I’m sometimes asked by people why we don’t do “altar calls” at our services. Like the people who ask the question, the churches in my personal background pretty much all practiced “altar calls” at the conclusion of a sermon or service. I’ve seen them done in very poor fashion, and I’ve seen some pastors be really clear about the gospel, repentance, faith, and the fact that “coming forward” does not save. I date my own conversion to the preaching of Exodus 32, which concluded with an altar call.

So, why don’t we practice “altar calls”? I don’t think the pastor who practices an “invitation” at the end of a sermon is in sin, but he may not be acting wisely either. This list of reasons, compiled by Pastor Ryan Kelly of Desert Springs Church, is a pretty good summation of some of my thinking (HT: Z).

1. The altar call is simply and completely absent from the pages of the N.T.

2. The altar call is historically absent until the 19th century, and its use at that time (via Charles Finney) was directly based upon bad theology and a man-centered, manipulative methodology.

3. The altar call very easily confuses the physical act of “coming forward” with the spiritual act of “coming to Christ.” These two can happen simultaneously, but too often people believe that coming to Christ is going forward (and vice-versa).

4. The altar call can easily deceive people about the reality of their spiritual state and the biblical basis for assurance. The Bible never offers us assurance on the ground that we “went forward.”

5. The altar call partially replaces baptism as the means of public profession of faith.

6. The altar call can mislead us to think that salvation (or any official response to God’s Word) happens primarily on Sundays, only at the end of the service, and only “up front.”

7. The altar call can confuse people regarding “sacred” things and “sacred” places, as the name “altar call” suggests.

8. The altar call is not sensitive to our cautious and relational age where most people come to faith over a period of time and often with the interaction of a good friend.

9. The altar call is often seen as “the most important part of the service”, and this de-emphasizes the truly more important parts of corporate worship which God has prescribed (preaching, prayer, fellowship, singing).

10. God is glorified to powerfully bless the things He has prescribed (preaching, prayer, fellowship, singing), not the things we have invented. We should always be leery of adding to God’s prescriptions for His corporate worship.

Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 of Ryan’s list are the most compelling reasons in my opinion. These would seem very serious objections for anyone who takes seriously the idea that our Christian lives and gatherings should conform to what the NT commands, models, and prohibits. Perhaps I would add an 11th: The “altar call” teaches the congregation to evaluate the “success” or “effectiveness” of the ministry on outward, visible actions and results.

Further, the need to be pastorally careful and sensitive with the souls of men needing to repent and believe couldn’t be more urgent. So, anything that obscures the reality of God the Holy Spirit’s work in conversion and the necessity of repentance and faith must be regarded–at best–a practice with potential to undermine the very work we’re giving our lives to.

Do people “respond” to the word of God at our services? They do. And we give them a number of ways they may follow up on what they’ve heard, from talking to an elder or Christian friend after the service, to scheduling an appointment during the week, to letting us know they would like us to visit with them, and so on. One thing I appreciate about our approach is that it allows us to meet, listen, question, encourage, teach and pray in a much more thorough way. By God’s grace we’re seeing people converted and profess their faith in baptism as the Spirit opens their hearts. We’re not perfect by any means. But I do hope we’re being faithful to the scripture’s commands, examples, and restrictions.

What do you think about Kelly’s list? Are you “for” or “against” and why? Would you add anything to or challenge anything on the list?

From Tom Martin of Covenant Life Church (HT: Josh Harris)

Reminded me of the opening verse of the hymn, “Love Lifted Me”:

I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more
But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I

Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!

Even though I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.  The grace of the Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”–of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was show mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example to those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life.  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God be honor and glory forever and ever. (1 Tim. 1:13-17)

Do you ever wonder–even aloud or in writing–why you were shown mercy and made a guest at the Lord’s feast?

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
“Lord, why was I a guest?”

Wonder.

I’ve recently finished reading Ian Murray’s biography The Life of Arthur W. Pink.  I’ve not heard or read much about the life of A.W. Pink until reading this biography.  I hadn’t realized that one good reason for that is that so little about his life is known at certain periods, and Pink himself left sparing biographical details.  The biography combined some good detective work with a wonderful treatment of Pink’s sermons and writings in his periodical Studies in the Scripture.  In the opening chapter, “A Spiritualist Becomes a Christian,” Murray recounts the early period of Pink’s life when he was dedicated to the occult and was fast becoming something of a star in the occult circuit.  Pink had been raised in a Christian home with faithful Christian parents, but along with his two siblings rejected the faith as he grew.  He began to devoutly practice Theosophy, an anti-Christian cult headquartered in Madras, india that promoted esoteric eastern ‘wisdom’ beliefs, denied the personality of God, claimed to unify all religions, and promoted communication with the spirits of the dead.

We can imagine the heartbreak Pink’s faithful Christian parents felt at seeing all their children wander from the Truth, and at seeing Pink wander into serious spiritual darkness.  Murray tells the story of a father’s faithful prayers and witness to his erring son, and how a brief word hurriedly spoken turned Pink from idols to serve the true and living God.  In Murray’s words:

The date when the Besant proposal [Pink had been invited by Annie Besant (1847-1933), leader of the Theosophic movement, to come study with her and assume major leadership in the movement] came to Pink is not known.  It was probably early in 1908, for we know that in that year he was still in Nottingham.  He was not twenty-two years of age, and so deeply involved in the occult that he later recorded, “Five years ago I was a medium,” practising “clairvoyance, psychomancy, and magical healing.”  All this time Pink was earning a living in business.  He also continued to live at home, which tells us something about his patient parents.  Hey grieved, prayed and were not altogether silent.  His father always waited up until his son returned from meetings late in the evening and to Arthur’s annoyance often accompanied his “Good-night” with some brief but telling word of Scripture.  One such evening, in the year 1908, as Pink hurriedly passed his father and dashed upstairs to his room, the text which he received was, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12).  As he shut the bedroom door, intending to do some work on a speech for an important annual meeting of theosophists that was to take place on the Friday evening of that same week, the text remained with him and so disturbed his concentration that work was impossible.  The story continues int he words of Charles and Elsie Pressel:

A.W.P. decided he was fatigued, and would take a bath to relax, but during this process all he could see “mentally” was “There is a way that seemeth right, etc.”  Again he returned to work on his speech and all his mind brought forth was Proverbs 14:12.  He, A.W.P., told us he could not longer reject the God of the Bible and began to cry unto the Lord in prayer, convicted by the Holy Spirit and his power to bring a soul to see his lost condition and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour.  His early training taught him about the Lord, but now, like Paul of old, was the appointment with a Holy Sovereign God.  For almost three days he did not leave his room to join the family, but his father and mother prayed, and in late afternoon on the third day A.W.P. made his appearance and his father said, “Praise God my son has been delivered.”

A.W.P. kept his next appointment before the Society of Theosophists; the speech he was preparing was never completed but by God’s grace he made known to them the God of the Bible.  A ‘groan’ went up from the listeners.  Many remarked that he had ‘gone mad’ and needed a rest, for they were aware of his plans to join Madame Besant. (pp. 11-12)

The last speech Pink gave the theosophists was a straight gospel message on the true God and Jesus Christ, his Son, and the great salvation found only in His Name.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Pink’s sudden and radical conversion was evidenced by his daily reading of ten chapters of Scripture, daily memorization of Scripture, an immediate sense of call to the gospel ministry, a long ministry of preaching and especially writing on three or four continents–all for the glory of the Lord. 

The first book I read by Pink was The Sovereignty of God.  It would be theologically one of the most formative, provocative, and worship-producing books I’ve ever read.  It settled a lot for me about the centrality of God in all of life, His utter sovereignty in all things, and my need to bow in praise of His name.  God put me on my knees before Him as I was reading that book.  I hope never to get up.

I thought of this anecdote from Pink’s life because I know a lot of parents worry about the eternal prospects of adult children who appear spiritually dead.  Take heart: God the Holy Spirit may use a choice word spoken in passing to wrestle the wretch into an awakening that leads to everlasting life, fruitfulness and glory.  Pray and speak.  The Lord is at work.

When I was a practicing Muslim, there were a few young men that I helped bring into the religion.  Since the Lord saved me, I have often felt as though their blood were on my hands.  And I have prayed for them for nearly 15 years now.

Today, my wife sent me some information on one of the most fervent of these young men.  I lost contact with him around 1992.  Praise be to God!  The Lord has saved Him, plugged him into his local church, and is making him very fruitful!  I’m weeping with joy!

Many of you are already familiar with Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, a book on church health written by Mark Dever.  But if you thought the “nine marks” was a club name for Mark Dever and eight interns… the following short videos are a great primer on these important issues.

Why These Nine Marks? from 9Marks on Vimeo.

1-Expositional Preaching from 9Marks on Vimeo.

2-Biblical Theology from 9Marks on Vimeo.

3-Good News from 9Marks on Vimeo.

4-Conversion from 9Marks on Vimeo.

5-Evangelism from 9Marks on Vimeo.

6-Membership from 9Marks on Vimeo.

7-Discipline from 9Marks on Vimeo.

8-Discipleship & Growth from 9Marks on Vimeo.

9-Leadership from 9Marks on Vimeo.

Let’s allow Piper to take a crack at it from 1 John.  Great explanation:

(HT: Reformation Theology)

While I’m at it, I’d love to offer another plug for Piper’s recent book, Finally Alive.  Or, listen to or watch the sermon series here.  I say the title should have an exclamation point in it, because the book nails this very important issue in a very clear and life-giving way. Read it and be blessed in knowing what God has done to raise sinners to life through His Son.

Bob Kellemen at RPM Ministries offers a gracious review of Glory Road: The Journeys of Ten African-Americans into Reformed Christianity.  Kellemen is a good student of African-American theology and church history and offers a warm critique of Glory Road.

For my part, I think Glory Road could be one of the most important, helpful, and encouraging books published in the last ten years on African-American Christianity.  I think its warmth, humor, honesty, and theological integrity

could be a winsome tool in capturing the hearts of many people who have not come to know the wonderful truths and history of the Reformed tradition.  If you haven’t read this book, rush out and make it a stocking stuffer or New Year’s read.  It’ll reward you.

HT: Phoenix Preacher

Today I want to pick up our periodic series on “The Cost of Following Jesus.” This is a series where we present a case study usually involving new converts to Christ who will face significant “costs” for following the Lord.

In our opening posts (here, here, and here), we considered the case of “Brad” and his long-time live-in girlfriend and three children. We considered the cost of Brad following Jesus and how the church should help him to pay that cost.

We’ve been thinking of Luke 14 as one foundation text for this series. There, the Lord says:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28″Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

31″Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

So, we’re left to understand that those who turn from the broad path of the world to the narrow path of the Kingdom will need to count and pay the cost of following Jesus.

Scenario 2: Angela and Andy, Divorcees Wishing to Remarry

Today, I want to introduce a different scenario. Meet “Angela” and “Andy.” They’ve been dating for about a year now. Both are professing Christians; they understand the gospel and give evidence of loving the Lord. They’re in their early thirties and are active parts of two different local churches.

“Andy” is a member of your church. They’ve decided to marry and have come to you/your church seeking marriage counseling and to have the wedding there. As you speak with Andy you learn that both have been divorced. This will be their second marriage.

In Andy’s case, his first wife had been unfaithful and they eventually divorced over the adultery. Andy and his first wife were professing Christians. In Angela’s case, she had been unfaithful to her husband, leading to a divorce. At the time, neither Angela nor her husband were believers.

Andy’s first wife has gone on to remarry and now lives with her second husband and four children across town. Angela’s first husband has not remarried.

The Questions:

Can Angela and Andy remarry? If so, both of them, or one of them? Why or why not?

In your opinion, what are those costs in this situation? And how can you and your church help them bear those costs?

You don’t have to be a pastor to answer these questions. I welcome your thoughts as a church member who might be called upon to help in a situation like this. The more the merrier!

A couple days back, we began a new series of posts on “The Cost of Following Jesus“. Thanks to all those who shared wisdom and thoughts regarding our scenario from yesterday: Brad, a new convert with a long-time live-in girlfriend and three children depending on his income. The reason I’m thankful for the comments and the reason I’m enjoying this series is that such situations are real human dramas for so many people and so many churches. Learning to respond biblically and with an understanding of the “costs” that will be paid to follow Jesus is a big part of shepherding well in these cases.

I don’t pretend to have the “air tight” answers. So, my responses aren’t meant to “settle” all open questions and be some kind of “advice from on high.” I’m a fellow elder looking to be faithful and to think out loud about some hypothetical situations before I have to work through some real ones. And I’m hoping this exercise is a means of grace to us all. So a few thoughts.

The Costs Brad Will Pay

Obviously, Brad will need to figure out how to live faithfully before the Lord. And that means at least two things: no more sexual immorality, but also continuing to faithfully care for his children who need both his presence and his financial support.

Does he leave the family? If so, does he take the children with him? Does he leave the children and continue providing financial support?

Does he break off the 13-year relationship with Jill? Or, does he marry her? Since she is not a Christian, can he marry her (1 Cor. 7:39)? If he doesn’t marry her, are we helping him to defraud her (1 Thess. 4)?

A father is more than a paycheck, so we don’t want to weaken or harm the family as we help this brand new Christian discover how to follow Jesus. And Jesus’ glory and our love for Him trumps all other loves, so we don’t want to leave Brad putting Jill and the children before the Lord. Nor is the love and commitment shared over decades between a man and a woman a small thing to trifle with. All these things are risks associated with helping Brad follow the Lord and bear the costs.

And there are risks to the church and to Jill and the children. How this is handled communicates a lot either accurately or inaccurately about the nature of God’s grace and Christian love. Jill and the children are not believers. We desire the family to see the gospel worked out in a winsome way that commends holiness as beautiful. Responding poorly will hurt one or more people in this family.

So what to do?

An Approach

What would be the strengths or weaknesses of the following approach? What would have merit and would should be re-thought? With all of this, I’m talking a couple weeks, not a few months or years.

With Brad:

1. Encourage perseverance and sanctification. Avoid giving assurances based on unbiblical criteria. Instead, exhort the brother in those marks of the Christian life we see described in the Bible: love for the brethren, obedience as love to Jesus, sanctification, and so on. Help Brad to see the work of Christ in the Christian’s life as extraordinary and extensive rather than small and trivial. That includes understanding that Jesus is Lord of his sex life as well. There are no intimacies over which the Lord does not say, “Mine.” In short, work to give Brad a solid biblical view of what a Christian is.

2. Study with him a book like Ephesians or 1 Thessalonians. This is a practical way to approach #1 above. The books are short enough to cover in a couple weeks, and rich enough theologically and practically that a good picture of the Christian life emerges. Ephesians has the advantage of giving an exalted, Christ-centered view of marriage, something Brad and his girlfriend need. I Thessalonians has the advantage of addressing sanctification and sexual purity directly (chap. 4) and of pointing to the coming of Christ. Both give helpful instruction on the church and its role. As you study, let the Bible ask questions of Brad. Rather than launch a lot of imperatives at Brad, let the Lord’s Spirit in His gentle and effective way use the word to address Brad. Ask good questions about the text, and prompt Brad to bring the text to his life.

3. Develop a plan with Brad to pursue marriage quickly. There may be a lot of work that needs to be put into this one. Brad and Jill don’t esteem marriage. They have fears about it working. They’re comfortable with their current commitments and arrangements. And Jill, at least, doesn’t think their relationship is sinful. So, there’s a lot of patient teaching that must be done here. There’s a lot of exploration and shepherding that needs to be offered in order to help them make wise decisions. But, the aim would be to have a plan for getting Brad and Jill through their issues and to the marriage altar in good shape. Repentance for Brad looks like marrying Jill, which would be strengthening his commitment to her and the children. But the plan should also include some definite thoughts about leaving the relationship if Jill is unwilling to live with Brad as a believer or if she remains opposed to marriage.

4. Baptize Brad after steps 1-3. Teach the brother with all patience. Affirm his decision to follow the Lord and deepen that decision with instruction, rather than questioning the commitment and undermining his faith. Brad’s mind needs to be renewed (Rom. 12:1-2) about a lot of things, but that doesn’t happen over night. We all entered the baptismal waters in need of some continuing sanctification. Baptism pictures our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, not our glorification and perfection. Build up to the baptism in such a way that the baptism marks a decisive break with the world, but also a decisive beginning with Christ and the church. Avoid making “complete sanctification” the entry fee for the baptismal waters, but protect baptism by counseling the brother thoroughly.


With the Church

All of this, of course, depends on helping the congregation see this as precisely the kinds of opportunities we want to be helpful in, rather than the kinds of things we want to fix quickly, squash, or pretend doesn’t happen. A couple of thoughts:

1. With Brad’s support and testimony, before baptism and membership, explain Brad’s situation at members’ meeting, and share the highlights of the plan to help him live faithfully before the Lord. Call on the congregation to bear the brother’s burden (Gal. 6:1-2) and to practically help wherever possible. Ask the congregation to faithfully pray for Brad, Jill and the children. Encourage the congregation to bring Brad into the family under the special care of the church. Have Brad make definite statements about the sin of cohabiting and fornication. Be clear, too, about the expectations for Brad should the counseling and efforts toward marriage not work. And be clear about the congregation’s responsibility in loving correction should Brad refuse to listen to the church in the counseling and efforts at growing in grace.

2. Be an ally in helping to share the faith with his family. Encourage the church to involve Brad, Jill and the children in hospitality, church activities, and so on. Make the relationship with Brad about partnering in the gospel to win his family, rather than about separating Brad from the family as enemies. Love Jill and the kids in any practical way possible. Help her find better work, if that’s a need. Babysit so they can have time to talk through things or attend relationship counseling. Work to make them think that Brad really has entered into this wide and caring family that cares for them all and wants the best for them all. A couple sisters from the church should be asked to develop a relationship with Jill with sharing the gospel and being a general source of support a main priority.

Conclusion

Well, those are my thoughts right now. Let me eat lunch and I may want to change some or all of this. I’m thinking through some of these things wanting to be clear but patient and sensitive as well. I don’t know that these comments get the balance correct. So, what do you think? Help me out here.