Posts Tagged ‘Evangelism’

The Altar Call

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

I read an article recently by an evangelical author who argued that we should not give an altar call or “invitation” for people to respond by coming forward publicly to accept Christ in our church services. In fact, he wrote an article entitled, “10 Reasons Not to Give an Altar Call.” I do not agree with his thesis. Let me explain.

I have no problem with those preachers today who have substituted alternate means to invite people to Christ — rather than the public altar call. I have always felt that it is a major challenge to ask people to step out publicly in front of several hundred strangers and walk to the front of the church to take the hand of another stranger. I am surprised the altar call has been as successful as it has been. I am not opposed to alternate means. Some strong evangelicals claim that the number of conversions in their ministries have increased since they replaced the altar call with alternate means.

But my objection is to the claim that the altar call is not biblical and not rooted in the New Testament. Much of what we do — as Bible believing evangelicals — is not clearly spelled out in the New Testament.  The preachers in the book of Acts did not even have altars — there were no church buildings for a couple of centuries. The oldest known church building was found at Dura Europas on the Euphrates River in the Syrian desert. It dates back to the 3rd century.

The principle of an “altar call” is completely consistent with: a) Moses in Deuteronomy calling upon people to decide this day whom they will serve; b) Elijah on Mount Carmel calling upon people to take a stand for or against God; and, c) Peter in Acts 2 calling people to decide publicly for Christ. How could they take a stand for God without doing it publicly?  Thousands were added to the New Testament church in one day.  How could this be done without being public?

Yes, the altar call was popularized by 19th century Evangelist Charles Finney and has been widely used only in recent centuries. But Finney was trained as a lawyer. He understood the logic of bringing people to a point of decision, and giving them an opportunity to respond — as did Moses, Elijah, and Peter.

I am in favor of doing whatever is consistent with Scripture and is effective. I have no problem with alternatives to the traditional altar call, if they are helpful. But the altar call is certainly consistent with Scripture and it can still be very useful.

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VBS

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

We are having daily Vacation Bible School this week at Delaney Street Baptist Church. I have made it a practice for years to have an evangelistic message in the first half-hour of each day at VBS. As a rule, the week of VBS we see more people come to Christ than in any other week of the church year. Oftentimes, I preach the evangelistic message myself, although sometimes I assign it to our youth pastor or summer intern.

This week we have had an extraordinary start to VBS. Usually on the 1st day (Monday), we see no more than 2 or 4 kids “come forward” to accept Christ. Monday this week we saw 27 come forward, and on Tuesday another 12. Many of these are visitors. Nevertheless, I was surprised.

As a rule, someone always asks, “Well, how many of them really meant it?” Or, “How many of them knew what they were doing?” We never ask that about adults, but we always ask it about children. I have very little patience with such questions. Only God knows how many truly accepted Christ in their hearts. We present the gospel, do our best to lead children (or adults) to Christ, do our best to follow up on them, and leave the results with God.

If we are not certain each child genuinely accepted Christ, then what are our alternatives? Shall we quit presenting the Gospel? Do we quit evangelizing?  People sometimes live in fear that we will give a child a false assurance of salvation.  I do not worry about that.  Only the Holy Spirit can give assurance of salvation.  If a child makes a false confession of faith, that child will not have assurance of salvation.  The Holy Spirit will speak to that child again in due time.

Do you see my frustration with such questions. If 27 kids come to Christ, I would predict that a certain percentage of them truly understood what commitment they were making — and thus make our evangelistic effort well worthwhile. If only 4 come to Christ, I would predict that a certain percentage truly understood — and again our evangelistic effort is worthwhile.  Should we be more excited over 27 as opposed to 4?  Why not?  So, we simply do our best and rejoice over what God is doing.

Do we believe in childhood conversions to Christ? We should. Surveys show that a vast majority of pastors and missionaries on the field today all accepted Christ as a child. Wasn’t it Jesus Himself who said, “Let the little children come to me.”  I believe in child evangelism.

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Gates of Hell

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Jesus said, “I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Such words give an assumption — that the church is on the march, actively moving against the “gates of hell.” One would sit and protect the gates to one’s residence. In Christ’s description, the gates belong to the enemy. That means the church should be advancing against the forces of darkness.

In recent years I have actually heard preachers express the concern that the church can no longer effectively reach our modern culture. I have heard the concern that our secularized society has become too antagonistic to the gospel to be reached in large numbers, and that the best the church today can do is to “maintain” an effective witness, without necessarily seeing good results.

I do not buy that argument at all! I could not disagree more. These are great days to be alive and serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Hearts are as hungry and spiritually needy today as ever. There is a young generation seeking truth — and there always has been. The gospel is as powerful and effective today as it has ever been. The Word of God is also as real today — Isaiah 40:8 — and as effective today — Hebrews 4:12 — as ever.

God can change lives and turn this generation to Himself, if believers will be faithful to Him and to His truth — Acts 26:18. I believe we are seeing evidence of this in the many churches which are staying true to the Word of God and which are growing in our current generation!

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Reaching the Lost

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

The church of Jesus Christ must never lose its focus on reaching the lost. When the last believer comes to Christ, we are all going up! Jesus instituted the Great Commission, recorded in all four gospels, plus the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation. “Preach the gospel to every person!”  God has not revised, amended, or revoked the Great Commission.  It is our responsibility to fulfill it!

It is important that a church not become focused inward. We must always be focused outward (and upward). We dare not become “keepers of the acquarium” or turn the church into a museum. We must always be fishers of men.  If a church is not reaching new people and growing, then something is amiss.  It must be corrected.

Jesus said that He was always about His father’s business! And God is in the “business” of saving souls. Christ said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save those who are lost!” And the Apostle Paul said, “Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners!”

A church should enjoy fellowship and seek the building up of every believer and family in the church. But a church must never lose focus of the great mission — to see people both at home and abroad hear of the unsearchable riches of Christ and come to faith in Him alone for salvation.

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Spanish Ministry

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Wow, what a great week for our church! Our church voted overwhelmingly this week to launch a Spanish Mission here at Delaney Street Baptist Church. Spanish-speaking services will begin this Sunday, September 20.

Dr. Fernando Abella, a Southern Baptist pastor and former missionary to Puerto Rico with the International Mission Board, will serve as pastor of our mission. Brother Abella has a powerful testimony of conversion to Christ in his native Cuba. Already he has a group of approximately 50 people in his new church. Last Sunday they had 73 meeting in a house!

We are excited about what God is doing in reaching the Hispanic community here in Central Florida, and we are glad to be a part of it! With support from the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and the Florida Baptist Convention, we consider it a privilege and an honor to host this new Spanish Mission.

Jesus said, “Go into the highways and the byways and compel them to come in that My house may be full!” Every soul is precious to the Lord. God is calling a people out of every nationality, race and ethnicity. Revelation 5:9

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