The 'Invitation'

Your post reminded me of something that happened early on in my Christian life. A friend had persuaded me to be a counsellor at an evangelistic tent crusade. This involved watching out at the "invitation" for people going forward, and accompanying one of them to the front. I saw someone get out of their seat to go forward, and promptly went to accompany him, but noticed another counsellor heading for the same person, so I returned to my seat. Someone in the row behind me tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Never do that, brother! Someone might see, and think you were an unsaved person resisting the Spirit's urging to go to the front!" OK, it sounds like a caricature, but it is not; it actually happened! God is almighty. Is He going to let a sinner who otherwise would have been saved "slip through the net" just because they saw me sit down?

 

David, my memory does not serve me well, but I remember reading somewhere (maybe on the BB) that certain people are assigned to start walking toward the front when the invitation begins, to sort of "prime the pump." The idea, I guess, is to loosen any inhibitions about publicly declaring you're a sinner. Now it that's not manipulative, i don't know what is. The poor, helpless Holy Spirit can't move a lost sinner, but we can with this "powerful tool."

 

I often heard the story where supposedly DL Moody did not give an invitation the night before the Chicago fire and hundreds of his visitors/members died in the fire. After that, he said he would give an invitation at every service no matter what.

I don't know if Moody's "invitations" were altar calls or not. If I understand Moody correctly, he was a doctrinal Calvinist but a practical Arminian. Sort of a Finney without the heresy. Anyway, that's the rationale I've heard used for giving an invitation at every service.

 

I refer you to posts #46, as evidence that the failure to give an invitation has nothing to do with whether someone dies and goes to hell.

 

Your story reminds me of one time I handed out many tracts at a football game. I found that if one person did not take one then those who followed usually did not. If I let a few people go by then the people took them.

 

The preaching of the Cross brings men to Christ, and often these men hear the preaching at a church. When the Lord and dealing and moving in a service, you let Him work, and do what He needs to do.

If the Lord is dealing with a sinner, and yet the sinner leaves and tries to get away from conviction, he cannot be saved later on if the Lord isn't dealing with him.

Give him a clear chance and Bible-based direction when he is under conviction else, and a great time to do this is when the Lord is dealing with him, and again, often this is when the word of God is being preached at a service, whether it be in a church, an open-air meeting, or wherever else.

To explain how the Spirit of God moves, dealing with sinners, we cannot, but we can take that which is from the Bible, and apply it to our churches.

 

Spurgeon never had a traditional invitation. He invited people under conviction to meet him in his office on Monday. He had the privilege of leading thousands to the Lord.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't I read somewhere that he told inquirers to make an appointment?

 

Sword & Trowel, 1865:
"The time had now arrived for an address to the unconverted. At the suggestion of Mr. Spurgeon, three minutes were spent in silence by believers in pleadings for their fellow sinners, and that Mr. Offord might be aided to bear God’s message to them, as directly as he had been enabled to lay their confessions before God. In answer to prayer, our beloved brother was enabled to set forth the glories of heaven in a most delightful manner, so that many who had been hitherto careless, felt a desire after that goodly land; then came the warning that no defiling thing can enter there, and the simple, earnest, instructive, and touching story of the way by which the sinner may be cleansed from all defilement and made to stand accepted in the Beloved. Every word was clothed with power, we all felt that the speaker’s lips had been touched with a living altar-coal, and we sat wondering at the power of God, and expecting great results.

All the Christians present expressed their hearty desire that their fellowmen might receive God’s mercy in Christ, by singing certain verses each ending with the words, “Come and welcome sinner come.” These words could not but fall with thrilling power upon many hearts.

The earnest work of supplication was ended by Pastors Stott and C. H.

Spurgeon pleading with God for anxious and careless souls present. Each plea seemed to go straight to the throne of grace, while numbers felt that such prayer must be and was accepted. These prayers, like all the others, as well as the confession, were evidently the result of a resistless power, moving the hearts of speakers and hearers, animating them with deep and earnest desire, and working in them a simple and mighty faith, that must surely prevail with him who said. “According to thy faith be it unto thee,” and, “all things are possible to him that believeth.” This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes Who shall tell what blessing may grow out of this wonderful display of the grace of our God! May he grant us to see yet greater things than these!

After an announcement that another central meeting will be held on the first Monday in February, a number of Christians retired into a room below with many anxious ones, several of whom received peace with God through faith in the precious Savior. Many of these have since been seen by Mr. Spurgeon, who tells us that he conversed personally with no less than seventy-five inquirers, in one day subsequent to the meeting. We hope “The Sword and Trowel” will chronicle many blessed items of saving results."




Sword and Trowel, 1865:
"Mr. Marshall and Mr. Barnard presented the incense of praise. Mr. Spurgeon then gave out the hymn, commencing with —

"Just as I am, Without one plea.":thumbs:

This was a prelude to confession of sin, which, after a silent confession of two or three minutes of each for himself, was offered in the name of all by Mr. Clark. Some verses of the hymn, "I will praise Thee every day," were then sung, after which petitions for the revival of the Churches were presented by Mr. Warren and Mr. Offord: those of the latter were preceded by a touching and powerful appeal to the hearts of believers.

Now came the direct reference to the unsaved. This was introduced by a most earnest and awakening address by Mr. Spurgeon, and was responded to in prayer by Mr. Stott and Mr. Varley. A hymn followed, commencing thus,

"Once a sinner near despair."

Mr. Teal and Mr. Burton then prayed, and Mr. Spurgeon closed with prayer. INQUIRERS were then encouraged to retire to the lecture hall, where ministers and elders would be glad to converse with them; and many responded to the invitation."




Sword & Trowel, 1882 (Thomas Spurgeon):
"But if we were to leave untouched everything that is capable of abuse, and to disallow practices which rightly conducted tend to good, simply because some have gone in for too much of that good thing, we should unnecessarily deprive ourselves of much that is lawful and should curtail our efforts in the prosecution of the King's business. Many a time it has been my joy to see the nail which was driven home by the sermon clinched by the after talk"

 

After reading Jerome's post on Spurgeon and his invitations, are there any of you who emulate that style in presenting your exhortations? Does it resemble anything you have seen in Baptist churches as far back as you can remember?

Seems to me that Spurgeon's invitations were free of manipulative language or gimmicks.

 

When someone talks about the need to give everyone a "chance" to be saved, it seems to me that they have forgotten their theology which should drive the way they present the gospel and call men and women to Christ.

Regardless of whether you are a Calvinist, Arminian Pelagian or semi-Pelagian, the number of those who will be saved is fixed and cannot be changed. All the saved will have been chosen by God (elected) to salvation, and there is no possibility that anyone else will be saved.

Calvinists believe the number is fixed because God fixed it in eternity and chose those whom he would save, and arranged the circumstances by which he will give them the gospel, open their eyes and hearts, grant them repentance and faith and call them to himself.

The non-Calvinists, who say that God has placed within every human being the power to choose Christ of his own free will. And that God foresees that certain individiuals will repent and believe the gospel, and elects them on that basis.

Either way you believe it only those whom God chooses will be saved. So, saying such things as "God gives everyone a chance to be saved" or, "everyone deserves a chance" is contrary to whatever soteriology you hold to. There's no chance about it.

And whether you give an invitation, Spurgeon-style or modern-style, will have no effect on whether they are eventually saved or lost.

 

The point is, is that a man needs to get to Christ, that's all he needs. The Lord doesn't convict in vain.

No man can get to Christ unless the Spirit of God gives him the ability. What an amazing thing to see a sinner wrestling with God until the Lord reveals Christ to his soul. That's who the Lord saves, sinners, not half-way or part-time sinners, He just save sinners. I spent years and years trying to be saved, but never could until I came to God on His terms, at the time He was dealing with me.

 

Sword & Trowel, 1879:
"NOTES ON Sunday evening, Aug. 10, the regular hearers at the Tabernacle once more vacated their seats to allow strangers to occupy them. If the building had been twice as large as it is it would have been none too spacious for the crowds that sought admittance. As it was, we packed in as many as we possibly could, and preached to them with all the power that the Lord gave us.
....At the close our spiritual sharp-shooters gathered up each one his share of those wounded by the word. Results, however, are better seen after an interval than immediately after the service. So it has ever been with our ministry. The converts do not rush excitedly into an inquiry room, but they think over what they have heard, and where the arrows have entered the soul the convinced ones come forward in due time."


Charles Spurgeon, 1884:
"Imitate Brother Gwillim over yonder, and others in this place who are always glad to have a word with the anxious, after the service is over. Speak up for your Lord whenever you have the opportunity!
I believe that it is a great help in bringing people to decision when Mr. Moody asks those to stand up who wish to be prayed for. Anything that tends to separate you from the ungodly around you is good for you. Now, if you have given yourselves to Christ, tell it out, for, after our Lord takes you Home, you cannot go back to the world! When Caesar landed on a certain shore, he burned the boats behind him so that his men might know that they must conquer or perish. I advise you to do likewise—burn your boats by a clear and explicit declaration, “The Lord has worked this great change in me, by His Grace, and I am His servant henceforth and forever.”
May God bless you, dear Friends, every one, for Jesus Christ’s sake! Amen"

 

Well said, and a good testimony.

 

A call to action is necessary at EVERY presentation of the gospel.

To not do so is to invite poor wretches in to see and smell the food, and then to send them home hungry.

 

Invitations are modern inventions. People can still be called to respond, and respond, without 5 verses of Just As I Am. They aren't the worst thing in the world, but the way they are done often can be. Then again, they are FAR from the best thing the church has ever concocted.

 

How about a call to meet you after the service ends--as Spurgeon did? How about telling an inquirer to make an appointmen with you the next day--as Spurgeon did on occasion.

I trust you understand that whether you give an invitation or not will have absolutely no bearing on whether a person is saved or not.

 

"There are some of you standing in these aisles and sitting in these pews, who I feel in my soul will never have another invitation, and if this be rejected to-day, I feel a solemn motion in my soul—I think it is of the Holy Ghost—that you will never hear another faithful sermon, but you shall go down to hell impenitent, unsaved, except ye trust in Jesus now. I speak not as a man, but I speak as God's ambassador to your souls, and I command you, in God's name, trust Jesus, trust now. At your peril reject the voice that speaks from heaven, for "he that believeth not shall be damned." How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great salvation. When it comes right home to you, when it thrusts itself in your way, oh, if ye will neglect it how can ye escape? With tears I would invite you, and, if I could, would compel yon to come in. Why will ye not ? 0 souls, if ye will be damned, if ye make up your mind that no mercy shall ever woo you, and no warnings shall ever move you, then, sirs, what chains of vengeance must you feel that slight these bonds of love. You have deserved the deepest hell, for you slight the joys above. God save you. He will save you, if you trust in Jesus. God help you to trust him even now, for Jesus' sake. Amen."

 

Jerome, was this Spurgeon again?