In the Christian ministry realm, this blaze of glory is often more ugly.   Not only do professional disagreements and personality clashes occur, but they are then often couched within spiritual or moral positions.   This elevates the nature and stakes in any ministry split and often makes reconciliation and future working relationships impossible.   Worsening the situation, many ministry ‘fall-outs’ create collatoral damage.  Like a divorce, surrounding relationships are tested often subtly forcing church members to take sides.  (e.g. you can’t be friends with both me and the other person).

Is this battle worth fighting?

Just because you believe you are right, does not mean that you must convince everyone else that you are right.   Learning to agree to disagree is an art most of us have not mastered well.  We too often take an ‘all or nothing’ approach into ministry and relationships.   Is it any wonder that so many ministries split or remain small?   A good question to ask is  ”Will this personality dispute or minor theological position matter much when we are both standing before Jesus in heaven?”   The answer to that question helps put many things into perspective.

If you must fight, fight the issue, not the person.

The reality is that we do live in a fallen world.  Sometimes there are issues that arise over which we cannot remain silent.   It would be a sin to ‘fail to speak out over some issues’.   In these cases we must fight.   However, let’s not make it personal.   I know many people who denigrate the pope as a person.   My issue is not with Pope Benedict (or his predecessor John Paul).   My issue is with the position of the pope.   So when addressing areas where we disagree, let’s keep the issue the issue and not make it personal.

Sometimes a persons’ behaviour is such as issue that the issue seems to be the person themselves.  I don’t have the perfect answers to all of life’s disagreements.   But if we can disagree a little less on the minor issues, then it may make the important issues have more focus.    And that would be a good thing.

Blessings

- JC

With the aid of drugs and other medical equipment, we have extended our ability to live longer than naturally intended.   While not avoiding death, we can sometimes postpone death’s arrival for a few months or years.    Quality of life is rarely improved, but we do artificially extended our existence for a period of time.   50% of our medical bills are incurred in the last 12 months of our lives.   It is amazing that as a society, we can justify spending that much money to avoid something that is coming anyway.   Maybe that speaks to how society silently fears the unknown of eternity.    As someone who knows Christ, I say ‘bring it on’.

I do not have a death wish, nor am I going to go and jump off the Gap, but I really identify with Paul when he says, to live is Christ and to die is gain.   I would rather die suddenly at 70 than slowly die into my 80s’.

But this brings us to an interesting point.   What are Christian ethics regarding end of life issues?   Let me say from the outset that I am not an expert here, but this is my current thinking based on both theology and my application of it in today’s complex world.

“Pulling the Plug”

Many families face the heart-wrenching pain of watching an older relative grow towards death.   At some point the family needs to make life/death decisions for their family member who becomes incapacitated.   I see no theological problems with ‘pulling the plug’ or ‘removing a certain drug prescription’.   If God wants the individual to live, their he will sustain their life without human intervention.   I am in no way trivialising the scenario, but I think we must debunk the idea that it is murder to deny life sustaining medical assistance.

“Suicide”

This is a bit of a grey area.   I don’t hold to the traditional Catholic view that suicide is a mortal sin.   Suicide is not something that I would recommend or justify.   However, for many people with ‘incurable diseases and pain’, suicide is an ever present temptation.   Many succumb to that temptation.   If someone takes that way out, then they will answer to God for that.  However, let’s not judge their action as any worse than our failings.

Voluntary Euthanasia

Often times, a suffering individual, cannot bring themselves to suicide.  This could be for multiple reasons, religious or internal fortitude.   They then ask a friend or relative an extremely obnoxious question.  ”Will you help me kill myself?”  It is hard to say a blanket no, but I lean that way.   Thousands of moral dilemma’s can be raised here (e.g. the mortally wounded soldier in battle etc).    I am sure there are examples galore out there in which we could make an argument one way or the other.   I would like to think that if someone is in the situation of knowing the number of minutes/days/months they have left, that they would spend time considering Jesus.   My approach would be to bring him into their thinking.  I believe then, a correct decision will become clear.

Involuntary Euthanasia

In no way do I support this.  We may as well call it murder.   This already happens frequently in our nation under the title of ‘abortion’.   I pray that we as a society will reject involuntary euthanasia for the elderly and wind it back for the unborn.

It is hard to put a positive spin on this topic.  But I do like to remind us that the solution to all our our problems is Jesus.   Death is a depressing topic, but when we focus on Jesus we are reminded that death is not the end.  For us followers of Jesus, it is merely the portal through which we will meet Jesus face to face.   When we focus on him, the ugliness of death does fade.   And this truly is a blessing.

- JC

The Catholic Church has long been known for its ability to manipulate its members through fear and threats, allowing those in leadership to effectively control the people and their commitment to the cause. The power associated with the pope is beyond belief. Masses submit to his every wish, convinced that to disobey or even disagree, is to fight against God Himself. A similar ploy has entered into the conservative churches of our land. A pastor will exalt himself to a place of power and demand the allegiance of his people instead of turning their hearts toward God and exalting His power and authority.

All Men are Sinners

It does not matter how ‘good’ your pastor or church leadership may appear, all have sinned. There are those pastors who would have their congregations believe that they have reached the state of sinless perfection, and therefore are a perfect example of holiness and wisdom, and that is simply bogus. The Pastor does not gain some ‘special’ entrance into the presence of God; He comes before the same throne of grace as all believers, and through the same person – Jesus Christ. The Pastor may preach from an elevated platform on Sunday but that is not an indication of a spiritual superiority in God’s hierarchy. Pastors who seek the praise and accolades of men are not fit to fulfil the shepherd’s role. Surely a man who is ever broken over his sin, and has an understanding of the holiness of God is the only suitable candidate for leading and shepherding God’s people.

‘…there is none that doeth good, no, not one.’ Psalm 14:3

‘Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?’ Prov.20:9

‘If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.’ 1 John 1:8

The Church is Christ’s

‘…Christ is the head of the church: and is the Saviour of the body.’ Ephesians 5:23

‘And He [Christ] is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church…’ Colossians 1:17-18

‘And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church.’ Ephesians 1:22

If Scripture were not so clear on this subject, I might look around today and be confused about who has the ultimate ownership and rulership of the church. The way some Pastors parade about, introducing bylaws and setting non-biblical standards and assuming the role of ‘Pope for the people’ is appalling, and is in total opposition to the clearly outlined role of the pastor. To assume a role of authority in the church that has not been given by God is theft. If I instruct my congregation to obey standards and practices that God has not commanded I become the ‘master of God’s people,’ and in turn teach them to follow me instead of the Lord. How many congregations in our land follow a confident, oratorical, dictatorial, ‘my-way-or-the-highway’ pastor instead of Christ and His Word as the final authorities in their lives?

It is the Message, not the Man

‘Remember them that have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.’ Hebrews 13:7

Commenting on the above verse, John Gill writes:

“Christ’s church is a kingdom, and He is King in it; pastors of churches are subordinate governors; who rule well when they rule not in an arbitrary way, according to their own wills, but according to the laws of Christ, with all faithfulness, prudence and diligence.”

The pastor, like you and I, is a man saved by grace. He has not been imbued with some special ability (albeit there are gifts dispensed by the Holy Spirit which differ – Romans 12:6), nor does he have some supernatural power over men which is of his own energies. The pastor finds his authority solely in the Word of God. His counselling and preaching must be grounded in the Scriptures if he is to exercise the authority that God has given him. The pastor is a man who is to be given to prayer and the studying of the Word. It is not his job to select the colour and pattern of the curtains in the auditorium. Nor should he concern himself with counselling men on the type of vehicle they should purchase for their family. I know pastors who busy themselves with all the tangible and temporal aspects of church life when they ought to be focusing on the urgent spiritual and eternal matters at hand. His job is to preach the Word and passionately pursue God thereby leaving an example for his people. The following ought to form the pastor’s chief ambition and desire:

‘He must increase, but I must decrease.’ John 3:30

‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’ Philippians 1:21

The Pastor will fail you

Nobody is exempt from the effects of sin. One of the great dilemmas in church today is the expectation on the pastor to do everything right. If the congregation is not careful to remember that the shepherd is only a man, they will inevitably and subconsciously promote him to ‘perfection.’ This will be the great downfall of that church and will result in heartache and discouragement when it is found out that the pastor cannot meet those impossible expectations. This does not give license to the pastor to enjoy the pleasures of sin but it does remove from him the unattainable standard of perfection. A humble and honest leader will acknowledge his own inability to perform his God given role, and will openly admit that he is the chief of sinners, and unworthy of such a responsibility.

‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.’ Psalm 118:8

‘Thus saith the Lord; cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.’ Jeremiah 17:5

‘…the Lord thy God…..He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deuteronomy 31:6

Summary

There is much more to cover in this topic and I have not yet had the opportunity to address the qualifications of those in church leadership, the pastor on judgment day and the pastor in relationship to his family. Perhaps in time the Lord will lead me to write articles regarding those topics.

In conclusion, it is obvious from the pages of Scripture that God desires a pastor to lead by example, nurturing and caring for his people. When the time comes for him to discipline, confront and challenge, he must find his authority in the pages of Scripture. God give us pastors who love God supremely, act with honesty, humility and integrity, lead by example, and find the basis of all preaching, teaching and counselling rooted in the pages of Scripture.

“Dear pastor, it is better to stay silent on a matter in which thou hast no biblical foundation or word from on high, than to speak and find thyself defying the very will of God.’

The Chief of Sinners,

1. We were saved before time began

God is sovereign and all powerful.  Even before he created time and man, he knew we would fall and need redemption.  God decided even then to save us.  The fact that God decided to save us means that our salvation was as good as done.

2. We were saved around 30AD on a cross outside of Jerusalem

The price for our salvation was not paid until an innocent Jesus shed his blood for our sins.   Death and the grave was conquered when Jesus died and rose again.   This moment is the focal point of History as it was in this moment that all souls past, present and future received eligibility to come into the presence of God.

3. Were were saved when we repented on our sin and placed our faith in Christ.

Typically, this is the answer that we want when we ask the question ‘ When were You Saved’?   The better question is when did we receive our regenerated life – our new life in Christ.   Sometimes we can point to a moment in time when this occurs (e.g. an alter call or distinct moment in our adult life)   Sometimes we cannot recall a specific moment (e.g. we may have grown up in a Christian family and believed in Christ as long as we can remember).  Sometimes placing our faith in Christ can be a journey and we can’t remember a specific moment when we ‘crossed the line’, but we know that we are now trusting Christ.   These can all be valid methods of how we arrive at ‘being saved’.

4.  We are constantly being saved

Our salvation is more than just a status change in the book of life.   It affects our whole life.  Because we are saved from the penalty of sin, we can now be saved from the power of sin.  We now have the knowledge and ability – through the Holy Spirit  - to no longer be slaves to the sin.  This means salvation has an ongoing application in our lives.

5. We will be saved one day once Christ returns to redeem us from this fallen world and to His side.

Despite our the price of our salvation being paid, it is not yet consumated.   We are still waiting to be saved from the flesh and the world.   We are waiting for that day when the uncorruptable is known and we can dwell in fulness with our Lord and Saviour.   In that day, we will be able to truly say that we are saved.

- Blessings

JC

The 10 (unwritten) Commandments of the Conservative Independent Baptist:

1.  THOU SHALT ONLY USE THE KJV BIBLE.
• Some IB churches state that the KJV is the INSPIRED Word of God.
• Some IB church constitutions even state that it must be a 1611 version (have you ever read an excerpt from a 1611 copy????)
2. THOU SHALT ONLY SING HYMNS.
3. THOU SHALT NOT DISCUSS CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS.
• Some of these topics include: Calvinism, The Holy Spirit, Women’s Role in the Church, etc.
4. THOU SHALT NOT MAKE REFERENCE TO CONTROVERSIAL PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE MOVEMENT.
• Some of these people include: John McArthur, A.W. Pink, R.C. Sproul, John Calvin, John Piper, Paul Washer etc.
5. THOU SHALT ONLY ARRAY THYSELF IN THE ‘HIGHEST’ STANDARDS OF CLOTHING FOR CHURCH.
• This usually means that the men wear suits, shirts and ties and the ladies wear skirts.
• There are many instances where a lady in particular, is not permitted to be involved in a ministry due to her wearing slacks.
6. THOU SHALT ATTEND THE SUNDAY MORNING AND EVENING CHURCH SERVICES ALONG WITH THE MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY.
• Although not always verbalised, it is generally intimated that a person who does not attend these services is not right with God.
• It is also inferred that a church which does not hold to this paradigm is not fulfilling its purpose.
7. THOU SHALT NEVER DISAGREE WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH.
• To challenge a comment or doctrinal position of one in leadership within the IB churches is often considered to be fighting against God Himself.
• In most cases, a dictatorial position is held by the Pastor and leadership instead of an approachable, theocratic system of rule.
8. THOU SHALT NOT USE DRUMS OR ANY ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENTS IN THE CHURCH.
• Some IB churches state that drums, electric guitars and Jazz instruments were the invention of the Devil and his demons.
9. THOU SHALT ONLY TRANSFER THY MEMBERSHIP TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH.
• Although not always verbalised, it is generally considered a grave error to transfer your membership to a church outside the movement.
10. THOU SHALT ONLY FELLOWSHIP WITH THOSE OF LIKE FAITH AND PRACTICE WITHIN THE INDEPENDENT BAPTIST MOVEMENT.
• There is a significant population of people within conservative Independent Baptist Churches who believe that they are the only true Christians.

Although each point above requires conscientious consideration and biblical research, let us consider for a few moments the last of this list: ‘Thou shalt only fellowship with those of like faith and practice within the Independent Baptist Movement.’

Personal Testimony:

I have had the privilege of preaching for over 12 years around Australia and have seen the way ‘church is done’ in many different places. For the majority of that time, I was a ‘hard-nosed, die-hard, Independent Baptist preacher’ who quite often mounted the hobby horses of music, versions, apparel etc. My ministry also consisted of identifying those men and women outside our movement who are ‘heretics’ and this ’20-something-year-old-preacher’ was wiser than them all and ‘knew’ that they were wrong. I have since been challenged by the Holy Spirit in recent times regarding the ‘non-biblical’ positions that I have held to, and I realise now that I have been wearing the ‘Independent Baptist Blinkers’ which have obstructed my view of real Christianity to some extent. Please do not misunderstand that last statement. I am very thankful for the teaching, preaching and training that I have received at the hand of many an Independent Baptist. I am, however, extremely concerned about our views regarding those who live, breathe and move outside the IB circles.

Fundamentalists are not the only Christians:

‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Romans 10:13

This verse carries no prejudice, nor does it include any categories of people who form an exception to this clear-cut statement. There is a myriad of passages in Scripture which clearly define the elements of saving faith (repentance etc.), but in this verse alone we find that the only prerequisite of salvation is the ‘calling upon the name of the Lord.’ God does not say “I will save you because I foresee that you will attend an IB church.” God saves sinners who call upon Him! It is interesting how conservative Christians will pray earnestly for an unbeliever to be saved, and then when they are saved and attend a church denomination other than their own, they disown them and label them as a ‘false convert.’ They say things like “they can’t be a Christian because they attend a Lutheran church.” This is disgraceful as it attacks the heart of the gospel and alters the doctrine of Soteriology. I wonder how many unsaved people are on the membership roles of Independent Baptist Churches in our land – only Heaven will tell!

The Confusion of Doctrine & the Gospel:

There appears to be a great confusion between doctrine and the Gospel. This becomes apparent when we analyse our thinking regarding those who differ from our doctrinal positions on areas not directly related to the gospel message. For example, some IB Christians would automatically place a person who does not believe in water baptism in the ‘unsaved basket.’ Others would judge a man’s salvation (or lack thereof) by his adhesion to the relevance of sign gifts for this age. Our primary concern for any individual must be regarding faith in the gospel and the work of justification in their life. If it is apparent that the man who attends the local Presbyterian or Charismatic church has a personal relationship with my Saviour then I can have fellowship with him around the gospel. Granted, there may be other areas of grave concern which I would disagree with and at some points separate over, but these form a doctrinal difference NOT a GOSPEL difference! Let us not hate those who differ from us in doctrine or practice but rather seek to teach them the truth from God’s Word (not our statements of faith!)

The Importance of Doctrine:

At this juncture I see the importance of inserting a paragraph regarding the importance of doctrine for those in particular who look for an opportunity to criticise this article. There is no question that the doctrines of Scripture are essential for a believer to know and to spend their lives in the pursuit of. It is imperative that we study the Word and seek to correctly exegete its contents and I in no way wish to minimise or de-emphasise the importance of such pursuits. Let us be diligent students and ‘hold fast the faithful Word (Titus 1:9).’

Summary:

Let us not be quick to pass judgment or sentence upon those who do not dot the ‘I’s and cross the ‘T’s like we do. Let us be proactive in teaching, training and discipling whomever God brings across our path. Do not hastily say ‘But he is not a Baptist!’

The Chief of Sinners,

Following on from the discussion regarding the Perils of Capitalism, it is worth considering the assumption that democracy is the best form of earthly government.    As Australia undergoes Rudd vs. Gillard Part II, many voters are asking the question, “When I voted Rudd in 2007, why did I get Gillard?    Or   “When I voted for Gillard in 2010, why might I get Rudd?”     The reality is that pure democracy of the masses is not accurate.   Rather it is democracy of a chosen few that select the leader.  Or to be more candid, it is factions – not our representatives – within parties that appoint kings or queens.

Or to put it another way, why can politicians blatantly tell lies during election or in post-election campaigns, and then claim mandates to do the opposite?  It is no wonder that many have concluded that democracy is a facade.

The US system of democracy is different but just as flawed.   In the GOP primary season, the establishment is trying to force their chosen candidate – Romney – on an electorate who appears to want ‘anyone but Romney’.   It will be interesting to see if the will of the people or the money of the establishment will win.

But let’s expand the analysis of ‘democracy’ beyond our borders and current circumstances.   The most recent Iraq War and Afghanistan War along with the revolutions in Lybia and Egypt, received much of their justification on the basis that the West was bringing democracy (read a better form of government) to those regions.   But on what basis do we decide that democracy is superior?

Here are 3 big perils for democratic forms of governance

1. It is based on the fact that the majority are right. When the majority are no longer godly, democracy is an oppressive system.
2. It leads to short term politically based policies and programs. Rather than what is best for society’s long term health (debt filled binges so pollies get re-elected rather than sober governance)
3. It incents politicians to slander, lie and be negative to achieve popularity around election time  (e.g. carbon tax, etc)

Historically democracy has worked well in the west. A high level of freedom has existed in the US, Australia and parts of Europe. However, I would suppose this has more to do with the Christian heritage of the majority of the population rather than democracy.   We should be thankful for Australia’s Christian democratic heritage, but let’s focus on more on the Christian part and less on the democratic part.

Blessings

JC

As a Christian parent who educates his children in a private Christian school you can expect that I am support of organised Christian education.  While there are never any guarantees that sending your kids to a Christian school will make them love Christ, nor guarantee Christ-like behaviour; surrounding kids with other children of similar values does stack the odds in that favour.   I have a conviction that young and impressionable children, should not be receiving mixed messages about our Creator, faith and values.   This does not mean I will isolate my children through life.   But greenhouses are perfectly acceptable environments for tender young plants.   Until my children are strong enough to stand against the hostile winds of the world, I make no apologies for providing a shelter for young learning.

However, surprisingly, there are quite a number of Christians, including pastors, who see Christian schools as negative thing.  I have personally heard pastors publicly rail against enrollment policies of other Christian schools – even though they don’t send their kids there.   Recently, the Geneva Push advertised a requirement that an appointed pastor send their kids to state schools.    Often such positions on supporting state education is based on the arguement of training their kids in evangelism.   In this scenario, my experience has been that the most successful evangelists are the worldly kids and teachers who corrupt kids away from the faith of their parents.  While I have no issue with pastors/parents who want to send to a state school, and I do believe we need more Christian teachers in the state system, when a group of Christians make state school attendance a requirement, then I will call them on it.

Christian schools or state schools alone never absolve parents of responsibility.  Parents must realise that they have a God given responsibility to train up their children in the way that they should go.   Parents should view their choice of school of an extension of that responsibility.  When you choose a school to outsource that responsibility too, you must think carefully.   For 30+ hours a week, their school will shape their beliefs and values.  That is far more hours that they will spend with you or in church – combined.   I think this is a major reason why many parents consider homeschooling.

I thank God for Christian education.  I pray that God will hold back the devil from undermining the freedom – whether that opposition comes from the government, hostile teachers unions or even other Christians.   I am so thankful that we have been able to identify some kids at our school whom encourage my son and daughter in following Christ.    Again there are never any guarantees, so let’s remain prayerful and vigilant as we also train them at home.

Blessings

- JC

The words of John the Baptist stand in stark contrast to what we see in many ‘personality based ministries’ today. “He must increase and I must decrease” seems far from reality. Recently a gathering called The Elephant Room, gained much attention because it brought together 7 ‘celebrity pastors to discuss a variety of issues. Without commenting on the content of this event, it seems to me that much of the attention this event garnered was due to the fact that each of the speakers have ‘die-hard followings’. Modern day ‘Pauls’ and ‘Apolloses’ appear to exist. I wonder if this event would have been an issue if it had it involved 7 pastors of regular size churches?

To be fair, not all influential evangelists seek or magnify their celebrity. I really appreciate the ministry of John Stott, not only for his teaching, but for his example of not pursuing the mega church and up front glory. Nevertheless, we flock to human leaders.

Why is this?

Have we confused leadership with pastoring?

Are we seeking to put tangible flesh on a Lord we cannot see?

Are we creating idols out of Christian personalities?

Godly leadership is essential. But like John the Baptist, the best leaders know when to get out of the way so Jesus becomes pre-eminently known.

I welcome your thoughts?

Blessings

- JC

While I don’t approve of  all of the actions of the ‘Occupy’ movements, I believe the 99% are protesting something that is really rotten in our mature capitalistic society.   Let me explain:

Capitalism

Capital can be defined as money, equipment, and other resources which are privately owned.  Private ownership affords the owner the opportunity to grow, develop and reap the benefits of using those resources for productive endevours.  In its elementary stages, capitalism fosters free enterprise and innovation.   God certainly endorses hard work and reward for the labourer.

However, capitalism incents resource owners to pursue greater happiness and ever increasing returns to the point where the character trait of contentment is replaced by greed.   Let me lay out 12 ways that capitalism quickly degenerates within a few generations.

1. Capital stacks the deck in favour of those who ‘start the game with a good hand’.  (I think this is one reason for the year of Jubilee)
2. Those who inherit capital rarely appreciate what is was like to start out with nothing and then make decision without a framework for the poor.
3. Incumbant resource owners put up barriers to entry to other upstarts and so the gap between rich and poor widens.
4. As capitalistic leaders gain strength, they lobby government for regulation which suits them and hinders competitors  (e.g. the modified mining tax).
5. Over time capitalistic empires are built and small businesses are bought out our put out of business.
6. Adding further pressures, these empires raise funds by selling ownership of their enterprises to shareholders.
7. Shareholders demand maximum profit returns every quarter often at the expense of customer service and quality.
8. The unquenched desire for greater profit results in reduced rights at work and a globalisation of jobs to countries that have poor social values.
9. Prices of daily necessities rise, forcing individuals to assume excessive levels of debt for necessities such as housing.
10. The end results are self-serving oligopolies which lacks social conscience (e.g. Coles and Woolies, the big banks, etc)
11. In practice oligopolies are effective monopolies using subtly collusion.
12. Ironically, monopolies are  in effect economic dictatorships which create a controlled form of communism or slavery of the masses.

So where does this leave us?

At the end of the day, there is no perfect economic or social system.   The problem with all systems is that our hearts are evil.   We will corrupt and manipulate systems for our own greed and benefit.   God foresaw this when he warned Israel about seeking an earthly king.   While I certainly would prefer to live under a limited free-market society where citizens adhere to a common moral code, I believe we would be wise to see the limits of all earthly systems – be they democracies or dictatorships, Austrian or Keynesian; diverse or homogeneous.

There is one economic and social system that I do believe God endorses.   It is the eternal system and the returns are out of this world.   This system promotes storing up treasure in heaven, where moths don’t corrupt and thieves can’t steal.   The eternal social system promotes giving a cup of water to another in the name of Christ.  In other words, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  In this system, it does not matter if you are part of the 99% or the 1%, because it is 100% about Jesus.    As we live in view of heaven, I believe we will feel richer and be more generous.

Blessings

- JC

An altar call is a practice in many evangelical churches in which those who desire to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus are invited to come forward publicly. An altar call typically begins with a simple show of hands from the congregation signifying who has been ‘touched’ by the preacher’s message. Subsequent to this show of hands is a persuasive drive on the part of the preacher to convince those who have raised their hands to move to the front of the church.

Most altar calls occur at the end of the service and are normally accompanied by an instrumental hymn of invitation. The preacher quite often will begin his appeal with the following script, “With you heads bowed and your eyes closed, with nobody looking around. Is there someone here today who would signify by the raising of their hand that God challenged them on a particular subject and would like me to pray for them? I will not call out your name or embarrass you publicly; I just want to pray for you. Is there anyone like that today?” Once this appeal has concluded, the preacher will pray for those collectively who have raised their hands and will then lead the congregation in the final song. It is at this time that the preacher challenges the people to publicly acknowledge their decisions by moving to the front of the church building where they can receive prayer and counsel from a member of the church.

Where did the altar call originate?

The practice of the altar call, although widespread, is a very new phenomenon in the Christian church. For nearly nineteen centuries no one had ever heard of the practice. The well known evangelists such as George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley knew of no such appeal.

The altar call first came into being through the influence of Charles Grandison Finney, a nineteenth century revivalist. In Finney’s crusades (c. 1830) seats at the front were reserved for those who, after the sermon, would respond to the challenge to come to the Lord’s side. Those who were thus “anxious” for their souls were invited to walk forward to the “anxious seat” where counsel and prayer would be given them.

The following quote from Finney’s Lectures on Revival explains his view well.

“Preach to him, and at the moment he thinks he is willing to do anything . . . bring him to the test; call on him to do one thing, to make one step that shall identify him with the people of God. . . . If you say to him, “there is the anxious seat, come out and avow your determination to be on the Lord’s side,” and if he is not willing to do a small thing as that, then he is not willing to do anything for Christ.”

The practice was designed to force decisions, to get results. So it did, and with slight variations the new method spread with increasing popularity through Finney and, later, Dwight L. Moody, and finally into virtually all of nineteenth and twentieth century evangelicalism. R. A. Torrey, Billy Sunday, Bob Jones, Gipsy Smith, Mordacai Ham, John R. Rice, Billy Graham all employed the method with impressive “success”.

Is the altar call a Biblically supported practice?

The first question we must ask when considering any modern practice within the church is; did the Lord Jesus Christ or the apostles employ this method or practice? The answer to that question with regards to the altar call is no. This does not immediately condemn this practice, for there are many things that Jesus and the apostles did not do which are permissible church practices today. However, it does mean that the altar call is NOT required to bring about genuine salvation in an individual!

One might suggest that the Bible is full of examples where invitations to salvation and challenges for revival occur. Offers such as, ‘Come unto me! Come and drink. Be reconciled unto God’ and many more. It is not only correct to say that the Bible is full of invitations, it is imperative that these appeals are made to others and must form an integral part of our preaching. We dare not try to remove God’s invitation to salvation for sinners from the Bible else we leave ourselves without hope, for we who know Christ have accepted His invitation of grace!

There is not a shred of evidence in Scripture to support the idea of persuading men and women to move to the front of the church building to publicly confirm a decision made in the heart. Nor is there a prerequisite for salvation or surrender which involves the need to raise a hand or shuffle to the front of church building.

Is the altar call helpful or harmful?

1. The great ‘sin’ of the altar call is found in the emphasis on ‘coming forward to receive Christ.’

What does it mean to ‘come to Christ?’ We are to ‘look to Him’, ‘run to Him for refuge’, ‘receive Him,’ all these Biblical expressions speak of matters of the soul. They speak of faith, an absolute dependence upon the finished work of Jesus Christ on my behalf. “Come here to receive Christ” is a criminal confusion of the object and nature of saving faith. God is not concerned about where a man is, or whether he walks to the front of the church. There is no ‘special platform of grace’ upon which a man must stand or kneel in order to be saved. It is a direct attack on the work of Christ in salvation to have men assume that the only way they can receive Christ is at the front of the church building!

2. Another great problem with the altar call is the lack of reliance upon the Spirit of God.

There has been a great shift in the fundamental movements of our day. It would appear that most conservative Christians are afraid to speak of the Holy Ghost, let alone attribute the quickening work of salvation and revival to His power. What have we done? The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:18 ‘For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.‘

Sadly we see that the modern technique of the altar call actually opposes the very work of the Holy Spirit. As a preacher, my job is not to bring about decisions through psychological methodology, it is to preach the Word and leave the convicting and converting to the Spirit of God!

3. The altar call lends itself to a false assurance of Salvation.

My experience in camp ministry over many years has caused me to develop a great concern for those who testify of a decision made during an altar call. Instead of confessing that Christ saved them from their sin when they called upon Him, campers and young people all over this land rely upon a walk down the aisle or a discussion with a pastor. Friends, an altar call never saved anyone! Christ is the only means of salvation. It does not matter how many pastors or preachers you have sought counsel from, it is Christ and Christ alone that brings about regeneration in the life of a sinner.

4. The altar call shifts the focus of the believer upon the external rather than the internal.

All must admit that the modern practice of the altar call has resulted in a shift of focus. The focus has shifted from the spiritual to the physical, from the internal to the external. That evangelistic meeting was ‘wonderful’ because so many people ‘went forward.’ It is obvious that God was ‘working’ because so many people responded to the altar call. How damaging it is for us to assume that God has not been working in the hearts of His people because nobody ‘came forward’ at the end of the service!

Summary of the altar call

There is much more to cover in this topic and I have not yet had the opportunity to address the motives of those who practice the altar call, the incredible alignment of the altar call and the sales techniques taught in psychology, the false view of human ability demonstrated in the altar call and the confusion of mere professions of faith with true, saving faith. Perhaps these additional topics can be covered at another time, Lord willing.

It is sufficient to say that there are grave dangers in the modern invitation system which should be carefully considered.

“Sometimes we are inclined to think that a very great portion of modern revivalism has been more a curse than a blessing, because it has led thousands to a kind of peace before they have known their misery; restoring the prodigal to the Father’s house, and never making him say, ‘Father, I have sinned.’ How can he be healed who is not sick? or he be satisfied with the bread of life who is not hungry? The old-fashioned sense of sin is despised, and consequently a religion is run up before the foundations are dug out. Everything in this age is shallow. Deep-sea fishing is almost an extinct business so far as men’s souls are concerned. The consequence is that men leap into religion, and then leap out again. Unhumbled they come to the church, unhumbled they remained in it, and unhumbled they go from it.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

Because of Calvary,