That’s a hilarious story! Why didn’t you put that in your book?

But seriously, thanks for your work and contribution to the fundamentalist movement. As a required textbook for class, I enjoyed discussing your contribution to the topic of the class (which was Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism).

Blessings,
Joel

Rightly stated that “contemporary fundamentalists are so antagonistic about their brethren who either do not stress the importance of altar calls or have done away with it altogether.” I served on staff at a church plant in Colorado for three years where we say healthy church growth through the addition of truly regenerate people as result of Christ centered gospel preaching and evangelism. We saw God add to our numbers weekly but yet we came under attack by the other baptist churches in our community simply because we did not have an altar call. No one was willing to look at their own plateaued and declining congregatioins and ask tough questions like “why are we seeing none saved?” or even “why is noone new setting foot on our property?” We were an easy target for jealousy (which is simply ridiculous for those in the Kingdom to engage in) and eventually even slander simply because we did not have an altar call.

The altar call and all that comes with it have created an unhealthy and uneducated religious culture in the south that has seperated regeneration from church membership and in my opinion led to a works based religion. I currently and back in the south (North Texas) in what I would consider the heart of the bible belt yet many in church have no understanding of the gospel, true salvation, regeneration and transformation, justification or sanctification. In my years of student ministry in the Bible Belt 92-02 and o4 to present I come across student quite regularly that have been “saved” and/or baptized multiple times. Most commonly two and three times, but sometimes upwards of 4, 5, 6, or more times. Salvation has been minimized to simply a physical act of walking down an aisle, repeating the “sinners prayer,” filling out a card/checking a box, or commiting to and being baptized.

I appreciate this article and bringing to light a problem that exists not only as a practice or methodology but ultimately as a theological problem that betrays a fundamentaly (no pun intended) flawed view of soteriology.

Michael

Thanks for this post. I recently made one similar. I wish I could understand more why pastors feel the need. My wife thinks that when visiting preachers go to churches that they do it so they or atleast the event will be remembered. That’s her observation.

If you like, my post is here: http://hereiblog.wordpress.com/2007/02/05/the-altar-question-southern-baptists-and-others/

Thanks,
Mark

I agree that the altar call has been elevated to a near cultural sacrament. Far too many place in assurance of salvation in the fact they have “come forward” to “pray the prayer.” Assurance is about so much more than a one time event; for one thing, it is about how our life has changed because of what Christ has done and continues to do in our hearts.

I fear, however, that many well meaning preachers of superior biblical/theological/historical education might be tempted to abandon the invitation system (for lack of a better term) cold turkey. For many American evangelicals, the abandonment of the altar call is equivalent that one is not interested in evangelism. I don’t believe fighting for or against the traditional altar call is a hill on which ministers should choose to die. I do, however, agree most heartily with your desire to “promote a doctrine-centered evangelism which expresses the heart of Christ with the truths of His Word.” Let’s get our people to understand that the Spirit works in more ways and at more times than just the post-sermon invitation.

http://www.biblicalstudies.com/bstudy/ecclesiology/altar.htm

By the way. I was saved on a night I had gone down an aisle at an invitation. That was seven years after I had “gotten saved” at my house, with no pressure. It does happen. A big thing is to do the invitation clearly, and take people out for good counseling, not do a rush job during the 4th stanza of a song at the front of the church.