MINISTRY IN THE TRENCHES
The question is simply this: Should people in need receive prayer
during services? Here is another question: Should the altar of the
church be used for prayer? And what about this question: Should a sermon be followed by an invitation for people to receive ministry?
The best way to reason about these questions is to look at the ministry of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Before feeding the 5000 in the slopes above Capernaum, Jesus spent all day teaching and praying for people from everywhere. It was late in the day when the disciples discovered that the people needed food (Mark 6:30).
In Luke 18, when Jesus approached Jericho, He met a blind man sitting by the roadside, begging. Verse 39 says that, “Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more. ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ “Jesus stopped and “ordered the man to be brought to him” (v.40).
Question: Should the altar of the church be used for prayer? I ask you, did our Lord minister to those that came to Him? Yes, He did.
Question: Should a sermon be followed by an invitation? Yes, unless you want everyone to be in an impersonal relationship with Jesus Christ. There are times for an invitation and times to be silent. Just do not miss the timing of the Holy Spirit.
Dr. David Barrett, in the Encyclopedia of Evangelical Churches, examines where profession of faith is taking place in the world in large numbers. After his research, he informs us that profession of faith is largely happening where persons are in worship and being ministered to in various ways.
Final question: Is it necessary to pray for people during the worship services? My answer is this: Anywhere you lift the name of Jesus Christ and do not please man, God will be pleased. God not only blesses the environment but blesses the pastors who pray for people in need.
In my 30-plus years of evangelism throughout America, I have never seen a church praying for its’ members to have financial problems or lack of membership growth.
Some people will still object to this practice. My advice to you is this:
“DO NOT SELL THE KINGDOM IN ORDER TO PLEASE ANYONE”.
Rick Bonfim
Edited by B.Mckinney
I totally agree with you, Rick. Prayer and Worship are the central focus of why we are in the LORD’s house. The world has beat us down all week and we come to Pray and Worship the ONE who wants to abide with us and bind our wounds and have fellowship with us and send us out refreshed and re-newed, without Prayer unceasing this won’t happen!
GOD BLESS YOU Brother,
John Borg(from Skyland UMC)
Comment by John Borg — February 15, 2008 @ 3:12 pm
I was a member of a Calvary Chapel in PA. The church was started by a young Pastor who had a real grip on the Word of God. There were only two, maybe three altar calls during the three years I was there. The Pastor often told us that when we brought an unsaved guest to the Sun. A.M. gathering we were to believe that the Word would penetrate them and plant seeds of the Gospel. If they came the second time, we were to look for deep conviction and offer to pray for them, If they came the third time, it was evident that they were drawn by the Lord and we were to ask them point blank about receiving the Lord Jesus. 99% of the time they surrendered their lives to Jesus. When I first started to attend there were 30 people in the congregation, after three years there were over 400 in a town of 2600. All this was with very few altar calls. The Pastor also said to us, If you bring someone to the Lord, also disciple them. The congregation now is well over 1500 today with few altar calls.
Is altar call necessary, Yes, however, if we teach our folks how to lead them to Jesus and disciple them, then it does not matter if there is an altar call or not UNLESS the Holy Spirit unctions such a call to the Altar.
Comment by Jim Brown — February 15, 2008 @ 10:36 pm
Amen! I couldn’t agree more, Rick! Preach on!
Comment by Margo Palmer — February 16, 2008 @ 5:46 pm