The deadly danger of an easy believism church

I like the Inspector's take.

Easy Believism and Easy Prayerism are not the same thing at all. Anyone who thinks "believe" involves words, doesn't understand what BELIEVE means.

I wholeheartedly embrace Easy Believism, and have nothing but disdain for Easy Prayerism.
The two are mutually exclusive

As for believing upon Christ, laying aside all confidence in my own self, my actions, my efforts...
That was the most difficult thing I've ever encountered.

 

Somewhat related to "easy believism" is that of the overly-extended "Invitation" (".....We're gonna sing 'Just As I Am" until somebody comes forward!!!.....")!

I was in the audience of one evangelist's program who may not have used the exact same tactic as I mentioned, but it had the same effect on me (and this was about 45 years ago!).

His line went something like:

"Now folks, I'm not going to drag out this invitation. I'll merely state the fact that Peter denied the Lord three times.

We're only going to sing a hymn three times.

If the Spirit doesn't move you to come forward after the third verse, then both you and I know exactly what your relationship with Jesus is!"

 

It's an altar call. And no, I don't believe such a thing. It should not even be called that.

What's with you evan? Do you have an aversion to the word who?

They're called Chick Tracts. Jack Chick just turned 91 in April.

 

Inspector, thank you for your comments. Rarely have I read something of such awesomeness.

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Just how many times do you believe that a preacher should mentions Hell and sin before God can convict a person of their sins? When I was saved, I had heard it preached on before, but the night I was saved there was no preaching at all. It was in Bible School. After class one night, on the way home, I fell under conviction. I asked my Mom to take me back to the church, and everyone had already gone home. We drove over to my grandfather's house. I knelt beside his recliner while he was sitting in it and we all began praying. Before my grandfather had even finished praying I was up hugging my Mom and Grandmother. The prayer didn't save me, but through it I gained peace and assurance of my salvation.

You seem to be saying that I needed to hear about Hell and Sin that very night, otherwise my salvation is not as valid as someone else's. But here's how I view what happened: I had heard the gospel preached several times. When my personal fullness of time came, the Lord convicted me of the sin in my life and called for me to repent, and to accept Him as my savior. I did those things, as He required and commanded. The way I see it, as Paul once wrote, one preacher planted, another preacher watered, but God gave the increase.

How do you come across so many people who refuse to leave their churches even though they have such staunch disagreements with them?

Guess what, Evan? There is nothing wrong with an altar call. Peter essentially gave one at Pentecost. He told those hearing him to repent, which some spiritually equate to building an altar. The way you describe the altar call at this church seems a bit disingenuous. I've seen a lot of tracts that promote easy-believism, in the guise of repeating a prayer or signing a card. Come to any of the small, sort-of backwoods churches around my area. When they give an altar call, it allows a person to pray, to speak with the Lord, to repent, to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling...

You're acting as though altar calls are just "kneel here and repeat this prayer" and we'll hand you your new Christian membership card. This is not the case.

Unless things have changed greatly I don't know about it, Evan, then you're not really in any place to tell people to switch churches.

 

I believe the point that evangelist6589 was trying to make is not that altar calls themselves are inherently bad, but this specific altar call was not handled well.

PreachTony, you said, "You're acting as though altar calls are just "kneel here and repeat this prayer" and we'll hand you your new Christian membership card. This is not the case."

It definitely is the case in some churches. I've seen it. You are specifically told that all you need to do is repeat a prayer and whamo, you are saved.

I agree with evangelist6589 that leaving out the essential information about what a person is being saved FROM is damaging.

 

Fair points, Matt. I was speaking to the altar calls in the churches I attend. I should not have painted with such a broad brush. Thank you.

 

http://www.wayoflife.org/free_ebooks/fbs_and_quick_prayerism.php

 

I'd be interested in the book, if not for one statement - evidenced by "changed lives"

Im so sick of that cliche, words are simply inadequate to express my disdain for it.

But i agree that "pray this prayer" is so far from the truth, and, i have grave concerns about the genuineness of any conversion which incorporates outward performance.

 

You need to read the book to really understand the meaning.

Your missing out by not reading this book.

 

Its funny what people get sick of. Not sure what purpose it serves. I guess I'm sick of people always being sick of things.:jesus:

 

Does that mean you're going to start a faith healing ministry? So you can cure people from being sick of things?

 

No it means I am going to wash people's feet and have them say a prayer so they can be saved.:tongue3:

 

I'm telling you, man...the folks at TBN would love to have another guy on board.

Youve already got their empty prayerism down pat, you're halfway there.

Now all you need is an ambiguous specialty like deliverance or healing, and you're all set