Will it catch someone's attention if they see it sitting on the counter at a restaurant or doctor's office? If you hand it to someone directly, will they remember it later? This is why you might want to have a selection of tracts to choose from. If we are going to be fisher's of men (Mark 1:17) then we might need to exercise a little wisdom when selecting our "bait."
CRITERIA 4: ACTION
Does the tract give the recipient some way to find out more or ask questions? If the person got saved, does it provide an avenue to keep growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (II Peter 3:18)? Not all tracts may include this, but it is an advantage when they do. It doesn't have to be anything fancy - the address of a good Bible believing church or a website URL can be enough.
CRITERIA 5: USABLE
There is an old saying that the best weapon is the one you'll actually use. In other words, it doesn't matter how powerful a .45 caliber handgun is if you're not willing to use it to defend yourself. If you're more comfortable with using a .22 caliber, then that's the right choice for you. If you don't like guns but you're willing to carry pepper spray, then that's the right choice for you. If you're not willing to shoot someone, but you've got no qualms about clobbering them over the head, then keep a baseball bat or some nunchucks by your bed at night. Do you see where this is going? Choose tracts that you're actually willing to use. I can't help you much with this one - it's a personal choice - but fortunately there are tons of great options out there so that you can find something that works for you! Speaking of which, let's get a few ideas on how to use tracts, and then I'll show you some of my favorites to help you get started.
How Should I Use Tracts?
The organization Moments with the Book has put out some great information about how to use tracts, as well as how to not use tracts. In fact they have their own explanation of what tracts are (which you can read at this link), and a pamphlet with 100 reasons and ways to use tracts (you can see the full list and order a paper copy at this link). They also have a page with 21 different brief videos that give you ideas for using tracts in different situations (you can see the list of videos at this link).
Recommended Tracts
Alright, now that's we've laid the groundwork (and hopefully encouraged you to start using tracts!), let's get to some recommend tracts to get you started. As I said earlier, I have looked through hundreds of tracts, and these are the ones that I choose to use the most often.
Motion Tracts (from Moments with the Book)
These are my go-to tracts. Why? Because they easily meet all five criteria listed above. Clarity? The message on the back is concise and is almost entirely Scripture. Quality? They are made from plastic, so they don't get easily bent up, and they are waterproof. Appeal? They have a lenticular front that "moves" to grab people's attention. The quality and appeal does mean that these are a little more expensive than most tracts (25-30 cents per tract), but I think it is well worth the extra pennies. Action? All of them include the information for the Moments with the Book website, which has a "Help" section where people can get 24/7 spiritual help, and "Resources" section with devotionals and other articles. Some of the tracts also include a URL for a page dedicated specially to that tract, expanding on the gospel message found on the tract itself. Usable? I keep three or four of these in one of those little elastic credit card pockets on the back of my phone so that I always have some tracts with me. While all of the motion tracts are eye-catching and high quality, not all of the motion tracts have clarity, so these are the ones I use (you can read each tract's message on the linked pages):
"Three Reasons to Smile!"
Tip for Use: Great all-purpose tract.
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"No Matter How You Feel"
Tip for Use: Great all-purpose tract. Probably my most used tract since everyone seems to be drawn to the colorful emojis. Also especially effective for people who seem to be having a bad day.
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"Follow the Son"
Tip for Use: Also a great all-purpose tract, but women seem more engaged by this one than men. Also seems to be more effective during spring and summer.
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Postcard Tracts (from Moments with the Book)
This is my second-most used tract, but for obvious reasons I don't carry this one around with me. This is also the most expensive of my recommendations since the tracts have to be printed on-demand (in other words, they only print these when you order them) and you have to pay for the postcard stamps to send them out. These also may require more time since you have to write addresses on them. That said, if you're willing to invest the money (with postage, you're looking at somewhere between 60 cents to a dollar per tract depending on how many tracts you order) then this is an awesome option. You can literally get the gospel inside every house in a neighborhood! Both me and my dad have been doing this for a few years, and as a result the gospel has gotten directly into thousands of homes! This is the postcard we use. You can see the back of the postcard at the link.
Sixty Second Gospel
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Mini-Tracts (from Moments with the Book)
I have some mini-tracts that I will use for specific scenarios. These are made from cardstock and have a glossy finish, but they can still get easily bent or banged up, which is why I reserve them for specific situations rather than using them on a regular basis. These are roughly the size of a credit card, and cost between six and ten cents a tract depending on how many you order. You can see the back of the mini-tracts at the link.
"Jesus Paid It All"
Tip for Use: Great for restaurants when leaving a tip. Be sure to leave a generous tip as that makes a good impression and increases the appeal of the tract!
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"You Have an Appointment"
Tip for Use: Great for anywhere with a waiting room - doctor's offices, car shops, etc.
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Comic Book Tracts (from KJV Pictures)
This one requires a little bit of work - meaning you have to print, cut, and staple the tracts yourself - but if you're willing to put in the effort these things never fail to grab and hold people's attention. Because these are little comic books, they take more time for the recipient to read, but KJV Pictures does a great job making them an engaging experience. Right now there are five tracts available, and they are all great for different scenarios, but my favorite one to use is called "Imperfect." Side Note: If you haven't checked out KJV Pictures Youtube channel, do yourself a favor and go see what it has to offer! Be sure to explore the website beyond the tracts page too!
Comic Book Tracts from KJV Pictures
Tip for Use: If you're going to use these tracts, use quality paper, print them in color, cut them out carefully, and staple the pages nicely. Or consider having them professionally printed at an office supply store.
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Business Card and Postcard Tracts (from the Bible Baptist Church of Deland)
James Knox's church has produced some really great tracts over the years, but I've put my two most-used tracts from his church below. They are high-quality prints on cardstock and very affordable: the yellow business card size is five cents per tract, and the red postcard size is 10 cents a tract.
"Get Out of Hell Free!"
Tip for Use: The vibrant yellow always grabs attention, and the Monopoly man almost always gets a smile (unless you're dealing with a real sour-faced person).
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"Jesus Christ: Your Best Choice"
Tip for Use: This isn't really a "postcard" since there is nowhere to put an address, but it is postcard sized. It is great to use during elections. I have used a hole-punch in the corner and looped rubber bands through to use these as door hangers.
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Thought-Provoking Tracts (from Bible Baptist Church of Pensacola)
These tracts are designed with the intention to capture interest not by being colorful or cartoonish, but rather by posing questions.
"Does Anybody Love You?"
Tip for Use: This one is perhaps the most cost-effective tract I've ever seen at only two cents a piece. The question on the front almost never fails to give someone pause. This one is probably not good for kids though, as there is an illustration of Jesus on the cross inside.
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"Questions and Answers About Your Future"
Tip for Use: This is printed on cardstock, but the booklet is still very small (smaller than a man's palm) and easy to carry. It is not illustrated, but like the comic book tracts, this one holds interest "pulls" a reader through page by page. It is also a cost effective option at 12 cents per tract.
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Quiz Tract (from Quentin Road Baptist Church)
Quentin Road Baptist Church has several tracts availible, and they are all free. That's right - they mail them to you at absolutely no cost. Should you make a donation to help them cover the cost of production? Yes, I think you should, but how much you give is between you and the Lord. Should you still order some tracts from them if your budget is too tight to spend money on tracts right now? Yes you should. Out of all the tracts they offer, the quiz tract is my favorite; it is also availible in six different languages!
"Am I Going to Heaven Quiz"
Tip for Use: These are eye-catching, thought-provoking, and great for general use, but they are especially good for people who think they are "saved" even thoguh they don't know (or don't yet understand) the gospel.
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Virtual Tract (from Calvary Community Church of Tampa)
I did a whole post to promote this tract, but it is worth repeating here. Pastor Jesse Martinez has made an interative Youtube tract. It is also in a quiz format, but as viewers click on their answers to Pastor Matinez's questions, they are taken to new videos that explain what is correct (or incorrect) about their selected response based on Scripture. Send it in an email or post it on social media to spread the gospel to places that paper and plastic can't reach!
"Am I Going to Heaven" Virtual Tract
Gospel Coins (from Time for Truth!)
Want to really turn some heads with your tracts? How about some metal gospel coins? These are just plain cool, and people always take them. Because they're metal (aluminim), they don't get damaged easily and their waterproof. Thet also get right to the point with an abbreviated I Corinthians 15:1-4 on one side, and Acts 16:31 on the other side. These come from The Oaks Church in the UK, so depending on where you live the shipping may differ, but the tracts themselves work out tro about 39 cents per coin, which is incredibly affordable for what you're getting!
Gospel Coins
Tip For Use: A friend and I used these at a "Trunk or Treat" event hosted by his dad's church. We dressed up as pirates, built a little dock and some orange foam "krakken" arms, put down some blue plastic for "water," and passed out the coins as treasure. Every single coin got passed out, and several kids were more excited about the coin than they were about the candy. I included a picture of us passing out the coins below (yes, I blurred out everyone's face because the internet is a scary place, and no, I don't actually have long nasty pirate hair - it was a just a costume wig).
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Where Will You Use Tracts?
So there you have it: an everyman's guide to using tracts as a tool for sharing the gospel. I know the picture of me dressed as a pirate probably suggests that I am a gregarious, talkative person who loves to be social, but the opposite is closer to the truth: I tend to be more quiet and introverted, which means I often have a hard time striking up conversations with strangers about the gospel. That's why tracts have become such an important part of my Christian walk - they give someone like me a way to spread the gospel no matter what kind of situation I'm in. But regardless of your personality - extroverted, introverted, or somewhere inbetween - I would argue that tracts should be an essential part of every Bible believer's spiritual tool set. There are at least a dozen other tracts that I have to use in different scenarios (for example, I have ones geared specifically toward holidays), but the thirteen ones I listed above are my favorites and can be used year-round in most or all situations. So choose something suggested above, or you find another one with a clear gospel that you'll use, and start spreading the gospel everywhere you go! You may or may not get to see the results, but rememebr what the Lord said in Isaiah 55:10-11:
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