it has been said that God works in mysterious ways. John Winters
insists the Lord used a hip injury to give him an idea for evangelism.
After Winters retired as Louisiana Baptist Convention Brotherhood
director, he taught Royal Ambassadors at Trinity Baptist Church in Pineville.
However, when Winters suffered a hip injury, he was forced to give up teaching.
It has been said that God works in mysterious ways. John Winters
insists the Lord used a hip injury to give him an idea for evangelism.
After Winters retired as Louisiana Baptist Convention Brotherhood
director, he taught Royal Ambassadors at Trinity Baptist Church in Pineville.
However, when Winters suffered a hip injury, he was forced to give up teaching.
“To look at these four walls (at my house), it didnt
take long to get bored,” Winters explains. “I asked God if there was
something I could do for him.”
God answered Winters, challenging him to create gospel tracts
that others could use for evangelism.
The results of the challenge have been two tracts – one
that utilizes a gold dollar coin and another that features a five-color circle.
Printed on ivory-colored slick paper, these full-color tracts include artwork
and photographs.
The tract “Something Better Than Gold” explains the
different purposes of gold and tells the reader he or she possesses “something
much more precious, permanent, beautiful and priceless than gold.
“I am referring to the eternal soul,” it states.
Winters then shares the creation story, complete with scripture
and artwork. After presenting four steps a person must go through to receive
salvation, Winters asks the reader five “yes” or “no” questions.
They include “Do you believe you are a sinner?” and “Do you believe
Christ will save you if you confess your sins to him?”
He also provides an avenue for the reader who prayed to accept
Christ as his or her personal savior to grow spiritually. He counsels –
“Share your testimony, pray, Bible study, baptism and church membership.”
The tract “My Journey” explains the story of a Christians
life through a multicolored circle.
Black represents a persons early life, when
he or she is “miserable and unhappy, … searching for something to satisfy
(his or her) empty soul.”
Red represents the blood of Christ.
White represents the cleansing power of the blood
of Christ. After a person is saved, the believer begins “walking in the
light with a joy (he or she has) never known.”
Green represents a believers Christian growth.
After accepting Christ as his or her personal savior, a Christian is baptized,
studies the Bible and shares a testimony.
Gold represents a Christians future home
in heaven.
Winters says he mails out about 200 tracts, along with a yellow
opinion form, to ministers and laymen identified as potential users of the tracts.
Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Director Wayne Jenkins helps Winters identify prospective
ministers and laymen. If Winters receives 25 responses, he says that is a positive
result.
The opinion form asks the respondent to indicate his or her
opinion of the two tracts. Winters also asks the respondent to supply him with
contact information of two people who may be interested in print evangelism.
If the opinion form is returned, Winters then mails a series
of letters to interested individuals, including a gospel tract order form and
suggestions for ways to use the tracts.
Darryl Hoychick is pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Pineville
– and he says Winters tracts are “very effective” in the
churchs visitation program.
“Whether the color wheel tract My Journey
is left with prospects or read aloud with the willing searcher, it has Gods
Word, which will not return void,” Hoychick says. ” Something
Better Than Gold is an awesome tract that will bring the reader from Edens
tragedy to the empty tomb. Well-written with beautiful eye-catching art, this
color tract will capture the attention of all who see it.”
For information on the tracts, call (318) 640-0616.