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10 Ways To Make Your Spiritual Invitation Stronger
- Truly believe in the power of the gospel to change lives.
- Recognize that not everyone is saved (including some people who have been members of your church for years).
- Hate sin. Explain repentance. Preach Christ.
- Don’t promise a better life. Promise a better eternity and the Holy Spirit to lead you through this life.
- Preach as if this is someone’s only chance to hear about Christ. It might be.
- Present the gospel in every message.
- Call for a decision.
- Trust that the Holy Spirit has already been at work in someone’s life.
- Believe people will be saved.
- Worship God when they are.
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[...] post by Craig Groeschel on the Swerve blog calls pastors to preach the gospel every time. In his “10 ways to Make Your Spiritual Invitation Stronger” post, he lists these action [...]
Craig, I love the last 3 posts. As a new church planter in Long Island it is refreshing/convicting. I asked myself: “Do I believe in the gospel? It’s effectiveness? It’s power?” Thanks for provoking me to think! We have to get this right. Awesome!
BTW — “It” was amazing!
Amen to #4. Luke 9:23 needs to be emphasized more so we get disciples not just converts.
This is a great list for us to keep in our Bible and review every time before we have the opportunity to give an invitation to Christ.
I like #5…
Great post Craig! I fall short on so many of those that it is no wonder that I have fallen short on the invitation time. Time for some repentance of my own in this area of ultimate importance.
Great list!! I like Scott’s idea, too. One thing I’d add for me personally who ministers to kids is to be careful not to use “Christian-ease” phrases that not all know.
Great List… I believe people will be saved, no matter how many people are in the room!
#3 has kinda gotten lost in the new attempts to reach people…I think it is making a come back…good thoughts
I love this entire week of discussion! I guess this puts a whole new twist on “ask and you shall receive”….If we just ask people to know Christ…then more will receive Him and real LIFE!!
Powerful stuff. I think that the church at large has forgotten that Jesus is the difference maker and when we do not offer the difference maker we are offering something hollow and empty just like the world only in a different package.
I recently read a great book about a Christian and an Atheist visiting churches throughout the country. The Atheist continually pointed to the fact that many churches they visited were not challenging. When he walked out he thought it was a good experience but wasn’t a stick to your ribs kind of meeting. You know like when you go to grandma’s house and you taste the roast beef for about 2 days because it was so good. Thanks for the reminder that as ministers we are to serve up a meal that sticks to those who come to our churches and the gospel is that meal.
how do you balance 9 with the times when no one accepts Christ? because i want to believe this. i don’t want to feel like a failure when no hands go up.
i realize that the word of God doesn’t return empty or void. so when people don’t get saved right then - should i look at it as a planting or watering of seeds type situation?
because honestly - sometimes when i feel God speaking to me and i pour all of myself into this message and no one accepts Jesus - i feel like i have done something wrong.
what you got for me?
#9 can be disheartening for me when no appears to respond. Obviously when someone does respond to the invitation, it’s an amazing feeling to be used by God to help people respond to His invitation. But, when there is no apparent response, I’m often left with an empty feeling. I’ll catch myself asking questions, like… Did I not communicate well enough? Is there something more I could have done? Did I not really believe God would work in this invitation? I know it’s not about me, but it can be really disappointing.
Blake and Bill,
Do you have visitors showing up? Do you and/or the people of the church invite people to come?
I ask because that is what our problem is/was. We need to make it about getting fresh people in that we can invest in and that we can go out and find people to invite.
You know that it is not about you and you know that it is about being faithful to do the right thing.
I know the pain you feel and have just prayed for you both.
Bill and Blake, Tomorrows 10 list deals specifically with your questions about what to do when no one responds. Blessings to you both.
Great List Craig. In my first job as a Youth Pastor, my Senior Pastor told me that if I really cared about reaching people who didn’t know Christ that I should spend time on the invitation, not just get up and say whatever came to mind. This changed everything for me I would work as hard on the invitation as I did on the message, I was amazed at how the response changed dramatically.
Great thoughts. I’m encouraged that someone so cutting edge is still classic in his understanding of the gospel. Nice.
BTW, your top ten lists inspired me to blog one of my own today.
“TOP TEN WAYS TO RUIN YOUR CHURCH AND YOUR EXPERIENCE OF IT.”
Blake and Bill….no hands is a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to encourage the people to be inviting their friends and loved ones… don’t take it personal but use it in a positive way and address it in a compassionate way but don’t ignore it….Blake, the Word of God is powerful so yes, it did go into the hearts of those that it was sown
Its funny, I was reading that 200 people accepted Christ at Newspring Church last week and I thought why isn’t that happening at my church (I am the Worship Pastor)? Then, I read your blog. Its so simple but it really took God to convict me of not asking people to make a decision. I can’t wait until our senior pastor is back from sabbatical so I can share with him and hopefully he’ll be on board. I’m sure I’ll use these blog posts as a way to convince him of the importance of this too.
Lori’s point about Christian-ese is really important. When I interview kids about what they’re taking home from our LifeKIDS experiences, I’m constantly surprised at the simple words they don’t yet grasp. Even the word “peace” was one that kids said they didn’t understand.
It’s hard to get that far outside of your own perspective to listen to how confusing some phrases are that are intensely meaningful to us. This is as true for kids as for unchurched adults.
The Gospel of Christ is in ALL 66 books of the Bible - His redemptive plan is evident and available. So, IF we’re preaching the Word of God, we’re presenting the message of Christ. We should expect people to be saved.
I guess the question might be: are we preaching our gospel, or HIS?
Thanks for another great post!
Great list, and as a pastor I need to hear this more. I am really enjoying (probably not the best word; challenged more like) this weeks conversation. We have to remember that our job as pastors is to be faithful to the calling we have on our life, to the gospel, and to our people and community. We also must remember that we are not the ones doing the saving, therefore we must not get discouraged when their is no outward response (God knows I do), but continue to be faithful and pray that the Holy Spirit will remain faithful to do what the Bible says he will do. I know He is always faithful, even when I am not.
Thanks Craig.
Giving an invitation is not something I’m often called upon to do, but these are great points to remember, not just during invitation time, but anytime you are talking about Jesus with someone.
Being transparent, sometimes I’d like to shake people and say “How can you not see how much you need Jesus?” But then, that’s about my abilities and not about what God can do. To remember that I will never personally save anyone and that God is the only one who can do that is a key for me in applying these points to my own life (because I sometimes struggle with control issues - but praise God I’m not in control of His plan!).
All i know is God is good all the time! when someone accepts Christ its like WOW! i help out with our whats next kits and see up close what really happens and let me tell you it’s amazing the Holy Spirit is always working the key is Christ! focus on Jesus! let the Holy Spirit lead and you will succeed
I really needed to read #5, “Preach as if this is someone’s only chance to hear about Christ. It might be.” That should put a passion and energy in our preaching. Thanks.
#3 echoed loud to me. I wonder on #4 if we CAN preach a better life, in this life, but just do so with a more realistic frame than the adverse candy coated version some get mislead to. I know my life is better today with Jesus but I also know that there will be trouble and challenges but because of Him I will be okay.
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