The Alter Call

AndOne · May 14, 2005

Anybody been reading the featured articles posted at monergism.com this month? Most deal with the alter call as used by modern evangelical churches these days.

Personally I agree with those who feel that the alter call is inappropriate and unscriptural.

In short I think its real easy to get up in front of a bunch of Christians and go to a Pastor and answer some questions that assist you in proclaiming your faith. I don't believe that this is the beginning of a true conversion (in most cases).

I think a true guage of "conversion" is when you proclaim your faith to your friends, family, acquaintences, co-workers, etc. It's never a problem to stand up in church and say you are a believer - but it can be challenging to do so amongst a world of mostly unbelievers.

I particularly liked this quote by Sprugeon:

Before you leave this place breathe an earnest prayer to God, saying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner. Lord, I need to be saved. Save me. I call upon Thy name....Lord, I am guilty, I deserve Thy wrath. Lord, I cannot save myself. Lord, I would have a new heart and a right spirit, but what can I do? Lord, I can do nothing, come and work in me to do of Thy good pleasure.

Thou alone hast power, I know
To save a wretch like me;
To whom, or whither should I go
If I should run from Thee?

But I now do from my very soul call upon Thy name. Trembling, yet believing, I cast myself wholly upon Thee, O Lord. I trust the blood and righteousness of Thy dear Son.... Lord, save me tonight, for Jesus' sake.' " "Go home alone trusting in Jesus. 'I should like to go into the enquiry-room.' I dare say you would, but we are not willing to pander to popular superstition. We fear that in those rooms men are warmed into a fictitious confidence. Very few of the supposed converts of enquiry-rooms turn out well. Go to your God at once, even where you now are. Cast yourself on Christ, at once, ere you stir an inch!

Just my 2 cents - some good articles there - check em' out...

Elderone · May 14, 2005

Behe's Boy said:
Anybody been reading the featured articles posted at monergism.com this month? Most deal with the alter call as used by modern evangelical churches these days.

Personally I agree with those who feel that the alter call is inappropriate and unscriptural.

In short I think its real easy to get up in front of a bunch of Christians and go to a Pastor and answer some questions that assist you in proclaiming your faith. I don't believe that this is the beginning of a true conversion (in most cases).

I think a true guage of "conversion" is when you proclaim your faith to your friends, family, acquaintences, co-workers, etc. It's never a problem to stand up in church and say you are a believer - but it can be challenging to do so amongst a world of mostly unbelievers.

I particularly liked this quote by Sprugeon:

Just my 2 cents - some good articles there - check em' out...

As a hard-core Calvinist I agree with what Behe's Boy has said, and would whole heartedly recommend the article "Alter Call" by G.I. Williamson here. This article will also give an insight into Calvinists thinking.

Jon_ · May 14, 2005

I never did understand alter calls. That's my two cents.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

CoffeeSwirls · May 15, 2005

Though the books to not concentrate on altar calls directly, I highly recommend "The Gospel According to Jesus" and "The Gospel According to the Apostles" by John MacArthur. These books are centered around Lordship Salvation and how so many will make a profession of faith, yet not have true repentence. Billy Graham Crusades has admitted that a vast majority of those who approach the altar would fall into this carnal Christian category.

He asserts that there are not two classes of Christians, but only one, and those who never show a desire to submit to the Lord are those who will one day be told that Christ never knew them. They are the tares among the wheat. MacArthur also says that this is largely a North American problem, though our missionaries are spreading this heresy.

cygnusx1 · May 15, 2005

i was saved under the altar call , so have mixed feelings about it ......

just as paul had mixed feelings about his enemies preaching the Gospel for the wrong reasons.

Antman_05 · May 15, 2005

I don't think its wrong, either way. as both work and people get saved both ways. i feel the alter call is to help the church in fellow up and give the new converts somthing to explain what they have done, though i feel the convert should already have an understanding of sin and stuff like that.

Ceris · May 16, 2005

I've seen some genuine conversions at alter calls, so I'm not going to say it's a bad thing.

Elderone · May 16, 2005

Alter calls are not Biblical, why are we not condemning them?

The folly of man is what has brought the present day church to be almost a laughing stock, with praise bands, puppet shows, plays, etc., etc.

I again refer the paper "Alter Calls" by G.I Williamson here

Ceris · May 16, 2005

Guitar and organs aren't biblical, yet I don't know of many churches that have problems with either one.

Jon_ · May 16, 2005

Ceris said:
Guitar and organs aren't biblical, yet I don't know of many churches that have problems with either one.

Music is biblical. Guitars and organs are simply the musical instruments available to congregations. Some churches would object to guitar too, though. Many highly traditionalist churches seem to avoid anything but piano and/or organ, even though the Israelites didn't have these, and instead used drums, woodwinds, and stringed instruments.

In any case, this isn't the best argument because it's not an apples to apples comparison. One theme (music) is biblical, the other (alter calls) is not. Note that I'm not necessarily against alter calls, they're just not biblical. Quite simply, it's a tradition, not a scriptural doctrine.

Not all tradition is bad, though.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

Imblessed · May 17, 2005

Our church does not do alter calls, and I think it's the same reason we don't have a cross in the front of our church---the abuses that have happened with it.

I don't think alter calls are particularly bad in and among themselves, it's when the pators are using them to "bully" people into going up front. It's purely emotional at that time, and many are swayed by the response of others, not by there true feelings.

I was at a service once where they did an alter call, there were about 2000 or so people and the guy up front was telling us that God was telling him there were more people to come up front, and was bragging about how many people he'd saved in other services(not blatently bragging, but it was there) and finally he stopped and said "God tells me there's 10 more people up there that need to come down". I was apalled, really--and this was before I had accepted the Doctrines of Grace. Even then, I felt he was manipulating the crowd and their emotions... By the way, at least 300 people came up front that day, but I'd bet money that far fewer than that were up there for "real".

But, on the other hand--those people that were up there, can you discredit them because that is how they were saved? God does work differently in all of us.

I think a person just has to be real careful about how they use the alter call, if they use it at all. Like for special occasions, not as a weekly "theme".

my .02 cents worth---kind of convaluted, but it is morning and I think I have strep throat or something. YUCK....gotta go to the doctor today. My ears hurt too.

CoffeeSwirls · May 17, 2005

Imblessed said:
I think I have strep throat or something. YUCK....gotta go to the doctor today. My ears hurt too.

I hope you get better soon!

It is the focus on the minister and not God that turns me off to altar calls. When you boil it down, altar calls are the result of a human love of statistics and money. Everyone wants to support someone who can point to a large number. I would never say that those who come forward cannot be saved, for the Lord chooses to open the hearts of those who He has chosen in His time. You cannot discount the fact, though, that many people who have walked forward are given a false sense of security.

The pastor who performs an altar call uses emotion to offer something that is not his to give. He makes claims that he cannot back up on his own. I believe it is better to preach the word faithfully and wait on the Lord to save those who He will.

Elderone · May 17, 2005

CoffeeSwirls said:
I hope you get better soon!

It is the focus on the minister and not God that turns me off to altar calls. When you boil it down, altar calls are the result of a human love of statistics and money. Everyone wants to support someone who can point to a large number. I would never say that those who come forward cannot be saved, for the Lord chooses to open the hearts of those who He has chosen in His time. You cannot discount the fact, though, that many people who have walked forward are given a false sense of security.

The pastor who performs an altar call uses emotion to offer something that is not his to give. He makes claims that he cannot back up on his own. I believe it is better to preach the word faithfully and wait on the Lord to save those who He will.

Well said !!!!!!!!!!!!!

God is able to redeem anyone He wishes, however He wishes, and without all the man made "embellishments".

If alter calls were abolished the elect would still be redeemed at God's appointed time.

To say it does some good even though it is unBiblical is simply vanity.

Imblessed · May 17, 2005

BTW, definately strep throat. YUCK! But, I'm on antibiotics so I'm sure I'll be fine. I just hope the kids don't get it.

Elderone:
God is able to redeem anyone He wishes, however He wishes, and without all the man made "embellishments".

If alter calls were abolished the elect would still be redeemed at God's appointed time.

To say it does some good even though it is unBiblical is simply vanity.

here's the thing though, God has obviously seen fit to save some souls through the alter call, hasn't he? Cygnusx1 said that's the way he was saved.

I'm not advocating alter calls, I think they can be misused mightily, but I wouldn't put God into a box by saying He shouldn't use man's "invention" to good. Just my .02 cents worth.

Elderone · May 17, 2005

Imblessed said:
BTW, definately strep throat. YUCK! But, I'm on antibiotics so I'm sure I'll be fine. I just hope the kids don't get it.

May your strep throat be over quickly.

Imblessed said:
here's the thing though, God has obviously seen fit to save some souls through the alter call, hasn't he? Cygnusx1 said that's the way he was saved.

I'm not advocating alter calls, I think they can be misused mightily, but I wouldn't put God into a box by saying He shouldn't use man's "invention" to good. Just my .02 cents worth.

I agree, God can and does use all means according to His good pleasure. I know of a ex-Mormon family that was redeemed, and these people were high in the Mormon hierarchy.

The point, I believe, is that we should not be instituting practices that are un-Biblical. They most often are designed to glorify man rather than God, exactly as CoffeeSwirls said.

Imblessed · May 18, 2005

Elderone said:
May your strep throat be over quickly.

I agree, God can and does use all means according to His good pleasure. I know of a ex-Mormon family that was redeemed, and these people were high in the Mormon hierarchy.

The point, I believe, is that we should not be instituting practices that are un-Biblical. They most often are designed to glorify man rather than God, exactly as CoffeeSwirls said.

AndOne · May 19, 2005

Regardless of your feelings on the alter call - per se - there can be no denying that "taking a stand" for Christ and walking down the aisle in a church is generally a safe thing to. No one is going to throw insults at you - or talk bad about you - or think less of you for doing it. No one is going to hurt you in church.

A real show of faith is taking a stand at the work place by walking away from the dirty jokes - shunning filthy language - not joining your co-workers at the strip club - etc. and then when asked why the big change in behavior, unashamedly telling those people that because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ you are a now a child of God and are trying to live a righteous life unto His glory. That - my friends - is the real show of faith. Something to think about...

Jon_ · May 19, 2005

Imblessed said:
BTW, definately strep throat. YUCK! But, I'm on antibiotics so I'm sure I'll be fine. I just hope the kids don't get it.

here's the thing though, God has obviously seen fit to save some souls through the alter call, hasn't he? Cygnusx1 said that's the way he was saved.

I'm not advocating alter calls, I think they can be misused mightily, but I wouldn't put God into a box by saying He shouldn't use man's "invention" to good. Just my .02 cents worth.

Oops! But if we extrapolate that out, then Arminian theology is okay because lots of people are saved by Arminians.

I get where you're coming from, though. More than anyone else, I think, we Calvinists understand that God can and will work with whatever he has ordained. The fact that alter calls exist implies that God ordained them at some point. Of course, he also ordained the Holocaust. Like Elderone has pointed out, we should base our prescription for worship solely upon the Word and alter calls simply are not found there.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

reformedfan · May 19, 2005

the hisstory & origin of altar calls is pretty funny, if you're Calvinist enough , with their 'anxiety seats' or whatever they called 'em, designed to whip people up into the right emotions.

It was a few mos after I'd converted (in a Calvinist church) that I heard a "sinner's prayer"- on the radio. The announcer insisted that if I didn't repeat after him, I was going to hell

The Alter Call

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