Featured Talk about.......

Many of us have heard invitations dragged out and that is a problem when it happens. Could have to many false acceptance to get out and to many Sunday roast burned.
Some say I go to far the other way one time through and if no response, have prayer and go home.

 

Decisionism leads to such unscriptural silliness!

 

The pastor where I go (the only Baptist church within 50 miles) doesn't give an invitation at the end of the service. We sing a song, which may or may not have anything to do with accepting Christ. However, the pastor says nothing during the invitation (like other Baptist churches I've attended) and gives no invitation to anyone to accept Christ. Since he is the first Calvinist pastor I've had, I don't know if that is typical of Calvinist churches. A lot of people might have never accepted Christ if not for that invitation at the end of the service and the pastor beckoning them to come to Christ.

 

Never gave an invitation, per se, in all my ministry. In one service, however, three people came forward at end of service anyway.

Seems to me that the invitation is strong enough in the preaching of the word with me pleading at the end of a hymn.

Jesus on the cross is enough magnetism to draw the sinner to repentance.

Cheers,

Jim

 

I think it would be time to find another Pastor or church which ever was the fastest.

 

Why not get up and leave? Worked for me (on the rare occasion that it was necessary), much to Mrs. Arbo's chagrin.

I do remember one guest preacher came, got up, said that he didn't care about the time and that we should get ready for a "long" sermon. 1-1/2 hours later, half the church was steaming and growling with hunger.:laugh: We were trapped because Wifey had piano duty that morning.:laugh:

 

Our pastor tells all that if someone wants to come forward to please do so or see him after the service. Otherwise, the longest invitation we have had is about a minute or two.

 

Three stanzas through Just As I Am

If noone moves----end it!!!!

Its what I've done for over 20 years

 

These high pressure invitations are from the exact same mold as those emails that either state or imply that you don't love Jesus if you don't forward to at least 10 people in the next 5 minutes.

YUK!!!!

 

My Pastor does not use Conative Christian Phrases such as; "Come forward and receive Christ", "Invite Christ into your heart" or "Repeat this little prayer". We sing one song at the end of the service, usually two verses during which he ask those who would like to become a member of our fellowship to come forward and unite in the manner as custom in most Baptist Churches. Also he issues a statement similar in context to this; If you are troubled in your heart or you feel the HS is dealing with your soul, come forward for counseling, they are cautioned not to be influenced by what anyone has to say to them not to be persuaded, or if anyone would like to come forward to rededicate themself please do so. The repentent ones are taken to a conference room for counseling and are presented as a candidate for baptism and to the body in the PM Service.

 

:laugh::laugh:Well, first, I think it's kind of funny actually. I laughed a little.:laugh: Hey, it's a pretty good one! Ever had that Evangelist who snapped his fingers every three seconds, demonstrating that someone, somewhere, was meeting their Maker, RIGHT THEN!! :thumbsup: I LOVE that one!! Generally, I simply don't sweat the "to give invitation, or not to give invitation" thing a whole lot. God works "despite" us anyways, whether we are so caught up in our school of thought to somehow be dogmatic about whether they are a "good" thing or a "bad" thing. I think God will work for his Kingdom even with this guy's antics. I look at this as an issue of, turn neither to the right hand nor to the left. I feel that invitations are fundamentally a good thing, but that, yes, they are often overdone, such as this case here. That being said, I find them valuable, and to simply do away with them altogether, is mistaken IMO....But, there are plenty of thriving Churches which do not engage in the practice. I think we worry a little too much about it.

 

I was in a youth conference once (well, yearly actually, and it happened this way EVERY year) where the host preacher would preach on the Thursday. After his message, if you were still in your seat instead of praying at the altar, you were berated by him from the pulpit as "coldhearted", "Backslidden", or anything else he could think of. So, naturally I went forward anytime he preached.

The kicker though, is that once the aisles were full (of over 1,000 teenagers), he would tell you to stay where you were. Then, he'd have everyone get up en masse and move to the platform, where for the next 1-2 hours each person would step to the microphone and tell the crowd what decision they had made. Then, as you stepped off the platform, your name and decision was taken down and added to their numbers.

I don't know how many times I "rededicated myself to the Lord". Actually, I do. I went to that youth conference 6 years, so 6 times :laugh:.

This type of thing leads to false "decisions". I am more for singing a hymn of invitation, and inviting people to come pray if they feel led. Keep the music going as long as people are responding, and if no one responds, cut it short.

I also know people who don't play soft, flowing music in their invitations, but rather play upbeat hymns. They do this because they want to ensure that no decisions are made on an emotional basis.

One of the most powerful and stirring invitation songs I ever heard (ironically, at the aforementioned youth conference) was "The Ballad of the Green Beret". It went perfectly with the message, and just seemed to fit.

 

The Gospel preached in the pulpit IS the "invitation".

If people are going to be saved it will be because the Word of God has changed their hearts- not because a preacher's begging has.

 

Yep, a captive audience of at least one.:laugh:

 

"like Peter did" -

Hmm, did someone bring a rooster?


HankD