Are altar calls biblical? Does the Bible talk about altar calls?

what does the bible say?

Altar calls refer to the practice of inviting people to come forward to the front of a church service or Christian event to publicly come to faith in Christ or for other spiritual reasons. However, altar calls were not a practice found in the early church. The early churches did not have altars or even church buildings that could be used in such a manner (Romans 16:15; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15). Instead, baptism served as the key practice to express a person’s faith in the resurrected Jesus Christ (Acts 2:41, 8:12, 10:44-48). While responding to an altar call can be a meaningful way to publicly express faith, true salvation comes only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not through any outward action, prayer, or public acknowledgment (Ephesians 2:8-9). The practice can serve as a step toward commitment, but it is the heart’s response to God and ongoing discipleship—living in obedience and following Christ—that truly matters.

from the old testament

• In Deuteronomy 30:6-10, God calls His people to return to Him with all their heart and soul, promising life and blessing for obedience. While there is no “altar call” in the Bible, the principle of responding to God’s invitation is clear—faithful obedience and turning toward Him are expected.

from the new testament

• In the early church, baptism expressed a person’s faith in Jesus (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4), not altar calls.
• Matthew 10:32 is often used to support the practice of altar calls: “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” The emphasis is on “going public” with one’s decision, telling all people about the decision to become a Christian.
• “Coming forward” to commit to Jesus Christ publicly is fine, but not a requirement. Instead, a person comes to salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Responding to an altar call can be used to make this decision or share it with others, but does not save a person.
• Someone is born again by God’s grace through faith, resulting in forgiveness of sins and being indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:3-14). Nothing we do—reciting a certain prayer, responding to an altar call, etc.—can accomplish that.
• Receiving the gift of salvation often coincides with calling out to God for rescue and expressing one’s faith in prayer (Romans 10:9-10), but only God sees the heart and saves, not words of a prayer or a walk down an aisle.

implications for today

In the twentieth century, evangelistic events popularized the practice of altar calls in asking people to come to faith in Christ in response to a message. Many Protestant churches used the practice as a time at the end of the service for a person to believe in Jesus, express interest in church membership or baptism, or for other prayer needs or spiritual concerns. Responding to an altar call can sometimes give a person a false assurance that he or she has become a Christian. However, saying a prayer at the end of a service in front of a church is not what makes a person a Christian. Only faith in Jesus saves. Whether one commits their life to Jesus at the end of a service or at another place or time, God looks at the heart and knows who has placed their trust in Him. Altar calls should not be used as a substitute for baptism. We can rejoice when someone makes a decision for God through an altar call. However, Jesus’ comm and is to make disciples, which includes baptizing believers in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20). Believing in Jesus Christ lasts far beyond an altar call. Though altar calls can result in genuine commitment, believers are called to be disciples, those who will follow the call of Jesus: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

Recap

understand

• Altar calls are not found in the Bible; early Christians expressed faith through baptism.
• An altar call can be an opportunity to come to faith, but it is not the only place or way to do that.
• Salvation comes by grace through faith not by praying a prayer, walking down an altar, or any other means.

reflect

• How do you underst and and explain your own coming to faith?
• How are you actively living out discipleship beyond initial decisions or outward expressions of faith?
• How does knowing that salvation comes by grace through faith affect the way you underst and your own salvation moment?

engage

• What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of altar calls?
• How can we encourage public expressions of faith without confusing them with the assurance of salvation?
• What role should baptism and other biblical practices play in the way we guide new believers in their faith journey?