What’s the best way to invite people to church? 

This is a question most churches have been struggling with for quite some time. 

As a result, there have been also so many suggested options on how to best invite people to church. Just type how to invite people to church and you’ll be surprised to see how much has been written or researched on the subject. 

Well, my post isn’t just another one of those results you find on the website. It is rather what could be considered as the foundation for most techniques that are suggested to help invite people to church.

What I share in this post is based on Jesus’ sermon the mount. Let me first tell you that Jesus actually never talked directly of inviting people to church. By the way, during His time here on earth, church never existed, in the actual sense, only until after pentecost (read Acts 2).

Inviting has to do more with being rather than doing 

Jesus indirectly talked about inviting based on Matthew 5. Keep in mind that the church, as we know of, did not exist then. But, Jesus’ sayings, found in this chapter, somehow offers more than just inviting.

What Jesus is talking about, in Matthew 5:13-16, is a culture of inviting, an organic state of being. 

If you carefully read the entire chapter 5 of Matthew, much of it talks about attitudes: beatitudes, loving our enemies, oaths, divorce, and so forth.

But verses 13-16 have to do with who Jesus wants us to be. These are the only scriptures that, in a lot of ways, address the idea of inviting.

You may have all the best techniques on how to invite, but the most effective way to do it is what Jesus talked about: “you are the salt of the earth” and “you are the light of the world” (Matthew 3:13-16).  

The first effective way to invite is to be the salt of the earth.

It is important to note that salt played a very important role in society during Jesus’ days. That is probably why He used it as an analogy. There are 4 important reasons why salt was used in those times.

• Salt symbolized loyalty and integrity.
• Salt was used to make covenant of friendship.
• Salt was used as an ingredient for offering.
• The use of salt was for the purpose of making promise to raise the child in good ways. 

A life characterized by loyalty and integrity is always inspiring. This is a life that connects words, thoughts and actions. People imitate persons of integrity. This kind of people take time to invest, not only in children, but everyone else around them. Their lifestyle is appealing to others. Their way of life is inviting.  

The second effective way to invite is to be the light of the world.

The second best way to be an inviting people is to be the light of the world. It means 3 things. 

• To be a city built on a hill (verse 14).
• To be a lamp that is set on a lamp stand (verse 15).
• To be a light that shines before people (verse 16). 

Here’s how these 3 translate into: 

• We are to be a community. This community is a group of people who have established a space in which God’s peace, love, grace and justice are visible. 
• We are to embrace a lifestyle that is contagious. The way we conduct ourselves outside this community of believers should be a proof of our true and real inner transformation. 

The disciples walked in their Master’s steps by being the salt of the earth and light of the world. They established a fellowship among themselves, which wasn’t private. It was known by all, and publicly, they confessed who and whose they were. As a result, the Lord added many people to this early church (Acts 2: 42-47).  

Is your life a tool God can use to draw people to the church? Perhaps, we should all do this prayer every morning:

Lord, help me have salt in myself that I may be at peace with all people. Make my speech always gracious, seasoned with salt so that I may know how to encourage and inspire everyone I meet today. Let Your Light shine through me this day and allow people around me to glorify You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.” (based on Matthew 5: 16, Mark 9:50, and Colossians 4:6 ).  

This reflection is based on the message delivered at the United Methodist Church in Harris and Lake Park on September 25, 2016. Click to listen to the full audio sermon.