04.16. Secure a Commitment
16. SECURE A COMMITMENT
If you cannot get the one to whom you are talking to go forward, always endeavor to get him to make a commitment before he leaves. Get him to promise to read some scripture, that you may designate, and to pray for his own soul. Assure him that God will meet him anywhere, that He will save him on his way home or by his bedside or anywhere else when the conditions are met. Sometimes you can get him to promise to return and settle it at the next service. Urge him to come back, and assure him you will be there to help him and pray for him.
Make It Short
It is usually not best to deal with an individual too long. If you don’t seem to be making progress, leave him and perhaps someone else can be more successful. I know there have often been times in my own experience that I made no progress whatever the first time, but I have gone away and later in the same service returned and spoken again and the one spoken to yielded. I have had good results by going to an unsaved person who was regularly attending services and saying, not merely for effect, but because it was true, "God has placed you on my heart and I am praying definitely for you." I have spoken to such in a similar way several times before actually trying to get them to go forward. The results have been very gratifying.
Church Membership In many church meetings today, to respond to the invitation means to join that particular church. Therefore, we should always make it plain that responding to the call to go forward for prayer does not obligate anyone, in any way, to join the church. Tell folks that every Christian should have a church home and they may be satisfied with the church where they now attend. Say to them: "We are not trying to get you to join the church. We want to help you to a closer walk with God; church membership is a matter for you to settle personally after this is done." I have dealt with scores who, after being assured we were not trying to line them up with the church, stepped out for Christ and let Him have His way in their hearts.