An altar call is a practice in some evangelical churches in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ are invited to come forward publicly. It is so named because the supplicants gather at the altar located at the front of the church. The word evangelicalism usually refers to religious practices and traditions which are found in conservative, almost always Protestant Christianity. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Look up Altar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Most altar calls occur at the end of an evangelical address. The invitation may be referred to as an "altar call" even if there is no actual altar present. Many preachers make use of the altar call, notably Billy Graham. Those that come forward will usually be asked to recite a sinner's prayer, thereby making a confession of their new faith. They may also be offered literature or counselling and other assistance in their new faith. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A Sinners prayer is a Christian term referring to a prayer of repentance, spoken or read by a person who recognizes the presence of sin in their life and desires to form or strengthen a relationship with God. ...

It is sometimes said that those who come forth are going to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. This is a ritual in which the supplicant makes a prayer asking for his sins to be forgiven, and pledges his devotion to Jesus. The heartfelt expression grants salvation to the person, after which, the convert is said to be born again. This article is about sin in the context of morality. ... In theology, salvation can mean three related things: freed forever from the punishment of sin Revelation 1:5-6 NRSV - also called deliverance;[1] being saved for something, such as an afterlife or participating in the Reign of God Revelation 1:6 NRSV - also called redemption;[2]) and a process... Born again is a term used originally and mainly in Christianity, where it is associated with salvation, conversion and spiritual rebirth. ...

Altar calls may also invite Christians to come forward for specific purposes other than conversion; for example to rededicate their lives after a lapse, or to receive a particular blessing (such as the gifts of the Holy Spirit) or if they are called to certain tasks such as missionary work. In various religions, most notably Trinitarian Christianity, the Holy Spirit (in Hebrew רוח הקודש Ruah haqodesh; also called the Holy Ghost) is the third consubstantial Person of the Holy Trinity. ...

The modern altar call has its beginnings in the efforts of American evangelist Charles Finney in the early 19th century. Many churches, especially those that practice evangelical Christianity, believe that one must make a public proclamation of faith based on scriptural passages found in the Bible in which Jesus states, "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." Other churches find the use of the altar call to be intimidating and therefore creating an artificial barrier to those who would be ready to become Christians but are by disposition nervous of doing anything under the gaze of possibly thousands of people. Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1875), often called Americas foremost revivalist, was a major leader of the Second Great Awakening in America that had a profound impact on the history of the United States. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Many Calvinists object to altar calls, believing they mislead people into confusing the simple act of walking down an aisle during a single emotional moment with the long-term work of repentance and belief. In doing so, they argue, altar calls may actually give people false assurance about their salvation (1). Calvinism is a system of Christian theology and an approach to Christian life and thought within the Protestant tradition articulated by John Calvin, a Protestant Reformer in the 16th century, and subsequently by successors, associates, followers and admirers of Calvin, his interpretation of Scripture, and perspective on Christian life and...

See also

• Evangelism