Have you ever gone out the front for prayer?

Yes, 4 days after my son was arrested we did.

 

I have gone down to the altar for prayer if that's what you mean...

 

Thats I thought he meant Sue, hope so anyway, otherwise I answered the wrong question.

 

When we found out my 15-year-old daughter had cancer, we not only went to the altar for prayer, we called for the elders to anoint her with oil and lay hands on her in prayer.

 

Great, we got the right question.
We went forward to the pastor for prayer and he sat us down up front, afterward he called deacons and everyone else interested to come forward and pray for us. I was still in shock all I remember is sitting there with a lot of people surrounding me, laying hands on me and hearing many prayers, someone stuck a tissue in my hand I still do not know who, the service had ended I think and we were still there for a long time with people praying. I think, like I said I was in shock, couldn't eat, sleep, or think. My memory of that day is our church being the church Christ meant them to be.

 

I did one time in a pentecostal church when I went with a friend of mine in high school. I was scared into doing it, lol. The evangelist was going to people still sitting in the pews and praying for them to be saved (loudly) and I was terrified. That was many moons ago.

Now I love to pray at the altar on my own. Esepecially when no one is there but me.

 

My Bible says we are to pray in a closet not be a public spectacle.

 

Real prayer is awesome. I've not responded to your typical altar call, but have received hands on prayer up front and it's a powerful blessing.

I've not gone up to just pray by myself except a few times, usually under pressure. The last time I went it was because I felt bad for the pastor as he honestly looked hurt that nobody responded, so I went up there. Most of the time was spent wondering "how on earth am I gonna get up again?" (I've got bad knees, it's PAINFUL to kneel!)

I'm more of the type to pray under my blankie. One of my favorite prayer sessions was when we were having 24 hours prayer sessions for our ministries. I picked some off the wall time like 2am or 4am, and as I was alone in the church it was really neat to be able to go to the pictures of the missionaries, touch them, and pray for each individually. Made it much more interesting and personal to have their names and pictures along the walls and to be in the church itself when all outside was dark and still.

For some reason I just can't feel as if I'm honestly devoted to a prayer if I'm in front of a group worried if my skirt is covering me right as I kneel, feeling pressured to be finished before the last stanza is done or the closing prayer. Seems foreign and cold to me, personally anyhow.

We don't have altar calls at the church I'm at now. It's a relief. If I ever end up in one that does have them, I'd love to see them more open. If you're going up to confess your belief or to pray, why have everyone pretend they don't see you and tell people to keep their eyes closed and not look around? Someone's coming up that aisle claiming Christ let's all stare and shout Hallelujah! Someone's going to pray, let's ALL pray! Someone needs prayer, go to them, or let's all pray for them together. Are you confessing? YAY! It's good for the soul, let's hear what made you have a change of heart!
I just don't get the secrecy and stuff that's typical of your average invitation, or the implication that when the invitation ends, you can't pray anymore and just maybe you can't get saved either.

 

Since we don't have what you all would term an "altar call", the answer is no, I have never gone down to the front to be prayed over during an altar call.

I have also never seen a real altar in a church, so I don't know how I could be called down to it anyway.

 

I have many times. But usually its been to pray by myself, not to have someone else pray over me. We have invitations which are open calls to just come and take care of things that God might have been dealing with us during the sermon.

We could stay in our chair if we wanted and do the same thing, but it seems that putting "feet" to our decision lends some solidity to it in our own minds.

 

When I was young.

 

Many times, both to pray myself & to be prayed over. I preached on it one night & was wanting to pray over a friends of our's little boy & was told by the Pastor(who had invited me to preach) that annointing with oil & laying on of hands were representative & not literal. Needless to say I prayed over the little boy myself & for some reason was never invited back.

 

I have....never to be prayed for, but by myself...and I have gone up to pray with others knowing a bit of what they are going through.

 

I have gone many times.
I hope to go many more.

 

I've been a trained counselor in my church for over 31 years.
You know, we counsel those who come forward in the invitation
time, as selected by the pastor. I've worked in this job under
five different pasters. I've seen people come forward for all
different kids of reasons. The reason groups, in order of the
number coming forth:

1. Moving a church letter
2. rededication
3. special prayer
4. coming for baptism (i.e. already saved)
5. dedication for special service
6. looking for salvation instruction

My chruch has an altar call every meeting on Sunday
(morning and evening, and any special meetings where
that seems appropriate).

I've also been a counseler for other groups such
Billy Graham's movies, etc.

Also, i've been down to the front on my own

 

Not to be a public spectacle. I believe in praying for people but not in them coming forward just to pray. Let them go into another room by themselves. How can one really pray when there is all kinds of commotion going on around him. I was in a chruch several years ago where the church did have rroms where people could go in a shut the door and pray. If they wanted someone to talk to they could go to that same area and a counsleor would be there to sit and talk or pray with them in the same kind of room. It was private and provided no opportunity to make themeselves appear spirtual.

In one church I pastored we had a man who loved to come forward and "pray". He even confronted me about it one time and was rather upset that I did not believe as him. He did not like it when I told him to pass by me and go into the fellowship hall or a room and shut the door. If I have business to do with God then do it before God not to be seen by others. It nobody else's business when I pray.

Perhaps it might be appropriate to have them come down after the service if they wanted. We should avoid scenes like Benny Hinn. Our scenes should be those which honor God.

I do not care to call attention to people coming but to call attention to God and obedience to Him.