No... well, most of the time, but not quite all the time.

We tried to get rid of that expectation altogether a while ago, to where we only did an invitation when it made sense with the sermon. But we had some people in the congregation get somewhat vocal when they noticed we were consistently not doing invitations. So, since keeping the peace on that was pretty easy, we've gone back to offering an invitation at the end of the sermon most of the time.

Yes. In fact, we offer two invitations. Early in the service, the elder who does the call to worship offers an opportunity for anyone to come forward and ask for prayers about anything that might be hindering their relationship with God or with another Christian (since we want everyone to be able to worship with a clear conscience) - of course, if anyone came forward at that time asking to be baptized, we wouldn't make them wait.

Then there is a more traditional invitation at the end of the sermon.

We did away with the traditional invitation song a long time ago. In its place is a prayer time which may or may not be after the message. While we sing, the elders, ministers, and their wives stand at places around the sanctuary (yes, we are allowed to use that word). Anyone who would like to pray or be prayed over for any reason-- including thanksgiving is invited to meet with a couple and pray. We sing for as long as anyone is praying. As a result, we have to have a "throw down" song or two in case we are finished singing the songs that are planned. The worship leader has to be alert, and continuously scan the assembly to determine when the prayers are completed. Sometimes we might repeat songs that we used earlier in the service, for emphasis or for a new viewpoint if the message has touched on one of the subjects of the song.

During prayer time, baptisms are encouraged, but most if not all of our baptisms are the result of weeks of study and planning. We usually know well in advance if someone is wanting to be baptized and it is a planned part of the assembly (usually done at the beginning). We also know in advance whether someone is wanting to become a part of our congregation. We have an elder who is especially good at introducing new members. This is normally done closer to the beginning of the service than at the end. He brings them up front, if they would like, and introduces them to the church and tells us something about them. It is done with humor and in a way that will make the new members feel special.

I think there should always be an invitation. Someone who does not know the Lord does not need an invitation to come to know Him, but it helps that person to be more comfortable rather than sitting/standing near thinking "i want to get right with the Lord and i need the pastor to pray with me, but am i supposed to go now or wait, or what???" People need an invitation to know when the best time is to go forward and ask for prayer.

tim magill
kansas city, ks