Altar Call
 

Why do people go down front for a "blessing" after church? Why do pastors say its moving down front and that you have to go down front to meet God? Is this just tradition?

I can't find bible for it. Help me out!

Re: Altar Call
 

Well, I'll post a reflection--not so much an answer. And I don't want it to be misconstrued, but most any Pastor would admit that there is some showmanship involved in running especially a Pentecostal church; and the altar call is among other things a way to cement a Pastor's 'authority.'

I do remember studying this subject years ago, and although I can't find the relevant Scripture right now, I believe the Scriptural reason was to make 'it' a public confession or dedication.

Re: Altar Call
 

Charitable answer: More room down front to pray in pairs and groups... I mean really, have you ever tried to pray with people leaning over pews, scrunched down on the floor next to them in pews, from behind them in pews???

Less Charitable answer: Power Trip.

Re: Altar Call
 

Tradition.

Re: Altar Call
 

I think that T2W has the right answer. As a rule, it is often easier to pray for people in and around the altar area where there is more room. I have both worked and watched other work in both settings. It is just easier to move at the front. Further, This has actually been done in Protestant circles since the time of Wesley and the commencement of the 'Methodist/Holiness' movement. It would have also been a strike against the 'high church' formalism of the Presbyterian, Congregational, Anglican, Lutheran, and Catholic settings of the time.

Re: Altar Call
 

I always loved the altar service. It is in my opinion the most genuine and authentic part of Pentecostal services mostly void of the showmanship of preaching. I would love it better without the driving, repetitive music that is so prevalent in big churches and love small churches that don't have full 'bands' for that reason... Head and shoulders over hearing the choir sing although I love that too... only thing I love better might be testimony services and you just never hardly see those any more... but I could sit for hours and hear my brothers and sisters in the Lord testify about the goodness of God.

I do really miss church some days.

Re: Altar Call
 

I agree that the altar call does not need heavy music, unless of course it is more for giving God praise, and then I do not care as much. However, I believe that as long as things are done 'decently and in order', we do not have much room for our own personal preferences, and must submit. Which is not to say that we have not all seen things done out of order. When that happens, I have heard pastor's apologize for having certain preachers in their pulpits.

Re: Altar Call
 

I think altar service/call is mostly a non scriptural tradition. Not that it should be discarded on that basis, but it's mostly something that has just developed in recent history.

I guess the closest we would get to any scriptural support would be references that show those recieving the word after a message like Acts 2:37
1 Cor 13:16 and Acts 8:15

Re: Altar Call
 

Thanks, everyone. Tradition, it is!

Re: Altar Call
 

I have NEVER heard a pastor say the bolded part or anything like it.

I HAVE heard plenty of charismaniacs say things similar to it, tho.