Why do Preachers do this?

As far as I know Brother David this is a uniquely American practice, which is sometimes carried abroad by American missionaries doing what they have always known.

Does anybody know if this takes place in churches which have no American influence? I have never seen it myself.

 

1. Sadducees and Pharisees were always at it theologically; I guess Paul was only put coal to the fire. :thumbs:

2. But not akin to the OP.

 

So what constitutes manipulation?

If these men were to beg/plead with their hearers to be reconciled to God, is this not a form of manipulation? To urge, plead, or beg is to bring it to an emotional level to preaching beyond just giving the truth letting it lie, and we find Paul doing that in many places.

There is a fine line between urging/pleading and manipulation.

But who of us can judge a mans heart to know the difference, save God Himself?

There are times where it is quite evident. As in, by the seventh times of Just as I am and no one has moved from their seats and preacher isn't about to let these people go home until some one or at least many come forward. But beyond that, in jsut a normal invitation, you would have to be God to know the difference.

Who shall seek to accend to the heights of God and sit as Judge so that they can discern the intents of a mans heart when he gives the people the oppotunity to respond to the preaching, except in rare cases where it is self-evident?
Yet, we have many who seem to do just that.

 

It depends on the context regarding the reason.

Some pastors do it, so they can know who to pray for at that time for strength in spite of family or peers.

Some pastors do it, so they know whom the Lord is dealing with and they can pray for them, that it would please the Lord bring them that day to His blessed side.

SOME though not many, do however do it so they can know who they should be aiming their spiritual spears at (so to speak), so as to make them get up so everyone can see what work they have done.

I agree in condemning overt and blatant usage which stressed to manipulate for the sake of their reputation by having SOMETHING happen. We should call it out for what it is even THEN is not to destroy but to bring them back to the truth. There is absolutely nothing wrong nor unbiblical with an altar call in the main, contrary to some some peoples personal preferences. It can be done and it does not have to be done. But in not doing it adds nothing to the persons spiriuality, just as doing it adds nothing to ones spirituality. If either case DOES add anything it will always be pride and nothing else.

 

We share the Word and when God is ready, He opens the heart of the sinner as in the case of Lydia to respond to the Word (Acts 16:14).

 

So your saying Paul used manipulation since he didn't preach the word and let God deal with them?

What I mean is - Paul took it beyond what was required by pleading and urging those who heard his words via written or vocally?

 

Well then, Praise God!

It looks like the 'invitation' created a much needed 'invititation' for believers to know WHO to pray for and potentially HOW , of course depending on what the pastor was 'stressing' for raising your hand (unsure of your salvation, seeing your need for salvation, problems, et...)

Otherwise, these believers who are now praying most likely would have never started.

 

I think sometimes we confuse the public invitation to receive Christ with the public confession of Christ which is really, IMHO, baptism.. It has no saving efficacy in any way, but it is the public profession of salvation, not coming down an aisle.

 

Do you have a scripture where Paul was pleading and urging? I see Paul preaching the word, but I don't see him pleading or begging.
It is entirely possible I've missed it though.

 

Hoorah! What a fantastic reply Amy! As I was reading through this thread this is one of the most excellent replies. It takes the focus off man and places it where it belongs: IN CHRIST!

whoo hooo!

 

Let me be gentle about this: I think the modern public invitation system (raising hand, walking down the isle) is a blight on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

That is all.

lol

 

I may have confused things a bit, this was alter call or prayer time? Did he pray for her right then?

There are times, especially during revivals when we will have special prayer by request. However, I have never seen it limited to only non-believers and I've never known the prayer to be for salvation per se.

I have a friend who does something similar during the invitation to discipleship. He will ask if anyone who doesn't know the Lord as their personal saviour to raise their hand. The ministers will then go and extend a personal invitation to Christ.

 

I agree. I think the "hand raising, everyone close your eyes" type of invitation helps to create a lot of false converts.

My son had a friend in high school that said she had been saved many times, but never felt saved. I told him that you can only be saved once.
The friend had been attending several revivals (which I don't like either) and this practice is pretty common in those types of services.

The vast majority of saved people that I know, were saved in places other than a church. God comes when He comes. He doesn't depend on invitations. I am thankful that God chooses to do it this way because it brings all the glory to Him and not the preacher or the pretty music or dim lights or whatever is used to appeal to people's emotions.

 

I thank God that He saw fit to place me in churches where invitations were long and preachers threatened people that didn't come forward. It helped me to see the ungodly nature of the modern invitation sytem. I also thank God that He delivered me out of that in due time.

The modern invitation system is nothing more than a clever sales pitch, designed to motivate people to make "decisions" either through shame or sentimental appeals.

People are not saved by raising a hand, or saying a prayer, or walking an aisle. The bible says "believe" on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

The Bible method of public confession of Christ is called "baptism".

The way to "get right with God", in the Bible, is to "examine yourselves", and take the cup "worthily". Think about that.

 

Romans 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

I think that it is safe to assume that Paul, at every opportunity, plead with sinners to be saved. We do know that he begged Christians to dedicate themselves to God.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

A quick study of the instances where Paul used the word "beseech" clearly indicates that he was not above begging and pleading. We clearly have a biblical precedent to invite decisions in our church services.

Let me be quick to say that going to an extreme is dangerous in any area. To use emotionalism or high pressure tactics is not biblical. I heard of an Evangelist who began the invitation at a campmeeting by saying, "I feel that there are 46 people here tonight that need to be saved." A friend who was at the meeting said the invitation lasted until 3 AM when finally the 46th person made a profession of faith. My friend jokingly said that he got saved three times just so he could go home. I am not for this type of invitation.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

I think the key phrase is "doing what they have always known." I suspect most preachers have never measured the invitation system against the scriptures. They have just assumed that they way it was done when they grew up is the way it's supposed to be done.

My only overseas experience is in Romania. No invitations in any Baptist churches. I asked a pastor why not. His reply was "we believe that when the Spirit of God stirs someone's heart, it is not necessary to create an atmosphere in which the Spirit can work. We have learned than with the Spirit is stirring hearts, they don't need to be begged. They will come see us, anyway"

 

Maybe someone can give some examples of invitations to help see some perspective in that way.

 

It's not so much the use of an invitation that's the problem, but how it's used. It's the terminology, the language that's employed. It can actually be confusing to those who hear.

How many times have you heard a preacher say "Come to Jesus," meaning, come down here to the front?

The same for "come to the altar." What altar?

The system is so engrained. One Sunday evening at our church, the pastor closed without an invitation. One person was upset and perplexed. She asked me, "How are people going to get saved if you don't give an invitation?"

See what I mean?

Here's another problem. Every preacher will talk about Holy Spirit conviction. But high-pressure and manipulative invitations leave me with the impression that they think it's not enough and they have to help out the HS.

Another thought or two: Peter gave no invitation after his Pentecost sermon. And Paul's only exhortion in Act 17 on Mars Hill was that God "commands all men everywhere to repent." Commands, not invites. And it was during the sermon, not at the end.

What produced the response in those two sermons was not an invitation; it was the content of the sermons. It also appears to me that Peter's sermon was interrupted by the response "What shall we do?"