SHOULD WE USE ALTAR CALLS IN OUR EVANGELISM?

[Scott R. Newman]

Does the Bible give a biblical mandate for altar calls? Is it irrelevant whether you came forward at an altar-call or not in terms of whether you have actually received Christ or not?However, it is not at all irrelevant whether your faith personally displays the qualities and characteristics of true saving faith.

I think there are serious dangers that modern Christians should be especially and particularly aware of concerning altar calls. Here are just 6 of them:

1. Individuals can be easily led to believe that their trip down the proverbial aisle during an "altar call" is somehow equal to salvation. The public act of 'going forward' can be so intimately associated with the genuine act of faith...that confusion results.

People begin to believe that they are "saved" by this act alone...rather than by Christ.

2. Requiring a public act at the point of salvation can lead a person to think they have 'done something' to 'get' salvation...which compromises the doctrine of grace.

3. Altar calls can lead to an over emphasis on the public response or the public aspect of 'decisions' . But a public decision for Christ is not always a reliable indicator of true conversion. In fact usually, its quite the opposite.

History has shown that public decisions frequently prove to be quite unreliable as barometers of genuine conversions. And scripture itself teaches that the fruits of true conversion will only be evident in the life of a believer over time.

4. Altar calls can eclipse the real cause of conversion. The real cause is not the 'decision' or the 'appeal' , or the 'walking down the aisle', nor the 'sinners prayer' nor the 'felt' emotion of the moment as emotional soft music is playing in the background.

True conversion is caused by the HOLY SPIRIT, who draws some by His Spirit to believe as the Gospel is proclaimed. And that will happen whether or not an altar call is given.

5. Some churches think they are 'evangelistic' merely because they use 'altar calls' . But in reality, many churches are being lulled into a evangelistic 'passivity' where their only attempts at evangelism as a church (or as individuals) are the altar calls at the end of each service. Many of which is so diluted and unbiblical in their presentation of the whole Gospel, that they are consistently fruitless...regardless of how many people 'come forward' and 'appear' to 'receive' Christ.

6. The historical record is undisputable, altar calls have produced 'considerable mischief'. Gospel presentations have grown increasingly diluted, much shorter and less complete, false conversions have become epidemic in the modern church, and God's truth and way are being maligned as a result.

And countless thousands have been and continued to be led into an emotion without a clear understanding of just what they are doing. As a result:

FALSE CONVERSIONS HAVE ABOUNDED!

Remember: The bottom line of all this is that a conversion to Christ is best made when a person has a clear eyed, grasp of exactly what they are doing. Emotions can be fleeting, so it should be our goal to persuade the mind and the heart by way of an accurate complete and Holy Spirit led and empowered presentation of the truth of the entire Gospel.

IT IS NOT OUR GOAL TO MERELY PRODUCE AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE! We seek CLEAR, CERTAIN, SPIRIT PRODUCED decisions for Christ. With or without ALTAR CALLS.

[Evangelist Delores White]

This is my personal belief on a call to the alter. Salvation first begins in the heart of a man, that deep hidden place that God has touched. A call to the alter is when a person is going through and comes to lay down every weight and to get strength and/or help from their spiritual family to help them reach the point where they are able to commune with God. Being called to the alter is to make a person aware that you don't have to walk this walk alone but I'll walk with you. An alter call does not make a person saved it is Jesus Christ, getting to know him through his word, yeilding to his will and his ways.

[Apostle Abel Aureli]

First of all I would like to ask if it's Altar or ...Alter! ...I thought it was Altar, but now I see many spell it Alter! :-)
I would say that just like the Communion, it's to the Pastor to explain who should participate to it and who not! Jesus didn't call people in the streets to participate to the Last Supper and the first Communion! The Disciples were the members of His Body! So, only people who are baptized should take Communion.

By the same token, it's the responsibility for the Pastor or the Evangelist, to explain that it's not walking the isle that saves, but they repentance of sins and the acceptance of Jesus Christ in their hearts as their Savior and ...Lord! ...Without repentance there will be no forgiveness of sin!!! In his Easter sermon on Fox TV, Rick Warren has not once mentioned the ...Blood of Jesus and the Forgiveness of Sins! He wants to be politically correct, but he is leading many to the wrong way! May God have mercy on him that he will repent of it.

[Tara Robinson]

I believe going to the alter has no power but it is symbolic with connecting our faith as to say your going to meet Jesus really it is an act of something that's it. Truly as already said the conversion must take place in a person heart whether they chose to go to the alter or not and it should not be confused to be anything else again the alter has no power but what does is agreement to give ones life over to the will of the lord to be saved.

[Peter Gara]

One thing that I do understand is that, God is always at work in the heart of man drawing them to himself. Jesus said, "that which the father has given to me, nobody can take them away" The work of salvation is still a mystery as to what is going in the ones heart. I say all these to remind myself that the location is not the issue but the divinely appointed time, it may be at the altar or at the funeral. Therefore we have to be opened for manifestation of the Holy Spirit that convict people of their sin and draw them to Christ for repentance. This is while evangelism is simply sharing the full gospel in the power of the holy spirit and leaving the result to God

[Lonnie Kluttz]

People, there was no alter call in the early church or in the bible period. It was started by the roman catholic churc h and that's it. Question everyone should ask themselves is.......If I don't go to the alter, will I be saved? If I go to the alter, will I be saved? The alter doesn't save you, the pastor doesn't save you, the church doesn't save you, but Jesus does!!!!!!!!

God Bless

[Scott R. Newman]

Amen Tanya, but how are we inviting to the altar? In this country of america 82% claim to be followers of Christ, so why hasn't the culture changed?
Are pastors and Bishops preaching the offensive cross to feed the sheep or to feed the goats with a more watered down and seeker friendly Gospel? There lies the problem. Are we going to the altar with a contrite and brokenness of heart? Are the pastors and Bishops telling them that their lives will be filled with health and wealth and happiness? What is the language used to bring those who are dead in their sins to the Holy Altar of Christ?

[TANYA DOVE]

I TOTALLY AGREE ALTHOUGH FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS THE WALK TO THE ALTER IS A DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT IS TAKING PLACE ON THE INSIDE .IT IS A MATTER OF THE HEART AND ONLY GOD KNOWS THE HEART. A PERSON CAN GO TO THE ALTER ALL DAY LONG IT DOESNT MEAN TRUE CONVERSION IS TAKING PLACE ONLY GOD KNOWS,BUT IF YOU HAVE TRULY CONFESSED CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND MADE HIM LORD IN YOUR LIFE ;IF YOU BELIEVE AND RECIEVE THIS BY FAITH WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY SEE SOME SIGNS. IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST HE IS A NEW CREATURE OLD THINGS ARE PAST AWAY AND BEHOLD ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW.