304:
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.
105:
93:
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. 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".
22:
303:
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
92:
object 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.
428:
316:
421:
414:
69:
theology, the altar call, in addition to being an invitation for people to experience the New Birth, is also often used to implore believers to experience the
370:
610:
485:
320:
1083:
679:
1073:
592:
342:
Hardy, Carey (February 21, 2005). "Chapter 8: Just As I Am: A Closer Look at
Invitations and Altar Calls". In MacArthur, John (ed.).
207:
Hardy, Carey (February 21, 2005). "Chapter 8: Just As I Am: A Closer Look at
Invitations and Altar Calls". In MacArthur, John (ed.).
376:
755:
65:, "popularized the idea of the 'altar call' in order to sign up his converts for the abolition movement". In many Churches of the
750:
391:
1098:
549:
508:
503:
179:
1200:
437:
351:
216:
1195:
661:
643:
278:
253:
53:
Altar calls are a recent historic phenomenon beginning in the 1830s in
America. During these, people approached the
715:
1103:
1205:
1078:
707:
526:
1174:
1052:
997:
825:
697:
45:
located at the front of the church building. Most altar calls occur at the end of an evangelical address.
1088:
564:
460:
1113:
921:
799:
720:
123:
401:
1032:
860:
559:
1154:
1037:
1007:
62:
406:
143:
1134:
1047:
787:
770:
628:
475:
245:
234:
1093:
1042:
782:
765:
638:
569:
544:
74:
382:
1002:
916:
895:
875:
830:
740:
653:
183:
153:
70:
41:
are invited to come forward publicly. It is so named because the supplicants gather at the
8:
1027:
845:
835:
470:
465:
110:
1068:
955:
928:
850:
840:
775:
587:
148:
58:
402:
The new altar call.(HEATS & MINDS) (Poverty): An article from: Sojourners
Magazine
870:
865:
620:
602:
554:
480:
347:
274:
249:
212:
158:
89:
88:
Rick Warren notes that the Bible does not refer to any similar practice. Some in the
66:
1118:
1012:
885:
386:
34:
1164:
1159:
1108:
938:
820:
804:
794:
760:
633:
518:
1149:
1022:
933:
579:
536:
128:
1189:
1169:
981:
241:
1144:
1139:
1017:
971:
948:
943:
745:
78:
38:
880:
495:
118:
82:
976:
890:
855:
133:
54:
236:
The Call to
Conversion: Why Faith Is Always Personal but Never Private
689:
671:
138:
452:
436:
104:
297:
Warren, Rick. "Communicating to Change Lives - Teaching Notes".
37:
in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to
42:
21:
77:. Notable examples in history of using altar calls include
61:
to pray. One of the most famous 19th century revivalists,
299:
Preaching for Life Change
Seminar: International Version
100:
233:
1187:
611:Conservative Congregational Christian Conference
344:Fool's Gold? Discerning Truth in an Age of Error
209:Fool's Gold? Discerning Truth in an Age of Error
486:General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
438:Evangelical Protestantism in the United States
422:
476:Conservative Baptist Association of America
202:
200:
680:Christian Reformed Church in North America
429:
415:
377:The 'Altar Call' Is it helpful or harmful?
273:. Columbia University Press. p. 238.
1084:Evangelical and Ecumenical Women's Caucus
1074:Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
593:Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
262:
177:
292:
290:
197:
20:
751:Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
1188:
268:
231:
410:
341:
287:
269:Balmer, Randall (November 18, 2005).
206:
178:Anyabwile, Thabiti (April 29, 2011).
1099:National Association of Evangelicals
756:Fundamentalist–modernist controversy
550:Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
509:Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
16:Tradition in some Christian churches
13:
296:
14:
1217:
662:Christian and Missionary Alliance
644:Church of God (Anderson, Indiana)
364:
1069:Christianity Today International
716:Association of Vineyard Churches
504:Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
103:
1104:National Religious Broadcasters
346:. Crossway Books. p. 142.
211:. Crossway Books. p. 132.
1079:Evangelical Climate Initiative
527:Presbyterian Church in America
335:
309:
225:
171:
1:
1053:Transformational Christianity
164:
48:
998:Apostolic-Prophetic Movement
826:Baptism with the Holy Spirit
698:Seventh-day Adventist Church
396:Becoming an Emissary for God
232:Wallis, Jim (January 1981).
7:
1089:Fuller Theological Seminary
565:Pentecostal Holiness Church
461:Southern Baptist Convention
96:
25:1839 Second Great Awakening
10:
1222:
1201:Conversion to Christianity
1114:World Vision United States
922:Contemporary worship music
800:Los Angeles Crusade (1949)
721:Calvary Chapel Association
392:How to Botch an Altar Call
124:Conversion to Christianity
1127:
1061:
1033:New Apostolic Reformation
990:
964:
904:
861:Christianity and abortion
813:
733:
706:
688:
670:
652:
619:
601:
578:
560:Pentecostal Church of God
535:
517:
494:
451:
444:
180:"What About Altar Calls?"
1196:Evangelical ecclesiology
1155:Charles Grandison Finney
1038:Neo-charismatic movement
1008:Christian fundamentalism
708:Nondenominational Family
603:Congregationalist Family
271:Protestantism in America
63:Charles Grandison Finney
33:is a tradition in some
1135:Aimee Semple McPherson
1048:Seven Mountain Mandate
788:Fourth Great Awakening
771:Second Great Awakening
629:Church of the Nazarene
26:
1206:Christian terminology
1094:Moody Bible Institute
1043:Red-Letter Christians
783:Third Great Awakening
766:First Great Awakening
639:Free Methodist Church
580:Restorationist Family
570:Apostolic Pentecostal
545:Assemblies of God USA
371:Altar Call Evangelism
75:entire sanctification
24:
1003:Bapticostal movement
917:Contemporary worship
896:Second work of grace
876:Evangelical theology
741:Azusa Street Revival
184:The Gospel Coalition
71:second work of grace
1028:Post-evangelicalism
846:Biblical patriarchy
836:Biblical literalism
519:Presbyterian Family
471:Missionary Baptists
466:Independent Baptist
323:on October 30, 2008
111:Christianity portal
57:, anxious seat, or
851:Biblical womanhood
841:Biblical inerrancy
776:Cane Ridge Revival
588:Churches of Christ
537:Pentecostal Family
317:"1 www.9marks.org"
35:Christian churches
27:
1183:
1182:
871:Decision theology
866:Christian Zionism
831:Believers' Church
729:
728:
654:Keswickian Family
555:Foursquare Church
481:Free Will Baptist
379:by Fred G. Zaspel
373:by Paul Alexander
159:Decision theology
90:Reformed Churches
67:Wesleyan-Arminian
1213:
1175:Jonathan Edwards
1119:Youth for Christ
1013:Evangelical left
886:Kingdom theology
690:Adventist Family
449:
448:
431:
424:
417:
408:
407:
387:G. I. Williamson
358:
357:
339:
333:
332:
330:
328:
319:. Archived from
313:
307:
306:
294:
285:
284:
266:
260:
259:
239:
229:
223:
222:
204:
195:
194:
192:
190:
175:
113:
108:
107:
1221:
1220:
1216:
1215:
1214:
1212:
1211:
1210:
1186:
1185:
1184:
1179:
1165:Franklin Graham
1160:Dwight L. Moody
1123:
1109:Promise Keepers
1057:
986:
960:
956:Sinner's prayer
939:Revival meeting
929:Mourner's bench
900:
821:Baptism by fire
809:
805:Revival of 1800
795:Healing revival
761:Great Awakening
725:
702:
684:
672:Reformed Family
666:
648:
634:Wesleyan Church
621:Holiness Family
615:
597:
574:
531:
513:
496:Lutheran Family
490:
440:
435:
394:- adapted from
367:
362:
361:
354:
340:
336:
326:
324:
315:
314:
310:
295:
288:
281:
267:
263:
256:
230:
226:
219:
205:
198:
188:
186:
176:
172:
167:
149:Sinner's prayer
109:
102:
99:
59:mourner's bench
51:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1219:
1209:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1181:
1180:
1178:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1150:C. I. Scofield
1147:
1142:
1137:
1131:
1129:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1065:
1063:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1023:Jesus movement
1020:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
994:
992:
988:
987:
985:
984:
979:
974:
968:
966:
962:
961:
959:
958:
953:
952:
951:
946:
936:
934:Prayer warrior
931:
926:
925:
924:
914:
908:
906:
902:
901:
899:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
817:
815:
811:
810:
808:
807:
802:
797:
792:
791:
790:
785:
780:
779:
778:
768:
758:
753:
748:
743:
737:
735:
731:
730:
727:
726:
724:
723:
718:
712:
710:
704:
703:
701:
700:
694:
692:
686:
685:
683:
682:
676:
674:
668:
667:
665:
664:
658:
656:
650:
649:
647:
646:
641:
636:
631:
625:
623:
617:
616:
614:
613:
607:
605:
599:
598:
596:
595:
590:
584:
582:
576:
575:
573:
572:
567:
562:
557:
552:
547:
541:
539:
533:
532:
530:
529:
523:
521:
515:
514:
512:
511:
506:
500:
498:
492:
491:
489:
488:
483:
478:
473:
468:
463:
457:
455:
453:Baptist Family
446:
442:
441:
434:
433:
426:
419:
411:
405:
404:
399:
398:by Allen Atzbi
389:
380:
374:
366:
365:External links
363:
360:
359:
353:978-0860075714
352:
334:
308:
301:. p. 81.
286:
279:
261:
254:
224:
218:978-0860075714
217:
196:
169:
168:
166:
163:
162:
161:
156:
151:
146:
141:
136:
131:
129:Evangelicalism
126:
121:
115:
114:
98:
95:
50:
47:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1218:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1193:
1191:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1170:Jerry Falwell
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1132:
1130:
1128:Major figures
1126:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1066:
1064:
1060:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
995:
993:
989:
983:
982:Televangelism
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
969:
967:
963:
957:
954:
950:
947:
945:
942:
941:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
923:
920:
919:
918:
915:
913:
910:
909:
907:
903:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
818:
816:
812:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
789:
786:
784:
781:
777:
774:
773:
772:
769:
767:
764:
763:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
738:
736:
732:
722:
719:
717:
714:
713:
711:
709:
705:
699:
696:
695:
693:
691:
687:
681:
678:
677:
675:
673:
669:
663:
660:
659:
657:
655:
651:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
626:
624:
622:
618:
612:
609:
608:
606:
604:
600:
594:
591:
589:
586:
585:
583:
581:
577:
571:
568:
566:
563:
561:
558:
556:
553:
551:
548:
546:
543:
542:
540:
538:
534:
528:
525:
524:
522:
520:
516:
510:
507:
505:
502:
501:
499:
497:
493:
487:
484:
482:
479:
477:
474:
472:
469:
467:
464:
462:
459:
458:
456:
454:
450:
447:
443:
439:
432:
427:
425:
420:
418:
413:
412:
409:
403:
400:
397:
393:
390:
388:
384:
381:
378:
375:
372:
369:
368:
355:
349:
345:
338:
322:
318:
312:
305:
300:
293:
291:
282:
280:9780231507691
276:
272:
265:
257:
255:0-06-084237-7
251:
247:
243:
238:
237:
228:
220:
214:
210:
203:
201:
185:
181:
174:
170:
160:
157:
155:
152:
150:
147:
145:
142:
140:
137:
135:
132:
130:
127:
125:
122:
120:
117:
116:
112:
106:
101:
94:
91:
86:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
55:chancel rails
46:
44:
40:
36:
32:
23:
19:
1145:Billy Sunday
1140:Billy Graham
1062:Institutions
1018:Exvangelical
972:Bible church
949:Tent revival
944:Camp meeting
911:
746:Black church
395:
343:
337:
325:. Retrieved
321:the original
311:
302:
298:
270:
264:
235:
227:
208:
187:. Retrieved
173:
144:Regeneration
87:
79:Billy Sunday
52:
39:Jesus Christ
30:
28:
18:
881:Full Gospel
327:October 13,
189:December 7,
119:Arminianism
83:D. L. Moody
73:, known as
1190:Categories
977:Megachurch
912:Altar call
891:Quiverfull
856:Born again
383:Altar Call
244:. p.
165:References
134:Evangelism
49:Background
31:altar call
991:Movements
905:Practices
242:HarperOne
154:Synergism
139:Monergism
445:Churches
97:See also
814:Thought
734:History
350:
277:
252:
215:
965:Forms
43:altar
348:ISBN
329:2018
275:ISBN
250:ISBN
213:ISBN
191:2013
81:and
385:by
29:An
1192::
289:^
248:.
246:78
240:.
199:^
182:.
85:.
430:e
423:t
416:v
356:.
331:.
283:.
258:.
221:.
193:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
