Write Your Own Tract

Would you like to write your own tract? One day, God impressed the idea upon my heart to design one. To date, I have created six tracts that I use to encourage the lost to embrace Jesus.

After paying for my groceries, I handed the young girl at the counter a tract. I said, “Here is something I wrote that I believe will be an encouragement to you.” The girl smiled and said, “Thank you.” I have had the opportunity to repeat this scenario thousands of times over the years. I would say that over 90% of the time, those I give a tract to gladly receive it. This is because I let the recipients know I wrote the tract. I also strive to always be kind and gentle when I offer them one.

The Importance of Tracts

Tracts provide a succinct form of communicating the gospel. Passing them out is equal to passing out seeds of God’s word.

People do not usually give their hearts to Jesus solely as a result from reading a tract. But they are a powerful tool when combined with other forms of evangelism. Having said this, I have met people who received Christ just from reading a tract. We don’t know what impact a small leaflet can make when given in love. The Bible says that God’s word never returns void (See Isaiah 55:10-11). The power of God’s word hidden in the heart can take root and flourish like a palm tree.

Would you like to display your testimony and encourage unbelievers to embrace Christ? Here are some thoughts on how to do this.

First, pray and ask God to use you to influence others. Ask him to give you the words to write so that you effectively communicate God’s message of salvation. It also helps to read published tracts and see how they are written and structured.

Let me ask, how did you come to know Jesus? You can tell the world your story. Some of us were raised in Christian homes. The call for these to embrace Christianity may have come at an early age. Others of us have made unwise choices before meeting the Lord, and were delivered from deep darkness. Your testimony may be colorful or it may not appear so spectacular. Your testimony remains unique to you. It can become a tool that God uses to spread the gospel to the unsaved.

Paul the apostle shared his testimony more than once while ministering to others (See Acts 22, 26). Let me encourage you to write down your testimony on paper. Organize your thoughts. Share the contrast of your life before you met the Lord and after. Use vivid imagery. Be specific. Your message has the power to influence others for Christ.

When we write down our testimony, it prepares us to witness whenever the opportunity arises. But our testimony is not all that’s needed for us to share our faith. We also need to share scriptures that outline God’s plan of salvation.

Sample Scriptures to Convey the Message

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Elements Needed to Communicate the Gospel

• All of us are sinners before God in need of a Savior.
• The basis for our salvation is grace and not works.
• Jesus suffered on the cross for our sins not his. He paid the price for our forgiveness.
• We must turn away from our sin and turn to Jesus for salvation.
• Salvation brings us into a loving relationship with God and secures for us a home in heaven.
• We need to declare Christ’s Lordship over our lives.

Once you’ve written the body of the tract, it is important that you end with a prayer to receive Christ. The invitation to come to Jesus can be a simple question like, “Would you pray the following prayer to invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior?” And the prayer can be simple. Here is a sample:

Dear Father God,

Thank you for sending Jesus to save me. I believe He died on the cross for my sins and rose again. Please forgive me for my sins. I ask you Jesus to become my Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me and giving me a home in heaven. I choose to follow you all the days of my life. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Include Steps to Follow the Reader’s Decision

• Find a loving church that preaches from the Bible.
• Pray daily and listen to God.
• Read the Bible every day.
• Tell others about your newfound faith in Jesus.

Last, it is good to include your church name, service times, address and phone number. I have made it a habit to ask my pastor for permission before doing this.

Let me also say that your tract should inspire the reader. It should not condemn him or her. Be careful not to talk down to your reader either. You should come across as a friend who also needs the Savior.

If you are an experienced writer, this is to your advantage. But if not, you can ask a friend to help you write it. Even if you write it, you can still ask someone skilled at writing to edit it for you.

Formatting Your Tract

Once you have completed your tract, you need to format it onto a double-sided Word document. You can use the page layout option and the columns button. Create 3 columns, which translates into 6 tract pages (3 columns or tract pages for each of the two Word document pages). Page 1 for the tract starts on the third column. You will type tract pages 2-4 on the second page of the Word document, and pages 5-6 land on column 1 and 2 on the first page of the Word document. On column one of the tract, it’s best to insert a picture or drawing. This can be a picture of yourself or a royalty free picture of something related to the content in the piece.

I have written tracts that have word counts between 515 and 875. The length depends a great deal on your font size. You can experiment with it, and you may need to curtail the length of your tract. It is important that your tract reads well. If the font size is too small, no one will want to read it, and they may not even be able to. Once you have formatted and printed your tract you cut it to size with a paper cutter. I usually cut five at a time. Last, fold your tracts into thirds corresponding to the columns of writing you have created. The picture should be on top.

All that I have said is important, but the most significant thing to do is to pray. We are to pray for those who we give our tracts to. We are also to ask the Lord for boldness. Even the apostle Paul asked God for boldness (Ephesians 6:19).

We can also use tracts as a tool to supplement ongoing relationships with friends, coworkers, neighbors and relatives. We can also mail them along with holiday cards to those we love.

When I was a young Christian, I experienced fear when I attempted to pass out tracts to people I did not know. I began my tract ministry by placing tracts on the windshields of cars. I have learned that boldness grows with obedience. We can start small and grow from that place. We can stand on scriptures about overcoming fear. Over time, we will find that fear no longer has a hold on us.

Why Don’t You?

God wants to use you, and tracts are a tool to that end. You can write down your own testimony or you can tell the gospel story in a creative way that speaks to the reader. Remember that God’s word can have a powerful effect on the hearer. Why don’t you write your own tract and spread them around like a dandelion blowing in the wind?