Altar call

TheSecond Great Awakening,when alter calls became popular

Analtar callis a tradition in someChristian churchesin which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment toJesus Christare invited to come forward publicly. It is so named because the supplicants gather before thealtarlocated at the front of the church sanctuary; it is common for people to kneel at thechancel railsormourner's benchthat delimits the altar. Most altar calls occur at the conclusion of a sermon or homily.^[1]

Background

Altar calls are a recent historic phenomenon beginning in the 1830s in America. During these, people approached thechancel rails,anxious seat, ormourner's benchto pray.^[2]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 theabolitionmovement "according toJim Wallis.^[3]In many Churches ofWesleyan-Arminian (Methodist) theology,the altar call, in addition to being an invitation for people to experience thenew birth,is also often used to implore believers to experience thesecond work of grace,known asentire sanctification(baptism with the Holy Spirit).^[4]Notable examples in history of using altar calls includeBilly SundayandD. L. Moody.^[2]

Rick Warrennotes that the Bible does not refer to any similar practice.^[5]Some in theReformed Churchesobject to the use of the altar call for a variety of reasons. It is argued that the practice 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.^[5]Others object 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.^[6]In addition, Carey Hardy argues that they change "the essence of the gospel", create believers with false professions of faith, and do not "follow the biblical method for public identification".^[7]

References

^Anyabwile, Thabiti (April 29, 2011)."What About Altar Calls?".The Gospel Coalition.RetrievedDecember 7,2013.
^^a ^bHardy, Carey (February 21, 2005). "Chapter 8: Just As I Am: A Closer Look at Invitations and Altar Calls". In MacArthur, John (ed.).Fool's Gold? Discerning Truth in an Age of Error.Crossway Books. p. 132.ISBN 978-0860075714.
^Wallis, Jim (January 1981).The Call to Conversion: Why Faith Is Always Personal but Never Private.HarperOne.p.78.ISBN 0-06-084237-7.
^Balmer, Randall (November 18, 2005).Protestantism in America.Columbia University Press. p. 238.ISBN 9780231507691.
^^a ^bWarren, Rick. "Communicating to Change Lives - Teaching Notes".Preaching for Life Change Seminar: International Version.p. 81.I want to remind you that Jesus never said you had to walk from Point A to Point B in a church to become a believer. In fact they gave no come forward, down the aisle altar calls for the first three hundred years of the church because they didn't even have church buildings for the first three hundred years of the church, so there obviously weren't any aisles to walk down. The come forward invitation is a method that's only about 180 years old. It was invented by Methodist churches in the late 17th century and later picked up and popularized by Charles Finney in the mid-1800s—and the majority of evangelical churches use that form today. There's nothing wrong with it. It's just not necessarily a biblical commandment. It just happens to be a method that was used frequently for the last 200 years.
^Alexander, Paul."Altar Call Evangelism".9Marks. Archived fromthe originalon October 30, 2008.RetrievedOctober 13,2018.
^Hardy, Carey (February 21, 2005). "Chapter 8: Just As I Am: A Closer Look at Invitations and Altar Calls". In MacArthur, John (ed.).Fool's Gold? Discerning Truth in an Age of Error.Crossway Books. p. 142.ISBN 978-0860075714.

External links

The 'Altar Call' Is it helpful or harmful?by Fred G. Zaspel
Altar CallbyG. I. Williamson
How to Botch an Altar Call- adapted fromBecoming an Emissary for Godby Allen Atzbi
The new altar call.(HEATS & MINDS) (Poverty): An article from: Sojourners Magazine

[1] Anyabwile, Thabiti (April 29, 2011)."What About Altar Calls?".The Gospel Coalition.RetrievedDecember 7,2013.

[Hardy_132-2] Hardy, Carey (February 21, 2005). "Chapter 8: Just As I Am: A Closer Look at Invitations and Altar Calls". In MacArthur, John (ed.).Fool's Gold? Discerning Truth in an Age of Error.Crossway Books. p. 132.ISBN 978-0860075714.

[3] Wallis, Jim (January 1981).The Call to Conversion: Why Faith Is Always Personal but Never Private.HarperOne.p.78.ISBN 0-06-084237-7.

[Balmer2005-4] Balmer, Randall (November 18, 2005).Protestantism in America.Columbia University Press. p. 238.ISBN 9780231507691.

[Warren-5] Warren, Rick. "Communicating to Change Lives - Teaching Notes".Preaching for Life Change Seminar: International Version.p. 81.I want to remind you that Jesus never said you had to walk from Point A to Point B in a church to become a believer. In fact they gave no come forward, down the aisle altar calls for the first three hundred years of the church because they didn't even have church buildings for the first three hundred years of the church, so there obviously weren't any aisles to walk down. The come forward invitation is a method that's only about 180 years old. It was invented by Methodist churches in the late 17th century and later picked up and popularized by Charles Finney in the mid-1800s—and the majority of evangelical churches use that form today. There's nothing wrong with it. It's just not necessarily a biblical commandment. It just happens to be a method that was used frequently for the last 200 years.

[6] Alexander, Paul."Altar Call Evangelism".9Marks. Archived fromthe originalon October 30, 2008.RetrievedOctober 13,2018.

[7] Hardy, Carey (February 21, 2005). "Chapter 8: Just As I Am: A Closer Look at Invitations and Altar Calls". In MacArthur, John (ed.).Fool's Gold? Discerning Truth in an Age of Error.Crossway Books. p. 142.ISBN 978-0860075714.

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Background

See also

References

External links