When it comes to being a “master asker” in ministry, we cannot miss the most important ask we can make: the invitation to follow Christ.

As a minister, you may have wondered how often you should present the Gospel. The answer to this question is simple: every Sunday.

You should offer some kind of Gospel presentation every week. Make extending the invitation for people to put their trust in Jesus Christ a priority in your church’s services.

THE EXAMPLE OF OTHER EVANGELISTS
Looking at prevalent evangelists and pastors in church history, we see a commitment to making the Gospel invitation with urgency…especially after seeing what happens when you wait.

Famously, evangelist D.L. Moody once presented the Gospel but did not extend an invitation. He said something along the lines of, “You think about it, and then tomorrow night, I’m going to give you a chance to respond.”

Well, between the first presentation and the second night, the Great Chicago Fire broke out, and Moody’s plan for an invitation never came to pass. Sadly, many people died. Moody decided that never again would he preach without presenting an invitation.

We ourselves need to remember this truth: people’s eternities are on the line.

Lastly, theologian and pastor, Charles Spurgeon, took sharing the Gospel so seriously that he advocated for not always waiting until the end of your sermon for the Gospel presentation because he wanted to give people the best chance to respond.

Think about it: when people learn that your service lasts an hour, they know when the end is near. Their minds start to wonder about what they’re eating for lunch or needing to pick up their kids from the children’s ministry.

To avoid these types of distractions and ensure people had ample opportunity to come to know Jesus, Spurgeon went as far as to approach sermon writing different from the status quo.

We can follow in the footsteps of other leaders throughout church history by prioritizing evangelism every week at our churches.

PLANNING A GOSPEL PRESENTATION
In short, every Sunday, offer a small Gospel invitation. This part of your sermon could be two minutes or more, but be sure to include it in every single message.

Additionally, it is vital that you sometimes offer an extended five to 10-minute presentation of the Gospel. In my opinion, giving this extended Gospel invitation four times a year or more is a solid number, but feel free to adjust it.

No matter what your sermon is about, offer the invitation every week so that people have a chance to say yes to the Gospel. What could be a more urgent, weighty invitation than the one to know Jesus?

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

P.S. The Gospel invitation is just one of 5 main invitations that every pastor must master…and I’d like to guide you through every single one in this brand new resource.

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© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.