What's in your pocket?

     What's in your pocket?  This is a question asked by The Pocket Testament League(PTL). Most people answer this question with keys, a cell phone, a wallet, and change.  But what about God's word?  Most people would say no to this, but with the PTL's help you can change this.  Many people may not know what the PTL is, and that's why I've decided to write this blog.

     The Pocket Testament League was started in 1893 by Helen Cadbury, daughter of the president of Cadbury Chocolates in her early teens.  She organized groups of girls to sew pockets into their dresses, and to carry copies of the New Testament with them to share their faith.  Since then The Pocket Testament League has provided more than 100 million Gospels to people to share in their daily lives.

The Pocket Testament League follows several statements of faith:

•  The inspiration and authority of the whole Bible (Old and New Testaments) as the full revelation of God by the Holy Spirit.
• The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His substitutionary atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, and His personal return.
• The necessity of the new birth for entering the Kingdom of God (as described in John 3)
• The obligation upon all believers to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ and to seek the salvation of others. 

     The PTL is a community of believers serious about their relationship with Christ.  With a free membership to the PTL you can benefit in many ways.   Here is just a short list of them from the PTL website:

• You'll enjoy knowing that you helped others grow in their faith.
• You'll experience the excitement that comes from helping to "turn the world upside down" (see Acts 7) because you've made a difference for Christ.
• You'll discover that sharing your faith is easier than you ever imagined, and more effective than you may have thought it could be.
• You'll have the joy of knowing that the Body of Christ is being built up and multiplied as a result of your efforts.
• You'll have access to special resources such as Evangelism Boot Camp, a powerful training program sent by E-mail, and Pocket Devotions, daily devotional messages sent by E-mail.
• Members can increase the harvest by sponsoring other members who don't have the financial means to give to cover the cost of their Gospels. This sponsorship program is highly rewarding. Sponsors even receive E-mails showing how their sponsorship is changing lives.

     When you become a member of the PTL you will be able to order pocket size gospels for you to read, carry and share with others.  As a member you are able to order up to 30  gospels a month totally free.  If you are able to cover the cost of these gospels you can do so, but if not, they always find sponsors who are willing to cover them for you.  The PTL has many different covers and translations of the gospel of John to choose from, and you will almost certainly find the one that fits for you.

      I have been a member of the PTL for a while now, and have used it to share gospels with more people then I can count.  For me this hasn't been easy.  I'm not the type that is comfortable approaching a stranger and asking them questions, or even handing them a gospel, but I've managed to find some things that work for me.  I thought I would list a few ways I've shared them and hope it helps you.

• Door to door:  If you like to go for walks, while doing so you can share the gospels.  You can go "door to door" in your town and hand them out.  If you are like me, and can't get yourself to knock on everyone's doors you can leave them at the doors.  I usually would leave them near, but not in, the person's mailbox.
• Restaurants:  If you like to go out to eat you can share your gospels there.  I wouldn't recommend that you approach tables of other diners to share them, as most wouldn't like this.  But you can leave one for your waiter or waitress with their tip.  An easy way is to fold your tip, and slide it into the gospel.  Just make sure the tip is sticking out so they don't accidentally throw it away. 
• Fast food: If you are the type that goes through a drive-thru on a regular basis, this can also be a way to share your gospels.  When you approach the window to pay and/or pick up your food you can hand them a pocket gospel telling them its something for them to read and share.  Also you can keep aside a little bit of money to use when you go through drive-thru.  You can use this money to pay for the order of the person behind you in line.  You can then also hand the worker a pocket gospel, and ask them to hand it to the car behind you when they tell them that you paid.  Even if the worker keeps the gospel, it is still one shared.

     These are just a few ways to share the pocket gospels with people.  If you check out the PTL's website, they have a lot more  ways to share your faith.  I ask that you go there and read what they have to offer, and consider joining.  In case the links don't work the website is, www.ptl.org, and I ask that you just use my membership number: 240608 as your referral code. 

      Now I know how some people think, and the thought "What's in it for me?" comes into their mind.  The most fulfilling answer to this is knowing that you shared the Word of God with someone, and possibly brought them to know and accept Jesus.  They also have a lot of free resources to help you grow in your knowledge of God's Word.  But sadly for some this is not enough.  For them there is also the Impact Club.  The Impact Club rewards members who recruit people into the PTL.  When you get just two people to join under you, you will become part of the Impact Club at the Bronze level.  Here is what you will get at the different levels:

• Bronze - A beautiful cloissone metal Pocket Reminder that you can keep in your pocket as a permanent reminder to share a Gospel each day. This durable and high quality metal token, about the size of a quarter, can be placed in your pocket or wherever you keep your small change as a constant reminder to share your faith. Die struck from a copper bronze surface and hand-filled with a glass-like mixture, each Pocket Reminder is fired in a kiln, more is color added and then it's fired again, a two-step process especially designed to ensure that colors don't bleed. Individually hand polished and gold plated, this is a keepsake you'll appreciate for years.
  
• Silver -  A high quality two-tone ceramic coffee mug. Use this gift to invite a Christian friend to share friendly conversation over a cup of coffee as you explain the League and how you've been blessed by learning to share your faith with others.
  
• Gold - An  elegant personalized leather journal that you can use as a prayer journal, devotional journal, or any other need that you have. It features a Bible verse on each page to inspire you as you use it, as well as a slide tab closure and a ribbon marker to help you quickly find the page where you made your last journal entry. We'll put your name on the cover in gold foil. You get to choose from two sizes and whether you want yours in black or brown leather.
  
• Platinum -  A personalized Bible. This quality Bible, personalized with your name in gold print, is a gift you'll treasure for many years. You get to choose from two different Bibles: either the ESV Classic Reference Bible, or the KJV Personal Study Bible. Both come with quality leather binding and many special features, such as the words of Christ in red, built-in concordance, introductions to each Bible book, maps, and much more.
  

     As you can see the Impact Club is another way to entice people to join the PTL.  Again, if this is something that you are even slightly considering please go over to The Pocket Testament League's website and join.   Again if my links aren't working for some reason, its www.ptl.org, and I just ask that you use my referral code 240608.