Leading a Call to Response

Notes

Why do a Response at the end of a message?
- It was always a part of the early church’s preaching
- It is God alone who saves people, but we are called to make the invitation
I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:21 NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NIV)
What are some examples of Responses at the end of a Message?
- Salvation (Receiving Christ as Savior)
- Baptism
- Commitment to begin tithing/giving
- Repentance from a specific sin
- Responding to ask for prayer
How do you prepare to do a call for response in a sermon?
- Personal preparation
- Preparation of the Listener
Some “techniques” for calling for response:
- Keep it simple
- Take time in the message to explain exactly how you want them to respond
- Go vertical first, then go horizontal
- Get them to move in the room
- Give them something
- Get their follow up information