Book Review of "The Effective Invitation"

The practice of preaching is a tenuous but rewarding job of the minister. The book, “The Effective Invitation” was an insightful look at the importance of the message to move towards the call of invitation. Alan Streett is professor of evangelism/pastoral ministry at Criswell College, Dallas, Texas and editor of the Criswell Theological Review. Dr. Streett believes that each sermon must have a call of salvation from the gospel. You can see this theme throughout the book. It is a step-by-step explanation for the need for biblical invitations to see people come to know Christ. Dr. Streett appears to have used all of his expertise as a pastor, evangelist and professor to make this book clear and concise.

It is not only a moment of response but also more of a call for obedience to what God says through the message. The importance of preaching is explained in the earlier part of the book. The fact is that preaching is not correct unless it includes the gospel message. The book highlighted the importance of displaying a correct knowledge of the gospel so that the listeners know what they are responding to during the invitation. The first section of the book focuses on the actual meaning of preaching and proclamation. It then moves into the explanation of the actual invitation during a service. The interesting part of the book is how the author used different examples of Pentecost to make a claim about the importance of an invitation. The invitation according to the book has different styles of who it is accomplished.

The gospel is to be preached as not only Christ lived, but was crucified and rose again on the third day. Streett asks, “What ingredients make up an effective gospel presentation?” (p 22). As the book begins to explain the importance is to declare the complete picture of the gospel message. The main aspect of the sermon must move people to a point of action in a clear and understandable way. As the book begins to explain the different aspects of the gospel, it leaves the reader with an understanding of making sure the heart of the message is explained. Streett explains the importance of repentance and calling people to obedience once a sermon has been delivered. The book explains the history of invitations and the numerous Pastors and evangelists that led many people to a call of obedience to the gospel.

At the heart of any good message is prayer. Prayer is the total dependence upon the Holy Spirit to take the words of the message and implant them into the hearts of the people. Without God, one can do nothing. This is seen in the act of preaching, especially in regards to calling people to respond. The practice of prayer must be an ongoing act towards God. Prayer is not only speaking words, but also more importantly to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. The only way that a person can be saved is if their heart is softened and drawn by the Holy Spirit. The Pastor who prays will have the power to proclaim the goodness and grace of God.

The importance of leading people to make a decision quickly is a theme in the book. People are continually making decisions every day that are focused upon their own desires. It is a priority for a preacher to call upon people to put in action the very words of the message. The power of exhortation or encouragement is needed in the pulpit today. It is the ability to motivate people to make a decision with urgency. There is no greater message that must be explained and responded unto than the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a theme of the book and must be put into action by ministers of the gospel.

The most moving and helpful part of the book was setting a goal of the message to be applied to the listener. Many people can hear sermons but without clear plan of action to be followed, it is simply a speech. The author explains the importance of an invitation and cites Acts as the example to follow in ministry. Pentecost is an example of many people coming to know Christ. The book explains that without a clear need and desire then no person can be saved. The preacher is to prepare in such a way that helps people make a public decision to follow Christ. Many times the gospel is preached but with no chance for people to respond. At other times, the invitation is given but the gospel is non-existent within the sermon. The book helped explain the biblical reason for an invitation and how to effectively practice it. The book gave good insights into always keeping the heart of the gospel as the motivation.

The reason that a response is a priority is because many times in Jesus’ ministry and throughout the early church, people were called to make a decision. A sermon leads people to make a decision that would ultimately change the eternal destination of their lives. It is the foundation that Jesus left for the disciples to follow in as they begun the early church. Peter and Paul communicated with the lost to reveal their need for a savior. This book gives important insights into the art and practice of the invitation.

I affirm the importance of having an invitation in a gospel presentation. The one aspect that I do think is missing is that if there is no clear direction for people to respond to, and then an invitation does not need to be given. I have seen many messages that were biblical but left the audience without any clear application. I think the book could have explained the fact that a message needs to applicable to the original meaning of the text and not just throw in the gospel at the end if it does not connect. Many times, Pastors will proverbially mention the gospel at the last part of the message. The problem that occurs is that it if it does not connect to the heart of the text being preached, it is hard for people to understand. I do believe that the gospel should be a priority but at the same time, the gospel needs a clear presentation rather than squeezing it in during the last three minutes. The book gives great explanation, illustration and stories but what is lacking is updated stories of how invitations are used in today’s culture. The issue that arises is that people can become numb to the call of invitation unless it is fresh and creative. The invitation should be the climax of the message and should move people to action. In other words, I do not believe that a preacher should do an invitation only because that is a tradition, it should be much more important. The message must be communicated with clear action steps of how people can apply to their daily lives. Not only application but also it should lead to transformation in how they interact with the lost world. I find many gems of wisdom within this book, but what is lacking is an updated look at the need for invitations because many people view the invitation as a time to think about lunch, go to the bathroom, or prepare to leave. I have seen many great times of invitation in my life, it just seems that the book did not clearly explain the wrong uses of invitation and only focused on doing the invitation.

The latter part of the book focuses upon illustrations on repentance. This section was excellent in helping visualize practically how to lead an effective invitation. If the message does not ultimately lead to a personal decision, it will be left to be only a lesson. People are looking for real life truth that leads to a change of lifestyle. It should be the aim of the gospel to help people make the ultimate decision to follow Christ.

I realized that each message I prepare must lead me to the question, “what must we do?” If this question is not answered, then what is missed out upon is the need for people to publicly and privately focus on Christ. The evangelistic approach that Streett takes during this book encourages me to continually focus upon reaching the lost with the gospel. The important aspect is to not just teach people the Bible, but also help them learn how to apply it to the world. If a preacher loses sight of the need for the gospel, the message can become off course. I have seen this happen in my own preaching. The importance of always focusing on how the message will be applied in daily life keeps the truth from derailing into man-centered preaching.

My preaching will improve because there has been many times that I have missed the importance of leading the audience to a clear invitation. The response to the truth is the most important aspect of any message. The author gave important truths about the wisdom found in preparing and communicating messages that bring about a change in the lives of the audience.

I believe that one of the most absent aspects of preaching today is the lack of the use of the Law in gospel presentations. People must come to know their need for Christ because of sin. Just as the purpose was in the early church to reveal the need for the lost to turn to Christ alone for salvation, the same need arises today. The issue that arises today is that some younger preachers are moving away from a call of invitation. The replacement of the invitation is just a quick prayer and song but no focus on leading people to make a decision on what they have heard. At the same time, I have seen older preachers have an invitation but the audience was unclear on how they were supposed to respond. The invitation is a valid and useful part of any service, but it should not just become a tradition that must be followed. The question, “why” should always be in the forefront of any preacher’s mind in leading an invitation. The improper view of an invitation is not to coerce or motivate people to make only an emotional response. Too many times people have been manipulated with Christ-less messages and respond but quickly fizzle when they walk out the door. This book shows the need for invitations, but what is lacking in today’s church is a biblical explanation of the gospel that is built upon the need for repentance. People have quickly focused upon simply adding Jesus to their lives and not made their lives all about Jesus. The need for this type of preaching must be a priority if true believers are to arise from the church. If the church is not hearing the biblical gospel how will the world ever hear about the cross?

Another aspect that is seen in this book is current preachers who have a balance of the gospel and invitation. The movement that some are making is towards not having invitations and only focus on appeasing the audiences music styles or personal comfort. The call for repentance is not always a comfortable decision and many times it is a grueling process for people to be changed by Christ. It takes some people years to hear the word and respond with a humble heart. The book gives insights into shaping messages that prepare people to respond from the first word all the way to the final word. The whole importance of a message is for it to be received and obeyed.

This book will be a good tool to look back and use as a measuring stick to check how invitations are being led. The importance of an invitation is much more than a part of the service, but it is the time that people are called to obedience. The book explains the heart of the gospel and answers important questions about it. It gives helpful advice on the art of leading people to a decision. The theme of the book is not only helpful in leading invitations but seeing the power of preaching in such a way that leaves people wanting to make a decision to change to follow Christ. This book is not just one that should be read once, but used whenever the question arises on how we are to make the call of invitation. It not only gives good explanation but it stretches the mind and comprehension of the reader to think through the delivery and purpose of the message.

The missing element in many sermons today is the lack of action in regards to what is heard. This book gives the foundation that is needed for today’s minister to be able to accurately explain God’s Word and how to live it out. The need for clear and expositional teaching of God’s Word is a priority for the current generation to continue rightly diving the truth. The need for action especially for the church to move outside of the walls and impact the world with the life changing message of Jesus. People are in need of a clear calling to respond in obedience to the cause of Christ.

The Battle for Integrity

"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out." Proverbs 10:9

Integrity is the foundation of longevity in ministry and relationships. In today's culture, morality is becoming a slippery slope of excuses that can lead to a fall. It seems like each week or so I hear of another well known leader fall morally. I do not know about you, but for me integrity is worth fighting for! In the ministry world it is vital that a minister is decisive when it comes to establishing moral boundaries.

Morality impacts relationships positively or negatively. A follower of Christ is called to be pure in heart (Matthew 5:8) and to be above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2). Paul writes about the qualifications of an overseer (or leader). The statement, "above reproach" has the term "must" in front of it.

For me, I've made some "must" decisions on boundaries when it comes to morals:

- Be  a person of my word. My goal is that if I tell someone "yes" or "no" I will follow through with my word (Matthew 5:37). Pride leads to rationalizing the excuses why we cannot have integrity with our word.

- Keep my conscience clear - In life, conflict is inevitable. How we resolve conflict is facing it with grace and truth. Forgiveness must be the currency of our lives as Christians. This means when we are wrong, go to the person and ask for forgiveness. It also means to release people who have hurt you! Paul wrote,"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." Acts 24:16

- Never ride with a woman alone in a car without my wife. It is a commitment I made to my wife to be above reproach. Billy Graham set a great example to not ride alone in an elevator with a woman other than his wife. Some would say this is drastic, but he is a man of integrity. I do not back down from this because I love my wife and never want to damage my marriage, friends and ministry.

- My wife has all my passwords on all social networking, emails and computer. Integrity says that "I have nothing to hide, I am an open book." Integrity opens the door to trusting relationships.

- I do not counsel women or female students alone. It is imperative that women counsel with women and men counsel with men. For instance, it is wise to counsel alongside my wife Cassidy so she is able to become close emotionally with the female student. The danger that arises in any relationship is the emotions. Many leaders in churches have fallen due to an emotional attraction that led to physical. You see, emotions lead to the physical. Men of God, stand for integrity and make a plan to not put yourself in slippery situations that could damage your family, ministry and ultimately your relationship with God!

- Always have a "Paul" in my life (1-2 Timothy). I have a few mentors in my life who ask me the hard questions. I am grateful for family and friends in my life that keep me accountable. Every church leader must have a mentor, no matter their age or experience. It is also important to have a "Timothy" as well to mentor at the same time.

One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Daniel. He exemplified a life of integrity (Daniel 6:4) that left the accusers silent!

Are you a person of integrity? Are you an "open book?" We need to fight FOR integrity no matter what. It is a battle worth fighting!

Book Review of "Why Marriages Succeed or Fail"

Marriages all across America are crumbling due to many issues. The book, Why Marriages Succeed or Fail is an insightful and powerful look into the importance of why there is failure and success in marriage. Many people go into marriage as a way of finding the “one” who will make them happy in all ways and are many times discouraged when they realize the imperfections of their spouse. The importance of having clear communication, boundaries, and expectations for marriage is vital for it to last. The book clearly gives a plan and questions to build and strengthen any marriage. The first aspect of my marriage that we realized through the book that we needed to improve upon was our communication. We are opposites when it comes to dealing with conflict in our marriage. I (Josh) am vocal and focused upon “talking it out.” Cassidy (my wife) tends to avoid conflict. But as we have been married we are learning to understand each other’s differences and are improving. One of the key ways that I must communicate more effectively is in the tone of my voice. It is more about how the communication comes across than what is being said in the conversation. Wisdom has been found in communication when both sides agree to listen without interrupting and not raising voices. This has helped us considerably through our marriage and communication.

The second aspect that we are focusing upon to grow is to keep the marriage fun and creative. The tendency for me as the husband is to not think as romantic as I did when we were dating and engaged. I’m learning that it is an active “chasing” of my wife and to build her up and let her know that she is special. One the other hand, we are learning our roles in the home as in who cooks, cleans, etc. We are working well together and usually share roles for each other. We are learning to talk about what needs to be done each week and then planning out how we are going to accomplish it on different days. Since I am a more driven, organized person and she is more laid back, we are learning to appreciate each other’s differences and balance each other out. Through our times of dealing with conflict we are learning to become stronger through it and not let it tear us down.

The third aspect of our marriage that needs strength is how we carry ourselves in public. I have learned that non-verbal communication is much more important in public than verbal. We are making a decision to handle issues or disagreements in private and not to communicate negatively in public. It is easy to not focus upon those around us but I have learned that how we handle any issue in front of others is an important aspect of leading other people to have healthy relationships. I have learned from my mentor that learning how to listen to my wife is one of the most important aspects of showing love. I grew up with all brothers and so it has been difficult at times to respond with sensitivity and grace. Through listening and understanding what makes her happy or sad, it has helped me considerably in how I respond to her needs. One decision that we made is to stop whatever we are doing (texting, cell phones, TV) when we need to discuss something of importance. We have learned that if we do not focus our full attention to each other then we will devalue the conversation and end up causing conflict. Another decision we have made is to not carry our cell phones into restaurants when we are out on a date. We do this so that we are not distracted and put the emphasis on listening and sharing with each other. Since I’m a student minister, I get calls and texts often and so if I leave it in the car it shows Cassidy that she is more important and that the calls can wait.

Another important aspect for us to become stronger in is how we deal with finances. I am more of a saver and Cassidy is more of a spender, so we have grown considerably in how we communicate about finances. We are focused upon becoming debt free and through sharing and explaining the benefits; we are focused upon making the best decisions towards financial freedom. I usually do the finances and now I have learned that communicating the budget and talking through it will help us both be on the same page on finances. We have started using coupons and my wife has begun to start watching for deals when grocery shopping. The fact that we are both working towards a goal together, it makes the journey that much more fulfilling and fun. We want to be able to provide for our future children and be able to give more throughout our life. Life is short and we are learning this daily that if we make wise decisions, we will be better in the long run for Christ.

The most important aspect of our marriage that must stay consistent is to continually keep Christ at the center of our lives. I’m learning that through constant communication with each other and showing grace when one person makes a mistake, strength will result. Keeping Christ at the center of our lives personally will help within our marriage. Taking time to pray together has been one of the most important things we do together, so we are focusing our hearts and minds on God’s direction. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and I pray that we can influence others to put Christ first in everything.

Order the book here: "Why Marriages Succeed or Fail"