7. The length of the invitation depends.
Two primary considerations here are the congregation’s endurance/patience and the people praying at the altar. If this period goes on too long, people get tired. If that happens only occasionally, the congregation is accepting, particularly if people are responding.
But if the pastor belabors the invitation Sunday after Sunday with little results, most congregations come to resent it. Likewise, when people come to the altar to pray, they should not be rushed, but encouraged to stay as long as they wish.
8. I encourage church leaders to make coming to the altar and praying a regular practice.
It’s good for them, of course, but this also encourages others to come. Jesus nailed this for us: “My house shall be called a house of prayer” (Luke 19:46).
In churches where no one has “walked the aisle” in months, only the most courageous soul will be the first to do so. But where people are getting up and walking to the altar every service to kneel and pray, those making significant decisions find doing so much easier.
9. Pastors will want to have working sessions with everyone involved in the service.
In order to plan the invitation, know how to deal with responders, handle interruptions and understand the pastor’s hand signals. Hand signals? Yes, or some other nonverbal sign he may send to others involved, directing one minister to someone he might have overlooked, telling the worship leader he’s ready to end the hymn, that sort of thing.
10. Pastors do well to keep reminding themselves that they are dealing with the fine China of people’s eternal lives here.
This is not about your sermon, not an affirmation of your ministry, and nothing that happens here is about you. It’s about people coming to Jesus Christ and living for Him. Whatever you can do to assist them in this, you will want to do it and do it well.
