The number one piece of advice I took away from our meeting with Harold Comer was about invitations. Let’s face it. In our day and age, the number one prospect for salvation we run into are those who come check out what we’re doing as a congregation. However, like so many things, folks won’t check us out unless they know they can. That is where invitations come in.
Harold repeatedly referred to Revelation 22:17. “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” I am fully aware John was not speaking directly of inviting people to our assemblies and classes. He was talking about an invitation to drink from the water of life through Jesus Christ. However, one effective way to get to that invitation is to invite folks to hear the Word of Life taught and preached in our classes and assemblies. One effective way to get to that invitation is to invite folks to witness us congregationally worship the God of life in our assemblies.
Harold went through some of the statistics pretty quickly. Maybe you missed them. Obviously, for any one individual these numbers may not be exactly accurate. But, like insurance actuary tables, over the big picture this is how it works. Out of every 20 invitations, 1 person will attend. That person will often bring a friend or family member. That means for every 100 invitations, we should have 10 guests. Out of those 10 guests, 4 will return. Out of those 4, 1 will eventually surrender his/her life to Jesus. That means it takes 100 invitations to find the one real prospect. There’s only one thing for it—we’ve got to be inviting.
Harold encouraged us to write out some invitations. I took that to heart and discovered it is indeed a great practice. It made me think of some very specific kinds of individuals I meet regularly and how I can invite them. Consider two examples.
For a nurse: I really appreciate the way you care for brother/sister _________. It means a lot to me and our church family to have conscientious workers like you caring for our physical needs. If we can ever return the favor and help care for your spiritual needs, please, don’t hesitate to visit us at the Franklin Church of Christ.
For a waiter/waitress: I really appreciate how diligently you’ve served us today. It’s a tough job and you did it very well. If we can ever be of service to you on a spiritual level, please, visit us at the Franklin Church of Christ.
Think of someone to invite this week. Then write out the invitation ahead of time and be prepared the next time you see them.
Sunday Morning In-Person Service is Canceled