Quote:
Originally Posted by Maximilian
StuffApostolicsLike posted a new humorous topic on the altar call which took a tangent point into scare tactics being used at the altar appeal. One poster said this:
****If emotionalism works to get some people to lower their defenses and have honest conversations with God in the altar/pew/car/wherever, then I suppose it isn't in my place or anyone else's to criticize it too heavily---that is, until it becomes institutionalized as the only means by which one can have an experience and, further, that that experience, and not the overall orientation toward God, is sought after as an ends. Then there is a problem.*****
This sums up perfectly how I feel.
Whatever works. Compel them. Scare them. Love them. Woo them. Shame them. Guilt them. Whatever it takes. @#!*% is real. Jesus is God. He is worthy of our utter and complete surrender. Period. Jesus knows how to twist our arms and speak our language. Its His specialty to (seemingly) hurt and skeer us into obedience.  Ask Jonah, David, Peter and Paul.
Interesting discussion thus far.
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I personally don't think it is right to Compel them. Scare them. Love them. Woo them. Shame them. Guilt them, etc.
I visited a church Sunday night that I absolutely loved the way this pastor did altar. It was a great service with a lot of worshiping and at the end the pastor asked if there was anyone in the service that had not received the Holy Ghost since they believed. Two people came up and the pastor simply talked about how simple it was to receive God's gift. It was seconds before the two were speaking in tongues. So simple - so easy - no scare tactics or begging.
