The Wednesday Night Invitation
The Wednesday night “invitation” has an interesting history. The predecessor of this effort was originally known as an “altar call” in various denominational churches. When a sermon calling for repentance was presented, those in the audience who were impacted by the message would come to the pulpit area and make either their confession of faith or their desire for repentance near “the altar” located at the front of the building. Terminology for this practice changed through the years, especially as revivals grew in popularity. Old-time preachers would call the practice “hitting the sawdust trail” in reference to the tent meetings where sawdust was used in muddy aisleways. Effected hearers would make their way to the front of the tent using these “trails.” Later, the practice was called “the invitation” as revivalist preachers would invite hearers to respond to the evangelistic message presented.
Though difficult to know exactly when the practice began, many independent primitivist churches began meeting on Wednesday evenings. While these churches had different reasons for doing so, most believed that these mid-week assemblies provided a good spiritual “booster.” Some churches originally dedicated these occasions to prayer, giving birth to the name “prayer meetings.” Later, the mid-week meetings were and are primarily devoted to specialized Bible studies. Somewhere along the way, most churches also added evangelistic efforts to these meeting times and, borrowing the terminology of past revivalist efforts, the practice of “offering the invitation” began. The motivation for this practice was to provide anyone considering coming to Christ the opportunity to do so.
it is important to remember that the Wednesday night invitation is a tradition. When something is done long enough, there is the ever-present danger of transforming a traditional practice into a perceived God-required practice. In some of the early churches that introduced Wednesday night assemblies, the practice of offering an invitation did not come until years later. There are also churches that currently assemble on Wednesday evenings that choose not to publicly provide this opportunity. These churches are not in the wrong since there is no Scriptural insistence on the practice. Still, the tradition can be very good. Throughout the Bible, we find “the invitation” being extended on a host of different occasions; sometimes it was presented by a riverside or a prison or a synagogue…or a host of other places and times. Thus, assemblies for Bible study would fit within the purview of appropriate occasions for evangelistic efforts.
It is also important to understand what is meant by “the invitation.” Simply put, it is the offer God has made to provide salvation to those who believe in Him and follow through with His commands to receive salvation. Consider the invitation extended by Jesus: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). As well, think of the invitation Paul extended to Agrippa: “Do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe […] Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am – except for these chains” (Acts 26:27,29). These invitations were simple statements that encouraged giving one’s life to God.
Men who accept the responsibility of presenting God’s invitation face a great challenge. From a public speaking standpoint, it is a challenge to present a worthwhile message in a short period of time; thus, preparation for this responsibility requires thought, planning, and effort so that it is pleasing to the Lord and beneficial to the hearer. A common difficulty in offering the invitation is allowing the primary focus to be lost. Over the years, churches have heard “invitations” that dealt with appropriate speech, not forsaking the assembly, modesty, etc., with the ending tagline “and if you are not a Christian and want to accept the invitation, come while we stand and sing.” Churches have also endured a cadre of personal stories and secular illustrations that had little in common with the Lord’s invitation. While New Testament preachers did use secular illustrations (i.e., “As even some of your poets have said” – Acts 17:28) and used personal testimonials (as was the case with Paul before Agrippa), they were never the primary focus of the message; they were not presented so that the hearer(s) would walk away remembering the story, but never connecting it with salvation. Therefore, men must maintain strict caution in presenting a message that uses personal testimony or secular illustrations. These should be used sparingly and solely in support of the salvation message.
Finally, men should remember their audience. A mid-week assembly is primarily composed of members of the church and their families who have met for the purpose of a deeper study of God’s word. Those in need of salvation are often family members (children, spouses, etc.) who know the gospel message but simply need the “verbal nudge” to make the commitment. There may also be occasions where members of the audience are seeking the congregation’s participation in invoking the Lord’s help in forgiveness or overcoming sin. Speakers should never feel burdened with the task of a detailed explanation of every facet of salvation; rather, they have the duty to present a short, motivational message that may set an already formulated belief into motion.
While evangelistic efforts in assemblies are biblical, every Christian must remember that evangelism must also take place outside of the church building walls. If primary evangelistic efforts are only carried out in assemblies primarily made up of Christians, the scope is so narrowly focused that few will hear the gospel message. In considering the Wednesday night invitation, may every Christian take this message “on the road;” may each commit to bringing the invitation of Christ to as many as possible on Wednesdays or any other day where the opportunity avails.
