Is the Altar Call Scriptural

[kyredneck]

....If the Spirit is truly working in a person's life, it won't end when the service does.

Amen! :thumbs:

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I've heard that down south (like in N FL) they use an American breed of bull dog and plott hounds a lot.


We preach because it's God's good pleasure to save those that believe through the foolishness of the preaching of the gospel (and you can't get a real preacher to ever stop preaching).

Yea, red nose pitts with some hounds but those things are crazy when wound up & take forever to calm down.
LA & Ole Miss use Cur Dogs like Black Mouth Curs. I like them ....more versatile.

My brother is the reason I got 3 Bulldogs. He starts preachin & the wife lets the dogs loose. LOL.

I think the key is to have a Pastor educating vs a Preacher indoctrinating.

 

[kyredneck]

Yea, red nose pitts with some hounds but those things are crazy when wound up & take forever to calm down.
LA & Ole Miss use Cur Dogs like Black Mouth Curs. I like them ....more versatile.

My brother is the reason I got 3 Bulldogs. He starts preachin & the wife lets the dogs loose. LOL.

I think the key is to have a Pastor educating vs a Preacher indoctrinating.

I've an acquaintance (a very tough one at that) from N FL that hunts hogs with dogs, and they'll run the hogs down and hold them, and they actually will castrate and then loose the big boars so that they will be good eating later on when they run them down and catch them again. Heheh, I have about as much desire to do that as I do to noodle for snapping turtles.....

I think it is key to have a Pastor who derives great joy from the word.

 

[convicted1]

I used to tease a (former) pastor of mine. I asked him where the altar was in a Baptist church. Well, uh, it's symbolic, he said.

Well, I said, why can't it be symbolic where I'm sitting instead of down there where you're standing? That way, I don't have to come to the altar. I'm already there.

Very well said. ((((AMEN!!!!)))))))

 

[convicted1]

I have never done an altar call personally, and unless God presses this on me VERY HARD, I would never do it. Too many times, the preacher takes this on himself, and this gets him nowhere. I have been in church services before that did these, and you should have heard all the "play on words", or "theatrics" they used to make them "tear loose from their seat and come running to the altar to RECEIVE THE LORD!!!" YECK!!

I have a saying that I haven't heard anyone else use, but I may not be the first to say this: "If God can't shake'm, how can I??" I believe that salvation is between that individual and God ALONE!! They have to go to the Lord for themself, and not another!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

[Iconoclast]

I have never done an altar call personally, and unless God presses this on me VERY HARD, I would never do it. Too many times, the preacher takes this on himself, and this gets him nowhere. I have been in church services before that did these, and you should have heard all the "play on words", or "theatrics" they used to make them "tear loose from their seat and come running to the altar to RECEIVE THE LORD!!!" YECK!!

I have a saying that I haven't heard anyone else use, but I may not be the first to say this: "If God can't shake'm, how can I??" I believe that salvation is between that individual and God ALONE!! They have to go to the Lord for themself, and not another!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

Good post Willis....
http://www.sgbcsv.org/literature/WhyWeDoNotUseTheInvitationalSystem.pdf

 

[Dr. Bob]

I can find none which resembles the modern altar call.

The op asks if an "Altar Call" is Scriptural.

No. This is a man-made invention that perverts and hinders genuine work of God. BUT it gives "numbers" and a "head count" even better than raising hands. So strokes the egos of the number-centered ministries.

BTW, any Baptist church with an "altar" like a Catholic or Lutheran church is not worthy of the name Baptist.

 

[convicted1]

Good post Willis....
http://www.sgbcsv.org/literature/WhyWeDoNotUseTheInvitationalSystem.pdf

PRAISE THE LORD, Brother!! We have an accord!! Even though we disagree on many topics, Brother, I do consider you as my Brother, because of the work He did for you!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Our pastor gives altar calls. He does not tell people that they have to come to the altar to be saved, but that the altar is open if they would like to come forward to pray. He tells them they can trust Christ right where they are in their seats if they will.

 

[David Lamb]

but that the altar is open if they would like to come forward

If a baptist pastor in this country invited people to come to the altar, most would wonder where he meant, as baptist chapels don't have altars.

Having said that, I am sure there are some churches here that use the invitation system.

 

[John Toppass]

I have never done an altar call personally, and unless God presses this on me VERY HARD, I would never do it. Too many times, the preacher takes this on himself, and this gets him nowhere. I have been in church services before that did these, and you should have heard all the "play on words", or "theatrics" they used to make them "tear loose from their seat and come running to the altar to RECEIVE THE LORD!!!" YECK!!

I have a saying that I haven't heard anyone else use, but I may not be the first to say this: "If God can't shake'm, how can I??" I believe that salvation is between that individual and God ALONE!! They have to go to the Lord for themself, and not another!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

I have always understood an alter call as an opportunity for someone to profess Christ publicly for the first time. This makes it easier to do so in front of those who are of alike belief. To use the "If God can't shake'm, how can I?" excuse to condemn the altar call is the same as those who justify not supporting missions or intentionally getting the Word out into their very own community.

Are altar calls in the scripture? Not specifically, but then neither is the use of radio, TV or internet to plant the Seed and harvest the fruit. Why harvest? Because the new believer is like a babe in the Word and needs guidance. But OH, I guess there are even those who would say "If God can not guide them, how can I?".

Alter calls can be abused just as radio, TV, INTERNET, visitation even the regular gathering of Christian believers can be abused.

God gave man an intellect. The responsibility that a Christian (the Elect) is to do what Col 3.17 says to do. Anything else is of man.

To generally condemn a person or a group because they do something different than you or your kind do it, is to be Pharisaical.

Even on this board we should be following.
Col 3:17 (NKJV) 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Just my thoughts

 

[mandym]

I have always understood an alter call as an opportunity for someone to profess Christ publicly for the first time. This makes it easier to do so in front of those who are of alike belief. To use the "If God can't shake'm, how can I?" excuse to condemn the altar call is the same as those who justify not supporting missions or intentionally getting the Word out into their very own community.

Are altar calls in the scripture? Not specifically, but then neither is the use of radio, TV or internet to plant the Seed and harvest the fruit. Why harvest? Because the new believer is like a babe in the Word and needs guidance. But OH, I guess there are even those who would say "If God can not guide them, how can I?".

Alter calls can be abused just as radio, TV, INTERNET, visitation even the regular gathering of Christian believers can be abused.

God gave man an intellect. The responsibility that a Christian (the Elect) is to do what Col 3.17 says to do. Anything else is of man.

To generally condemn a person or a group because they do something different than you or your kind do it, is to be Pharisaical.

Even on this board we should be following.
Col 3:17 (NKJV) 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Just my thoughts

Good response

 

[Dr. Bob]

And with that our page-limit is reached.

As per the op (asking if it is scriptural) appreciate all the Scriptures that proved the modern altar call is correct.

:tonofbricks: