by miss marigold
Being a Christian for a couple of decades gives you a fair share of awkward church and chapel moments. You fall asleep, you laugh when the minister unwittingly uses a sexual innuendo, or in my case, you remain stone-faced while everyone around you becomes intoxicated with the Holy Spirit. This became an issue during my Christian school years and its Spiritual Life Weeks. Basically, a special speaker would conduct chapel services and afternoon/night worship sessions and prayer meetings. While I enjoyed the general spiritual buzz, I always dreaded the imminent Friday morning altar call and consequent sob session.
At one point, I responded to altar calls, both spiritually and literally. When I was six, I accepted Christ. A few years later, when the speaker asked who would like to renew their faith, I approached the front and fell down on my knees along with everyone else. The speaker laid his hands on the heads of those who accepted Christ for the first time, we praised, we cried, we gave each other bear hugs, it was great. After about the fourth of fifth time, though, I couldn't do it anymore. After going through so many "break ups" and "renewals" with God, the altar call felt less like a personal revival and more like an orchestrated emotional breakdown. The collective weeping and exclamations of "PRAISE JESUS" made my school look like a huge cult. I'd watch as the chairs began losing their occupants - and soon enough, it looked like the only people around me were the self-proclaimed atheists and agnostics, many of whom were rebelling against their de facto status as "pet projects" of those wanting to win over more people to Jesus ASAP. Guilt and awkwardness overpowered me - I was a Christian, so why wasn't I up there? Wait, what if the teachers thought I wasn't a Christian anymore? I was already saved, so I didn't need to accept Christ again, but my faith will never perfect, so I could always use some renewing...so how come I'm not going up there...?? Am I too proud? Am I dead inside?
For the longest time, I couldn't admit that I don't like altar calls out of fear that others would label me a heathen or something. At the same time, I felt guilty for not wanting to do "the Christian thing." I especially did not like it when the speaker would ask us to close our eyes and raise our hands if we wanted to reconnect with Jesus. What is this, voting for the class president with secret ballots? Sure, I felt *something* during those altar calls, but that was guilt. It was not the Holy Spirit's compelling by any means - let me know if you disagree, but I don't think God guilt-trips us into doing His will. I don't like to think that He would manipulate me that way; rather, my experience with altar calls let me know that if I went up, it'd be for the wrong reasons. I'd be like a Pharisee - just doing it so everyone could see I was a Christian.
I'm sure altar calls click with a lot of people, but something about them doesn't bounce off me well. They're just not my style. Why do I need to raise my hand (while everyone supposedly closes their eyes) to prove I'm a Christian? If God can read our hearts, why would He need to see that? I especially cautioned against the spiritual high ensuing from the end of Spiritual Life Week; there's nothing really wrong with altar calls, but by depending on them when I was younger, I established a revolving door relationship with God. I always walked in or out of it, but never really went forward. I based my allegiance to Him on emotional highs and lows instead of continual discipline and dedication.
It's been about four years since I last witnessed an altar call - would I participate in one now? I don't know. If I feel spiritually compelled to go forward and renew my faith in front of everyone, I will. At this point, however, I would rather focus on developing qualities that actually challenge my naturally impatient character. It's one thing to bow prostrate when I'm already filled with the Spirit and on the verge of tears. It's another thing to forgive my roommate because she attempted to set a ten-minute time slot for when I could shower last night.
How do you feel about altar calls? What has your experience with them (or similar practices) been like?
Comments (36)
I agree about God not guilt tripping us. But I have to say that, for me, when I raise my hand to God, it isn't about making sure He's sees that, but it helps me to completely surrender to Him. So that way I'm doing something physically too.
The altar call is a recent invention, Charles Finney and the other revivalists of the late 19th century came up with it. I don't like Charles Finney, or his Pelagionism, and I don't like his stinking altar calls either. There are some many people who make "decisions" based on emotion or peer pressure, and then since they "prayed" the magical "sinners prayer",(which God supposedly "can't" ignore, even if the person is completely insincere) with the guy up front, even though they had no idea what they were doing, got dunked and were now "believers". Two years later their not even attending church anymore, and have no desire to serve God, nor any love for Him, they have clearly never truely converted to Christ, but because some ya hoo told them once in grace always in grace, which is true if you ever were in grace, you cannot convince them they are in need of salvation. We do this to get numbers, both baptisms and membership, and we have no intention of discipling these people beyond teaching them the same shtick and sending them out to get more numbers, and we have their blood on our hands. Does that sum it up?
I think they can be good or bad.
Baptists seem to do them every Sunday.
The church we are going to now (Calvary Chapel) doesn't. I prefer Calvary Chapel
Pastor's that try to put guilt trips on people is NOT the Holy Spirit working in a heart. It's why churches today are filled with so many unregenerated people. I was in a church once that this same girl went down to "rededicate" her life every few weeks. I don't think the girl ever really understood what it meant to be a Christian. She would drink and smoke and run around and on Sunday seemed to think if she rededicated her life it made everything ok. At the church I worship at now, we sing a song at the end of the service, but it's to worship our Lord in song. If anyone wants to join our church or come for baptism, they go thru a class first that tells them exactly what we believe as a church. That way they know what they are getting into and if they are serious about a commitment to Christ, it will be seen by them staying thru the class. Someone asked my pastor how to keep people once they join, from leaving out the back door. He said be careful who you let in the front door.
So I guess in answering the question, I don't think alter calls are so good. Most of them are ALL emotion, that is the ones that say they are making a decision for Christ....but not always. Pastors need to be careful that are looking for numbers, they are leaving souls behind...maybe even their own!
I totally know what you mean by that "guilt" feeling. Somehow that guilt grew when I felt like I was somehow trying to justify my not going up to the altar, but telling myself that God already knows how I feel... I told myself that this is somehow a sign that I am ashamed of proclaiming that I believe... that my not going up there means that I put my pride before my belief.
But. Then I realized that, like you mentioned, "I'd be like a Pharisee - just doing it so everyone could see I was a Christian." I think that unrest and guilt I felt, was not from the Holy Spirit, urging me to move forward and proclaim my beliefs. I know where I stand, and me raising my hand or going up to the altar does not PLEASE God who already calls me his child. And it doesn't even "encourage" other believers who see me going up there. If a person truly feels a need to go up there, then good for him/her! But if I went there, like I used to when I was younger, based on the outward pressure I felt to belong, or prove my identity as a Christian, then it would've been wrong. I think anything that I do, as a way to prove to myself, or others, that I am Christian, is missing the point. I need to believe the TRUTH that I have been forgiven of ALL my sins, that Jesus lives in me, and my identity is as a child of God.
I am uncomfortable with altar calls because it is a momentous mountain top experience. And, then what happens the next day? I'm a firm believer in building relationships with people so that there is someone to walk with that new believer every day. Let's face it--once the emotion is gone and you return to normal life, things get hard. Your teacher or boss doesn't care that you gave your life to Christ. It is the most significant event of your life and it's treated as a momentary lapse of judgment by most people. It is effective for some. But for the majority, I think it leaves the new believer thinking 'What did I just do?"
yeah i guess i have to agree with a lot of what people said above. i've seen some people very deeply moved by altar calls, and if that really was a Godly experience, i suppose i would rather deal with the discomfort and let them have their experience. coming from a catholic background, however, leaves me with a skepticism towards altar calls. i've never felt moved by one personally, and most that i've spoken with about the subject tend towards agreement.
i suppose the best answer is that people will find what they need when they need it. i haven't needed an altar call, so God hasn't led me to it. but i pray that the ones that work truly work for the people involved--and aren't used for mere show.Â
you know, i don't personallly have anything against altar calls, but i can certainly see where you're coming from. and the whole "revolving door relationship w/ God" thing, i've been there and done that. for me, my issue always came when i wasn't praising God the way other people felt i should. i felt an immense pressure to be very vocal. i think people should let others worship God in their own way. while i do get very vocal and emotional sometimes, it's not something that i do every Sunday and i know it's not God's requirement.
Great blog. It made me think, and touched on how I feel as well.
I don't really care for altar calls. Sometimes it's nice, but I do find a lot of people who put up acts, say they'll do it right next time, but they'll be in the same rut next week.
Once I was at a church and this pastor had an altar call out of the blue and no one went. It was VERY embarrassing, at least for me. >>;; I really wanted to go down but I thought I would be put on the spot, plus it ruin the whole point of an altar call. I'm already a christian. Plus I have heard of a lot of Christians who didn't go on an altar call because they didn't want to be put on the spot. :/
But if it works for you, good. But not for me. I don't deal with attention like that very well.
Altar calls are also good for getting business done with God, and good for identifying with Christ. Just a guilt trip? Hardly (I'll expound more greatly on this later) !!!
Maybe instead of altar calls we should have cross calls........come up get a cross and carry it...die on it if need by. Where is the cost of discipleship these days?
The altar call doesn't have to be a guilt trip. Decisions made at the altar don't have to be emotional. You don't have to have a "bad" relationship with God in order to go forward to the altar.
When I respond to an altar call it is because the message touched me or encouraged me to change in some way. Praying at the altar is the same as praying at my seat--except that the physical movement reinforces the spiritual decision.
I don't like anything that;
a. Â is highly emotive
b. Â is spiritually manipulative
c. Â does not reflect the authenticity and relational way that Jesus ministered to people.
If an alter call can exist without all of the above then I would be okay with that.
x
I can definitely relate to this. The church I attend doesn't do the altar call thing during regular services, but I've been to a number of youth conferences/retreats with various Christian organizations where they were done. I've never been moved to go up to one; I'd much rather repent & recommit in private or with someone from my church that's familiar with my struggles. I find it very hard to get all pumped up about mass groups of people crying all over themselves and eachother-making promises they're likely to forget by the end of the week anyway. Forgive me if I sound overly cynical-but it reminds me of a bunch of drunk people screaming that they love everyone and everything, but in the morning all that's left is nasty hangover and a funny taste in their mouth. The one time I went up to an altar call was a really awkward experience for me. One of my youth leaders practically dragged me up after noticing I was one of the only people in my seat (not because I don't believe in God, but because I was Not Feeling It.) Once we got up there, she and a bunch of other "staff" started praying for me with tears in their eyes-asking God that I'd eventually come to know him for real-incredibly presumptive of them-but I suppose they meant well, right?
Only God knows what's going on in a person's heart. I'll skip the posturing and surrender myself to Him and Him alone. If altar calls work for some people-excellent-but they are not compatible with my personality or the way I want to conduct my relationship with God.
We have altar calls at pretty much every service in our church. Do I go up to the altar every time? No. The altar is not meant to be an "event" where we automatically go to like little robots at every service. It's meant to be a safe place where we can lay down our burdens and ask for forgiveness if we need too. It's meant to be a place where other brothers and sisters in the faith can pray with us and help us through a tough time in our life. It's just another place where we can talk to God. The altar, however, is not the end all be all, it can be the beginning of something wonderful. For some, it's the first step in a brand new life.
I have been to the altar where God's presence was so amazing it felt as if it was only He and I in that moment. If your hearts desire is to want more of Him, the altar is just a natural place to run to.It's just another way to show the Father you mean business and want to grow and change.
I attend a Baptist church, and our version of the altar call is that the pastor asks any Christians who are willing to talk to and pray with someone who has been touched by the Holy Spirit to raise their hand. He then tells anyone who has been touched by the Spirit to speak to him or one of these people after the service.
I tend to question things that are done in the Church, like altar calls, that involve too much emotion. We are not meant to depend entirely on emotion or intellect. There has to be a balance. Our salvation is a matter of heart and mind. It's doubtful that an experience that only involves one or the other is a true salvation experience.
I grew up in Charismatic churches, and as an adult I am a Baptist. (Now I'm a Bapti-matic) I find that this is an issue not of spirituality, but of personal preference.
In Charismatic churches, people like to be emotional. They not only flood the altar at the end, they dance during the singing, and often time is set aside for communal, out-loud- prayer in every service. I am reminded of Biblical descriptions of the Hebrew people in worship: David dancing wildly before the ark, or the people mourning in sackloth. The Hebrews, and many of today's Jews, are very emotional worshippers.
In Baptist churches, emotions are restrained. There is a more dignified atmosphere. Worshippers may raise their hands, you may see one or two weeping, but quietly to themselves. Every so often, they clap. In the church I attend now, there is an altar call every week, but those responding are rare. I would say less than once a month does someone come forward. And when they do, one of the pastors or their wives prays quietly with or for them. The service goes on as if they are not there. There is absoloutely no atmosphere of judgement, for I have seen everyone from brand-new beleivers to deacons come forward for prayer.
I can say that the quality and quantity of faith in either style of chruch is the same. I know so many wonderful Brothers and Sisters from both styles of church. And that's what they are: styles. My husband and I both attened both kinds of churches, and the main reason we went Baptist was that he is uncomfortable with all the emotional hoopla. I kind of like it. I think that if you are uncomfortable with altar calls, that is OK-- . But if you like them and you like the high emotion of them, then that is OK, too. Obviously, God doesn't care where you are, but where your heart is. If I was ever in a church where I felt manipulated by the altar call, I would probably go somewhere else.
Altar calls when prompted by the Spirit don't lead to that outcome. There have been various times when at my church or another church, they made altar calls and all the youth would go up. In my opinion a lot of the times the youth went up it seemed like it was the "cool"thing to do. Sometimes the youth would be like hey come and get prayer with us, come to the altar call, and I would decline because I know when I need to go up for prayer. The Spirit inside of me either convicts me, or tells me if I shouldn't. When things like altar calls get Mass produced they get watered down. When you chose to go on your own because the Spirit lets you know you should, it feels new everytime. Good post God bless!
Oh thank goodness! I thought I was the only one who thought this way! When I was little, like in kindergarten, there was this chapel that went on, and all the little kids went up to the altar to "get saved". But I stayed in my seat. Why? Cause I knew I was already saved. I didn't have to get saved again. So I stayed seated while I watched all my friends go up. But afterwards, one of my friends said "You didn't go up?" "No." "Well, you at least prayed in your seat, didn't you?" And after that I thought I had to go up every time.
It's so silly! It makes it so I can't listen in church anymore because I get so embittered when I see churches use emotional highs to make people think that God is there. *sigh* It's tough. I haven't even been going to youth group recently because of it.
But I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks this way. Everyone else just gives me a weird look and tells me that I'm seeing it wrong and on like that.
--Caitlin
As a Catholic, I have no experience with "altar calls" of this kind; I had to ask my convert friend for an explanation! But from what he has told me, I find my daily experience of Eucharist/Communion to be an altar call of sorts. By approaching the altar and receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, I publically reaffirm and seal my faith in and love of Jesus Christ. It is also a very private and personal time in which I approach Jesus face-to-face and enter into the mystery of His existence as He does mine. The only public pronouncment I make is "Amen," which though one word in our reality speaks volumes in the next.
I know that Catholics struggle with this in a similar way that you struggle with the altar call. I find that one's faith can be a continual renewal, day-by-day or even moment-by-moment. But Christ is ever-present and ever-patient, ever-loving, and He has made His one time committment to us, which He will keep no matter what happens to us, so long as we try our best to hold up our end. He is so loving and merciful!
I go to a Baptist church and we have altar calls every Sunday. Yet, the way my pastor does it, I have never felt any guilt for not going up. He gives the altar call of finding salvation, repenting or asking for help if, and ONLY if, we feel the Lord leading us. He asks for us to raise out hands if we want him to pray for us and whatever I need may be. Basically, he leaves it up to us and if the Lord is speaking to our hearts to come forth. We, of course, have the people who go up almost every week to rededicate themselves, I can't really judge if it helps them or not because I only see them on the occasional Sunday that their parents (they're all younger teens) will bring them in/when they feel like coming (which is ridiculous, but that's a whole other rant). I'm not usually so inclined to follow an altar call, I've never felt the emotional/spiritual urge outside of LIFT camp which I attended the last two years. I think altar calls are just a matter of personal preference and how the Lord speaks to your heart. For some people it's the calls, others (like me) it's music. It's dependent on how you feel close to the Lord, in my opinion.
I completely agree with you! I feel that they are, for the most part, very manipulative. My church (which I've only been a member of for a year and a half) simply makes the offer that people may stay at the communion rail as long as they like (we're Lutheran, so we have communion every Sunday). Since the rail is actually a circle, with the flow of people coming and going not always being in order anyhow, it works nicely because it's quiet and personal, without sticking out or showing off. And it's meaningful because nobody is pressured into it or anything like that.
Altars calls were a huge tool used in the second great Awakening in the mid-1800s. These revivalists used the same tactics of preying on their attendees' emotions to create the desired response. They would wear out the participants emotionally through the use of apocalyptic and judgmental language, and then use this language to draw them forward to the altar, to confess their sins, and their new found or refreshed faith in God and Christ.
Personally, I have never responded to an altar call. They seem false to me. The work of God in a person's heart is intensely personal, and I do not think it is something to be paraded in front of an audience. If a converted Christian wishes to speak out about the Grace of God in their life, I think that is wonderful, but it is not up to the minister to draw that out in the midst of a public service. And for those who have a settled conviction that they are sinners, why should they need to re-affirm before MEN their conversion, when it is before GOD they stand or fall. Altar Calls (I believe) have no Scriptural basis, and are only a tool manipulated by (perhaps) well-meaning ministers to wring every ounce of loyalty out of their members.
I do not like altar calls. I'm sorry if this was too harsh, but I really do not like them.
There is some truth in what you say about altar calls. During one such event, some years ago, the pastor called for bowed heads and closed eyes so that he could ask the massed attendees which of them the Holy Spirit had pricked in their hearts by secretly raising their hands, and then he would pray silently for them (this way he did not have to actually talk to these anonymous conscience-pierced individuals, I suppose, and he could be more efficient in dismissing for lunch). Curious about all this, I continued to watch the crowd instead of bowing my head. From the speaker system came this rebuke, "I said all eyes closed and all heads bowed so that I am the only one who knows which of you are sinners!"
I still doubt that this is the most soul-centered, caring, and helpful approach we can take to assisting people in moments of spiritual crisis or enlightenment.