Alter Call Biblical?

CalledOutOne · #1 16th June 2012, 11:17 AM

What are your views on the alter call?
Why?
Supporting Scripture?

I don't like the alter call that churches today do. They seem to get you into a trance like state. They play repetitive music, get you emotional (usually outward emotions with cold hardened hearts), dim the lights, make you comfortable, etc. It's like some sort of cult practice to me.

Unfortunately my church does it. I wish they wouldn't. One of the leaders in the church doesn't do the alter call at the end of his sermons.

Maybe I feel this way because I'm Reformed. Anyway... thoughts?

desmalia · #2 16th June 2012, 12:57 PM

Altar calls are just emotional manipulation and completely unbiblical. Some pastors use it simply because they don't know any better, but it's still got no place in the church, IMHO.

Here's a helpful article on the history of it:

Charles Finney and The Altar Call :: Fundamentally Reformed

Finney had theological reasons for utilizing the altar call. He believed that salvation was dependent on sinners using their will to reform/repent and believe. The methods he used had to be effective in breaking the stubborn will of sinners.[5] So Finney used the altar call to put pressure on people to believe on the spot. And the tactic worked. It produced results. Yet the results Finney produced (by some accounts as many as 500,000 converts) are contested. Even Finney’s own contemporary supporters recorded that the vast majority of the converts had not remained true to the Christian faith years later.[6]

Hupomone10 · #3 17th June 2012, 05:08 PM

In the days of Finney, altar calls were important because in the country anyway, the church service was a major social activity, and you had many lost people coming. His realization of that is what led to the anxious seat (pew).

As the church becomes more of a social gathering where people believe open immorality, worldliness, and materialism are acceptable and sermons are dumbed down to appeal to this crowd, the altar call may be even more needed as the crowd is probably once again becoming more lost percentage-wise.

It's not scriptural because altars (or pulpits) are not scriptural. Neither are pews, and the division of clergy and laity. I think the altar call can be very effective, but don't like the long drawn out ones that try to appeal to people to come forward that don't want to. My Lord paid a heavy price for my salvation, too high a price to try to argue and coerce someone into it that "isn't ready."

Many here know I'm a recovered alcoholic and was once in AA. To use the example, in AA if the person was reluctant to join do what it takes to get sober, they kindly (sometimes not kindly

) told him "maybe you're just not through drinking yet. When you reach your bottom, come back and we'll be here." The half-hearted never remain sober. They don't make good Christians either. It may be that they're just not through sinning yet. When they reach bottom, we'll be here.

WinBySurrender · #4 17th June 2012, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by desmalia

Altar calls are just emotional manipulation and completely unbiblical. Some pastors use it simply because they don't know any better, but it's still got no place in the church, IMHO.

And where else are seekers going to have an opportunity to give their lives to Christ? We're all so good, I'm sure, at witnessing constantly that there is no concern, right?

desmalia · #5 17th June 2012, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by WinBySurrender

And where else are seekers going to have an opportunity to give their lives to Christ? We're all so good, I'm sure, at witnessing constantly that there is no concern, right?

Well exactly, and that's another big problem with altar calls. They're another great opportunity for congregants to be lazy and just leave it to the pastor to share the Gospel with the lost (if he even does that, which isn't all that often in reality) instead of getting out there and evangelizing too. If we want to live according to the Scriptures each and every one of us should be diligent to share the Gospel with the lost, not depend on emotional manipulation. Problem is, most in the church today don't really believe the Gospel is the means the Lord uses to save, not us.

His_disciple3 · #6 17th June 2012, 09:40 PM

Altar calls are very Bibical, Jesus Said to SEEK ye the kingdom of God and His righteousness and "ALL" these things will be added unto, He did not say that you will be picked Up by God and placed into the Kingdom , but ye must seek It, so we encourage people through altar calls to seek God, . Now I know this won't wash with you calvinist, But I really don't know how you will twist the next set of verses, but am sure you will give it your best Shot:

Revelation 22:16-17
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
17 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.
KJV
verse 17 is known as the last invitation giving in scriptures, seeing that they are the last, obviously means that somewhere before these, there was one or more invitations giving prior to this last one, I take one of those times to be Romans 10 to confess as Him Lord and believe with your heart, that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Who is the Spirit that say come, who is the Bride But the Church, let the Church say come, this is what occurs at Altar calls, the church encourages those to come to the Lord, another place could be where we are to go out to the highwas abd edges and compel people to come to the House of God that His house might be full, compel is this acommandment that they are forced to come of a plea for them to Come?

His_disciple3 · #7 17th June 2012, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by desmalia

Well exactly, and that's another big problem with altar calls. They're another great opportunity for congregants to be lazy and just leave it to the pastor to share the Gospel with the lost (if he even does that, which isn't all that often in reality) instead of getting out there and evangelizing too. If we want to live according to the Scriptures each and every one of us should be diligent to share the Gospel with the lost, not depend on emotional manipulation. Problem is, most in the church today don't really believe the Gospel is the means the Lord uses to save, not us.

where does scriptures say that "ALL" are to evangelize, for I read that evangelist is an office of the Church, if "ALL evengelizes then "ALL stays out and preaches, and His house never gets full.

Ephesians 4:11
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
KJV

oh wait, that is right I keep forgetting to calvinist "ALL means Some, so naturaly some would mean "ALL" are evangelist,
Ok let's try it this way

1 Corinthians 12:29-31
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
KJV
yes this is in question form, but the answer to this questions would have to be no "ALL are not teachers, for if "ALL" were teachers where would the students be?

Hammster · #8 17th June 2012, 11:21 PM

The preaching of the gospel is what saves. That's all that is done in our Sunday worship service. However, the pastors will say that if anyone wants to talk to them after the service, they are available as long as needed.

And, FWIW, I don't attend a Calvinist baptist church.

Hammster · #9 17th June 2012, 11:21 PM

And also, the message is for the sheep, not the goats.

His_disciple3 · #10 18th June 2012, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by Hammster

And also, the message is for the sheep, not the goats.

but even His sheep ain't always in His Will, for if one wanders off, He will forsake the 99 and go after the one, now if It be His will that one wanders off, why would He go look for it. He could just will that it come back and according to calvinism, the lost sheep would have to come back right? If a sheep wanders off from His protection, would that be irresistible grace broken, or perseverance of the saints, or both. You make the call! but seeing I believe once saved always saved my vote would be irresistible grace was broken, for the sheep was in His graces with the other 99, but He chose to wander off, so the sheep walked away from the grace of it's protector. and even the calvinist articles says that the rejection of grace/Christ is not all God but in man/sheep