International (MNN) — Cultures that read and are passionate about literature are getting the Good News. American Tract Society has been working since 1825 to provide tools for evangelism that fit the cultures they are trying to reach.
Currently, ATS has tracts in over 97 languages, and 111 print partners in 65 countries. This form of evangelism is especially effective in second and third world countries. Chris Nogueira of ATS said, "The 2/3rds world, for example, countries like India, they are very much a reading country so tracts work wonderfully."
ATS works to provide content and graphics that are culturally appropriate for each of the countries they work with. By producing the tracts in the same country they will be distributed to, ATS is able to empower the people they are ministering to in a few ways.
First, they are able to produce more tracts for less money than they would elsewhere. Nogueira said "One of our largest print projects is in India. To print approximately 1.4 million tracts it costs $4,000. To print the same amount of tracts in the U.S. would cost almost twice as much."
Secondly, Nogueira said, "This definitely promotes the economy in that it provides opportunities for employment and also it encourages Christians to engage more aggressively in evangelism."
Nogueira also said, "I think that we are giving people, especially Christians in these countries, an opportunity to develop their own ministries and in this way I think it adds to the effectiveness of evangelism worldwide."
ATS is partnering with churches and mission agencies in 2007 to show them the value of giving missionaries and under privileged churches the tools they need to spread the gospel. In
order to raise funds to manufacture these tracts, they are asking churches and individuals to adopt a people group or project to donate to.
"If we work together we can make a great impact in the Great Commission. This is a wonderful way for all Christians to work together to accomplish the Great Commission," said
Nogueira.
To learn more about getting involved visit ATS on the Web.
