Altar Calls

The altar call has been engrafted into most churches as something that must be done for people to 'accept Christ'. But is it really necessary? Or the better question, is it safe?

Interestingly the 'altar call', by many, is seen as an old custom but really it was never seen in the church until the early 1800's when Charles Finney introduced it. Charles Finney stated that you must manipulate and use any means necessary to get people to make a decision for Christ. Unfortunately that practice is completely unscriptural, in fact this has lead to many believing that it is in fact them that initiates and decides their own salvation and thus has neglected God's grace in all of it. Charles Finney was actually deemed a heretic by the church, but his idea of the altar call carried on into the modern church.

The altar call in itself is not an evil practice, but there are some things that I believe people should be warned of. I'm going to outline it in 6 points that were outlined in a CrossTv episode, but I will probably expound a little.

Danger #1 Indviduals can easily be led to believe that their trip down the aisle during an 'altar call' is somehow equal to salvation. The public act of 'going forward' can be so intimately associated with the genuine act of faith...that confusion results. People begin to believe that they are 'saved' by this act...rather than by Christ.
*One thing to keep in mind is that You Do Not Save Yourself. Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27 plainly tell us that salvation is impossible with man but that all things are possible with God. Christ is your savior and Hebrews 12:2 says He is the author and the perfecter of your faith, not yourself.

Danger #2 Requiring a public act at the point of salvation can lead a person to think they have 'done something' to 'get' salvation...which compromises the doctrine of grace.
*Once you believe that it was in fact something you did you now claim a salvation by works, your works, not God's. But Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." So then it is not by anything that you have within yourself. Your salvation lies completely within the mercy and grace of God. If you put it on yourself you rob God of His glory in converting the human soul.

Danger #3 Altar calls can lead to an over-emphasis on the public response or the public aspect of 'decisions' but a 'public decision' for Christ is not always a reliable indicator of true conversion. In fact...usually it's quite the opposite. History has repeatedly shown that public decisions frequently prove to be quite unreliable as barometers of genuinie conversions. And scripture itself teaches that the fruits of true conversion will only be evident in the life of a believer over time.
*Pretty self-explanatory. Conversion lies within your heart not in the words you speak.

Danger #4 Altar calls can elipse the real cause of conversion. The real cause is not the 'decision' or the 'appeal', or the 'walking of an aisle', nor the 'sinner's prayer', nor the felt 'emotion of the moment' as emotional music is softly played in the background. True conversion is caused by the Holy Spirit...who draws some to believe as the Gospel is proclaimed. And that will happen whether or not an altar call is given.
*One thing I have noticed over and over in most Baptists churches (not bashing Baptists, other churches do it, I've just experienced it more in the Baptists churches that I've been to), is that they like to play the mellow sad music while the invitation is being given. At one church I went to the preacher was giving an invitation and I actually heard a woman behind me say "Why are they not playing the keyboard?" The point is many times its the atmosphere and the music that works people into this emotional stir. But be careful, emotions will stir when convicted don't get me wrong but be sure it is the Holy Spirit that is working in you and not yourself working yourself up.

Danger #5 Some churches think that they are 'evangelistic' merely because they use altar calls. But, in reality, many churches are lilled into an evangelistic 'passivity' where their only attempts at evangelism as a church (or as individuals) are the altar calls at the end of each service. Many of which are so diluted and unbiblical in their presentation of the whole gospel that they are consistently fruitless...regardless of how many people 'come forward' and 'appear' to 'receive' Christ.
*Here is another thing I have noticed in my experience especially when I think back on it. Many time the whole sermon will be about nothing dealing with any salvation message, then at the end the preacher feels the need to interject a very quick gospel message into the sermon. One that is very weak and hardly tells you anything except, "Jesus died for you, come and make a decision to accept Him." Think about it next time you goto church. If the preacher is going to have an altar call like that it needs to be a scriptural message of the gospel, explaining your role in it and the role of God.

Danger #6 The historical record is indisputable: Altar calls have produced 'considerable mischief' (as the early Methodists predicted when altar calls were first introduced in the early 1800s. And early Methodists proved to be very correct in their initial judgment about that). Gospel presentations have grown increasingly diluted, much shorter and less complete, false conversions have become epidemic in the modern church, and God's truth and way are being maligned as a result.
*This says about the same thing. But if you ever wonder why someone seems to accept Christ and has a good run for a while and is on a 'church-camp high' or something, and then later falls away. Think about whether the true Gospel message was preached to them. It is very important that people understand all of it, their sinful state and not just saying "you're a sinner" but confronting their individual sin it is what the law is for (Galatians 3:24). What Christ did, in the full respect, for that person on the cross and the repentance that must take place. Don't cheat people to get more numbers or to make the Gospel more acceptable, you are not doing that person any good.


I believe that the altar call can have its use, as long as people understand that it is not anything that was instituted for the church in scripture. And that the church got along just fine for 1800 years before the altar call came along. There must be a clear and concise gospel message given and not just spurted out real quick at the end of a sermon. Any pastor and person must understand that you cannot manipulate a heart, the Spirit will work in those in whom God has chosen to show mercy. Do not rob God of his Grace and his sovereignty in the process of salvation.