By Jesse JohnsonLocal outreach pastor at Grace Community Church.
It is not a secret that most tracts and Gospel presentations are either silly or seriously flawed, if not both. However, many conservative and reformed churches that have traditionally avoided these materials altogether are starting to see a new program gaining popularity with their more evangelistic people.
Two ways to Live is a Gospel presentation produced by Matthias Media in Australia. Its website describes the program as, “simply a memorable summary of the Christian Gospel. In six simple points it conveys the key information that the average non-Christian person needs to understand in order to become a Christian.”
Most will encounter Two Ways to Live through their 15-page tract subtitled, “The choice we all face.” But the program also comes in a 1-hour Bible study, a kid’s format, and in resources designed to be given away. The material is well done, avoids theological gaffes common to these types of programs, and is endorsed by D. A. Carson. Mathias Media is from Australia, and for that reason their material has a welcome non-American feel to it.
The presentation focuses on the kingship of God, and on our intended role as rulers over the earth. While God designed us to have dominion over the earth and under Him, we have decided to serve ourselves and rule the world ourselves. This has resulted in “the mess” on earth right now.
Jesus came, served the King perfectly, and then died for our sins. Jesus’ resurrection enables us to return to serving the King, God. While the material does not mention the deity of Christ (or of the Holy Spirit), it does highlight the sinless nature of Christ, the imputation of sins, and the resurrection. It presents the gospel as God bringing rebels into the service of the good King.
The website is correct: it is a memorable presentation. While the diagrams may be a bit convoluted (each of the six steps has a unique diagram that contains a crown, an androgynous avant-garde stick figure, and a circle), they do not detract from the presentation.
As tracts go, this one is pretty good. It flows logically from one point to the next, so a believer should not have a problem walking through the whole booklet with someone who knows nothing about the gospel.
However, as a theological system, it does focus too much on a limited aspect of the story-line of the Bible. I assume that it focuses on dominion and kingship because that allows a simple and straightforward Gospel presentation. However this limited focus waters down the gravity of sin and the glory of salvation.
In light of dominion, Two Ways to Live presents sin as the attempt to rule the earth without serving God. But while this is true, it is missing some key points. Lying, lusting, stealing, and just good-old-fashioned moralism (self-righteousness) are not presented as sin. Likewise, salvation is not presented as an opportunity to glorify God and have peace with him, but as gaining the ability to rule and live with Jesus.
There are familiar tract-like qualities to this presentation. Six points (instead of laws or steps), odd diagrams, and the sinner’s prayer are all here. But, this is better than most tracts. It is theologically accurate (even if not complete), and it is straight-forward about why some people won’t believe. It deals with unbelief, and even explains why some people will refuse to believe what they read in the tract.
One of the strengths of this program is the online resources that are available. The tract has the web address in it, and the website is very helpful and goes more in-depth on some issues.
As a pastor who is considering offering this material in our bookstore, I am mindful that there is too much of a focus on kingship/dominion to the detriment of the presentation of sin and glory. But this is not a flaw that undermines its ability to be used in evangelism. It is better than most short gospel presentations that are available, and will probably continue to be the tract of choice for most evangelistic and reformed Christians.
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God’s Bridge to Eternal Life
http://www.majestic-media.com
This tract was developed by the faculty of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, a school that is fundamentalist, dispensationalist, and calvinistic. The tract utilizes the popular bridge analogy. It is available in the KJV and the NASB.
Quest for Joy
http://www.gnpcb.org/product/663575730613
This tract was written by John Piper. It contains his familiar theme of finding joy in God. The Scripture is from the ESV.
How to Become a Christian
http://www.gnpcb.org/product/663575727132
The writer of this tract is unknown. It is concise but surprisingly thorough, including lots of Scripture from the ESV
Ray Comfort’s tracts are similiar. They are helpful, and very narrowly focused; in the case of The Way of the Master, on using the Law to condem sinners. Perhaps next month I can put up a more full review of The Way of the Master. For now, we do use his tracts, mostly because they are work very well at starting gospel conversations.
I have found the best approach to be through the law and wrath as intro to the gospel. The first thing I do is ask what they think will happen after they die. “If you were to wake tomorrow, go to work, and died..oh say…about 10 o’clock in the morning, do you know what will happen to you?”
If there is any hint of interest in talking about spiritual things, their eyes will lock into yours. Then I just let the conversation blossom from there.
I believe in a really organized, practiced approach to give you confidence at first, but as soon as you can get rid of it. Instead, spend a lot of time in Scripture and memory work. Rely on the Spirit’s guidance–He loves the folks more than you do–and be flexible.
I believe this is the technique of Christ, the prophets, and the apostles. Read the NT. Jesus went one way with one individual and another way with another, depending on their needs. Consider the rich young ruler and Nicodemus. The messages were definitely different for the different individuals. If I am evangelizing an Evangelical church goer that is not saved, it is law, law, law, law–because the Evangelical church is just sopped up with easy religion. If I am speaking with a Catholic who is old school, believing in the saving works of the sacraments, I preach grace, grace, grace. It all depends.
One thing was constant in all the evangelistic encounters in the Bible, it started with making sure the patient new the diagnosis was law and wrath. “The law of Yahweh is perfect, converting the soul.” If the sinner knows nothing of sin and wrath, he will not reach for grace.
Different folks are at different understandings of God’s wrath upon them and that seems to be the big variable.
In Christ,
Phil Perkins.
Speaking of biblical example pertaining to evangelism, what do all you Bible scholars think we should do about new converts and evangelism? It seems as though Jesus sent out His disciple witnessing just about as soon as they knew Him. Remember the woman at the well? (She should be an encouragement for those of you who think you don’t know enough to witness.)
If a man is really saved, he will publicly declare for the Savior. Early witnessing makes for strong disciples and scares off false conversions–that’s my story anyway.
Oh–and here’s a definite tip–listen to them. They will tell you where they stand and what you need to help them with. It’s like fill-in-the-blanks. Some have all blanks. Some have the law and wrath down, but you need to fill in a lot of grace blanks. Some have a blank for Who God is. And so forth. So listen.
Phil Perkins.
One thing was constant in all the evangelistic encounters in the Bible, it started with making sure the patient new the diagnosis was law and wrath. “The law of Yahweh is perfect, converting the soul.” If the sinner knows nothing of sin and wrath, he will not reach for grace.