“My pastor and church seem really interested in the idea of inviting friends to church. Is this biblical? Why does it bother me so much?”
What is the chief goal of the church on earth? The chief goal is to love and glorify God. What is among the chief ways we do that: reach the lost. When we are consumed with the reality that the lost are dangling over the fires of hell by a silk string we will look for every and any way to reach them.
I might encourage a rewording of this question, I would ask “Is there any reason God wouldn't want us to bring the lost to church?” Church is a most natural place to win the lost as they're going with the mentality to hear about spiritual things, and it is a place of beginnings for the new believer.
The primary outreach throughout the New Testament was of believers reaching outside the church. Ray has said many times that you can reach more lost people with the gospel in a half-hour open-air than the average church will in a year—simply because lost folk don’t run to church each week. To be as effective as we can our main outreach should be outside the church and focus the church on building up the saints (but that doesn’t mean we can’t also reach many at church).1 Corinthians 14:23-25 says that we should be mindful about unbelievers being present in our church services, to be careful about not freaking them out, and to be intentional about reaching them.
"Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you."
Many churches have an altar call or a gospel presentation as a part of each service specifically just for the lost to hear the gospel. Others have special events when they share the gospel. These are both excellent opportunities to invite lost people to your church.
1 Peter 3:1 says, “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives.”
As this passage shows, there is something powerfully compelling about people loving Jesus, it amplifies your words. Church can be a great place to expose people to the Body of Christ, which in and of itself is powerfully attractive and may help put a face on the gospel.
