The altar call
Awkward pressure and changing times
I grew up going to Pentecostal churches, entirely of the Trinitarian Holiness nature.
Altar calls were frequent and there was a heavy expectation to go forward to the altar to pray…regularly.
If you have no idea what an altar call is, then let me catch you up.
The altar was a dedicated space at the front of the sanctuary where the service was held where you could come and kneel and pray. And an altar call was when the preacher or pastor would specifically invite people to come to the altar to pray or ask for forgiveness or to become a Christian.
And, growing up, I have this one particular memory of my cousin going up to the altar and, when asking why, I was told to go and pray with him and find out.
And I remember kneeling down at the altar, totally unsure of what was going on, and having 3 or 4 random people coming to put their hands on my back and shoulders and pray, loudly, about things I was very confused about.
Praying about how I was getting saved that day and that God had big plans for me and to help me leave my life of sin…
…and I was about 8 years old at this point. I had no idea what was going on.
And that was my first (and almost my last) time at an altar during an altar call.
Nowadays, though, most churches don’t have altars anymore. They simply invite people to come to the front and pray with someone on the “prayer team” while standing at the front.
Times have changed, altars have changed, but the altar call has not.
And, I hope that you don’t ever feel the pressure or awkwardness that I felt that day…
…because I came back to an altar again in college, to a section of the altar dedicated to people who wanted to pray alone, and got to have a personal experience with God in a way I never had before.
There is something truly awe-inspiring about walking forward, making a conscious decision and statement about your faith, and following the routines and rituals of postures of prayer.
So, go to the altar, whatever that may look like…but only if you truly feel called or nudged by the Spirit to do so.
Would you mind sharing your altar call stories? Good or bad? Either reply or comment!
My prayer for today
Our Father, I ask that you lead people to a posture of prayer at the right and appropriate time. And I pray, Spirit, that you nudge people but also hold people back from stumbling into a situation that might alienate another rather than drawing them closer to God. Amen.
Remember
Before moving forward for an altar call or going to pray for someone else at an altar call, evaluate with the Spirit whether or not you should go. Then, trust the Spirit and yourself and move forward accordingly…