When Tracts Don't Work

During the EBC-Birmingham, we talked several times about the effectiveness (in the overall picture) of simply reading the Word aloud. God forced us to use that "evangelism method" while we were there, and it worked. So I thought I'd try it, too.

There is a "relax-and-talk" area in St. Louis called the Central West End. It is a place for restaurants, bookstore, and people who don't really have anything to do, so they just look for something that isn't necessarily illegal. It is right beside a local university (St Louis is home to three of them, if you can believe that), especially the medical center of the largest one. So the people who frequent this place are also very "intellectual," proud, and condescending: Just try handing one of them a tract.

Either the people in the CWE are used to tract passers, which is likely because it is such a hot spot, or they are very demonically controlled (far more likely), because I can honestly say that no where else that I have tried have I found more resistance as I attempt to pass out tracts. You almost have to start a one-to-one and end with a tract, which isn't a bad thing, just not what I'm used to doing (and everyone who has watched me develop my reputation as a "tractinator" knows why).

So, in an attempt to break the grip, today, after work, I went to a corner in the CWE and read from the Bible. Matthew 5-7 and John 8. Then my bottled water had run out and my throat was hurting so I went to the ATM to deposit last week's check and went home.

Right when I began, there was a trio of older Christians who encouraged me to continue. I also noticed several people come across the street, seemingly oblivious to (or maybe curious about) the fact that I was reading from Scripture. There were also people who avoided me completely, going behind me around the signal post (thank the Lord for the shade!) and then back onto the sidewalk.

In the end, I found out that secular thinking and rationalism has pervaded this place. I will return again tomorrow for more reading and more speaking. Perhaps more people will take tracts, but I don't think so. I'm not counting on that. The Lord does not let His Word return void. I am counting on that.