D
Dave Slayer
Guest
Are altar calls Biblical? Should Churches call people to come forward to the altar when they give their lives to Christ? Is this the Biblical way?
Ed the Ned
Member
- May 25, 2009
- 706
- 4
At peters sermon at pentecost Peter said to the "Repent and be baptised" later on it said "There were added that day about three thousand souls" so I think it is OK to have alter calls. :yes
A
Aurora
Guest
- Thread starter
- #3
I do also, I see that the word says we should not be ashamed of our Lord, or he too will be ashamed of us.
It is a way of making an open confession of faith, like baptism. Dont you think?
It is a way of making an open confession of faith, like baptism. Dont you think?
Vic C.
Member
- Mar 16, 2003
- 18,227
- 4
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=35603&p=428327 (Tue Mar 03, 2009)
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=29328&st=0&sk=t&sd (Sat Jul 21, 2007)
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=29328&st=0&sk=t&sd (Sat Jul 21, 2007)
handy
Member
- Jun 21, 2007
- 10,028
- 99
Thanks for the links, Vic. Some good insights on the subject.
I don't have a problem with altar calls.
I do hope though that the altar call experience isn't the "goal" of the worship service.
Worship is a time for the Body to be nourished and equipped. It's not for evangelizing the unsaved, or preaching a continous "milk" message to the choir. Now, if there are unsaved at the worship service, and the gospel is proclaimed, then an altar call can be a moment to give that unsaved person a time to respond to any promptings by the Holy Spirit. It's also imperative that if someone responds to an altar call, then a Christian needs to get with that person to help them understand that they are not saved because they repeated a prayer or by walking up front, they are saved because of Christ's work on the cross and their recieving of that work. Confess with the mouth, yes, but just as importantly, if not more so, believe in the heart.
But, our evangelizing and spreading the gospel should be done out in the field, not in the house, so to speak. Too often, I've seen Christians become weak, even worldly because they are being fed a constant supply of milk, for the benefit of non-Christians at worship, rather than being built up and strengthed by meat. An emotion filled service wherein many "come forward" feels great, but if one is already saved, then what?
I don't have a problem with altar calls.
I do hope though that the altar call experience isn't the "goal" of the worship service.
Worship is a time for the Body to be nourished and equipped. It's not for evangelizing the unsaved, or preaching a continous "milk" message to the choir. Now, if there are unsaved at the worship service, and the gospel is proclaimed, then an altar call can be a moment to give that unsaved person a time to respond to any promptings by the Holy Spirit. It's also imperative that if someone responds to an altar call, then a Christian needs to get with that person to help them understand that they are not saved because they repeated a prayer or by walking up front, they are saved because of Christ's work on the cross and their recieving of that work. Confess with the mouth, yes, but just as importantly, if not more so, believe in the heart.
But, our evangelizing and spreading the gospel should be done out in the field, not in the house, so to speak. Too often, I've seen Christians become weak, even worldly because they are being fed a constant supply of milk, for the benefit of non-Christians at worship, rather than being built up and strengthed by meat. An emotion filled service wherein many "come forward" feels great, but if one is already saved, then what?
Similar threads
