Altar Calls and the Regulatory Principle

**+Donny** · 10-21-2003, 10:45 PM

Yes, that is true. The former is definitely not nearly as bad.

Lightknight · 10-21-2003, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gethedge

I would distinguish a call to prayer at the altar from what is often regarded as an altar call, which would consider more of a time for acceptingjesusasyourpersonallordandsaviour and rededicating ones life to Christ *throws up*

Why would it be unbiblical? It isn't for man to pray to man. But rather for man to pray to God.

Luke · 10-21-2003, 11:52 PM

Because in the Bible preaching the Gospel was sufficient, without the trying to coerce decisions part. Of course, that could also be because the apostles had a lot better understanding of salvation than churches who practice altar calls.

Grace & Peace
Luke

phats · 10-22-2003, 12:54 AM

At my church, the altar call is definately a different thing. I have sat through many where I've wanted to crawl under my seat and disappear, but when it's used as a time to respond to God in a practical way, then I think it's neat, and people can make life changing decisions. I agree with the premise that the idea is good, but emotional outworking is bad. I think that most people in thread have automatically tied in the idea of an altar call with emotionalism or something, which was not the original intent, I'm sure - simply an outworking of the idea, which is not too good.

God's Jedi · 10-22-2003, 01:06 AM

At my church, "altar call" means going and kneeling on the steps and praying. This whole time, whether I go down or not, is very distracting. If I stay in my seat (which I almost always do), it feels like every eye is looking down on me for not following the crowd and praying on the steps. If I do go down, I still feel like every eye is watching me. I barely ever accomplish a full God centered prayer during "altar calls". The one time I got up and spoke in our youth service, I spoke on prayer, and made a point of not having an altar call. Some people thought that was strange, I felt it wasn't appropriate.

Luke · 10-22-2003, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by God's Jedi

At my church, "altar call" means going and kneeling on the steps and praying. This whole time, whether I go down or not, is very distracting. If I stay in my seat (which I almost always do), it feels like every eye is looking down on me for not following the crowd and praying on the steps. If I do go down, I still feel like every eye is watching me. I barely ever accomplish a full God centered prayer during "altar calls". The one time I got up and spoke in our youth service, I spoke on prayer, and made a point of not having an altar call. Some people thought that was strange, I felt it wasn't appropriate.

This describes rather accurately the inherent difficulty with altar calls, or one of them at least.

Grace & Peace
Luke

Brendt · 10-22-2003, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightknight

Dude, you don't want to break an oath with God.

Totally siggable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightknight

But the good thing about an alter is that gives a time and a place to do just that. Personally, i use my own time or an alter call if it has drawn something to my attention that i hadn't realized before.

Exactly.

Yes, altar calls are quite often emotion-based, give-the-pastor-an-ego-stroke, one-more-notch-on-my-Bible-belt farces. But none of those attributes are inherent to altar calls.

FWIW, my pastor is so averse to them, that when he believes that God instructs him to have one (we only have a few a year), he often balks and requests prayer from a few folks before the service that he'll be sensitive to God's leading and not just follow his flesh. Every week, there is a couple available after the service (usually an elder and his wife) near our "prayer room" for prayer/counsel, so that if you want to talk/pray with someone, you can.