And our pastor may have committed it. Sorry, Josh. On Easter morning, nonetheless. I should have been looking for the lightning bolts 
to thunder down from the heavens, I guess.
Last night at the prison bible study I played 
the excerpt from the IRBC Easter sermon that was posted here last week, and which I will reproduce shortly. I wanted to get the thoughts of the men on it – men from all over the Christian spectrum.
Once again, here is the except – this is the last four minutes of the sermon, Easter morning at Indian River Baptist Church:
There were about 30 men there listening. The very first comment, from one of the men with whom I butt heads frequently, was this:
“It’s a sorry church that doesn’t close with an altar call.”
Proof positive that the Spirit is working is the fact I didn’t say something dumb in response at that point.
Isn’t it curious (well, perhaps not, seeing where the “evangelical” church has gone over the past 150 years given the influence of Charles Finney and his descendants) that the comment had nothing to do with the content of what was said? That an altar call is an essential element of a sermon?
The following video and links deal with what has in essence, become a “sacrament” in many churches/denominations. I can’t speak for the denominational background of the man who made the above comment, but the resources below deal with it primarily from a Baptist perspective.
Fred Zaspel (PDF)
I have recounted this before, so I’ll be brief. I was being interviewed for a staff position at a small Baptist church. The elder (they only had one) on the committee asked my opinion on the altar call. I responded I didn’t see that they were necessary because I didn’t see them anywhere in the New Testament. “Apoplectic” wouldn’t describe his reaction, but it’s in the neighborhood. He claimed his three sons never would have been if it had not been for an altar call being issued. I responded that perhaps his osn were already “saved” before they made the long walk – but we in many cases have made the altar call a requirement for salvation. I said that there was nothing inherently wrong in doing an altar call, but I saw them – as we “do” them – nowhere in the New Testament.
He was not impressed, to say the least. The lightning bolts were held back. I never did hear back from that church, which is another story.
Perhaps our merciful, loving, sovereign God will grant Pastor Josh some grace for not doing an altar call in the Easter sermon. Some Christians, on the other hand……
Interestingly, at tonight’s school board meeting I was told by a teacher (after having been attacked publically) that I had committed the “unpardonable sin” by removing my kids from the public school to home school them. There is even a recall petition started! It seems I’m committing these unpardonable misdeeds everywhere I go. :)
Great. Now we’re going to have to figure out which unforgivable sin is more unforgivable. Maybe the Bible Drill Guy can help us out….
In the first chapter of Mark, Jesus was preaching in Galilee and called to Andrew and Simon to come follow me and I will make you fishers of men. That sounds like preaching followed by an invitation that led to a public decision. Granted these events may not have transpired in the way we see them in a modern service but it still provides a pattern. The second chapter of Acts reads :
“40And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
That sounds very familiar. Peter bore witness and exhorted and they added 3000 that day. It doesn’t say that if they sang “Just as I am” or “I Surrender All”.
It would seem that “altar calls” or invitations are not without some basis in the scripture. I don’t think they’re commanded but I wouldn’t say they are unnecessary or unscriptural. Maybe if the Spirit is working in the congregation there’s need for an invitation or maybe you should sing a hymn and go out as the disciples did after the Last Supper. Let the Spirit be you guide.
Of course, if your a Calvinist, you could just eat donuts and drink coffee and wait for the other elect to just show up. If you’re preaching to save a lost soul, there’s a sense of urgency. This person could leave the service without making a public or private commitment to God and spend eternity separated from God. We owe it to them to make every effort and give them every opportunity for Holy Spirit to convict them. If you’re Calvinist, that person in pew can’t make a decision, he can’t resist, and he’s not lost, he just hasn’t realized that he’s part of the elect. That’s not nearly as dire. He can’t become un-elected so it’s just a matter of time. He’s already saved so why drag this out. Anyway, if he’s not part of the elect, it won’t matter, he’s still going to Hell.
Huh?
Thanks for stopping by. It would appear you are confusing the command to “Repent and believe” with our modern-day altar call. If I wasn’t spending this week in preparation for a three-day evangelistic trip into a Michigan prison, presenting 36-40 Satanists, Buddhists, Nation of Islam/Moorish Science Temple of America/Melanic/Five Percenter Muslims, Odinists and downright atheists the message of redemption through Jesus Christ alone, I’d comment at more length about we Calvinists not evangelizing(!!).
Thank you. You REALLY are the light-hearted calvinist. Let me be clear, “repent and believe” should be the intent of any “altar call”. It’s not required to have one and is not sinful to skip it. I thought I was more or less on your side with that. But it’s not wrong to have one. Maybe it is wrong to have one purely out of habit as opposed to being led by the Spirit. The day of Pentecost is perfect example of being led by Spirit.
Even though we disagree on some theology, if you’re evangelizing, we still have common ground. I’m praying for your success with the prison ministry. I’ll mention it at prayer meeting and my group can lift you up. I should have ended my comment with a smiley so you’d know that I’m your light-hearted arminian brother in Christ. I should also mention that the links for grace online and geoff bagget are broken.