Altar call

An altar call is a practice in some evangelical Christian churches in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ are invited to come forward publicly. It is so named because the supplicants gather at the altar located at the front of the church building. In the Old Testament, an altar was where sacrifices were made. So, the name "altar call" refers to a believer "offering" themselves on an altar to God, as in Romans 12:1:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Most altar calls occur at the end of an evangelical address. The invitation may be referred to as an "altar call" even if there is no actual altar present. Many preachers make use of the altar call; notable examples include Billy Graham, Benny Hinn, Franklin Graham and Reinhard Bonnke. Congregations often sing a hymn, usually with a theme of invitation or decision, during the altar call. Some churches make use of the sinner's prayer, which people who come forward to be "saved" are asked to recite. It is sometimes said by the invitee that those who come forth are going to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. This is a ritual in which the supplicant makes a prayer asking for his sins to be forgiven, acknowledges Jesus as the risen Son of God and pledges his/her devotion to Jesus and to live thereafter following Christ's teachings. This is often called being born again.

In Pentecostal churches, the altar is a place people can come and repent of their sins and pray to receive the Holy Spirit, which they believe is accompanied with the initial sign of speaking in tongues. It is also a place to go to pray for needs and to get a "touch" from God. Pentecostal altar calls often involve the laying on of hands, and many people will come up to pray for others to receive their need. Altar calls may also invite Christians to come forward for specific purposes other than conversion; for example to rededicate their lives after a lapse, to pray for healing, to surrender a new part of their lives to God, or to receive a particular blessing. It is also a place of dedication where callings are given (such as a call to the ministry).

History

Altar calls are a recent historic phenomenon beginning in the late 1800s. Another early name for them was the "anxious seat". They cannot be found in the Bible, but are an attempt to adapt the call for repentance to particular cultural contexts, where such a public show of confession may find greater response. One of the most famous 19th century revivalists, Charles Grandison Finney, "popularized the idea of the 'altar call' in order to sign up his converts for the abolition movement."

Evangelical churches have taken this act of response to the proclaimed word from a corporate action and made it a private act. Many churches, particularly those that practice anabaptism, believe that one must make a public proclamation of faith based on scriptural passages found in the Bible in which Jesus states, "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven."

Objections

Some churches object to the use of the altar call for a variety of reasons. They argue that the Bible does not refer to any similar practice. Others believe it is intimidating and therefore creates an unnecessary and artificial barrier to those who would become Christians but are then unwilling to make an immediate public profession under the gaze of an assembly.

Some Christians object to altar calls in that they may mislead people into confusing outward conduct with spiritual change. In doing so, they argue, altar calls may actually give people false assurance about their salvation.

See also

• Arminianism
• Augustine of Hippo
• Conversion to Christianity
• Evangelicalism
• Evangelism
• Monergism
• Regeneration (theology)
• Sinner's prayer
• Synergism
• Decision theology

External links

• Altar Call Evangelism By Paul Alexander
• The 'Altar Call' Is it helpful or harmful? By Fred G. Zaspel
• Altar Call By G. I. Williamson
• How to Botch an Altar Call Adapted from Becoming an Emissary for God by Allen Atzbi
• [1] The new altar call.(HEATS & MINDS) (Poverty): An article from: Sojourners Magazine [HTML] [Digital]