Contact: Michael Brickley, 717-468-3700
LITITZ, Penn., May 25 /Christian Newswire/ -- For Christians, one of the special qualities of the Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays is the opportunity they provide to bring up the subject of freedom with just about anyone and turn it into a conversation about the freedom offered to all of humanity through a relationship with Jesus Christ. With this in mind, The Pocket Testament League has issued a special limited-edition free Gospel of John entitled "A Message of True Freedom."
"This is the third year we've produced these limited-edition covers," says League president Mike Brickley. "Each year the response has been overwhelming. We encourage people to give all these booklets away between now and the end of the day on July 4."
The cover features a striking image of the Stars and Stripes, which immediately touches the heart of those who receive them. To ensure that these Gospels enjoy a wider distribution than in past years, quantities are limited to 20 of these unique covers per order.
The League has been helping Christians share their faith since the ministry was born as the vision of a teenage girl named Helen Cadbury back in 1893. Helen and her friends gave out free New Testaments, sewing pockets onto their dresses in which to carry their tiny booklets. Today, 175,000 members of the League continue this tradition, now sharing Gospels of John in simple one-to-one encounters. Membership is free, and members may order up to 30 free Gospels each month. Using special covers has proven effective both in helping people share more often and in reaching others.
"Some people have pointed out that you can give away God's Word with any cover at all and it will lead folks to Christ," explains Brickley. "That's true. But the Bible demonstrates the principle of framing your message in a context that matters to the person you're sharing with," he says. "Jesus used this approach with the Samaritan woman at the well. The apostle Paul also applied it in his sermon on Mars Hill in Athens. When you give away a cover that fits an interest in the other person's life, you create a bridge of communication which makes them more receptive to the message." He says that members have appreciated this technique and find it empowering.
Suanne C. of Marmora, NJ shared this story on the League web site: "My 12 year-old nephew came to visit on the July 4th weekend 2006. He came armed with his patriotic gospels. We went to the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk handing them out and wishing all a happy 4th of July. It was an awesome experience to share the Word along with my nephew. Thank you for all you do."
Anyone can join the League instantly online at www.pocketpower.org
