Topic: How to issue an invitation to accept Christ.
Big Idea: Proclaim the gospel, and give people an opportunity to make a decision.

Preaching Today Sermons: Tell us a personal story of a memorable invitation that you gave.

Greg Laurie: Several years ago my wife and I were out motorcycle riding. We stopped beside a guy at a traffic light, who was also riding with his wife. She was a committed Christian, and happened to be helping out with our crusade at that time. After introducing me to her husband I got the sense he wasn't a believer. So I prayed a little prayer for him. That night she arrived at the crusade with him in tow, saying, " He came tonight because you took the time to introduce yourself to him. "

I'll never forget the moment I saw him walk forward during the invitation. It was an incredible moment of joy. It also illustrates the fact that mass evangelism and personal evangelism go hand in hand. Most people who come to a mass meeting do so because of a relationship to a witnessing believer that brought them.

What's your theology of the evangelistic invitation?

I feel called to proclaim the gospel, be understandable, and ultimately help people realize that a decision has to be made. The Bible is replete with passages emphasizing the importance of deciding, such as Joshua's challenge or Peter's Pentecost invitation. There are differing opinions, however, on how to give people an opportunity to come to faith.

I don't generally do public invitations in our Sunday morning services. Instead I'll say something like, " Maybe God has spoken to you today and you see your need to get right with him or to make a recommitment to Jesus Christ. In the corner of our sanctuary we have a room, and there are folks there waiting to speak with you. If you would like, make your way over there while we're singing this closing song. "

Sunday nights are a little more straightforward. I'll weave evangelism through an expository Bible study, and invite people to come forward at the end.

Regardless of the approach, my emphasis is on proclaiming the gospel and giving people an opportunity to make a decision.

Our culture has changed profoundly over the last several decades. Have effective invitations changed from two decades ago?

In my experience, no. People are certainly more biblically illiterate today. Consequently, I explain terms and stories more than I would have 20 years ago. For example, " You need to repent and come to Christ tonight. By that, I mean you must turn from your sin and put your faith and trust in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. The word means that you cling to him and rely on him. " I define my terminology as I go, often explaining it two or three ways so the congregation knows what I mean.

Then, I make sure it's clear. I repeat the invitation. Then I repeat it again. Often I initiate the invitation at the beginning of the message by offering some introductory remarks: " Tonight I'm going to give you an opportunity to come to Christ. I'm going to invite you to get up out of your seat, walk down this aisle and make a stand to put your faith in him. So think about what you're going to do. " Halfway into the message I may say, " And that's why I'm going to ask you to get up out of your seat in a few moments and make a decision concerning Jesus Christ. " That way, when I get to the actual invitation they know its been coming.

I also explain why I ask people to come forward publicly. I stress the fact that Christ died publicly for them and now they have a chance to publicly believe in Him. I also give an analogy that illustrates public commitment in a significant manner, such as the marriage commitment of a couple before witnesses.

Has there been any change in the last several decades in the level of boldness at which we can make an invitation?

I think it depends on the setting. I'm very direct in my own church. But if I'm performing a funeral, I might approach it in the following manner: " The person we're remembering today had a firm commitment to Jesus Christ. The greatest tribute you could offer him is to believe in the same God he believed in. " I'd then share the gospel and conclude with, " Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. If you would like Christ to come into your life today, lift your hand and let me pray for you. " If some people raise their hands, I might say, " After this service, would you please come up and talk with me. I'd like to lead you in a prayer to receive Christ and give you some materials to take home. "

Some venues require greater sensitivity. But I always try to be very direct. Most people appreciate that.

How long have you been preaching, and how have your invitations changed over that period?

We just celebrated 25 years of ministry for our church, and I started a couple of years before that. My invitations haven't changed dramatically. If anything, as the years pass I rediscover the importance of keeping things simple. I try to avoid religious rhetoric that is meaningless to a non-believer.

What attitudes or assumptions on your part can make or break the invitation?

Pride is perhaps the most devastating attitude. There have been times when as I'm closing I'll think to myself, " Oh, this message has been good. We're going to have a great response tonight. " And the response is sparse. There have been other days when I've given messages that seemed to bomb. " No one is going to respond " , I think to myself. And we'll have a huge response. So it's important to realize this is a work only the Spirit can accomplish.

What assumptions do you make about the people you're speaking to? How does that affect the invitation?

There are certain things I know about my audience regardless of where I am. I know that everyone is basically empty inside since the Bible teaches that God made this creation subject to emptiness. I know they're lonely. I know guilt haunts them. I know they're afraid of death. So I will hit upon those themes.

I also anticipate the different responses people might have as I'm preaching. For example, " I'm asking you to come to Christ tonight. " You might be thinking, What do you mean come to Christ tonight? Is Jesus actually in this room right now? Physically no, but in a very real sense he is here. Jesus said, " When two or more are gathered together in my name, I'm there in the midst of them. " You might be thinking, This won't work for me. But Jesus said, " Him that would come to me I would in no way cast out. " In other words, I'd raise potential questions that a person might have as they're listening to me.

Finally, I believe that the Holy Spirit will guide and direct your thoughts throughout the invitation.

How long do you allow people to respond to an invitation? Does that time allotment change each message for you?

I lean toward the short and sweet. In our church, the invitation song may repeat once or twice, and then I may say, " Now, I'm going to ask the choir to sing this one last time. When they're done, we're going to pray together. So if there's anybody else, please come up. " When I say, " one last time, " I mean one last time. I will not go beyond that.

Now in our crusades, we'll have several songs for the invitation because people keep coming. I'm not prolonging the invitation, however, to get a greater response, but rather to accommodate the response that is already taking place.

You've alluded to the fact that some listeners are worried about the person seated next to them or what will happen the day after they receive Christ. Talk a little bit about the emotional/psychological side of accepting an invitation?

It would be a mistake to only appeal to one's intellect of a person, because there are certain things about the gospel that resonate emotionally. For instance, if I'm lonely, and I'm told that Jesus can touch that area of my life, it resonates. Likewise, there's a place to address the intellectual questions people may have, such as, " Why does a God of love allow suffering? " or, " How could a loving God send people to hell? "

I think Martin Lloyd Jones defined preaching as logic on fire. We want to take the logical truth of Scripture as it works its way through our human personalities. Blending emotions and intellect make for powerful communication.

What are some abuses of the invitation? What is it in the 'person-hood' of the hearer that we must not violate?

Some invitations are so broad they essentially say if you live and breathe you ought to walk forward. That allows someone to say, " We had a thousand come forward tonight. " But my question is, " A thousand come forward for what? "

I'd rather have ten come making a real commitment to Christ as opposed to a larger number who are coming forward in response to a broad, undefined invitation. Give the invitation but avoid manipulation. Avoid pressuring somebody into coming, because if they can be pressured in, they can be pressured out.

Remember, the harvest is not at the service; it's at the end of the age. That person may not come forward in your meeting, but they may make a commitment to Christ in the car afterwards. I don't want to make something happen before its time, because in the process I may end up aborting it.

What part does music play in an effective invitation?

Music can play a key part, but I don't think we should be overly dependent on it. The invitation song should be understandable. I like a song that almost verbalizes the position of the person who might be coming forward; something they might sing or say at this moment. The song shouldn't be an overt performance either. When I'm conducting an invitation I don't want the music to overpower me. I'll often ask the person who's leading to keep their eye on me, because I may ask them to stop singing for a moment, so I can say a few words.

I remember Billy Graham holding some of his early crusades in England. The choir would sing " Just As I Am, " and the people would walk down the bleachers to make their commitment. The next day the press said, " He used music to manipulate the masses. "

The next night Billy decided not to use music. He said, " You just come forward without music. " All you could hear was the bleachers creaking as the people went forward. The next day the papers said, " He used silence to manipulate the people to come forward. " There will be critics no matter what you do.

What should the preacher's attitude be toward emotion, both his own and that of the congregation?

I pay very little attention to my emotions because preaching can take you on an emotional roller coaster. Sometimes after the invitation is given, you go through an emotional valley because you're so drained. I find my regular preaching much less exhausting. I can preach three back-to-back services on Sunday morning and be reasonably tired afterwards but not nearly as worn out as when I give a thirty-minute evangelistic message appealing for a response.

If the congregants have an emotional response, great; if they don't, that's okay too. I'm not there to dazzle a crowd, but rather to communicate a message.

Do you find yourself learning from other preachers as they give invitations, or is your approach unique?

I've certainly developed a style over the years that I'm comfortable with, but my primary role model has been Billy Graham. I've utilized many of the principles I've seen in his crusades.

For example: you don't strive. When Billy gives the invitation he steps back from the pulpit and prays. We've all seen him in that familiar prayer position where he will commit it to the Lord.

Billy's invitations are also clear. He makes it clear up front what his objective is. I've adapted that as well, giving the invitation at the beginning of the message as I mentioned earlier.

Is there anything we haven't covered that's at the heart and soul of giving an evangelistic invitation?

Remember that the heart of every evangelistic message is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There have been times when I've preached and given an invitation, but forgotten to mention the Cross. We all need help remembering this, so sometimes I'll even write on my notes, " Don't forget the Cross! "

Greg Laurie is founder and pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, featured speaker on the national radio broadcast "A New Beginning." He is evangelist for Harvest Crusades and author of Why Believe (Tyndale).