Invitation Songs
We were a three-time-a-week family. Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, Wednesday nights. It didn’t matter if we didn’t want to go, if we didn’t like something that was happening, or if it was the middle of “The Wizard of Oz” and we’d never seen the ending because it always started at 6:00 on Sunday evening and church began at 7:00.
And somewhere in all three of those services, there was an invitation song. Here are the ones I remember at the moment:
“Just As I Am” (of course)
“I Am Resolved”
“Softly and Tenderly”
“What Shall It Be?”
“O Why Not Tonight?”
“Jesus Is Tenderly Calling”
“Why Keep Jesus Waiting?”
“Out of My Bondage”
“Bring Christ Your Broken Life”
“Lord, I’m Coming Home”
“Sinners Jesus Will Receive”
I know I’m forgetting some others. But these are downloaded into my head. And many of their lyrics are powerful.
Just as I am! Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Oh, for the wonderful love he has promised,
Promised for you and for me;
Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me.
Which invitation songs have I omitted? Which ones have spoken meaningfully to you?
Memphis…April 1965…Jimmy Allen preaching…colliseum packed full…131 (Just As I Am)…we sang the invitation for 45 minutes…I used to know how many times we sang the song (after about 4 times I started counting)…and Jimmy made comments between and during the verses…powerful!
“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” was always my favorite!
It’s great that you are getting thoughts from this article as well as from our discussion made at this place.