What does the altar call mean to you?

[agedman]

We are moving to the old time of inquiry where if one comes forward, they may or may not be directed to a prayer room we’re Scripture and prayer is held with out being disturbed by music and end of service.

Again, it breaks with the tradition of the last century and a bit, but it was the standard way Baptist’s conducted the worship for centuries.

 

[Jerome]

Gospel preaching should direct sinners straight to the Savior:

"God has not appointed salvation by Inquiry Rooms and talks with ministers, but by your laying your own hand upon the Sacrifice which He has appointed! If you will have Christ, you shall be saved! If you will not have Him, you must perish! All the talking to you in the world cannot help you one jot if you refuse your Savior! Sitting in your pew this morning, without speaking to me or any living man or woman, I exhort you to believe in Jesus! Stretch out your withered hand, God helping you, and lay it on the head of Christ, and say, “I believe in the merit of His precious blood. Look to the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Why, Man, you are saved as sure as you are alive, for he that lays the hand of faith upon this Sacrifice is saved thereby!" —Charles Spurgeon, "Putting the Hand Upon the Head of the Sacrifice"


Psalm 128:27
God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.


"Sinner, it is your only hope. You will be lost for ever, the sword shall pierce through your soul to your everlasting destruction; but fly now unto Christ the temple, and lay hold upon the altar's horn, and let this be on your mind—

'I can but perish if I go,
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away I know
I must for ever die.'

'But if I die with mercy sought,
When I've this altar tried,
This were to die, delightful thought,
As sinner never died.'

By faith, this morning, I put my hand upon the altar's horn. All my hope, dread Sovereign, lies in the blood of thy dear Son. Brethren in Christ, let us all lay our hands there once again. Poor sinner, if you have never done this before do it now, and say in your heart,

'My faith doth lay her hand
Upon that altar's horn,
And see my bleeding Lord at hand
Who all my sin has borne.'" —Charles Spurgeon, "One Greater than the Temple"


Now that's an altar!
Hallelujah!

 

[agedman]

Gospel preaching should direct sinners straight to the Savior:

"God has not appointed salvation by Inquiry Rooms and talks with ministers, but by your laying your own hand upon the Sacrifice which He has appointed! If you will have Christ, you shall be saved! If you will not have Him, you must perish! All the talking to you in the world cannot help you one jot if you refuse your Savior! Sitting in your pew this morning, without speaking to me or any living man or woman, I exhort you to believe in Jesus! Stretch out your withered hand, God helping you, and lay it on the head of Christ, and say, “I believe in the merit of His precious blood. Look to the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Why, Man, you are saved as sure as you are alive, for he that lays the hand of faith upon this Sacrifice is saved thereby!" —Charles Spurgeon, "Putting the Hand Upon the Head of the Sacrifice"

I do not recall Spurgeon ever giving an “altar call” in the manner some see in the average Baptist Church in this day.

It would have been extremely difficult. Spurgeon allowed for no instruments and usually only one song more as a call to worship and order.

Besides, there was no room or capacity for such to take place.

Spurgeon is not disapproving of meeting rooms were folks could seek counseling and Scriptures, what he disapproved was the replacement of the concept that salvation could occur outside the inquiry room or at the hands of the ordained as was long taught by the “authorized church.”

Your post leads folks into f a false concept.

Psalm 128:27
God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.


"Sinner, it is your only hope. You will be lost for ever, the sword shall pierce through your soul to your everlasting destruction; but fly now unto Christ the temple, and lay hold upon the altar's horn, and let this be on your mind—

'I can but perish if I go,
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away I know
I must for ever die.'

'But if I die with mercy sought,
When I've this altar tried,
This were to die, delightful thought,
As sinner never died.'

By faith, this morning, I put my hand upon the altar's horn. All my hope, dread Sovereign, lies in the blood of thy dear Son. Brethren in Christ, let us all lay our hands there once again. Poor sinner, if you have never done this before do it now, and say in your heart,

'My faith doth lay her hand
Upon that altar's horn,
And see my bleeding Lord at hand
Who all my sin has borne.'" —Charles Spurgeon, "One Greater than the Temple"


Now that's an altar!
Hallelujah!

And rightfully so.

Which annihilates the modern altar call.

 

[tyndale1946]

I do not recall Spurgeon ever giving an “altar call” in the manner some see in the average Baptist Church in this day.

It would have been extremely difficult. Spurgeon allowed for no instruments and usually only one song more as a call to worship and order.

Besides, there was no room or capacity for such to take place.

Spurgeon is not disapproving of meeting rooms were folks could seek counseling and Scriptures, what he disapproved was the replacement of the concept that salvation could occur outside the inquiry room or at the hands of the ordained as was long taught by the “authorized church.”

Your post leads folks into f a false concept.

And rightfully so.

Which annihilates the modern altar call.

First of all as kyredneck said we do not have altar calls in the Primitive Baptist Church... But this particular altar call beats them all, and this is no joke... The first and only alter call I ever witnessed, was at my Grandparents Southern Baptist Church... At my Grandmothers funeral!... Really?... You gotta be kidding me!... Brother Glen

 

[JonC]

First of all as kyredneck said we do not have altar calls in the Primitive Baptist Church... But this particular altar call beats them all, and this no joke... The first and only alter call I ever witnessed, was at my Grandparents Southern Baptist Church... At my Grandmothers funeral!... Really?... You gotta be kidding me!... Brother Glen

I have never heard of that.....but at my funeral I woud not be opposed to the gospel being presented and an opportunity for any being drawn to come forward and speak with a pastor. I know others who have expressed similar ideas so perhaps this is common in some churches.

 

[agedman]

First of all as kyredneck said we do not have altar calls in the Primitive Baptist Church... But this particular altar call beats them all, and this is no joke... The first and only alter call I ever witnessed, was at my Grandparents Southern Baptist Church... At my Grandmothers funeral!... Really?... You gotta be kidding me!... Brother Glen

Have you never seen the ending of a Billy Graham sermon?

He made “Just as I Am” famous.

 

[tyndale1946]

I have never heard of that.....but at my funeral I woud not be opposed to the gospel being presented and an opportunity for any being drawn to come forward and speak with a pastor. I know others who have expressed similar ideas so perhaps this is common in some churches.

My grandfather, father and mother were hot under the collar because it was never requested by any in the family... And some visitors, who didn't belong to the church made a hasty exit and the funeral wasn't finished... The preacher should have known better, it was in bad taste... Church service is one thing, funerals are another... Would any preacher on this board give an altar call at a funeral, if its not requested?... Lets find out!... Brother Glen

 

[MartyF]

Hello everyone,

I’m struggling with the alter call at my church and with my husbands family. Some important information about me is that I grew up in the Church of God which has several differing views from Baptist. And now attend a Baptist Church with my husband. At the Church of God EVERYONE went to the alter call. It was strange when someone didn’t. Not only were people praying for themselves but you prayed for the other people up there. They had a more philosophy that if you weren’t growing in Christ you were moving away from him. Your relationship could always be more or better or closer. I love to go to the alter call. My church now makes it feel like the alter is open to anyone who wants to get saved. I know I’m saved. I have no doubt about that. But I don’t think I’m living my best relationship with Christ. But in all honesty no one is. Even the closest walk with Christ can improve. My husband asks me if I’m ok every time I go up there and I’m certainly the only one who goes every week. I don’t want to find a new church because I love everything else about this church and my husband and kids love it too. So basically my question is what I said above. What does the alter call mean to you?

Thank you!

It means the church doesn’t agree with C.H. Spurgeon

 

[Gorship]

From my childhood, 'Just As I Am' sung over and over and over again....

I laughed way too hard at this.

Sent from my CLT-L04 using Tapatalk

 

[JonC]

My grandfather, father and mother were hot under the collar because it was never requested by any in the family... And some visitors, who didn't belong to the church made a hasty exit and the funeral wasn't finished... The preacher should have known better, it was in bad taste... Church service is one thing, funerals are another... Would any preacher on this board give an altar call at a funeral, if its not requested?... Lets find out!... Brother Glen

It seems odd to me as well.

I had a friend (I can't remember the details for the life of me) who attended a funeral with an "altar call". They were CoC and he thought it was strange.

That is why I was wondering if it was common with some.

 

[GaoLu]

I once preached as a visitor in another church, finished and went to sit down. The pastor asked me if I wanted to give an altar call. I thought a moment, decided to do so and 12 people came forward to accept Christ. That was worthwhile.

 

[agedman]

My grandfather, father and mother were hot under the collar because it was never requested by any in the family... And some visitors, who didn't belong to the church made a hasty exit and the funeral wasn't finished... The preacher should have known better, it was in bad taste... Church service is one thing, funerals are another... Would any preacher on this board give an altar call at a funeral, if its not requested?... Lets find out!... Brother Glen

If it wasn’t requested, it should not have been done.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I once preached as a visitor in another church, finished and went to sit down. The pastor asked me if I wanted to give an altar call. I thought a moment, decided to do so and 12 people came forward to accept Christ. That was worthwhile.

Did you taking the time to test the credibility of their professions?? If so, what questions were asked

 

[1689Dave]

If people believe enough to respond to an alter call, the are already saved. Jesus says whoever believe has eternal life. So the alter call confuses them into thinking they saved themselves by going forward. And it occupies the time slot where baptism would normally occur.

 

[JonC]

If people believe enough to respond to an alter call, the are already saved. Jesus says whoever believe has eternal life. So the alter call confuses them into thinking they saved themselves by going forward. And it occupies the time slot where baptism would normally occur.

In my experience this is not the case.

When I was saved I went down at the end of the service and gave a statement of my faith before the congregation. I was counseled by the pastor (later) and baptized in another service.

I never thought that walking to the front of the church saved me. But I was convicted a confessioj of my faith was important.

Another topic is churches that take baptism itself as this confession of faith. I am not sure this is correct as it seems to diminish baptism.

 

[1689Dave]

In my experience this is not the case.

When I was saved I went down at the end of the service and gave a statement of my faith before the congregation. I was counseled by the pastor (later) and baptized in another service.

I never thought that walking to the front of the church saved me. But I was convicted a confessioj of my faith was important.

Another topic is churches that take baptism itself as this confession of faith. I am not sure this is correct as it seems to diminish baptism.

Since the altar call is not in scripture, it bumps baptism out of its natural place. And it becomes a work people trust in instead of Christ. Jesus says whoever believes, not whoever goes forward and chooses to believe, has eternal life.

 

[Danthemailman]

In regards to altar calls at church and saying the sinner's prayer, simply reciting a sinner's prayer will not accomplish anything on its own. I must have prayed the sinner's prayer 20 different times with Pat Robertson while watching the 700 Club back when I was a teenager, yet nothing happened. Why? Because there was no repentance and faith. Such a prayer needs to include what a person knows, understands, and believes about their sinfulness and need for salvation, followed by repentance/faith. For a person who comes to the realization that he is lost and in need of Jesus Christ to save him, he may only obtain salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. He needs to understand that Jesus Christ, God in human form, took his sins and paid the penalty for his sins by His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, was buried, and rose again the third day, and he need only make a genuine and willful decision to totally trust in Jesus and His payment for his sin in order to be instantly saved (granted eternal life). In doing this he is calling on the name of the Lord to save him. Now if subsequent to such a decision, the person would like to answer an altar call at church and pray what some call a "sinner’s prayer," (calling on the name of the Lord to save him in prayer) he may do so, as long as he understands that it was his decision to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation that apprehends his salvation and not simply reciting a prayer in of itself. Reciting a prayer, in of itself does not save, as if it's a magical formula to recite a set of words, but prayer may be used to call upon the name of the Lord in faith to become saved.

 

[JonC]

Since the altar call is not in scripture, it bumps baptism out of its natural place. And it becomes a work people trust in instead of Christ. Jesus says whoever believes, not whoever goes forward and chooses to believe, has eternal life.

I am not sure where you get the order (the "natural place" for baptism).

The way I see it, the order is that one believes with their heart and confesses with their mouth and are baptized (not believe, be baptized, and then confess....or not confess at all).

What I've seen is that sometimes churches rush to baptism. They skip the "altar call", which typically initiates the process of making sure (as best as we can) is saved - that they understand the gospel and are not acting on emotion alone - and then they are baptized and become a member of the congregation.

The issue, in my view, is that too many churches skip this process and jump to baptism. We are not called to baptize people into the church but to disciple people. The process has to be initiated prior to baptism and continues for the rest of the convert's life. It is a never ending process.

 

[1689Dave]

I am not sure where you get the order (the "natural place" for baptism).

The way I see it, the order is that one believes with their heart and confesses with their mouth and are baptized (not believe, be baptized, and then confess....or not confess at all).

What I've seen is that sometimes churches rush to baptism. They skip the "altar call", which typically initiates the process of making sure (as best as we can) is saved - that they understand the gospel and are not acting on emotion alone - and then they are baptized and become a member of the congregation.

The issue, in my view, is that too many churches skip this process and jump to baptism. We are not called to baptize people into the church but to disciple people. The process has to be initiated prior to baptism and continues for the rest of the convert's life. It is a never ending process.

This is too legalistic. Believing the gospel as you hear it = the new birth which naturally confesses Jesus as Lord etc...

 

[JonC]

This is too legalistic. Believing the gospel as you hear it = the new birth which naturally confesses Jesus as Lord etc...

I am not sure it is fair to say it is legalistic as that is what the Bible says.

When you believe you are saved. But we are to confess our faith.

Churches have made "conversion" too easy. You tell a pastor you believe and you are baptized. What has happened is the "confess" part is ignored entirely.

I perfer an "altar call" because I see a need for people to come before the congregation and then be examined/ counseled to make sure (as much as we can) that the person does understand the gospel, the faith, and that it is true.

Churches have a responsibility not only to the convert but also to the congregation.