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Guiding Worship

For those who plan and lead worship events.

A Case for Alter Calls

by Regina Shands Stoltzfus

Many pastors and worship leaders are ambivalent about the practice of altar calls, remembering them as occasions to feel manipulated and guilty. Some have experienced altar calls only in the context of a yearly revival or deeper life service—but wouldn’t think of including them in the weekly worship service. They may be wary of a practice that calls for a physical demonstration of a quiet, personal reality.

Altar calls, however, can be a way for congregations to deepen their corporate prayer lives, to become attuned to the movement of God’s Spirit, and regularly to offer a way for seekers to enter the community of faith.

Opening doors for prayer

Cleveland’s Lee Heights Community Church, where I grew up and for several years served as pastor, has long followed the black church tradition of offering altar calls in every service. In this way, the church demonstrates what is often said of church in the black community; that “the church doors are always open.”

The doors are open as a place of physical refuge for those seeking shelter, safety, community, and hope. Even when the church building is literally closed, refuge is still available through the body of the church—its members.

The church doors are also open on a spiritual plane, as a place where salvation and healing can be found. For years at Lee Heights, this open door has allowed pastors to invite people to come forward to pray or be prayed for, to declare their desire to be baptized, or to renew their baptismal covenant.

It used to be that altar calls always came at the end of the service. In recent years, however, the congregation has felt that altar calls are such an important part of the service that there are now two—one before and one after the sermon. The call before the sermon invites worshipers to come before the altar to pray, and as many as thirty people may come forward.

A way to say “I do”

The primary purpose of the altar call at the end of the service is to provide a place for a demonstration of a faith commitment, one that is made in the context of the gathered community. At Lee Heights, as in many other churches, the person coming forward indicates his or her desire to join the Christian community through baptism. It is often (but not always) followed by the individual’s testimony.

On such occasions the congregation responds with enthusiastic applause. After the service, the new candidate for baptism stands in the receiving line with the pastor and elders and genuinely receives—handshakes, hugs and kisses, offers of congratulations, and assurances of prayer and support.

A year and a half ago, our family moved to Indiana. We now attend a church where an altar call is not a part of the weekly service, making worship a markedly different experience for me. There are many moments for prayer throughout the service, including a time of confession, but no moment when the question is pointedly before the congregation: Is there anyone making a decision to follow Christ today?

It’s biblical

An altar call may not be the only way to issue such a call, but it may be a good way. The biblical basis for such a public testimony comes from a number of Scriptures that focus on confession: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,” writes Paul, “you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe...and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10 NIV; see also Philippians 2:10-11). The journey to the altar expresses the call of Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Our words, our confessions, are therefore outward manifestations of an inward reality—that through Christ, God has called us to God’s self. We are free to accept or reject this call; coming to the altar is a signal of acceptance. It also indicates a willingness to be accountable to the believing community.

If you are new to this practice and want to discover its benefits, you may want to start with one or more of the following:

Explain the significance of the altar in the Bible. For Israel, the altar was the place where sacrifices to God were made. In the church, it is the place from which communion is served, and where we are reminded of the grace offered through Jesus and the new community we have become through that grace.
Consider altar calls as a way to announce a desire to be baptized. This should be done in the context of frequent talk about baptism. Don’t assume everyone who comes to church understands baptism. Explain why your congregation practices baptism in the way it does. Encourage members to share their baptism stories in various settings. Cultivate a spirit of celebration around baptism both when new candidates present themselves and at the baptism itself. Celebrate baptism anniversaries.
Use the altar as a place to gather for prayer. Whether you do this at the end of the service or earlier, highlight the physical presence of the altar. Help worshipers understand that in addition to serving communion and dedicating monetary offerings at the altar, we can extend the meaning of sacrifice and offerings by presenting our own bodies, bringing petitions and praises, and dedicating our very selves at this place of prayer.

Regina Shands Stoltzfus is Associate Campus Minister at Goshen (Indiana) College and Minister of Urban Ministries for Mennonite Mission Network.