Inviting people to church is probably the number one strategy we have for evangelism and yet the common thread in the videos above is that we are awkward doing it. Why not take some time to think about this strategy? Write down your thoughts about that.
Is inviting people to church a good strategy? Why or why not?
Have you seen it working successfully? How often?
When it has, what was it about the experience that people found helpful?
Do you feel awkward about inviting people? If so, why?
After you have answered that question, read this article by Michael Harvey 9 Reasons We Don’t Invite Our Friends To Church. What is your response?
Do you think that people would eagerly accept the invitation of be reluctant? Why is that?
If a friend came to church with you, what would he/she find compelling?
If a friend came to church with you, what would he/she find off-putting?
Is your church service designed for not-yet-Christians?
Are there better strategies than inviting people to church? What are they?
Are there other things you should do before inviting someone to church?
Undoubtedly, people have become Christian as a result of being invited to church. If the circumstances are right we should do it more often. Why wouldn't we?
On the other hand, there are some questions we should think through first.
We might assume this strategy simply because it is assumed. So many Christians think evangelism is about inviting people to church.
We might prefer it because we want the pastor to do the evangelistic work for us. If we can get them into the building, he/she will do the persuading. However, that might simply be avoiding our own responsibility. Can we talk about our own faith and our own experience of Jesus? Should we? Is that actually our responsibility?
Does your pastor see it as his/her job? He/she might consider that the church service is when he/she can address the church - that it is about "building up the body" or "equipping the saints". If it is not geared for non-Christians, will it be effective?
What would the invitee actually see? Are our church services as compelling (for a non-believer) as we think they are?
Clearly, God can use any aspect of a service to speak powerfully to a guest - something in the sermon or the singing, the warmth of the welcome, seeing others' love for God, etc.. But it raises questions: How passionate is people's love for Jesus? How warm is the welcome? Is it mind-blowing?
Will your guest actually see God or merely experience an organised performance? Is that performance so much better than what he/she can experience elsewhere that it will impact his/her life?
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul talks about enquirers being in a Christian gathering and leaving saying, "God was really amongst you". In that context, it was the use of spiritual gifts (particularly tongues and prophecy) that demonstrated the presence of God. It could be something different but will your guest leave saying the same thing?
It seems, in 1 Corinthians 14 that the gathering was primarily for Christians and for building up the church (vv.12, 26, 31). The impact on enquirers was a bi-product but the impact was that visitors saw Christianity in action, especially through the exercise of spiritual gifts.
The big questions are:
Are our church services designed to be evangelistic?
If so, are they effective?
It might be that church gatherings are not intended to be primarily evangelistic but for the building up of the church. Biblically, it would seem that evangelism takes place in the ordinary course of life, amongst neighbours, in the workplace, or in the contexts where non-believers gather (like Paul preaching in the synagogues).
It is not that bringing people to church is wrong. If it is working, keeping on doing it! But we should not assume that it is the number one means of evangelism.