Giving an invitation is an ingredient to growing (numerical and spiritual) churches. Did you know that an invitation is not just a public worship element? Three other ways we give invitations:
1. Group Invitation: We give invitations after a public (group) worship service. Some churches like to offer a public invitation to respond to the message that was presented.
2. Individual Invitation: We give invitation in conversations. When I share my testimony or counsel with someone, I will give an invitation. This is not the public (group) worship invitation but a personal individual (one-on-one) invitation. I most often will ask someone if they would like to turn away from things in their life and embrace the life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. Most often these are the most rewarding for me. I will do this through relationship.
3. Blind Invitation: When I compose a blog or a tweet, my heart is to stir the heart of the reader to the greater things of Jesus. I will most often compose my writing in such a way that they consider Jesus that day. The technological invitation is somewhat of a blind invitation. I am blind to who reads it and how they may react to it, but I want to make sure that whoever interacts with my writing (posts) are also challenged with the question of surrendering to Jesus. I believe it is important to encourage the person to also reach out to someone to walk with them through this process.
Here is the key: Be sure to give invitations to other people (personally, I like to give all of the above invitations). Once presenting the truth of the Gospel to other people, offer them a time to work through the “surrendering to Jesus” part with you. Do not allow them to do that on their own. Sure, they could probably do it on their own but we are called to be bridges to Jesus and Christ-like relationships for the world.
An invitation to surrender to Jesus allows the person to dive deeper into the commitment questions and logistics of following Jesus. When we make such lifelong decisions, it is easier when someone is there willing to help us through.
Scriptures to consider:
Mark 1:16-20, 2:13-7, 10:21; Luke 14:17.
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