The Dangers Of The Invitation System

God's invitation that must be extended to all is not synonymous with man's invitation system. Only since the 1800s has this system been employed to bring men to Christ. Since that time, this system has been refined and employed to such an extent that many today equate "coming to faith" with "coming down the aisle." Such an equation is not only inaccurate, it is dangerous because it deceives many into resting their faith on a "profession" rather than on Christ, who alone is "able to save to the uttermost." - p. 5.

What are the essentials to the Christian faith? How can you know and find God's will? What doctrines comprise the foundation to a Christian life? What should church leadership look like? What experiences mark a healthy Christian? These questions and more are answered in this book. If you are looking for one book that can cover the whole Christian life then this book is for you as you seek to Love a faithful faith that honors God while learning to experience his goodness daily.

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we “dress up” for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, and choirs? This ground-breaking book, now in affordable softcover, makes an unsettling proposal: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is rooted, not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence and extensive footnotes that document the origins of modern Christian church practices. In the process, the authors uncover the problems that emerge when the church functions more like a business organization than the living organism it was created to be. As you reconsider Christ's revolutionary plan for his church—to be the head of a fully functioning body in which all believers play an active role—you'll be challenged to decide whether you can ever do church the same way again.

Calvinism: A Southern Baptist Dialogue holds a theological conversation among followers of Christ about issues on which they often disagree. And while such controversial points of doctrine cannot be ignored, neither should they put up impenetrable walls between groups committed to the same essential Christian beliefs. New presentations from Daniel Akin, Tom Ascol, David Dockery, Charles Lawless, Ed Stetzer, and others address misperceptions, stereotypes, and caricatures of the debate over Reformed theology, each one seeking a deeper understanding of the gospel, improved health of our churches, and the kingdom of Christ above all. Book jacket.

'Examining Billy Graham's Theology of Evangelism' was written to advance an unbiased understanding of Billy Graham's theology and practice. Theological examination of Graham's sermons revealed four distinct eras in his theology and practice: -The Early-Early Graham (pre-1949) -The Early Graham (1949-1955) -The Middle Graham (1955-1965) -The Later Graham (1965-present) In each of these eras Graham portrayed a discernible and distinct approach to defining evangelism, theological nomenclature, and cooperative strategy. No literature on Billy Graham discusses, in combination, this evolution in Graham's theology and practice. You are invited to take a fresh look at the teaching and practice of this man who has touched millions of lives through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Eureka!" In an age of open-mindedness, many believers accept too much with too little discernment, resulting in great confusion and compromise. But God's Word makes it clear that not everything that glitters is gold. False teaching is at every turn, and the temptation to embrace it is great. As God's people we are called to sift through the overwhelming number of traditions and trends and use the truth of Scripture to determine which are the true treasures-and which are "fool's gold." General editor John MacArthur and the contributors of this uncompromising book define the principles of biblical discernment and use them to address several contemporary Christian issues. They provide straightforward, biblical critiques of some popular but unfortunate Christian trends, such as watered-down preaching and doctrinally questionable best-selling books. Dr. MacArthur ends with a practical plan for cultivating discernment in the Christian life. It is the duty of every Christian-not just pastors and elders-to follow the biblical command to cling to what is good and to reject what is not. This book will equip you with a foundation for biblical discernment that will enable you to make careful distinctions in your thinking about truth.

"Almost all who claim to be Christians are agreed on the need for evangelism. However, evangelicals are still distinguished by their authoritative proclamation of man's state in sin, necessitating a personal response to Christ in repentance and faith. As distinct from vaguer conceptions, evangelicals believe in the new birth of individuals. In recent years, however, the pattern in which such conversions are most frequently expected to occur has been linked with the practice of calling people to the front during an evangelistic service. This is 'the invitation system' characteristic of modern mass evangelism." --from back cover.