If you ever attended a religious revival service, you probably remember certain things: an attention-getting sermons and music that was lively and engaging, In fact, it’s not surprising that so many stars of blues, bluegrass, and country-western music grew up on revival music. And one more thing was a hallmark of these revivals: You knew where the service was going to end. There would be an invitation.

            The invitation might vary according to the nature of the service, but you could count on it that the invitation would come. Usually it was an invitation for unbelievers (or more directly, “sinners”) to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. But sometimes it would be a call for young people to enter the ministry, or for Christians to re-dedicate themselves to their faith; sometimes it might even be as specific as an invitation to begin tithing. The congregation would sing an invitation hymn -- “Just as I Am,” or “Softly and Tenderly” were favorites -- and the evangelist would issue an invitation  to come to the altar.

            Actually, worship services in almost every Christian tradition conclude in the same mood, but it’s not usually so obvious. With some, it’s the receiving of the sacrament, with others an admonition or a hymn of challenge. However, to be honest, a majority of the invitations may be so subtle or so muted that we hardly know they’ve been issued.

The book of invitations

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