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Praying at the altar
brothertoall:
Keys2,
That is interesting that you said if Some did not go down front that they were being prideful. There is some truth to that but then again I can remember thinking that those that did not go down were looked down upon also.
Some may have been thinking I do not need to go down there to talk to God. The scripture states that if we pray in secret then we will be rewarded openly.
I can see this alter call thing as nothing but finger pointing,putting on a show for all to see.
I went to a mega church and left several months before God revealed the truth to me. Now this church did not want to offend anyone so they or the preacher, were what you call politically correct. They did not mention the word hell or spoke of God's judgement and everything was just peachy. We would sing a few contemperary christian songs with a full mini orchestra, then they would pass the plate speaking of the building fund to build a new church plus adding on to the already exsisitng building and not to mention a summer camp for the youth and so on. Then the sermon which I got nothing out of but a feel good feeling for sunday and come monday it was no different. Then the alter call. Many would go down to the front and there was no praying there but they did lead them out the side door like cattle to a room and Lord knows what happened in there. Of course they were on a schedule of 45 minute services with 4 of them every sunday.
In the smaller churches I attended many years ago the alter call was usually noisey and they would drag this on for up to a half hour sometimes. Now that I look back I think maybe the preacher was just adding another notch in his belt.You know " Hey Lord look I just won another soul for you".
bobby
rrammfcitktturjsp:
Bobby,
I am so glad that I was not the only one who expereinced the alter call like I have. Thanks for sharing. ;D :) ;D
Sincerely,
Anne C. McGuire
keys2heaven:
--- Quote from: brothertoall on January 25, 2007, 09:09:06 AM ---I can remember thinking that those that did not go down were looked down upon also.
--- End quote ---
I can't tell you how many times this has happened. Even my wife (whom I love with all of my heart) would try and prod me to go down to the altar if there was an issue I was struggliing with. I remember not going and having to hear later on how I should have gone and soforth. I tried to convey how uncomfortable it made me feel, but always ended up feeling that I did something wrong or that God was displeased with me because I didn't go.
I heard so many times that we need to "step out in faith" and come to an altar to humble ourselves before God. Same thing with tithing, you need to "step out in faith" and give that 10% from your paycheck so the Lord can bless you (oh, and it has to be your gross, because you want God to bless your gross pay and not your net pay). It doesn't matter if you can pay your bills or buy groceries, you need to have faith. Then they would go on to say how it would be given back to you, pressed down, shaken together...yada, yada, yada. The message I got from all of this is unless you do what WE tell you to do (not God) then you have little or NO faith and, therefore, God could not answer your prayers. Why oh why must mankind screw up all that God intended?!?
keys2heaven:
Also, I don't want to come across as bitter. But, I feel cheated knowing that I have spent so much time in the "traditions of men" when I could have really been serving God as He intended.
dogcombat:
My experience came at a "revival meeting" held at a Church Of Christ. My brother and I were told to go down to the alter by one of the ushers, while the sermon was being preached. I don't remember what the sermon was about, and now I think it probably wasn't worth remembering.
I recall being confused at being told where to go by the preacher to some area of the tent they were in. My brother and mother were also there. Brother was "baptized" in the pool at the church and was suddenly a member of that church.
I don't know what took place that caused brother to no longer attend that church. But mom NEVER wanted anything more to do with that place. Mom was a heavy "church goer" at the time.
Looking back now, I thank the Lord that he gave me the opportunity to see the smoke and mirrors that befall many who are, in the words of the Johnny Lee song "Looking for love in ALL THE WRONG PLACES..."
Ches
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