Altar Call confusion question

[architectlink]

Today, our church did a sort of altar call in the first time I have ever been there. (The pastor asked people if they wanted to receive Christ to lift their eyes and he would aknowledge them and pray for Christ to forgive their sins). The Pastor never said if you have never recieved Christ, he just said "IF you accept Christ and want him to cleanse your sins please raise your eyes)....

Well, I was born and raised in a church, but I cannot remember ever going to an altar call. I know I was truly born again several years ago, but today I felt the need to raise my eyes (part of me assumed EVERYONE else in the church would want to acknowlege Christ also). The pastor seemed very surprised because everyone around me had their heads down.

Well, now I feel like a dope, because everyone else obviously understood that IF they had already accepted Christ in their hearts, not to raise their heads this time.

[christopher]

Hey-

I think you are seeing the alter call becoming a "sacrament" in some churches/denominations. The public acknowledgement of Jesus has been taken by some to mean this "ritual" is almost a requirement for being saved.

There is a scripture (I can't put my finger on right now) that goes soemthing like "if you do not acknowlege me before men, I will not acknowledge you before the father." Some believe your actions and life are the acknowledgement, others obviously believe that you must make "the trek forward".

Just my opinion.


Chris <><

[Wileyzmuse]

architectlink ~ :):

I think pastors are trying to get more creative in their altar calls, so the wording can leave people confused at times!! My old church used to say something like 'if you want to give Christ that strong and central place in your life" which (imo) was not a real clear message.

It's cool that you felt the desire to acknowledge Him no matter what way!

YSIC,
Patricia

[Ynott]

I wouldn't worry about it architectlink. I've found myself standing in silent prayer with eyes closed LONG after everyone else sat down.

The pastor asked us to remain standing and to pray...I did....When I was done, I found to my amazement that I was all alone and the object of some attention. My daughter said, "Wow, Mom! You sure were up there a long time!" Color me somewhat embarrassed. And it happened more than once!

I guess I just never got the "rhythm" of that church. I just relegated it to being a "fool for Christ" and shrugged it off.

It just isn't that important. Don't worry about it. Be joyful that you "stood for the Lord", regardless of the reason or misunderstanding. The Lord sees our hearts. The world OFTEN misinterprets this.

(((((architectlink)))))

[CamelPower]

I am no fan of altar calls. My last year of high school we attended a church one Sunday evening where the service was student led, and where one of our school's alumni was leading singing. At the altar call, we sang 6 stanzas of Just As I Am, and no one went forward. They made a verbal plea, sang 4 more stanzas, and no one went forward. The pastor came to the front, made another plea, and after 2 more stanzas, not one came forward.

How can they come, except the Spirit draw them?

[TonyLee]

Originally posted by Wileyzmuse
architectlink ~ :):

I think pastors are trying to get more creative in their altar calls, so the wording can leave people confused at times!! My old church used to say something like 'if you want to give Christ that strong and central place in your life" which (imo) was not a real clear message.

It's cool that you felt the desire to acknowledge Him no matter what way!

YSIC,
Patricia

That kind of terminology certainly does not lead someone to christ for the right reason. Unless convicted, who is going to care in the least about making Christ the strong and central place anyway?

[Jael]

if you want to give Christ that strong and central place in your life

I must agree...pretty wishy-washy invitation...there's no need to water it down when you trust the Holy Spirit to do the convicting.

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

[Mrs. Hoppes]

My church does not do alter calls.
If someone makes the decision to accept Christ, there is the pastor, the elder, the decons, plenty of people to talk to about the decision and they do a baptism.

[seeker42]

I'm not a big fan of altar calls either. Sometimes, you almost feel as if you are supposed to go down, because the Pastor wants someone to come down...God's timing in not always man's timing.
If the pastors would make it clear that a person has to repent or turn from their ways that displease God, and agree to repent, then it would certainly take the ambiguity out of the altar call.

I also wonder if the nature of people who call themselves "Christian" these days...has to do with the nature of altar calls.

I think that many Pastors often speak in a lot of "Christian" terms that others are not familiar with. I do think that Pastors should make themselves available to talk with others afterwards, and that doing this can be helpful to those wanting more information or who want to be saved.

[KrispyKritter]

Alter calls were pretty much unheard of in the church until Billy Graham. Funny how in 50 years they have become a sacred thing in the church... people even believe a church to be unbiblical if they dont have alter calls. But thats life in the modern day church...

Kinda like people who say "Jesus lives in my heart!" ...no He doesnt! Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. He does not live in your heart. The Holy Spirit resides in you. But people think thats good theology and Biblically correct to say Jesus lives in your heart.

If we would become more Biblically literate, we would know better.

[onelamb]

Guess I must be in the minority here-but I see altar calls as a good thing. Coming forward for prayer or even to spend time in praise and worship is akin to standing for the Lord before men. Our church has-mostly open-altars-in that, during our time of prayer, praise and worship we are free to go and pray alone at the altar-if we want prayer by another member of the body we are to ask for it,
The altar to me is like the Holy of Holies in the old Testament. A place of concecration before our Lord.

I gotta say though, I never heard any preacher-say "lift your eyes" to accept the Lord into your life.

[KrispyKritter]

Originally posted by onelamb
Guess I must be in the minority here-but I see altar calls as a good thing. Coming forward for prayer or even to spend time in praise and worship is akin to standing for the Lord before men. Our church has-mostly open-altars-in that, during our time of prayer, praise and worship we are free to go and pray alone at the altar-if we want prayer by another member of the body we are to ask for it,
The altar to me is like the Holy of Holies in the old Testament. A place of concecration before our Lord.

I gotta say though, I never heard any preacher-say "lift your eyes" to accept the Lord into your life.

I dont think anyone is saying that alter calls are a bad thing... at least I am not. However, my issue is when some churches and Christians treat it like a sin if there isnt one. It's not a Biblical tradition.

I was reading an article written by Keith Green and he mentioned that one time he was "rebuked" by a pastor when Keith gave a concert at a church once, and he didnt give an alter call. The pastor went so far as to question Keith's relationship w/the Lord. Anyone who knows who Keith Green was knows he was one dynamic believer. But he preferred to do things the way Charles Finney did them... and that was to send people home after a meeting to seek God in prayer and really examine themselves before God... instead of coming forward out of an emotion.

By the way... when Jesus died the temple veil was ripped in two. Why? To open up the Holy of Holies to everyone who wants to come. We have the Holy Spirit in us, He no longer resides in the Holy of Holies. I understand you were simply making a comparison.... but the fact is, the Holy of Holies can be in our car, in our bedroom... even in the shower (Just be sure not to rip the curtain in two or you'll get water all over the place!)

[architectlink]

wow! you guys (gals) are awesome!

So many things I never thought about.

They never did do altar calls in the Methodist church I grew up in, but then we never brought our bibles to church and skipped around in scripture, also.

I suppose that afternoon that I realized that although I talk about Christ with everyone I know, I had not "officially" taken an altar call (that I could remember)...so, not wanting to deny Jesus in any way, I lifted my eyes.

Thank you all so much and God Bless you!

[blitzkreig]

An alter call which is well done is very very edifying for everyone in the congregation. Problem is that so few are well done but I don't think that should cause concern...

I have seen all sorts, even those those which are very well done but had absolutely no response... to those which are clumsy and embarrassing (in which everyone is feeling sorry for the pastor due to his awkwardness) but had a huge response.... and of course everything in-between.

While it is the Holy Spirit who does the heavy lifting I think it does help when a pastor is led to ask the congregation to circle the date on the calendar that this was the day of commitment.

[KrispyKritter]

Originally posted by blitzkreig
I have seen all sorts, even those those which are very well done but had absolutely no response... to those which are clumsy and embarrassing (in which everyone is feeling sorry for the pastor due to his awkwardness) but had a huge response.... and of course everything in-between.

Back when we will still going to institutional churches we went to one where every week the pastor gave the most pathetic alter calls... they went something like this:

"Is the Lord speaking to anyone today? ... anyone... anyone... anyone... anyone... Is there anyone who needs Jesus? anyone... anyone... anyone... We're all saved today? everyone... everyone... everyone... I know the Lord is speaking to someone... someone someone.... someone... We'll stay till you come forward... come... come... come... .....Ok... well... if you're birthday was sometime within the last 12 months... you need to come forward today... "

Every week it went like that... one of the many reasons why we left the institutional churches.

[Harley]

Originally posted by KrispyKritter
Alter calls were pretty much unheard of in the church until Billy Graham. Funny how in 50 years they have become a sacred thing in the church... people even believe a church to be unbiblical if they dont have alter calls. But thats life in the modern day church...

A point of clarification - altar calls predate Billy Graham, but only by about 50 years. The altar call (or it's equivilent) has been a phenomenon in the church for about 100 years. They were popularized by evangelists like Charles Finney and Billy Sunday. Before that churches used "anxious benches."

That being said, your point is correct they are a new practice, relatively speaking, and in some (incorrect) minds are what distinguish a church as evangelical.

I would disagree though with your swipe that this is life in the modern day church (implying that the modern day church is somehow inferior). The altar call was a cultural phenomenon that had its day, has ist followers, but is certainly on its way out.

[blitzkreig]

Originally posted by Harley
I would disagree though with your swipe that this is life in the modern day church (implying that the modern day church is somehow inferior). The altar call was a cultural phenomenon that had its day, has ist followers, but is certainly on its way out. I hope not alltogether...

Our Church used to bring in a "hired gun" (so to speak) about once a year. I remember maybe 30 years ago or more one which was particularly memorable...we had Ravi Zacharias. He was a fantastic speaker, a powerful intellect and had a very good response from a very diverse congregation (a lot of former Hindu folks). His alter call was calm, logical but emotional as well. Ah... the good old days...

[KrispyKritter]

Originally posted by Harley
A point of clarification - altar calls predate Billy Graham, but only by about 50 years. The altar call (or it's equivilent) has been a phenomenon in the church for about 100 years. They were popularized by evangelists like Charles Finney and Billy Sunday. Before that churches used "anxious benches."

That being said, your point is correct they are a new practice, relatively speaking, and in some (incorrect) minds are what distinguish a church as evangelical.

I would disagree though with your swipe that this is life in the modern day church (implying that the modern day church is somehow inferior). The altar call was a cultural phenomenon that had its day, has ist followers, but is certainly on its way out.

Finney and Sunday did the "alter call" a little differently than it is done today. Billy Graham populrized what we see today. It was that which I was referring to... but thats ok.

Anyway... as far as the modern church being inferior is concerned... what is the Church? The Biblical definition is the Body of Christ. Ecclesia is the fellowship we refer to as the local church.

Do I believe that the institutional "church" of today is inferior? Actually... I do. I think the modern church has strayed so far away from the Biblical pattern of Ecclesia that it is hardly recognizable.

But thats a subject for another thread... there are several house church threads going... skip over there if you'd like to talk more about it. I dont wanna hi-jack this one.

[Hyssop]

I have enjoyed this thread. I call some altar calls "trick altar calls" ... my poor DH has even fallen for a couple, lol. I really dislike altar calls (especially trick ones) the way they are worded sometimes is very confusing- especially if you are at a Christian event or visiting a different Church. I have even been :doh :redface

[Wileyzmuse]

One more thought on this topic...once I visited a church that said at the beginning of the service, invited all who wished to come down and worship God at the altar, to come. You could kneel, stand, whatever, some were singing. That was the most spirit-filled worship time I have had in a long time. If he had just waited till the end of the service and did a typical altar call, I would not have done it because I always consider that to be for those accepting Jesus for the first time!

[SadieGrace]

QUOTE: Back when we will still going to institutional churches we went to one where every week the pastor gave the most pathetic alter calls... they went something like this:

"Is the Lord speaking to anyone today? ... anyone... anyone... anyone... anyone... Is there anyone who needs Jesus? anyone... anyone... anyone... We're all saved today? everyone... everyone... everyone... I know the Lord is speaking to someone... someone someone.... someone... We'll stay till you come forward... come... come... come... .....Ok... well... if you're birthday was sometime within the last 12 months... you need to come forward today... "



Oh, that's awful!! *don't know why, but sometimes reading things like the above make me laugh til my stomach hurts?:B:
but actually its not that funny, its just so funny picturing someone like you & how you now believe suffering through such a corny thing.....oh, I hate this.....I'll be trying to stop laughing for a few days over this!!


Sadie

[MovingforJesus]

I have been reading and posting on R/R for awhile now, and I know that the Rapture is near. I know you are all nice people and each one of you believes in God. But I have to say I just don’t understand most of you.
{ Sorry }.:eek

You don’t believe in Alter Calls. Do any of you even know what a Alter Call is for? It’s so the lost will except Jesus as their personal savior. Yes so that they will walk down to the Alter before everyone and ask Jesus to come into their hearts and be Their Savior. Its so that if you are sick in body or spirit you can get healed, Its so you can worship God, And its so that you may be renewed. It's so that your Brothers & Sister's in Christ can pray with you.

And I'm not saying you can only get saved at the Alter.



A list of the reasons to go to the Alter for the Sinners Prayer



1. Repent = ask God to forgive us of are sins. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Remember we where borne in sin and if we don’t ask God for forgiveness we will die with sin.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 10:9-10
9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.


Matthew 10:33
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.



WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SAVED?
Pray this prayer, and mean it with all your heart.
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and unless you save me I am lost forever. I thank you for dying for me at Calvary. I come to you now, Lord the best way I know how, and ask you to save me. I now receive you as my Savior. In Jesus Christ Name, Amen

Have you asked anyone today?

[Hyssop]

Originally posted by Wileyzmuse
One more thought on this topic...once I visited a church that said at the beginning of the service, invited all who wished to come down and worship God at the altar, to come. You could kneel, stand, whatever, some were singing. That was the most spirit-filled worship time I have had in a long time. If he had just waited till the end of the service and did a typical altar call, I would not have done it because I always consider that to be for those accepting Jesus for the first time!

:thumb Wonderful!

I think altar calls can be good, IF they are not pressure or emotionally driven. There has to be follow up. I always accepted altar calls as just one of those things...

My personal peeve is the trick altar call that leaves one doing this :hrm