Invitations at the End of Sermons | Pastor Well - Ep 47

[@mikeparker7709]

This guy is always a blessing to hear him share from his heart

[@dnzswithwombats]

I'm not a pastor, but these are wise words. Thank you !

[@ChristopherRoberson-ql7mr]

This was really helpful! Thank you, Dr. York!

[@worshambaptist4177]

I nearly always give an invitation at the end of a sermon. Yes, I do it even if I don't think there are any lost people in the congregation. Why? I might think they're all believers, but one never knows! If I'm pretty sure there are lost people in the audience, I usually give an "extra" invitation after I close the "official" one. I simply tell them if they'd like to talk to me or one of our laypeople after the service, they are more than welcome to do so. Interestingly, I've had several people accept that invitation, and I've had the opportunity to lead them to Jesus.

[@tonyjacobs962]

Amen! Glad you answered the question correctly.

[@jstrick85]

Read Iain Murray’s booklet “The Invitation System.”

[@aldeureaux5184]

I always gave one because of our recent (200 years more or less) tradition. However, I always emphasized for folks to contact me, or grab me after the service or other trained church members, and we would be happy to answer questions and help them in seeking Christ.

[@WTylerShepard]

Great food for thought. We should definitely give an invitation as long as "a decision for Christ" is not the only application of the message. Someone said recently that in every gathering there will be true believers, make-believers and unbelievers. Knowing how to address all individuals is important.

[@mistywaters5550]

My Church stopped doing the invitation at the end of the sermon. They did for decades and offered "Yes" pamphlets by the exit doors. The invitation started to get less and less until it was like a year with out doing any. This bothered me so much I left that church and my goal in finding a new one was the requirement that they were Bible Based and OFFERED to accept Christ at the end of the sermon. Church is not church with out an invitation, it is simply a masquerade.

[@fixingstufftv453]

To each their own, Billy Graham's invitations always worked well. Make the people take a stand, baptize them on the spot and hold their heads under water until all the sin is gone.

[@johndufford5561]

Appreciate your study. Luke 2, at the end of Peter's sermon, says, "With many other words Peter solemly testified...", so an invitation is scriptural. I especially appreciated your comment about the way the congregation responds to the message preached & how their response influences the uncommitted in their midst. But that soul, deeply considering the Bible presented in the lesson, can be equally affected negatively by the congregation's scurrying to pick up the spilled Cheerios, zipping their Bible covers closed, locating gloves, etc. and distracting -even derailing -that soul from responding in any way at all that day. My congregation expects an invitation with each sermon. So I told them that if they expect me to present an invitation, then maybe I have the right to expect them to listen to it. Sounds fair to me... (Even said if they disrupt someone who is weighing a response, I get to preach 10 more minutes. That stopped the Great Cheerio Hunt pretty much in it's tracks.) Thanks again for these nuggets, Neighbor.

[@jackiecruz9945]

🙌👏

[@KingDavidz08]

Clearly ppl in the comments didn't understand what was said. He's neither talking about invitations to unbelievers, believers, Christians, nor non-Christians (which i understand the commentors points, at the end of some sermons at certain churches the invitation gets almost obnoxious). He is talking about offering an opportunity to ppl who are in pain, suffering under the weight of their own sin, ppl who have been beaten, and traumatized, those the pastor may not know at all, the unrespectable. It's not about preaching to the choir, the invitation he talks about is to ppl who God has brought to the pastor, not ppl who the pastor can bring to God. Imo, he's spot on. But I do understand, there are those so lost that going to a sermon itself may be seem too difficult, how do we invite them? I'd say the only way is to love them wherever God lead you to them, and maybe they'll just follow you back (obviously easier said than done). Great video!!

[@jimmyreinstein9993]

I’m glad someone understands!

[@paulhall170]

My dad was an open-air evangelist, so the invitation was an integral part of his preaching. I find myself in my ministry preaching to congregations of saved people, and I think the invitation is superfluous in this scenario. I must say as a non-American but having seen dozens of American preachers here in Australia, I think the invitation is grossly overused, and too often used for the preacher's gratification, not for a sincere reason. Analysis of Pentecost and post-Pentecost preaching to me indicates that the preaching was of such power that there was no need for an invitation in the Charles Finney, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham mold. The people were convicted and turned to Christ. There is absolutely no Scriptural basis for the oft-repeated claim that a public response to the preaching is essential for one's salvation.

[@naamhaisiddhu]

💚

[@jasonconklin8172]

Simple romans rd don't need b invitation don't need b hell fire , but as a guard after flock of sheep without it u are letting souls go to hell , it's on ur shoulders whoever may b doing teaching preaching why would u expect to be getting a field crops if u WONT PLANT SEED! Grace love humility transparency of their experience as preacher of being hell bound themselves b4 being saved

[@j.johnson8360]

I am very for invitations at the end of sermons. I am very against other people telling other people when and how they should do invitations. As a pastor you should know your flock enough to know when is the appropriate time and what is the appropriate invitation to give.

[@jimmyreinstein9993]

But what about those visiting that might be hearing the gospel for the first time? Yes you should know your flock but there are many times where members of your church should be bringing others.

[@Outrider74]

A good gospel presentation doesn’t need an invitation.

[@citizenken7069]

Since when?

[@Outrider74]

@@citizenken7069 Since a good gospel presentation should include the obvious: that one must believe to be saved. If I tell you "A building is on fire. You will be roasted alive unless you get out. There is an exit door over there, unlocked, which will lead you to safety," did you need an "invitation" to leave? George Whitfield had many, many converts to the faith. Yet he never gave an "invitation" as it is understood now. He simply expounded on 1.) we are sinners 2.) we deserve hell because of our sins 3.) Jesus Christ has atoned for our sins 4.) that atonement is available for all who trust in Christ. No "invitation." No "come forward and raise your hand" (as if God is somehow impotent to work regeneration if a person is anywhere else but at the front of the church). No "you gotta feel 'X' emotions." Just the truth of the gospel. Too many people think that God somehow needs our input on how to preach the gospel today.

[@citizenken7069]

@@Outrider74 Do I need to invitation to leave a burning building? Probably not. But a person who is concerned for my safety would invite me to get out of there.

[@jonasaras]

I’m not against it. However, I think that evangelism and Christian worship gatherings are two different activities. Preaching the Gospel to a gathering of Christians is literally preaching to the choir.

[@ShepherdMinistry]

Even though a lot of those attending aren’t truly saved?

[@Richardcontramundum]

True. But likely any church north of 50 people maybe even less always has at least one person who is not saved.