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Why is there no altar call here at MBC? |
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Written by Administrator
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Good question. The church has just recently, within the past 100 years or less, practiced what we call decisional theology. Most churches recognize that salvation is a process in that we are admonished to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (See Philippians 2:12-13) Unfortunately, especially among Baptist and Bible type churches the Christian and the church has become more dependent on the altar call than on the faithful work of the Holy Spirit, as if people will not get saved if we miss that specific divine opportunity. First of all walking an aisle or praying a prayer doesn’t save you, it is by faith through grace. (See Ephesians 2:8-10) A good Biblical model is at Pentecost, (in Acts 2:37-38), when the Apostle Peter was preaching he was interrupted because people had been cut to the heart through the workings of the Holy Spirit in their lives and they cried out to Peter, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” We believe in the doctrine of election that shouldn’t in any way make us lazy in sharing our faith but at the same time causes dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin and righteousness and of the coming judgment. (see Colossians 3:12; I Peter 1:1-6 ) People under the conviction of the Holy Spirit are encouraged to come forward after the service to speak to the Pastors or Elders for godly counsel on various issues of concern, or for counsel on how to come to Christ in salvation. A person’s decision to come or not to come down an aisle doesn’t make salvation dependent on it. Collectively we are to all do the work of an evangelist. It’s not the Pastor’s job or even the church’s job to save anyone, it is the privilege of each individual believer to be faithful in their witness of Christ and for Christ.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 December 2008 10:19 |
