Preacher, Close the Sale!

What would you think of a real estate agent who showed clients homes but never asked, "would you like to make an offer?" Or, a car salesman who showed prospective owners cars but never said, "would you like to buy it?" Or, a Division 1 football coach talking to a blue-chip recruit and never asking, "would you like to play here for me?" I cannot imagine any of the three, the agent, salesman or the coach staying in business very long.

Yet week in and week out, I have heard very good sermons preached in some very fine churches with exactly that being done. At the close of the message, those listening walk away wondering, "what did he want me to do in light of what he said?"

Pastor, what do you want to see happen? What do you want the listeners to do in light of your message? Receive Christ? Make a new commitment? Be baptized? Join your church? Share their faith? Make some other life-changing destiny-altering decision? I fear that in a large number of churches, we have not because we ask not! Tell your listeners, "in light of what I have said, this is what I am asking you to do."

Here is an example. You have just preached a magnificent sermon on "Jesus the Savior for All Mankind" out of 1Timothy 2:3-6. You conclude your message and say "we have staff here at the front," or "I will be here at the front, if you have some decision, I (we) will be here to talk to you." You pray, stand there , sing and nothing happens. You leave disappointed. What happened, or didn't happen? You got what you asked for. Just as general prayers are wasted prayers, general invitations are wasted invitations.

Next time, try this: "Friends, you have heard today's message. You know that God loves you and wants to save you. You know that Jesus died on the cross for you. He wants to save you. He wants you to be in His family. It does not matter what you have done or failed to do in the past. What matters is what you do right here and right now. If you will come to Him just like you are, He will save you. If you would like to receive Jesus Christ and be saved, I am asking you in just a moment, when we stand to sing, to slip out of your seat, and make your way to the front. I want to talk to you and pray with you and help you come to faith in Christ."

You pray and then ask those who hear you, "if you want to be saved, I am asking you to come right now. Come!" My point? Ask people to respond when you preach. Now, it may not be a come forward invitation. It may be "mark this card and drop it in the plate," or "stop by our follow-up counseling room." But tell people what to do and give them an opportunity to respond.

When Paul said in 2Corinthians 5:11, "Therefore, knowing the fear of God, we persuade men...", his persuasiveness included pleading and inviting. Pastor, the next time you preach, close the sale! Tell people what you want them to do, then ask them to do it! Come to think of it, that's not bad advice for any believer when sharing their faith.