Altar calls

[TriumphInTruth]

I have been attending a Assemblies of God church and I think it's great. The only thing I find unusual is at the end of the service there is never an altar call. Being new to the Assemblies of God church I was just wondering if this is standard practice.

 

[FuegoPentecostes]

I don't know a lot about the Assemblies of God's altar calls, I'd assume it's similar to most other Pentecostal churches.
Most churches I've been to have altar calls at the end of the service, but I've been to a few where the invitation is actually given at the beginning and valid throughout the service, which I kind of like as well.

 

[stormdancer0]

Our altar is always open. We can go up at the beginning, during praise and worship, or after the sermon. We are not AoG, but Church of God. Sometimes our pastor announces an altar call, and sometimes he doesn't. But all know it is open, any time.

 

[Nikos7]

Tlhe altar should never be closed. Yet today there are many who do not have one. This is sad. If you attend such a church then I would suggest that you go forward after the service and pray a few minutes. Perhaps the Pastor will see the need.
The altar call is not just for the unsaved but for anyone who has a need and they feel they need to seek the Lord. Sometimes a person may want to pray about what God has spoken to them in the sermon. For me, the most precious part of the service is to go forward and pray around the altar. I have received so much from doing this.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

I have been attending a Assemblies of God church and I think it's great. The only thing I find unusual is at the end of the service there is never an altar call. Being new to the Assemblies of God church I was just wondering if this is standard practice.

It depends on the individual church, but it is pretty normal here in the Dallas area. We probably have what could be called an "Alter Call" once every few weeks, but since there's no "alter", or Mourner's Bench (as it used to be called) to kneel at, we generally just congregate at the front and pray for a while, and lay hands on folks who request it. IN the Pre-'80s AoG every service ended with a time of prayer. I don't know that the present format is any sort of "improvement".

 

[Nikos7]

It depends on the individual church, but it is pretty normal here in the Dallas area. We probably have what could be called an "Alter Call" once every few weeks, but since there's no "alter", or Mourner's Bench (as it used to be called) to kneel at, we generally just congregate at the front and pray for a while, and lay hands on folks who request it. IN the Pre-'80s AoG every service ended with a time of prayer. I don't know that the present format is any sort of "improvement".

Do you have any idea why they took our the altar bench where we could kneel before the Lord and pray. I thought it was a good way to pray. I love to kneel before the Lord. Of course a person can still do it, but why take it out. Are we more interested in esthetic beauty and decor of the church than we are making it possible for one to kneel? Just wondering.

 

[awakeningekklesia]

Iv visited a local AoG and everytime I have they have always ended with a great alter service

 

[Bob Carabbio]

"Do you have any idea why they took our the altar bench where we could kneel before the Lord and pray."

Of course. It's for that same reasons that people Do ANYTHING. If we're not going to USE IT - then why bother having it at all????

Simple as that.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

"they have always ended with a great alter service"

Some still do, but it's becoming rare in the AoG in our area (Dallas Metroplex).

 

[prodigal brother]

I'm not sure why its called an altar call there is no altar its merely a call to come to the front of the church, to declare that you want Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.

 

[ltwin]

I'm not sure why its called an altar call there is no altar

It comes from the fact that altars in historical churches are usually surrounded by altar rails. These altar rails were maintained in non-liturgical churches, while the altars themselves were replaced with a rarely used communion table that many churches have found make a great table for flower displays. New churches no longer have altar rails and churches which used to have them often remove them if they remodel the sanctuary.

My church's old building had altar rails which ran against the edge of the plat form. In our new building, we don't have altar rails (we don't even have a table for communion). When people come up to pray they simply kneel in front of the platform steps. We still call it the altar though, and people pray there during every service we have. God can truly meet you in a special way there whether it can technically be called an "altar" or not.

its merely a call to come to the front of the church, to declare that you want Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.

Uh . . . no. In Pentecostal churches, the altar call may be specifically directed at potential converts, but the "altar" is a place of prayer and seeking after God for anything. It is simply a place of prayer. It's symbolic of moving from where you are and going to God. When you get up from praying, you should leave your old, sinful self or whatever concerns or burdens you have with the Lord at the altar.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Here's some things you never hear any more in AoG churches - "Tarrying" in prayer, or "Praying Through".

 

[ltwin]

Here's some things you never hear any more in AoG churches - "Tarrying" in prayer, or "Praying Through".

I don't go to an AG church. But I don't really here "tarrying" either. However, I do hear "praying through" and "standing in the gap".

 

[alancrookham]

Honestly, most churches don't do many altar calls these days. They will do them during special events and such, but not usually in a traditional service. Honestly, I think that is fine, because in my experience most people don't get saved during altar calls, they get saved when they are talking things through with people and have their questions answered first. Altar calls are not something Scripture ever says we should do, we just do them because it is an easier way for us to sort out who wants to get saved or not, especially during big services.

 

[ltwin]

Honestly, most churches don't do many altar calls these days. They will do them during special events and such, but not usually in a traditional service. Honestly, I think that is fine, because in my experience most people don't get saved during altar calls, they get saved when they are talking things through with people and have their questions answered first. Altar calls are not something Scripture ever says we should do, we just do them because it is an easier way for us to sort out who wants to get saved or not, especially during big services.

You're right, altar calls aren't in scripture. Prayer is however. It is fine if churches replace altar calls for prayer with another framework for structuring prayer during services. However, in my experience it is rare that churches maintain the same level of prayer times during services when people are not invited to use the altars. To me, altar calls provides space within the service for members of the congregation to pray for one another and they also provide opportunities for the Spirit to directly minister to people through those who are praying for them. Many times, this is much more effective and spiritually penetrating ministry on a personal level than praise/worship or the sermon can ever be. You don't get that if altar calls don't take place or if the altars are never opened at all during the service because no one knows who needs prayer and no one knows when the "right time" in the service it is to pray for them.

 

[Nikos7]

You are right on target when you say that altar calls are also for prayer for one another. I was saved at the altar call and I was filled with the Holy Spirit. If there had been no altar call I would have left the church service and soon forgotten all that the Lord had for me. How many times I have gone to the altar and prayed over something the Lord spoke to me about during and from the sermon. It is a fantastic time for the church to fellowship spiritually and pray for one another. The concept of prayer is what it is all about. The method may not be in the Bible but niether did the Apostles have a gold communion tray with twelve or more tiny cups of juice. But the concept of communion is being accomplished and that is what's important.
Bring back the altar calls. In every service I conduct we always have an altar call. In the last church I pastored we prayed and worshipped at the altar. It brought the church together in unity.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

I have been attending a Assemblies of God church and I think it's great. The only thing I find unusual is at the end of the service there is never an altar call. Being new to the Assemblies of God church I was just wondering if this is standard practice.

It appears to be "Standard Practice" NOW (at least in the Dallas Area). I've been in the Aog since 1963, and in THOSE days, Alter calls, and "tarrying times" where folks prayed, worshiped, and "Prayed through" were the RULE in AoG churches.

And for some reason, now it isn't any more. OF course in addition to that you're just as likely to hear a message in tongues in a Baptist Church as you are in any AoG I've been in for that last decade. there was a message in tongues last week in morning service - with interpretation. It was the First one in 2 years.

 

[dengirl]

I have been attending a Assemblies of God church and I think it's great. The only thing I find unusual is at the end of the service there is never an altar call. Being new to the Assemblies of God church I was just wondering if this is standard practice.

The ones I have attended we always had an alter call .