How do you know when people are open to what you’re saying about the gospel and how do you know when they have sufficient knowledge of the content of the gospel and interest to do something positive about it? How do you know if it’s proper to offer an invitation for them to become life followers of Jesus Christ?
In previous subsection we discussed the two dimensions of invitation and the importance of those with whom you are dialoguing coming to understand those two things. As your conversations continues you can often begin to see in terms of the “locating” tools we suggested under the communication issues tab above, that the person is changing in their clarity and understanding of the gospel, in their openness to discuss the serious things of the gospel and there willingness to do so with you. They are responding in a clarifying and positive way to the probing questions you have been trained to ask. In short, in those terms you are seeing them move along that continuum of their own free-will...or moving along by God’s sovereignty if you’re a certain kind of Calvinist.
Now what do you do as they move along that continuum? Perhaps you may be able “see” by their tone of voice, facial expression and the actual content of what they’re saying and by the questions they are formulating that the are very ready to consider coming to terms. The language we are using implies our belief that one cannot be socialized into the Kingdom of God, though at the same time we think the sort of conversation we’re talking about works best in the context of a Christian community. It’s also best if you’re not the only Christian they know, and it’s better if they feel comfortable in the presence of other Christian colleagues. They can learn a great deal of what it is like to follow Christ by having the opportunity to see how it works out in your lives and in the life of the community. The meaning of certain terms can become apparent or more apparent as they learn from you and the community the form of life to which the terms are attached.
But the point we are getting to is we do think these things can and should be clarified in conceptual terms as well. And knowing when to do that and doing that well takes experience and time.
One caveat: do not always feel you have to be sure they understand everything before thinking they would want to enter into the part of the conversation that involves the two dimensional nature of the invitation. Sometimes people “oversell” the gospel in a defensive way that puts people off. Watching experienced non-manipulative evangelists and learning from your own experiences can help you read what is best next to do.
We are not trying to become good at reading body language and intuiting when to offer an invitation to become manipulators...rather, we want to become good at these things so we can be of help and for the good of the other person and for the advancement of His Kingdom. Other motivations for becoming excellent in this, for example for fame, or a sense of power and the like are serious temptations that you’ll have to deal with. They will do great harm for the other person and great harm to you because of the kind of person that you would be becoming in so doing.