Invitation

As we read about Jesus in the Gospels, one thing is clear: He always meets people where they are and then brings them to where they need to be. He never dives into someone’s life and immediately starts making religious demands. When he called Peter, James and John to follow Him, He didn’t give them a list of things they need to start doing and things they needed to stop doing. He simply invited them to lay down their nets and follow Him. When He called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him, He didn’t lecture him on the evils of taxation and then tell him he needed a career change. He simply said, “Follow Me,” and Matthew responded to the call… Our actions and habits change after we start following Christ.

Perry Noble

Source: Perry Noble, UNLEASH, 2012, Illinois USA: Tyndale House Publishers, p.4-5

It’s important to remember that Jesus never invited people to come to church (synagogue) or say a prayer of commitment. St Peter didn’t share the “Four Spiritual Laws” with anyone or invite them to receive Christ as their personal Saviour. Jesus met with people on their territory, used their language and spoke of things that mattered to them. Isn’t that a good set of principles for us too? Jesus simply left lots of calling cards that said: ‘The kingdom of God is here. (Did you notice?) Our sharing of faith needs to be less of a sales pitch or an argument or a demand, and more of a conversation, a friendship, an invitation, an opportunity, an exploration. We’re inviting people to take part in an adventure, but it’s an open road all the way into the kingdom.

John Pritchard

John Pritchard, Living Faithfully, 2013, SPCK London, p.132

Evangelism and being invitational is not necessarily about our being competent or gifted, it’s about our being willing. The Bible tells us: God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). The Samaritan woman Jesus spoke to at the well was not particularly competent or gifted and yet she became the first gentile evangelist. “Come and see,” she said. After speaking with the Lord she went back to town, told everyone what had happened and said, “Come and see” (John 4:29). She was weak not strong; a gentile woman, a Samaritan and a sinner who’d had five husbands and now had a live-in lover! Evangelism and being invitational is not about our being qualified, it’s about our being willing. God delights in using us just as we are. God always chooses the weak because we bring glory to Him through our weakness.

Some people look at the church on the outside and they really don’t like what they see. Experience and the behaviour of a few can repel rather than attract, but true Christianity, real church is not like that. Real church is all about seeking to reflect Jesus. It’s like the owner of an orchard who invited a man to come and taste his wonderful fruit.

‘Oh, no,’ said the man, ‘I have seen the orchard and I have tasted some of the fruit… its apples are sour and bitter!’

‘Ah,’ said the owner of the orchard, ‘I planted sour apple trees on the outside of the orchard to stop thieves coming in and stealing the fruit. But come with me into the centre, taste and see; the fruit is sweet and good to eat.’

Jesus would not have us remain on the outside, but to come in, taste and see the fruit that he offers is good and sweet.

Personal invitation is much more effective than public invitation. Billy Graham openly said that the success of his massive public meetings was down to massive personal evangelism by lots of other people who, basically, said, ‘come and see’. In John’s Gospel (chapter 1:43-47), Jesus found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

Philip in turn found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

“Nazareth! Can any good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip [and he did].

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” – Jesus knew him already! – If every one of us was a Philip, and we each invited just one other person to ‘come and see’ we might very possibly have to start a new church. Evangelism is a body ministry.

Experience shows that there are three things most people are concerned about when invited to an event. They are worried that they will be the odd one out, that they will be asked to do something publicly and whether there are any strings attached. Alleviate these as much as possible.

God has a plan for church growth and you have a part to play. You are called to invite. (…) When was the last time you brought someone to church? If you discovered a cure for cancer or Alzheimer’s, wouldn’t you share it? Jesus said, ‘A certain man gave a great supper and invited many and he sent his servant to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready’ (Luke 14:16-17). When the invited guests started making excuses as to why they couldn’t come, the master said to the servant, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23 NKJV). Note the words ‘compel them to come.’ Pick them up in your car, arrange breakfast before church or lunch afterwards. Get creative, but whatever you do, bring them to church!

Bob Gass

Source: The UCB Word For Today, 1/7/2014