For one reason it is what Jesus did: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest..." (Matt. 1 1:29-30). "And the Spirit and the bride say, come, And let him that heareth say, come, and let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev.2:17). "And when he had called the people unto him with His disciples also, he said unto them, whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Mark 8:34). "But Jesus said, suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of God." (Matt. 19:14). "in the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." (John 7:37).

True, there are no New Testament passages of scripture which show a preacher, at the end of a sermon, giving an invitation. The closest we can get to it is Acts 2:37 where the Jews interrupted Peter's sermon and asked him what to do to be saved.

It seems strange that an eldership would not require that their preacher offer an invitation. Perhaps there is not any book, chapter, and verse making it an "essential" item to do, but it gives anyone present an opportunity to respond if they so decide Would those who object to offering an invitation at the conclusion of a sermon object to what

Jesus said do in the passages quoted above? Some folk are always trying to change things for the sake of change. Why change something that is so consistent with our purpose of evangelizing? Did not Ananias urge action on Saul's (Acts 22-16) part after he preached to him? What are those who refuse to offer the invitation or allow the invitation to be offered trying to prove anyway? It is always appropriate and right to exhort people to obey God. How could it be otherwise? Exhorting and rebuking is the whole goal of the Gospel (2 Tim.4:1- 4).

Years ago you seldom would attend a church of Christ when the invitation was not extended at the close of the sermon. I believe there are three reasons for the invitation to be extended. First For salvation - that is, one's obedience to the gospel of Christ. Second--For restoration - one comes confessing his sins and asks for God and the brethren to forgive sins committed. Third-- For identification - Christians want to make it known that they would like to place membership at that local congregation. All three of these are a time of great rejoicing on the part of every faithful child of God. Why would we want to discontinue any of these among the churches of Christ? One could not help but wonder why!!!

Friends, it has been my experience as a preacher for now almost 30 years that the closer some in the Lord's church get to Denominationalism the more apt they are to throw out those things that have characterized the church of our dear Lord. Who are we trying to please--God or man?

Those who want to do Bible things in Bible ways and speak only as the scriptures speak (while at the same time remaining silent when the scriptures are silent) are said to be the ones holding the church back. When these Christians plead for book, chapter and verse preaching and things to be done in Bible ways they are told to go somewhere else to church. We don't want you nor your stand for the old paths any more. If you do stay and raise you voice about those unscriptural practices being brought in, you are called unloving and one who is trying to divide and split the church.

For some, the Bible no longer sets the standard of truth for the church to follow. The church is becoming more and more immersed in the tar-pit of silly subjectivism (a better felt than told religion). What some in the Lord's church have failed to see is that Denominationalism uses subjectivism as its ""tap root", that is, its "mind set." This "mind set" of Denominationalism has become the "mind set" of some of those in the Lord's church. Thus, look at what we are reaping!