“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age”
(NRSV Mt 28:18–20).
The “Great Commission” is among the best known scriptures of the Newer Testament. Most followers of Jesus understand those words to be the Church’s primary mission along with serving our neighbors. Making new disciples for Jesus Christ doesn’t sound like such a hard task, until we start inviting people to “come and see,” and then they don’t.
Almost every evangelism scholar/author/guru agrees that the most effective evangelism strategy is the personal invitation. Billboards, social media, news articles, and even outside events have their place and to a certain degree help draw attention, but nothing is more meaningful for people than a friend’s personal invitation. The challenge is balance, reading the room, and not becoming overbearing. No one wants anything “pushed” onto them. However, as we share our stories, a more natural invitation seems to emerge that is less obtrusive. Each one of us has a story to tell, and a reason that we attend worship. After our first invitation, it becomes more natural for us to express the deep relationships that our spiritual lives help enrich. For some, the support we receive from our sister/fellow church members is motivation enough for us to want to include other people that we care about. For others, our over arching message of God’s love for everyone, and seeing ourselves in that unconditional love of God is what draws us and inspires us to share with others. There is no one recipe or standard invitation, but rather trust the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say, when the moment feels right, to share your story and reasons for coming to worship.
We live in a world where people no longer feel obligated to attend church, which is both good and bittersweet. I’d much rather be surrounded by people who want to be in church/mission together than those who feel guilted into attendance. The surprising thing is that most of us are not comfortable with the invitation, for whatever reason. For me, I cannot imagine my life without spiritual connections both with God and each other. Lean on God, trust yourself, and be bold in your witness. That is not to say be a pest, but sincere. Only ever mention it again when the moment feels right, and then trust God to do the rest. Go, make new disciples of Jesus Christ.
Peace to you all,
Pr. Ernie +