Sermon/Invitation

Personally, I've always noticed that giving options like that actualyl make it easier and a lot of people follow the crowd.

Private is not always easy, and public is not always the most sincere.

How to do an invitation is quite a subject...I look forward to reading this thread

 

The invitations I give are always a part of the sermon. It is such a part of the sermon that often thers do not know it is an invitation so they continue to listen. I worked hard in the past to not make people feel manipulated and to make the response a normal part of the sermon. I think a well thought out sermon derived from the text has as a part of it a response which the text demands. The invitation should not be a mini sermon tacked on the end of a sermon already given.

 

My best friend says something to the effect of, "if you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior, please remain seated." He continues to call to descipleship repeating the above many different ways while extending the right hand of fellowship.

Anyone who is seated while the others stand are witnessed to by a group he calls his warriors. Being honest, I don't know how I feel about the way he does the invitation. At times, it does feel awkward.

 

gb

I like it all ... I struggle with the last sentance, because I sometimes have special illustrations for the invitation.

God bless

Wayne

 

I would be more inclined to save that illustration for another text.

Years ago I was asked to preach for a pastor and I changed the sermon I had planned about two hours before. I found out later why during the invitation. I preached on trials from James and her cousin had just been murdered. That was my answer. We prayed for her and tried to encourage her.

 

gb

Did I read this correctly? It is late and I must confess that my eyes are crossing. It sounded like the pastor's cousin was killed and the pastor was a woman?

Wayne

 

I believe that "invitations", per se, is scriptural; but the modern revivalist invitation system is not scriptural.

I recently visited a church that gave no invitation after the preaching. It seemed odd to me. But I have grown to despise the typical invitation, especially when preachers insist that somebody MUST come to the altar "if God is dealing with you". Some will actually demand or shame people into going to the altar. That's completely unscriptural.

I will agree that if an invitation is to be given, it should be for public decisions - i.e., to confess Christ.

 

The response to invitations ought not to be guaged only by people coming forward. The response during the week is also part of the invitation

For example, if preaching on believers getting along with other believers, the invitation might be to go to the person you're having issues with. We have done that and people have sometimes responded in the invitation and sometimes during the week.

Or people being asked to trust Christ as Savior might respond publically, but they might also respond privately thru the week. Personally, I think that baptism is the biblical public profession of faith... but that's just me.:smilewinkgrin:

Every message ought to call for a specific decision or action.

 

I do believe and usually end a message with a challenge to do a little better with our walk with Christ, I believe the invitation to discipleship is just that. It is an invitation to come to Christ.

 

Tom Bryant wrote:

Yes, you are right. We need to remember that this is not tantamount to an altar call or public invitation. We forget this and that's where our problems start or at least wind up.

 

It was a lady in the congregation who came forward whose cousin was murdered.

 

TomVols, would you outline the difference between a public invitation and an altar call? And while you at it, explain the difference, if any, between a public invitation and some other kind implied in your post. I've always assumed they were different names for the same thing.

 

I like this from John MacAuthor (I like his views and the way he puts things) its called Alter Call
http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/ALTAR.HTM

 

That works: "alter" your life through the altar call!

Here in Japan most churches are tiny, and the Japanese are easily embarassed (the famous "loss of face"), so while I usually preach for results and not just to teach, I usuallly just have them pray in their seats. I'll declare a silent minute of prayer and tell them to tell the Lord about it. Occasionally I'll also have them raise their hands and tell their pastor if it is an important decision.

I use the typical "come forward to trust in Christ" invitation only once every few years, when I know someone needs to get saved is in the congregation, someone I've already been working with in private. Mr. W. got saved that way in Yokohama years ago, then gave a wonderful testimony to the people while his wife stood with him and clapped! Up here in Hokkaido, Mr. Ueno responded to a similar invitation, and has been one of my most faithful members ever since.

 

I hav enever given an altar call though it was and is fairly common in the circles I run in.

I do not have anything against the average altar call. I am against preachers getting pushy and having the final chorus of a hymn placed 3 dozen times.

Moody feared someone being ready to turn to the Lord but getting distracted by the world, so he would try to deal with them straight away.

The Salvation Army make you wait a week before you can make a profession (or they used to).

Spurgeon invited people to come by on the Monday if the Lord was dealing with them and they wanted to talk.

I would readily challenge people at the end of the message, but so far I have not invited them up to the front or to raise their hands or anything like that.

If they are visibly being challenged then I would speak with them after the service or the person they came with would speak with them.

Invitations can be used well to encourage and help a person to a point of decision. But they can also be harmful if done in the flesh.

 

invitations

The invitation IMO needs to be varied by the host.

Generally speaking when I give an invitation it is very short my reasoning is this if the Holy Spirit has been working on your heart and mind you need to obey immediately. Other times I will not give an invitation especially if it is one of those messages that is meant to cause people to ponder on the truth presented, once in a great while I will ask for an upraised hand if you are lost, but my favorite is if you are not saved would you look at me, and then I will encourage them to come to Christ. I seldom give an invitation for church membership or baptism preferring to speak personally to them one on one in order to answer specific questions and to present clearly our specific requirements for both.

Like many I am concerned about making the profession of faith to easy but do not know of any other way to handle it in a public manner and still extend an invitation for salvation, prayer etc.

thjplgvp