Are Altar Calls Biblical?

[Ekklesian]

There are rites, however, given by which we confess our faith, and enter into fellowship of the Church.

One of those is confession.

Romans 10:10 KJV — For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Whatever mode or form provided by which that verbal confession can be made is a help to new believers...and if that is in the form of an altar call, then an altar call is biblical.

 

[sword]

I think I'll just line up with Spurgeon. Monday in the Pastor's study worked just fine.

Except many who visit on Sunday will not be back on Monday.

It implies only the Pastor is worthy or qualified to lead someone to the lord.

Many churches have an alter call for the unsaved to come forward so someone can lead you through what the Bible says but it’s also a time for a Christian to come forward to repent or a member to come forward and make a decision about the sermon or any other issue. It might be a time for one or a group to pray for another’s needs. All these thing can be done anywhere but to many the alter is a very special place.

Take a poll in your church you will find the number one place of salvation is in one’s childhood or adult home. A close second is at the alter of a gospel preaching church.

 

[sword]

From a Calvinistic viewpoint, God must save a person before they can believe. So we try to get the gospel to the born again to direct them to Christ. Free will people think they save themselves through obedience. So the altar call is one form of obedience they try to secure salvation with.

I see why you don’t believe in the alter call because you don’t believe people have a choice anyways. God will save who he wants and condemn the rest and people have no choice. No free will.

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ

Do you not think when they taught the gospel they invited people to accept God free gift of salvation. You think they all made an appointment with the pastor in his office?

 

[sword]

Usually, the altar call gets in the way and becomes a sacrament the person trusts in instead of Christ.

I’ve been a Christian for 50 years and your the first person I’ve ever heard say such nonsense,

The alter is Just a place, and opportunity. You can be saved anywhere but if your just heard a gospel message for the 1st time or the 100th is the hole spirit is dealing with you what better time and place.

Today is the day of salvation.

 

[sword]

I’ve been a Christian for 50 years and your the first person I’ve ever heard say such nonsense,

The alter is Just a place, and opportunity. You can be saved anywhere but if you have just heard a gospel message for the 1st time or the 100th and the Holy Spirit is dealing with you what better time and place.

Today is the day of salvation.

 

[sword]

I am returning to the SBC church where I grew up. We do not do an altar call per se any more. My wife and I sat down with the pastor a few weeks ago to discuss membership. His practice is after such a discussion, he will call the person up at the end of the next service and present them to the congregation.

Now that said, 50 years ago on Mother's Day I came forward to "accept Christ" during a revival service at that same church. I asked the pastor to delay our presentation until Mother's Day due to that anniversary. (He underwent brain surgery for a neurological issue and was out of action between the time of our discussion and last Sunday so no problem there.)

But in that time, I've come under some Calvinist influence and have a hard time saying I "accepted" Christ now. Looking back, it was the culmination of the Holy Spirit working on me leading up to that moment. I've always wondered when was the exact moment when I got saved: when I prayed with the youth minister, when I gave in and took the first step into the aisle...it's turtles all the way down. That said, I was wondering how to accurately articulate what happened then. "I came forward and professed my faith in Christ" is something that would fit. Thank you.

Im likely the least qualified to give my opinion but I have always believed that when in a church service and because of the moving of the hilt spirit you know your a sinner and want to turn from your sun and trust Jesus as your savior. The faith of just moving into the isle saved you but the time at the alter forms it up in your own mind. You go through the mental steps of what you did spiritually by leaving your seat. You confess that you’re a sinner and need a savior and you put your complete faith in Jesus’s Christ for your eternity. A good alter worker will go through each to make sure you understand the gospel and what it means.

 

[Ransom]

On Spurgeon's purported come-back-and-see-me-Monday alternative tot he altar call:

Except many who visit on Sunday will not be back on Monday.

I've heard this story too, though as I recall it was said of some other evangelist than Spurgeon. Which doesn't mean it's not credible, just that it's perhaps been misattributed.

The rationale given, though, was quite sound: Spurgeon (or whoever) was weeding out the serious confessors from the ones caught up in the emotion of the altar call. Someone genuinely and seriously concerned about his sins would make an effort to come back later, even when emotions weren't necessarily running as high.