Invitations

[RAIDER]

I think most of us would agree that the invitation is a key time during a church service.  Through the years I have observed the following types of invitations:
*No invitation
*A low key invitation where several people kneel and pray in their pew
*A quick invitation of x# of verses (almost mechanical)
*An invitation whose length is determined by the response
*A lengthy "forced" invitation reguardless of the response

So, what are your thoughts on invitations?  Do you have any unique stories about invitations that you have witnessed?

 

[BALAAM]

I think most of us would agree that the invitation is a key time during a church service.  Through the years I have observed the following types of invitations:
*No invitation
*A low key invitation where several people kneel and pray in their pew
*A quick invitation of x# of verses (almost mechanical)
*An invitation whose length is determined by the response
*A lengthy "forced" invitation reguardless of the response

So, what are your thoughts on invitations?  Do you have any unique stories about invitations that you have witnessed?

Randy Taylor and the GSA conference invitations. Need I say more?

 

[Vince Massi]

I'm having a hard time locating invitations in the Bible. When Elijah built an altar, he invited the people to come forward, but I can't locate a church invitation in Scripture.

 

[4everfsu]

I have no problems with an invitation but I do have a problem with invitations being drawn out. Like when the man of gawd says he knows the Holy Spirit is working on someone. Another 20 verses and still no one has come forward. By this time the man of gawd has his tie off, hankies is wet from wiping his brow...

 

[prophet]

I think most of us would agree that the invitation is a key time during a church service.  Through the years I have observed the following types of invitations:
*No invitation
*A low key invitation where several people kneel and pray in their pew
*A quick invitation of x# of verses (almost mechanical)
*An invitation whose length is determined by the response
*A lengthy "forced" invitation reguardless of the response

So, what are your thoughts on invitations?  Do you have any unique stories about invitations that you have witnessed?

Randy Taylor and the GSA conference invitations. Need I say more?

The one in Elgin, where RT spent 30 minutes unpreaching Bro. Hyles sermon after he ducked out the side door while we were standing up. Repentance theme.  Wanna say it was 2000.

Anishinabe

 

[kaba]

Our church has the invitation that is determined by a response. 

When the other half was an asst Pastor in Kentucky, my parents came to visit. The Pastor was a big Hyles and Gray guy, although he never went to college (and it showed!!) he invited an evangelist to preach that was attending Grays church. He was a screamer, and his sermon was basicly to make you feel guilty for breathing! when the invitation came it dragged and dragged on, he wanted everyone to come to the front. My parents were good Godly people and were the only two left standing in the pews, but after awhile when he kept berating them from not coming forward, they did! Totally lost respect for that "evangelist". A few months later, our church got an email from Bob Gray asking us not to support that evangelist, he was being a husband to his wife nor a good father to his children!

 

[Smellin Coffee]

I think most of us would agree that the invitation is a key time during a church service.  Through the years I have observed the following types of invitations:
*No invitation
*A low key invitation where several people kneel and pray in their pew
*A quick invitation of x# of verses (almost mechanical)
*An invitation whose length is determined by the response
*A lengthy "forced" invitation reguardless of the response

So, what are your thoughts on invitations?  Do you have any unique stories about invitations that you have witnessed?

I remember Hyles telling Lapina one Pastors' School to go to City Baptist and round up some kids to come to the service to be baptized in front of the delegates as if they were new converts.

Does that count as a "unique story"?

 

[bgwilkinson]

I think most of us would agree that the invitation is a key time during a church service.  Through the years I have observed the following types of invitations:
*No invitation
*A low key invitation where several people kneel and pray in their pew
*A quick invitation of x# of verses (almost mechanical)
*An invitation whose length is determined by the response
*A lengthy "forced" invitation reguardless of the response

So, what are your thoughts on invitations?  Do you have any unique stories about invitations that you have witnessed?

I remember Hyles telling Lapina one Pastors' School to go to City Baptist and round up some kids to come to the service to be baptized in front of the delegates as if they were new converts.

Does that count as a "unique story"?

Well, this is how we got our big baptism numbers in the years we could no longer do big numbers with attendance.

I have talk to bus kids that claim they had been run through the baptistry 10 or more time in a one month period. How could we not make our twenty five thousand baptism goal?

Just keep running them through until you make it.

Fake it til you make it.

 

[Fresh Air]

I have come to the conclusion that you can have a spiritually growing church without a visible response at the invitation, indeed, often without even giving an invitation. In my experience, it isn't the decision to go forward, or the decision made at the altar that really matters; rather it is the decision made in the quiet and stillness of thought and conviction that bears the most fruit.

I'm not against invitations at all. I like them very much. I just no longer think they are a vital ingredient for the spiritual growth of an individual or a church. I also think they are a lousy measuring stick for that same spiritual growth.

 

[bgwilkinson]

We have used them as a measurement of God's working among the body of Christ.
Not a very good measure at all. It gives off false readings.

I do not believe Mr. Spurgeon used the high pressure emotional Finny type of invitation.
God blessed his ministry.

False readings false results.

 

[tobytyler]

How have the FBC invitations changed since Wilkerson's coming to Hammond?  I notice that they are much shorter---fewer verses being sung, but then the live stream cuts turns off before any public professions and baptisms.

I've heard that JW is much more thorough in questioning the converts when they're making their public professions and questions them on their desire for baptism.  Anyone know if this is true?

 

[Smellin Coffee]

Here is an invitation I wish I could witness in person!

Ray Stevens - The Mississippi Squirrel Revival

 

[bgwilkinson]

How have the FBC invitations changed since Wilkerson's coming to Hammond?  I notice that they are much shorter---fewer verses being sung, but then the live stream cuts turns off before any public professions and baptisms.

I've heard that JW is much more thorough in questioning the converts when they're making their public professions and questions them on their desire for baptism.  Anyone know if this is true?

Well you heard correctly. We are now much more thorough than in the past.

We seem to be moving away from 1 2 3 repeat after me.

 

[bgwilkinson]

Here is an invitation I wish I could witness in person!

Ray Stevens - The Mississippi Squirrel Revival

Real Holy Ghost revival.

 

[prophet]

How come Ray knows so much about a fundy-style invitation?

Anishinabe

 

[RAIDER]

I would say that the length of an invitation at a Randy Taylor meeting has to be among the longest.

 

[bgwilkinson]

How come Ray knows so much about a fundy-style invitation?

Anishinabe

Maybe Ray is a closet IFB like Elvis.

 

[RAIDER]

How come Ray knows so much about a fundy-style invitation?

Anishinabe

Maybe Ray is a closet IFB like Elvis.

I did lead Ray in repeating the sinners prayer in an elevator in Nashville. 

 

[prophet]

How come Ray knows so much about a fundy-style invitation?

Anishinabe

Maybe Ray is a closet IFB like Elvis.

I did lead Ray in repeating the sinners prayer in an elevator in Nashville. 

Meanwhile, back at the mo-tell.

Anishinabe

 

[RAIDER]

How come Ray knows so much about a fundy-style invitation?

Anishinabe

Maybe Ray is a closet IFB like Elvis.

I did lead Ray in repeating the sinners prayer in an elevator in Nashville. 

Meanwhile, back at the mo-tell.

Anishinabe

Would that be the "Mo-tell California"?