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Invitation Rejector

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by Gina B, Sep 13, 2004.

  1. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Do you ever go up and pray during invitations? Not with other people, but for yourself?
    I never have in the church I'm in. I simply can't see the point in waiting for a specific invitation to pray, especially not kneeling in a skirt with your backside to everyone. It seems uncomfortable and unnatural.
    Why do churches do this, and what compells people to go walk up in front of a bunch of people, kneel with their backs to them, and then pray to themselves? Why not stay in their seats and pray? Or why not have a place to go for counseling if that's what they need? Why rush to finish helping someone because the song ends in one more stanza? :confused:

    Gina
     
  2. GrannyGumbo

    GrannyGumbo <img src ="/Granny.gif">

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    I think it's about "emotionalism"...or a show, maybe. I've seen this in other churches and the ones doing it, did it most every Sunday and with big crockodile tears; but tru-out the rest of the week, their lives left much to be desired.
     
  3. Charles Meadows

    Charles Meadows New Member

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    It's another baptist sacred cow. :D
     
  4. Sir Joyful

    Sir Joyful New Member

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    Baptists ain't the only ones with it though. The Church of God(Anderson, IN) that I grew up in and just left has this happen all the time. For many of the members it's routine to head for the altar at prayertime and bawl a bit. I used to do it but I saw happening to me what GrannyGumbo mentioned. Plenty of tears, no real change. I now prefer to let the Spirit convict me on His own terms. I've seen some changes that way.
     
  5. AVL1984

    AVL1984 <img src=../ubb/avl1984.jpg>

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    It was "taught" to us that this was a way of showing commitment to the decision one felt the Lord was leading them to make. To some degree I can see it, to others I can't. It somehow seems like it would be more of a sacred cow than anything. Personally, I make the decision right where I'm standing or sitting. Being disabled it makes it very hard to walk to the front of the church. Plus, many who do it don't follow through on what they promise. I believe God can deal with one just as well in the pew as at the "mourners" bench.

    AVL1984
     
  6. superdave

    superdave New Member

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    I will never walk the aisle for a preacher who uses emotionalism or high pressure sales tactics to get people down the aisle, or one who attempts to make those feel guilty that are still in their seats.

    I view that as contributing to their own self-centered desires, and I would not want to be a stumbling block to a prideful person who obviously views their own role in the progressive sanctification of others a little too strongly.

    I have no problem with invitations per se, but most I have seen are so man-centered its ridiculous, and I fail to see the so called benefits of walking the aisle, true accountability is a personal thing that you persue with those who you have a strong relationship with, not a result of 500 people seeing you walk the aisle for who knows what. I have no problem with people who make decisions in their seat, they should make sure they are holding themselves accountable personally, and through a prayer/accountability partner in order to strengthen their decision, walking an aisle doesn't do that.

    Its easy to walk an aisle, its easy to make a decision to change, its hard to face the practical reality of application on tuesday when the real life situation you decided to handle differently actually comes about and you are on your own. That is where true Biblical change has to happen, not in the pew or at the altar.
     
  7. DavidsAngel

    DavidsAngel Guest

    I tell ya Gina, I've seen it but i've not really understood it. From what I think is that people are just swept up in the moment and feel the ned to move down front and to reconcile themselves with Christ.
     
  8. Glory Bound

    Glory Bound New Member

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    I believe I can pray just as well from my seat without going forward to kneel at "the altar". But I tell you what: it can get pretty uncomfortable when virtually everyone in our small congregation goes forward to pray!

    (I'm not talking about invitations to salvation, but rather just to come and kneel and pray for whatever God is putting on your heart.)
     
  9. GrannyGumbo

    GrannyGumbo <img src ="/Granny.gif">

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    We were visiting in a church once where the pastor MADE everyone come down to the front to kneel. Me and the mister stayed put...and yes, it did make me feel quite uncomfortable. And I don't like it when there's a group circle prayer where everyone (men & women) hold hands.
     
  10. natters

    natters New Member

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    GrannyGumbo, a similar event happened to me at a church camp once: years ago when I was a teenager, the preacher MADE all the teenagers come to the front during the evening service altar call. The next morning in service, when he thought all the teenagers were off in their own service elsewhere, he say "The Spirit of God was really moving here last night! We had an altar call and all the teenagers came forward!" Respect for that preacher dropped quite substantially in the camp after that.
     
  11. GrannyGumbo

    GrannyGumbo <img src ="/Granny.gif">

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    And another thing, as in the case of my son...when the "altar call" was given at the apostolic/oneness church he visited, the music was so loud, I just know his flesh was pumped-up. He was led down to the front(by women), where the drums were beating loudly and the lights were dim and much tongues/swaying, etc were going on & then he was hit him on the head with the jawbone of an ass. This was told to me by an eyewitness.
     
  12. AVL1984

    AVL1984 <img src=../ubb/avl1984.jpg>

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    I too have had the same experience as Granny Gumbo. Being forced down the aisle is something that will never happen to my wife or I again. We made this clear in the IFB church we left a few years back when the pastor called for all of the people to come down front to repent. Almost everyone went except for my wife and myself and the two other people who left. When invitations get to be three ringed circuses, I think I'd rather go home and listen to a tape of Tony Evans. ;)

    AVL1984
     
  13. GrannyGumbo

    GrannyGumbo <img src ="/Granny.gif">

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    This incident happened to us in a Missionary Baptist Church(ABA) and the circle prayer was in a SBC. I've never been in an IFB church service, but sure hope I don't run into that kind of treatment.

    I also dislike it when several stanzas of an invitation are sung over & over and nobody's "moving", but then after it's obvious the service isn't closing, someone comes forward.
     
  14. Gib

    Gib Active Member

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    We only have people come down to pray for those who have been bitten by one of the snakes.
     
  15. AVL1984

    AVL1984 <img src=../ubb/avl1984.jpg>

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    I too hate it when they prolong the invitation.

    I used to be an interim pastor for an ABA church about 10 years or so back. I was a BMA assistant pastor and lay preacher for a while, too. There are no BMA churches here where I am, so we attend a SBC church.

    AVL1984
     
  16. GrannyGumbo

    GrannyGumbo <img src ="/Granny.gif">

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  17. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Hey, what's wrong with all six verses of "Just As I Am?"
     
  18. GrannyGumbo

    GrannyGumbo <img src ="/Granny.gif">

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    Well, nothing, actually. ;) But in one service where we were, there was just a handfull of folks and it was kinda obvious what was being done.
     
  19. AVL1984

    AVL1984 <img src=../ubb/avl1984.jpg>

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    In one service that I was in during my college years, a church associated with the college was having "Camp Meeting". They sang over 80 verses of "Why Do You Wait, Dear Brother"....after the 30th, I quit waiting and left. ;) It was obvious what was being done there, too. I doubt the Holy Spirit was guiding that pastor to have that many verses of the song, especially since it was 98 degrees out, the tent was overflowing, and six people (including men) had already fainted.

    AVL1984
     
  20. Helen

    Helen <img src =/Helen2.gif>

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    Probably some pastors who aren't going to like to hear this, but that 'technique' with drums, loud music, pressure, etc., is a shamanistic technique used in cults and by witchdoctors the world over....

    When Elijah heard the voice of the Lord, it wasn't in the loud, dramatic moments, but rather something very quiet he had to listen for.

    God hasn't changed His ways where individuals are concerned. Once in awhile a person who is already Christian will get a somewhat dramatic 'shove' out of danger's way in one way or another, but that's different.
     
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