Twelve Tips for an Effective Invitation

In my years as an evangelist, I have given over 2,000 invitations to respond to the Gospel and led more than two million people in a prayer to follow Jesus Christ.

Here are some lessons I have learned.

Always give an invitation.

Do not assume everyone in the room is a follower of Jesus. Every message should include an opportunity to make a decision for Christ. Reinhard Bonnke tells a story of being at a lunch meeting with two hundred pastors. God prompted him to give an invitation. Although he worried the pastors might be offended, he obeyed. Eight waiters clearing tables came forward and gave their lives to Jesus.

Start with the end in mind.

The invitation should not be an afterthought haphazardly added to the end of a sermon. It should be the destination toward which the entire sermon points. The evangelistic sermon should prepare people to respond from the first words uttered. The evangelist should carefully plan invitations and prepare the audience to respond.

Tell your audience where you are going.

The point of decision should not come as a surprise. Often, in the middle of my sermon, I share a testimony about a man or woman who gave his or her life to Jesus. Then I say, “In just a few minutes, you will have a chance to make a decision to follow Jesus.” Tell your audience an invitation is coming. Let them know they will have an opportunity to meet God, repent of their sin, or begin a new life.

Ask people to begin responding before the invitation.

Once, while preaching in India, the crowd stared at me stoically. When I gave the invitation, no one moved, raised their hands, or came forward. The people were impacted by the message but were too shy to respond. I learned that to receive a response, I must start asking people to respond during the message. I ask the audience to repeat points aloud, lift their hands, or clap. These small actions prepare their spirits to respond to God when the invitation comes.

Bring people to a decision point.

There are only two choices: Will you follow Jesus, or will you reject Him? Moses sets out the choices plainly: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Billy Graham often transitioned into his invitation by saying, “Well, Billy, what do I have to do?” He would then explain how to put one’s faith in Christ.

Give clear explanations.

What is familiar to you may not be familiar to your audience. I once heard an inexperienced evangelist say, “If you have never said that prayer before, raise your hand.” Many people didn’t know what prayer he meant. If you use religious terminology during your invitation, explain what it means in your sermon. For example, if you ask people if they want to be born again, carefully explain the biblical definition.

Be specific in your instructions.

Say: “If you want Jesus to forgive your sins, raise your hand,” or “If you want to join the family of God, please walk to the front now,” or “If you want to follow Jesus, bow your head and repeat these words after me.” Clear instructions guide people to a point of decision to accept or reject Christ.

Aim for 100% participation.

I do not ask people to make a “first-time” decision; I ask them to make a “this-time” decision. Every person should have the opportunity to respond. Afterward, I provide instructions for follow-up: “If you decided to follow Jesus for the first time tonight, our counselors have a book for you. Raise your hand, and a counselor will bring it to you,” or “If you have been running from God but tonight returned, please come forward for prayer.”

Give the invitation with urgency.

This may be the last time your listeners have to respond. D.L. Moody once gave people days to decide. But on October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire started. Moody writes: “…I want to tell you of one lesson I learned that night which I have never forgotten, and that is, when I preach, to press Christ upon the people then and there, and try to bring them to a decision on the spot. I would rather that my right arm be cut off than to give an audience a week to decide what to do with Jesus.”

Give people time to respond.

There is no need to hurry. The invitation is a serious moment; eternal lives hang in the balance. Often, I give an invitation, walk through the Gospel again, and then give the same invitation a second time.

Don’t be discouraged if people do not respond. Our job is to bring Christ to all people, not to bring all people to Christ. The Holy Spirit draws people to salvation—not your sermon, your polished speaking, or your story. Ralph Bell writes, “God holds us responsible for faithful evangelism, not for successful evangelism.”

There is never a bad time to give an invitation. Joel Hitchcock tells of meeting an important government official. After greeting Joel, the official became interested in what he said about God. Joel asked, “Do you want to give your life to Jesus?” The official replied, “Yes.”