I’ve been reading through Dan Kimball’s latest book and he said something that got me thinking… “Love is more than passing out a tract or holding up a sign and feeling that our job is done because we’ve let others know about Jesus.”
I spent sometime a year ago working at a Christian bookstore and music dept. I remember many of the ridiculous products that either came in the store or were presented to us hoping that we would market these products that make “great witnessing tools.” Take this shirt for instance… We all know the post delviery guys who love deliviring stuff to the office andf pushing the big red button on the secretaries desk that shouts back, “That was easy!”… Working in the bookstore I came to see how Christians, especially in the marketplace, have a tough time coming up with original ideas and so here we have this shirt that tells us how easy life with Jesus is! Kimball’s words made me think about how we want everything made easy… we invent shirts and tracts and other products so that we can tell people about Jesus with little effort… Yet I wonder what people on the outside of Christianity, actually think about these shirts… I’ve always had a minor beef with salvation tracts… Although i believe God can and probably has used them to draw people to Him, I wonder what the intent behind the tract is… I know some people who love tracts… They feel that handing them out to people fulfill’s their duty to witness to the world… but does it really? I wonder if Jesus would’ve handed people papers about Himself? I don’t think so… I think He knew they needed to experience Him!
I fear that as Christians it’s easy to become lazy and create things that make us feel good about ourselves and our work in the great commision…. When what this world really needs and wants is to see Jesus and how REAL He is… Through His church, through His people and not just on our shirts or hats… Are these “helpful” Christian products really good?… or do they just take us further away from what it means to really be and live like Jesus? Because when it comes to me showing unconditional love… I don’t get a “That was easy!”… In fact, I find that it’s beyond my ability… and that’s why I need Jesus… that’s why the world needs Jesus… and in some strange way… we are to be Him!
ps… and it’s not always Easy!
You Don't Say? 
I’ve always had a MAJOR beef with tracts. Like you, I think that God has used them before, but you know, God could use a pile of dog crap to bring people to himself, but its still a pile of dog crap.
Tracts all too often cause people to believe in the fire insurance gospel–that salvation is about getting a free ticket out of hell and into heaven and nothing more.
Oh, and “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Easy? I don’t think so.
I completely agree with your post Jordan. In fact, tracts and “simple” evangelism tools sometimes make it harder for someone to come to Christ in an authentic way. Good thing there was no tracts just after the cross… otherwise, Paul may have written many different things if He hadn’t experienced God in such a wild way on the road.. but rather found the laws of salvation on the side of the road??
Makes you think..