I had an interesting conversation with a co worker today about the traditions of our churches. The conversation drifted around to the invitation that many churches give at the end of each church service. While I grew up in such a church I do not feel it is a necessity in order for one to come to know Christ. In fact I witnessed the pressure exerted upon people to walk an aisle. I can remember as a young boy the many ladies of the church who would go to individuals they suspected might not be saved and trying to talk them into a decision. I can remember young children who walked an aisle because a friend walked an aisle. I'll probably make someone mad but in many revivals counselors are used to begin to walk an aisle so that others would follow. I will not say that churches should not give an invitation. I think God saves in many different environments but no one method is a necessity for coming to know the Lord. In fact my church does not give an invitation, yet people come to know Christ and are baptized on a regular basis. I feel that there is a time appointed that a person will come to know the Lord. The conversation led to my telling a story of one such time.
I owned a True Value Hardware Store in Northern Arkansas for several years. I decided to have a time of Bible study for those of my staff who could choose to attend. We met on Friday mornings before the business opened. It was attended by myself, two ladies who worked for us, a bi-vocational pastor and a young man who had no upbringing in the church. One of the ladies was a Methodist who was devout in her faith. The other lady was raised in a Jewish home in Chicago. The Jewish Lady (Harriet) is the centerpiece of this story. After we began our study I asked the group if they had any preference for the study and Harriet suggested we start at the beginning (Genesis). I thought to myself that this was a great idea. Perhaps she would not feel threatened by a study that did not center on Christ or the New Testament. I knew that the book of Genesis pointed to Christ on almost every page but I trusted that this would be a good way to start.
We worked through the creation, sin etc. and about the fifth week of our study we came to the story of Noah and the Ark. In this study I described how the Ark was a picture of Christ in that the Ark saved people from the flood and Christ saves people from their life of sin. During the discussion I looked over and Harriet had giant tears streaming down her face. I asked what was bothering her and she replied.."I want that, I want to be saved". Well you can imagine the impact on our group. I instructed Harriet on the how to....simply ask Him and He will come into your heart and you will be saved. It was a great day of rejoicing for Harriet.
All this in the back of a True Value Hardware Store at 7:00 AM on a Friday morning. No music, no invitation, no pleading, no preaching. It was the work of the Holy Spirit in Harriet's heart. It was the right time, the right place....it was Harriet's time. Later on the young man was saved in his home with his wife. All of this came about because the Word was given and this was their time. God used our group to slowly deliver the Word to a heart that had been prepared in advance. Before we get hung up on our traditions let's remember that it is God who Saves. It is the Holy Spirit at work in the heart and we are just the one's who receive the blessing of seeing God at Work.
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