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From a Christian worker in HONG KONG: "At a birthday party a very excited lady from our church told me that recently her husband purchased Manga Messiah from a book table at church. She went on to describe how they have been reading it at night to their 4- and 5-year-old children, since children's bedtime in their family includes a nightly Bible story. Her husband was reading them Manga Messiah, thinking their 5-year-old boy would enjoy it. After the story of Yeshuah's midnight conversation with Nicodemus it was the 4-year-old who spoke up, 'Daddy, I believe in Yeshuah. I want to be born again!' That night the parents prayed with her to receive Yeshuah as her personal Lord and Savior."
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From a Christian literature worker in INDIA: "The first 'seeds' of the gospel sown in my heart were through comics literature when I was a kid. For the past 10 years we have been involved in literature evangelism here. In the year l998 my wife and I gave away about 40,000 picture New Testaments (comix type). Here in India comics go VERY fast!"
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From the General Director of New Life League (Christian Publisher) in JAPAN: "Just last week we learned of one person who had read the Master Key Christian manga (comic) and as a result had gone to a church. There she heard the Gospel and was saved. Praise the Lord!"
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From a professional Christian cartoonist in the USA: "At a recent gathering of Back to the Bible overseas workers, a young man from Sri Lanka sought me out to tell me how helpful the "O.T." (Old Testament) Comics series (that we ran in Back to the Bible's youth magazine) had been to him as he grew up. He is now in full-time Christian work with BBB in Sri Lanka. I think this indicates that, in addition to being a tool to win young people to Christ, Christian comics also play an important role in helping young Christians grow in their faith."
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From the publisher of The Truth for Youth Bible (with comics) in the USA: "We have already distributed in excess of 450,000 copies, and we have received hundreds of decision cards from young people all over the nation who have given their hearts to Christ as a result of these efforts!"
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From a reader of The Truth for Youth Bible (with comics) in the USA: "I am in the process of reading 'The Truth For Youth.' My friend has the book and I decided to read it. This book had really made me think about my life. I accepted the Lord after reading the cool comics. And I am truly grateful. I really do want a life with Jesus Christ."
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From a comics artist in ROMANIA: "Romania has not developed a very big comics industry yet. The publication on which I work is the only Christian one that has comics inside, I think. What I really know is that we get messages from the children that read our magazine, and one sounds like this: 'Dear brothers and sisters, I am really thankful for what you are doing. I really wait every month for the magazine to come to my house and I very quickly read everything from your comics to the stories and games. I am thankful to the Lord, because of you I am now one of His children.' Another one says, 'I just can't wait to see what will happen in the next episode of your comics.' I am pretty sure that most of the children (because I work especialy for children) get the Word inside their hearts, and He will work soon or later."
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From a missionary who worked in a Saskatchewan Native community in CANADA: "Several years ago I had taken boxes of Dan Red Eagle comic books with me for a short term ministry in Canada. I had given them all away when a suicidal Native woman came by where I was teaching Vacation Bible School, hoping to talk to someone. I prayed before going to the woman's house and was surprised to find I had an extra copy of the Dan Red Eagle comic on suicide (shown here). The Native lady identified with the suicidal girl in the book and accepted Christ. Now she is a growing believer and good mother to her children."
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From Mission Frontiers Bulletin, July-August 1998: "A Native American woman in Tacoma, Washington (USA) says the Dan Red Eagle comics helped bring her to Christ early in 1998. She told her church that the comics were her first positive contact with Christ and the first in which she understood the Gospel."
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From a young woman in the USA who read Ron Wheeler's cartoon tracts: "I really enjoyed those cartoon stories.It was kind of weird because about a week ago I had asked God to send someone to help me understand that I need to go back and start a new relationship with him. While I was trying to look up information for a school project your stories popped out of nowhere. I was going to click out of it, but something told me not to. The one I liked the most was 'The Light.' It got me thinking about the Rapture and how I wouldn't like to get left behind. I really think that was a knock on the door from God, and I thank you for the wonderful stories and talent God has given you and for the courage you have to use it." |
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From inmates in US PRISONS:
• "I am 42 years old doing life ... A friend handed me a comic called Amazing True Life Stories. In it I read a story about a man named Bill Corum in "Heart of Stone." It made me start to cry cause I was just life with no real heart...I had a heart of stone. After I read it my insides started to really bother me. I went back and borrowed the comic book again and re-read it. I got on my knees and asked Jesus into my heart. I wanted to write and tell you thank you for making something that appealed to a man like me, who did have a heart of stone..."
• "My cell mate received the first issue of ATLS and sent [it] to me to read. I really enjoyed it and was wanting more. I am so ready to change my life around and devote myself to Christ….So that is my main reason for writing. I need to know what to do where to go from here…"
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From an American Missionary working in MEXICO: "My experience was not a simple one of 'read the tract, and whammo, salvation.' I did come to know Christ at summer camp in South Carolina, where I also came in contact with Jack Chick's 'This Was Your Life' tract. God used the exposure to clear Bible teaching about heaven and hell and the Lordship of Christ, combined with the effect of the tract, to bring me to a realization: That my church experience and agreement with correct doctrine was not the same as a personal relationship with Christ and wilingness to live in obedience to Him. The particular page of 'This Was Your Life' which the Holy Spirit riveted in my memory was the scene of miniscule, ant-like figures standing before the Great White Throne of judgement, casting long shadows which trailed away from the brightness of His glory. That image brought to life the reality of God's holiness and coming judgement, motivating me to get my life right with Him. I think that certain images tend to bring to life eternal truths in a way that the Spirit of God uses to leave a lasting internal visual reminder.
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From a man in AUSTRALIA: "I've been following Jesus Christ for about 9 years. A certain comic did have a significant part in my conversion. It was given to me when I was on work experience. The young trainee who I was instructed to pretty much follow around all day was a pretty fanatical Christian. He shared his testimony with me and set an example of how he stood up against bad morals, etc. and minor persecution in the workplace. I gave 'Sledge' his nick-name (but) absolutely no indication that anything he said had affected me. But for some reason I kept the 'Chick tract' that he gave me for years. The tract was 'A Demon's Nightmare,' and I don't know if it was the cool artwork or the spiritual significance, but I always held on to that tract. I ended up getting heavily influenced by evil heavy metal bands and fully believe that satan and his evil spirits tried to claim me and destroy my life. I was involved in crime and smoking dope. I completely lived in a fantasy world where I was fascinated by vampires and witchcraft. The desires were so deeply embedded inside me that I knew that I thought that this was my destiny... I didn't realise it was the deep carnal nature I was born with bringing me down. I'd never been to church. But anyhow I remember at some stage reading that tract and coming to the realisation that I was on the wrong side of my Creator. I really repented and sought God.
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Sometime later God brought some other people in my life that led me to a Bible study and and then to a youth ralley where I heard the Gospel preached. Somehow it all made sense that day, and I knew I had faith to commit my life to Jesus Christ. I'm a completely different person to the kid I was. I can actually look at myself in the mirror now."
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From a comics artist and professional illustrator in the USA: "Back in early '89 I was at the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I was 24, and living very debaucherously and dangerously. At midnight on Bourbon Street I recall seeing the teeming crowd part right down the middle. A little boy was leading a group of old men who were all carrying banners in one hand, their other hand being on the shoulder of the person in front of them. Despite my intoxicated daze I'll never forget the deep, stabbing conviction I felt when they approached me, and the boy handed me a tract. It was 'This Was Your Life'. I didn't have to read it; I remembered it well, having enjoyed reading many of Chick's comic tracts when I was in elementary school. My friend Bob thumbed through it like it was a fleeting novelty; I couldn't even look at it. The message was loud and clear. Later that year I was brought through a series of devastating circumstances that culminated in my coming to Christ. That tract was an early 'warning shot.'
Judgment was on its way. I could turn now, or continue to be stubborn. For another eight months or so, I remained hard-headed and -hearted. I thank God that His mercy triumphs over judgment, or I wouldn't be alive, let alone born again."
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From a man in the USA: "I was saved through reading those little Chick comic tracts. I now collect them. They have a good Gospel message. Some of them are a little 'out there' but most are pretty good."
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From another artist in the USA: "I gave my life to Christ at the age of seven years old after reading Jack Chick's 'This Was Your Life' in church. That comic really got to me and it coincided so well with what was preached about that morning in 1967."
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This entire web site and all its contents (except where other individual copyrights are specified) is Copyright © Nate Butler. All rights reserved worldwide. "COMIX35" and "Creating Christian Comics for Your Culture" are trademarks of ROX35 Media Inc. "Christian Comics International", "Christian Comics Catalog", "International Christian Comics Competition (ICCC)", "Christian Comics Pioneers", and the series title "Personal Testimony Comics" (in continuous use since first publication in Christian Comics & Games Magazine in 1996) are all trademarks of Nate Butler. All rights reserved worldwide. Other names, logos, and/or images used on this site that are not DBAs or trademarks of Nate Butler or ROX35 Media Inc, or are not copyrighted by Nate Butler or ROX35 Media Inc, are TM and/or Copyright © by their respective owners. Please note that it is impossible to screen all the text on all the external links listed on this site. Please do not assume that all opinions expressed on externally linked sites are identical to those of Nate Butler or COMIX35 / ROX35 Media Inc.
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