Jack Thomas Chick: Man or Myth

You may not be aware, but chances are you are familiar with the work of Jack Chick (b. April 13, 1924) His gospel tracts have littered the streets of the world for over thirty years now. I have been handed them consistently my whole life from everywhere imaginable. It has become like an easter egg hunt for me. I want to explore the source of these tracts and uncover some things that most people who pass them out may not realize about Jack Chick's beliefs. (in later posts)

Jack Chick is an Independent Baptist, dispensational premillennialist and is a leading figure in the King-James-Only Movement, but before all that Jack Chick had an interesting youth. His website describes it this way.

"While in high school, none of the Christians would have anything to do with him because of his bad language. They all agreed not to witness to him, convinced that he was the last guy on earth who would ever accept Jesus Christ."

Wow. The Christians at his school must have been bogus. They didn't believe that God could save Jack from his potty mouth. That is maddening if that's true.

Jack's original plans was to be an actor but was drafted into the army to participate in WWII. Chick spent 3-years in the Pacific including New Guinea, Australia, the Philippines and Japan.

After returning from war Chick fell in love with Lynn, who he marries before he finds Christ. According to his website his conversion was as follows.

"While visiting Lynn’s parents in Canada on their honeymoon, Jack’s mother-in-law insisted that he sit and listen to Charles E. Fuller’s Old Fashioned Revival Hour radio program. Jack recalls, "God was already working on my heart, but when Fuller said the words, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow," I fell on my knees and my life was changed forever."

God was able to do a work in his life in spite of his bad language.

Jacks father was a commercial artist, who had a major influence in his life. Chick says that he was shy, but passionate about the Gospel. Another episode in Jacks life inspired the advent of the tract.

"At the time, I didn’t like teenagers or their rebellion. But, all of a sudden, the power of God hit me and my heart broke and I was overcome with the realization that these teens were probably on their way to hell. With tears pouring down my face, I pulled my car off the road and wrote as fast as I could, as God poured the story into my mind."

Within 15 minutes, A Demon's Nightmare was written. After going home and drawing the art, Jack Chick’s very first soul winning gospel tract was completed. God miraculously used the owner of the company Jack worked for to pay for the first printing of this new soul winning book."

Since that time Jack Chick has illustrated or directed hundreds of tracts, books, and even a movie.

Here is an example of one of Jack's tracts.



Here is what I think is really interesting. Jack Chick may not even exist, or at least not behind all that his name is on. He is a complete recluse and has not given an interview since 1975! There are no known published photos of him besides an ancient year book photo. Even though this is the case Chick Publications is a thriving company that still consistently produces new tracts and books in over 100 languages and ships them all over the world.

Perhaps Chick has a reason to hide. Much of his teaching is so extreme that many would try to do him harm. The object of these teachings surround Catholics, homosexuality, Islam, evolution, rock and roll and RPG games. I will explore Chick's beliefs and teachings in further posts by taking a look at his comics that are hardly laughing matters.