Here are free Christian Resources – books and tracts at the Chapel. What’s on the table occasionally changes. In different seasons, we have different things featured. If you come and don’t see what you’re looking for, ask for Paul. We may have it somewhere else.
Free Christian Resources at the Chapel
Here’s a brief description of each of the items available.
Friendship with God Hymnal – This is the hymnal we use. We have more details about it in this Post Here.
Changed by Tom Cantor – This short book is Tom Cantor’s testimony. Tom teachers at the Chapel. For more details and a link to a copy online read This Post.
Cambiado by Tom Cantor – This is Tom’s book Changed in Spanish.
Whosoever Will vs. Fatalism by Tom Cantor – This book presents a Provisionist understanding of salvation (soteriology) that is neither Calvinist nor Arminian. It is commonly called Provisionism. While this is the statement of faith of the Chapel, people with different beliefs attend and participate in ministry. This short book presents God‘s love for all, our need to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved, and everyone’s ability to respond to God for salvation. It has a number of Bible verses and offers very practical application. You can also read it online at Friendship With God.
More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell – This is a popular apologetics book. Christian apologetics is giving reasons to believe. This book center is on the Lord Jesus Christ. You can read more about it On This Post.
Our Daily Bread is a popular daily devotional. It has a daily Bible verse, short devotional, application, prayer, and references for reading though the Bible in a year.
How to Recognize the Messiah: a gospel tract. This presents six prophetic requirements by which the Messiah (Christ) can be identified from the old testament (Hebrew scriptures). It talks about Jesus and presents the gospel.
Why should you believe the Bible? Reasons From Romans: a gospel tract using the epistle to the Romans. It gives seven reasons why to believe, and a seven point “bridge of salvation.”
¿Pro qué debes creer la Biblical. Razones en Romanos: the same gospel track as above but in Spanish.
Have you Heard The Good News? A clear gospel tract
¿Has Oído Las Buenas Nuevas?” The same track as above but in Spanish.
Here is an Isaiah 53 gospel tract by Tom Cantor. This chapter of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible or Tanakh [Tanach]) been called “The Fifth Gospel.”
Tom Cantor is a Jewish believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Tom is also a teacher at Mission Valley Community Chapel. He usually teaches our adult Sunday school class. He also gives the sermon on the first, third, and any fifth Sunday of the month.
This tract presents seven references from this passage to present the gospel of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). It is a good tract that you could share with someone this Passover/Easter season. We also have a variety of gospel tracts at the Chapel.
This tract uses verses from this prophecy to give the sacrifice needed, the sacrifice presented, the sacrifice examined, the sacrifice offered, the sacrifice’s purpose, the sacrifice accepted, and the sacrifice personalized. Its focuses on the Lord Jesus Christ and his work. It concludes with our need for him as our Savior and Lord.
I’ve read a number of books on this topic, and this article from Jews for Jesus had some good arguments I hadn’t heard. It’s a good apologetic for the Trinity being in the Old Testament.
It quotes numerous scriptures and discusses the names for God, pronouns, plural nouns with singular verbs for God, plural nouns with plural nouns for God, different Hebrew words for one, and many other interesting points. It is done in a way that is easy to read.
One thing I found interesting was the examples of God having both a plural noun and plural verb. Usually in the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)God is in the plural with a singular verb. This article gave some exceptions along with noting the more standard usage.
This article should be good as a resource for Jewish evangelism. It should also be useful in talking with other people who deny the Trinity like Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Muslims.
Above are links to an apologetic/evangelistic booklet in both English and Thai written by missionary Ron Myers.
This booklet with pictures was written particularly for a Buddhist audience.
Without using religious language, he introduces God as “a Creator, an Owner, a Master Designer or Great Architect.” He does this by pointing to the evidence in ourselves and the world around us (intelligent design). Towards the close of this section, he uses a parable that turns the atheist “gardener” parable on its head.
He then moves from “Creation to Redemption.“ He refers to “the ancient scrolls” (The Bible) that discuss Satan, our first parents (Adam and Eve), and Jesus “Our Creator-God, Savior and Advocate.” He presents the work of Jesus, becoming judgment, and gives a clear gospel presentation.
The above summary does not give this great evangelistic/apologetic book justice, but hopefully whets your appetite to read it… And share it!
You can listen to an about five minute description by the author Ron Myers, and how he uses it here on YouTube
And here’s the author’s better overview, a sort of “virtual” back of the book description, “Consider Creation [is] a highly successful Creation Evangelism dialogue in booklet form and audio format that addresses origins and proposes examples of Intelligent Design which beg the existence of an Intelligent Designer. It has proven very successful among Asian cultures that do not share a our Judeo-Christian worldview or knowledge of God as their Creator. It helps them to come to the conclusion that there must be an Intelligent Designer. It concludes by introducing God and His Word, Creation, Satan and the fallen angels, Garden of Eden, Temptation, Fall, Curse and Banishment from God’s presence, and finally the Promise of a Messiah, His Name and invitation to receive Christ and eternal judgement awaiting those who do not, but God’s loving mercy for all who do.”
This audio tells what a prophet is. It also tells what a false prophet is. It gives examples from the Bible and the criteria of a prophet from the Old and New Testaments. Tells that Jesus is the greatest prophet and fulfills many prophecies at His first Coming, so we can know that He will fulfill the prophecies that say He is coming again. Of course, it links to the Gospel. It is for ages 4 – 10 years old adults have listened to and enjoyed my audios as well. – SermonAudio description
Her audios are also on sites like iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and many other sites. It may take some time for these other sites to transfer this new one over, but it’s available right now on SermonAudio.
Here is a link to David Hall‘s Facebook page where he gives an update on his evangelistic outreach in Balboa Park, has some pictures, and two videos of Christmas carols. One of the Christmas carols is “Silent Night“ and the other is a Ukrainian Christmas Carol. Read about his witnessing and using apologetics to spread the Gospel HERE on Facebook.
You do not need to sign into Facebook to watch this. You can go to Balboa Park on Saturdays to check out this great local ministry. His outreach is set up by the fountain.
Also, David has an updated version of his website. Check it out here for a lot of great apologetic and evangelistic resources Science Scripture Salvation Outreach
And here he has a website with Christian poetry Quiet Time Poems
Personally, I think these offer a good balance of “Christianity for the tough minded“ and “Christianity for the tender hearted.“ But after all, God loves everyone, Christ died and rose from the dead for everyone, and the Holy Spirit calls everyone to salvation, so it makes sense that Christianity was made for everyone. The Lord Jesus Christ is returning, and today is the day of salvation – trust in Him today and be saved!
For the Christmas season, read “How a Jew Learned the True Meaning of Christmas” by Tom Cantor.
“Growing up as a Jew left me without an understanding of the true meaning of Christmas…Finally, I came to understand the true meaning of Christmas through the story of a boy and his boat…”
This 19 page booklet uses an interesting parable about a boy and his boat to explain the Gospel. It reminded me a little of the Lord Jesus’ parables of “the shepherd and the lost sheep” and “the woman and the last coin” (Luke 15:1-10). Tom’s structures the analysis of his parable on the words “Made,”“Lost,” “Found,” and “Bought;” I found this helpful. It is a good summary of the Gospel. Christian apologist Alex McFarland has used a similar story with a bike, and while very good, it doesn’t have the first step of this parable which I think adds something important and biblical. Also, I liked how Tom ended it with a Gospel presentation and Scripture.
I hadn’t realized it until rereading this one that this is one of four of his booklets entitled “How a Jew…” I’ve mentioned the others before here, here, and here.
on our blog; You can read them all at Israel Restoration Ministries
(Read Sam Burton’s Testimony. Sam is a deacon at the Chapel and preaches the sermon on the second Sunday of the month.)
TESTIMONY OF RECEIVING THE LORD
THROUGH A GIDEON’S N. T.
By Dr. Sam W. Burton
Saturday, May 12, 1945 –Okinawa
“Anchored in Keremo Retto. Loaded ammo. … During last night’s action, the DD Hanby was repeatedly attacked while on radar picket duty. She shot down nineteen planes and was hit by five others. She was later abandoned and sank. At dusk this evening two Japanese planes came … and attacked the Wick (U.S.S. Wichita) and the New Mexico. Ours was the first and crashed about 1,000 yards on our starboard beam. While everyone was engaged in our “buzz boy” the second came in low astern of the New Mexico strafing her the fall length of her stern and crashing into her at the base of her stacks and bridge. She burned fiercely for about ten minutes, and there were several explosions before the fire was brought under control. While firing at these planes, a destroyer fired a 5″ shell into our catapult, spraying two 40 MM mounts with shrapnel. Thirteen men were injured One died at 0130, Three suicide boats were sunk during the night, with two more probably sunk.”
Tuesday, May 15, 1945
“Bombarded all day and all night. Two enemy plane raids, but no attacks.”
This was during the Battle of Okinawa. I was aboard the U.S.S. Wichita during this time.
But, the “rest of the story!”:
I was born in New York City (Manhatten) of parents who were in the theater. Because of their careers, they came to Hollywood and San Francisco and left me with a family when I was 1 1/2 years to 2 years old — from 2-7 years old — 5 years during the Depression, Of course, I owe my lífe to that family, the Benke family.
At seven I was put on a train headed for California with other children and a nanny. In California I met people I did not know, my parents. I was put in boarding schools during my elementary school years but did live with my parents in Laguna Beach, CA, during my high school years.
Upon graduation on June 8, 1944, I went immediately into the Navy on June 10, 1944, and went through “boot camp” in San Diego, CA. I received a New Testament from the Gideons and put it in my “ditty bag”.
After boarding the Wichita in the South Pacific (Ulithi) and being in several naval battles, we found ourselves on a 10 month deportation and the Battle of Okinawa. During this time, I practiced boxing aboard and began reading the Gideon’s New Testament. One thing was a great embarrassment to me, a filthy mouth. The Lord convicted me as I read this New Testament and led me into His truth. I read,” Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6),”Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). And then I read: Rom.: 3:23, 6:23, Eph 2:8,9.
After reading the entire Gideon’s New Testament and the decision page, I received the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior on May 15, 1945. During this time I also attended a Bible study on board ship led by Hudson Armerding, my radar division officer and later president of Wheaton College. We studied Fundamentals of the Christian Faith from Moody Bible Institute. At the end of the War, the ship went through the Panama Canal to Philadelphia. I met some Christian young people at a Servicemen’s Center and attended church and was baptized on April 4, 1946. I was 20 years old.
I thank the Lord for the Navy. I learned to say, “yes, Sir”, and “no, Sir”; I was saved by reading a Gideon’s New Testament and I got four years of GI Bill of Rights education. From 1946-1950 I attended Westmont College as a history major. It was here that I met Betsy who has been such a tremendous blessing to me for 70 years. Dr. Charles Ryrie married us on April 29, 1951. While at Westmont my new found Christian faith was grounded through Bible courses, the Navigator memory system and practical Christian ministry with the American Sunday School Union (now the American Missionary Fellowship) and two summers with the Canadian Sunday School Mission.
After graduating from Westmont, I studied at UCSB for a teaching credential and a year
of Bible and Theology at Multnmah School of the Bible in Portland, OR. After teaching school
on the Hoopa Indian Reservation in Northern California for three years, and after much prayer, Betsy and I and our three little girls moved to upstate New York where I taught school.
On October, 1957, we boarded a German freighter, the Bertioga, and headed for Argentina. It was our privilege and joy to serve as missionaries for 38 years in Argentina, Uruguay, the Amazon River in Brazil in church establishing, and in Mexico and Guatemala in Theological Education by Extension which grew from 80 students to 700. Our family grew from 3 children to 8 including an adopted Brazilian.
I was able also to continue studying and received an M.A. in Education from Azasa Pacific University and a Doctor of Ministry from Southern California Bible College and Seminary. My doctoral dissertation was published by William Carey Library Publishers in Pasadena with the title Disciple Mentoring – Theological Education by Extension.
What a privilege, too, to teach Intercultural Studies (Missions) at Christian Heritage College in El Cajon for 15 years as an adjunct professor (adding my junk – Ha!). I am now teaching courses with SCBC and S, mostly in Spanish.
AND — all because of that Gideon’s New. Testament. Thank you Gideons International!
Praise the Lord!
————————————— Sam Burton teaching
Watch some of his sermons during our worship services HERE on our website. More on our YOUTUBE
The short presentation answers the questions of our need for salvation, how the Messiah fulfills it, why we need to respond, and how to respond. It uniquely does all of this from the Old Testament (the Holy Jewish Scriptures, the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh).
Here is a PDF of a short gospel tract by Tom Cantor, “God is love, I John 4:16”, at his evangelistic ministry to Jewish people Israel Restoration Ministries
It’s short and worth reading, as it presents God is love, what that means, the gospel, and “You can respond to God’s love by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior by praying: ‘Lord Jesus, save me – a lost sinner.’”
Sometimes people think that because God is love he will put up with anything, and we don’t have to do anything, and everyone goes to heaven. Other times, people ignore the truth that God is love by focusing on his power and authority. This gospel tract briefly gives a biblically balance understanding of God‘s love.
