The Altar Call
What is an altar call?
The altar call was
invented by a Presbyterian evangelist named Charles G. Finney
who lived from 1792-1875. Finney referred to the altar call
as coming to the anxious seat or to the inquiry room and began
using it in his evangelistic services in about 1820. It is
popularly called the invitation which is used right after
a sermon being preached. It involves walking down the aisle
to the front of a church auditorium and accepting Jesus Christ
as your Savior or to come for baptism and join the church
or just to pray. Although in most cases there is no physical
*altar present because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for
our sins and there cannot be anything greater to sacrifice
than that. Therefore there is no need for an altar.
Why do most Churches have altar calls?
Probably
the most important reason for having an altar call or invitation
is to help the person with their prayer. Most people that
are not saved really are confused on what to say and need
help and maybe a better understanding is more than just praying
a prayer: it means a genuine surrender of your heart and life
to Jesus Christ. Nothing less will do! In Matthew 10:32 in
states: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."
Foot notes
*The definition of an altar
in the Hebrew Bible is "a place of slaughter or sacrifice"
in the Hebrew Bible were typically made of earth (Exodus 20:24)
or unwrought stone (20:25).
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