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Question for Pastors

What is the longest invitation that you recall presiding over, and what were the circumstances that made it that long?

In kentucky, the average "call to be saved" lasts for 15 minutes,, provided there's no dinner afterwards. If there is, the preacher says, "sinners, you're on your own".
 

saturneptune

New Member
In kentucky, the average "call to be saved" lasts for 15 minutes,, provided there's no dinner afterwards. If there is, the preacher says, "sinners, you're on your own".

The first mistake you made is the fact there are no sinners in Kentucky. This is the promised land. The second point is that when Baptist congregations are called to a pot luck after church in West Virginia, each member gets on all fours and goes out to the pasture to graze.
 

RIPP0NWV

New Member
The first mistake you made is the fact there are no sinners in Kentucky. This is the promised land. The second point is that when Baptist congregations are called to a pot luck after church in West Virginia, each member gets on all fours and goes out to the pasture to graze.

I beg your pardon...............
 
The first mistake you made is the fact there are no sinners in Kentucky. This is the promised land. The second point is that when Baptist congregations are called to a pot luck after church in West Virginia, each member gets on all fours and goes out to the pasture to graze.

Promised what? A chicken in every pot that none can eat due to a lack of teeth? A promise that all can get a welfare check every month and free butt callous removal from sitting hard all month waiting for their check to arrive via direct deposit? Free home schooling at the local court house? Free dentistry work on their gums? A promise that the free work boots will never wear out because they won't have to put them to good use? Kentucky, the promised land!!!!
 

Zaac

Well-Known Member
The first mistake you made is the fact there are no sinners in Kentucky. This is the promised land. The second point is that when Baptist congregations are called to a pot luck after church in West Virginia, each member gets on all fours and goes out to the pasture to graze.

rolling-on-the-floor-laughing-smiley-emoticon.gif
I love areas of both states.
 
Now to the OP, I am not a pastor, but I've witnessed altar calls that seemed to last for ten minutes. I truly don' t understand them.
 

righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Glad You Asked!

What is the longest invitation that you recall presiding over, and what were the circumstances that made it that long?

Because my testimony was said to be by those who heard it, so powerful and so convicting, I've had invitations and the aftermath of prayer [and I always individually prayed for the folks who came up] last between one to two hours. I would get so tired, that my wife or band member [when I traveled with a live band] would bring me a stool sit on!

I felt personally responsible to pray with each person, because it was, after all the Holy Ghost, using my words to draw men, women and teens forward. If they came because they had a problem that related to the mess I made of my life, the least I could do was stick around and pray for them, personally!
 

Reformed

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
We do not have invitations as such. Modern invitations were born out of 19th century Finneyism which, IMHO, seek to illicit an emotional response to the preaching of the Gospel. We do encourage people to talk to an elder after the worship service if they have a spiritual need.
 

Sapper Woody

Well-Known Member
What is the longest invitation that you recall presiding over, and what were the circumstances that made it that long?

The longest altar calls I've ever been in happened yearly in Oklahoma at a youth conference. During an afternoon, a preacher (always the same one) would preach, and he would have an altar call, and berate anyone who stayed in their seats. But, anyone who went forward to pray, he would tell to wait there until a worker got to them to write down what decision they made that day. Then, everyone who made a decision would have to stand up and let everyone know what decision they made.

While there might have been some sincere decisions made, I remember dreading that day. I don't know how many times I told everyone (practically each year) that I "rededicated my life to God". This seemed to satisfy them without putting any extra expectations on me.

While I'm not against altar calls, I an against what happened there. In my mind it was the pride of a man wanting to brag on how his preaching changed lives.
 
We do not have invitations as such. Modern invitations were born out of 19th century Finneyism which, IMHO, seek to illicit an emotional response to the preaching of the Gospel. We do encourage people to talk to an elder after the worship service if they have a spiritual need.

Whaaa? You mean you haven't read in the bible where Jesus told them to "go into all nations and preach the gospel to every creature, "and to give a 20 minute altar call and 58 verses of "Just as I am", and those who raise their hand, or come up front and make a "statement of faith", and are baptized, shall be saved"? That's in the fine print in 2 Studderations 15:73.
 

Reformed

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Whaaa? You mean you haven't read in the bible where Jesus told them to "go into all nations and preach the gospel to every creature, "and to give a 20 minute altar call and 58 verses of "Just as I am", and those who raise their hand, or come up front and make a "statement of faith", and are baptized, shall be saved"? That's in the fine print in 2 Studderations 15:73.

When my daughter came to faith in Christ, I told her, "Not every professor is a possessor." I explained how raising a hand or going forward at an altar call meant nothing. In fact it could actually be a danger because individuals would place their trust in something they did as opposed to something God did. It is not the emotional response that saves; it is work of the Holy Spirit.

Of course I know that those who practice altar calls do not deny that salvation is only the work of the Holy Spirit. Many of them will say that going forward or raising a hand provides a moment in time they can point to as to when they were saved. I get that. But I cannot help but see the false hope and guilt trips associated with this practice. I still recall Jack Wyrtzen's words at a camp meeting in front of hundreds of people in Schroon Lake, New York when he said, "If you can't stand up for God in a place like this, surrounded by His people, then you'll never be able to stand up for him anywhere." This was said during a gospel invitation. Even then, long before I became a Calvinist, those words caused me to cringe. Is that what the gospel is? A guilt trip?
 
When my daughter came to faith in Christ, I told her, "Not every professor is a possessor." I explained how raising a hand or going forward at an altar call meant nothing. In fact it could actually be a danger because individuals would place their trust in something they did as opposed to something God did. It is not the emotional response that saves; it is work of the Holy Spirit.

Of course I know that those who practice altar calls do not deny that salvation is only the work of the Holy Spirit. Many of them will say that going forward or raising a hand provides a moment in time they can point to as to when they were saved. I get that. But I cannot help but see the false hope and guilt trips associated with this practice. I still recall Jack Wyrtzen's words at a camp meeting in front of hundreds of people in Schroon Lake, New York when he said, "If you can't stand up for God in a place like this, surrounded by His people, then you'll never be able to stand up for him anywhere." This was said during a gospel invitation. Even then, long before I became a Calvinist, those words caused me to cringe. Is that what the gospel is? A guilt trip?

People try to "dumb down" the gospel way too much. Now, I am one who wants to see sinners come to Christ, and I want to see it done via the gospel route. Now, the gospel never saved one soul, much like faith.....the grace of God saves sinners....but without faith or the gospel, there's no saving grace. I want to present my message(s) in a way that it doesn't "dumb down" my gospel message, but also, that it's not too complex that it "whizzes" over their heads either. All we can do is witness/preach to the lost, and get out of God's way and let Him do the saving. Too many want something to gloat about, and altar calls are one avenue for it to come to fruition...
 

righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Wow!

The longest altar calls I've ever been in happened yearly in Oklahoma at a youth conference. During an afternoon, a preacher (always the same one) would preach, and he would have an altar call, and berate anyone who stayed in their seats. But, anyone who went forward to pray, he would tell to wait there until a worker got to them to write down what decision they made that day. Then, everyone who made a decision would have to stand up and let everyone know what decision they made.

While there might have been some sincere decisions made, I remember dreading that day. I don't know how many times I told everyone (practically each year) that I "rededicated my life to God". This seemed to satisfy them without putting any extra expectations on me.

While I'm not against altar calls, I an against what happened there. In my mind it was the pride of a man wanting to brag on how his preaching changed lives.

I've seen those kind of services, brother, and my wife and I have gotten up and walked out on them. BTW - let me say this about my ministry times, people that did not come forward were dismissed, unless they wanted to stay and pray while ministry was continuing!

It is wrong to expect people of God to sit through long alter ministries!
 

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
When my daughter came to faith in Christ, I told her, "Not every professor is a possessor." I explained how raising a hand or going forward at an altar call meant nothing. In fact it could actually be a danger because individuals would place their trust in something they did as opposed to something God did. It is not the emotional response that saves; it is work of the Holy Spirit.

Of course I know that those who practice altar calls do not deny that salvation is only the work of the Holy Spirit. Many of them will say that going forward or raising a hand provides a moment in time they can point to as to when they were saved. I get that. But I cannot help but see the false hope and guilt trips associated with this practice. I still recall Jack Wyrtzen's words at a camp meeting in front of hundreds of people in Schroon Lake, New York when he said, "If you can't stand up for God in a place like this, surrounded by His people, then you'll never be able to stand up for him anywhere." This was said during a gospel invitation. Even then, long before I became a Calvinist, those words caused me to cringe. Is that what the gospel is? A guilt trip?

And a magic show. Did thetly at least feed you after the show?
 

JohnDeereFan

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
What is the longest invitation that you recall presiding over, and what were the circumstances that made it that long?

Since I don't do the "and now, with every head bowed and every eye closed, repeat this canned prayer after me" thing, probably just a couple of minutes.
 

John of Japan

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
We do not have invitations as such. Modern invitations were born out of 19th century Finneyism which, IMHO, seek to illicit an emotional response to the preaching of the Gospel. We do encourage people to talk to an elder after the worship service if they have a spiritual need.
Calvinists invented the invitation.

H. Leon McBeth wrote,"The Separates apparently helped popularize what is now known as the 'evangelistic invitation.'" He then quotes Robert I. Devin (A History of Grassy Creek Baptist Church, p. 69): "At the close of the sermon, the minister would come down from the pulpit and while singing a suitable hymn would go around among the brethren shaking hands. The hymn being sung, he would then extend an invitation to such persons as felt themselves poor guilty sinners, and were anxiously inquiring the way of salvation, to come forward and kneel near the stand." McBeth then writes, "The separates thus devised a method of encouraging on-the-spot religious decisions, to the singing of a hymn, well before the revivals of Charles G. Finney, who is often credited with inventing the invitation" ( The Baptist Heritage, p. 231).
 
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