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| PentecostalTheology.com
John Kissinger [11/03/2015 9:40 AM]
Google falsely defines “alter” as the table in a Christian church at which the bread and wine are consecrated in communion services. Catholic? https://www.google.com/search?q=altar&oq=altar&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.171j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8
John Kissinger [11/03/2015 11:50 AM]
The altar call is an appeal in which the speaker invites attendees to come forward as a way of acknowledging their decision to follow Christ. Many consider Charles Finney (1792-1875) to be the founder of the altar call even though early Methodist used a similar approach known as the “mourners bench.”http://www.christianpost.com/news/altar-calls-are-they-a-biblical-approach-128611/
Varnel Watson
With several Australian theologians in the group Margaret Mowczko Stan Wayne maybe we can figure out what’s going on there. First, does #HillSong have an altar anymore? And now Selena Gomez Sings About Relationship with Jesus at Hillsong http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/selena-gomez-sings-about-relationship-with-jesus-at-hillsong/
Margaret Mowczko
In the past few years, I’ve only been to a few meetings in very large Pentecostal churches. They usually have “altar calls”, but then people go to a room in another part of the campus or building where people are available to pray for them.
Mary Ellen Nissley
Whatever happened to the “altar service” where just about the whole congregation went to the front for time on their knees?
Deborah Anderson
Christians have become too prideful to kneel at a prayer bench, and our cold and indifferent pastors have called them “not Biblical anymore! So they have taken them out of God’s Sanctuaries in order for the people’s focus to be on them because of their pride! God always has and always will desire us to kneel before Him to worship and to meet with us on a personal basis. The Holy Spirit draws souls to His Altars that He May change hearts and lives! Going before a man will not accomplish that…nor burying our face on a step where man’s foot has trod, so I refuse to go to any church that provides no altar for me to pray upon! Some may say,”that’s old fashion,” but God says, “I am the Lord God, and I change not!” I have a prayer altar in my home and my Heavenly Father always meets me there! So why change something if it’s not broken? It’s my prayer that the Holy Spirit will convict the hearts and lives of our pastors again, to place God’s Altars in His Sanctuary never to be removed again! After all, it is ALL ABOUT OUR LORD, not us!
Varnel Watson
Mary Ellen Nissley
Amen. “Be the change you want to see.”
Varnel Watson
Good question for Charles Page who visits there often
Daniel Blaylock
In church history, the idea of the Lord’s Table being called the altar is a much older idea than our modern prayer bench. Our church uses the space down front and steps for the response time; some churches invite seekers down front and lead them to another room where prayer counselors are available.
I know Whitefield and Wesley preached in the marketplaces. I wonder what method the apostles used when calling people to repentance?
Varnel Watson
Does anyone even know? Terry Wiles Dan Irving Walter Polasik
Walter Polasik
Hillsong isn’t even a denomination, right? Isn’t just a music venue? A platform for Praise & Worship? They SHOULD encourage believers to come to the altar and spend time in prayer & worship. (That’s a strong Pentecostal practice anyway). Every church can have an altar. In the O.T. offerings were brought to the priests and offered publicy. The worship of God was usually done at an actual altar, aside from the one in the outer court of the Tabernacle set up during Moses’ day (1 Sam. 16:5; 1 Kings 18: 20-39). The altar was also where fugitives sought refuge.
Joseph Kidwell
They are part of the Assemblies of God.
Dan Irving
Troy Day You mean, prophetically-speaking?
Randy Buchanan
Do they need one ?
Varnel Watson
Andrew we did this discussion years ago to establish the main difference between modern day charismania and the actual Pentecostal church. What is your take on Hillsong in regard of the altar seeking?
IMPO it has not yet become clear to the masses which type Hillsong is but what Scotty Searan has called seeker friendly churches within Pentecostalism are mainly the ones who do not enforce the teachings of holiness sanctification and Holy Spirit baptism
I have often expressed to Link Hudson that these type of church though with the name Pentecostal on the door are basically the modern day bapticostals
Scotty Searan
Troy Day: very well said
Without the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues in tongues you are not Pentecostal no matter your opinion
IMHO; You you may have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit but you do not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit the infilling of the Holy Spirit until you speak with other tongues
This does not necessarily mean that you will speak in tongues again because there is a speaking in another language with interpretation that is the gifts of the Spirit
You can seek for the gifts of the Spirit after you have the in feeling of the spirit and God will give them to you as you need of them
Varnel Watson
Hunter McLain Do think Hillsong has one? Philip Warstler
Hunter McLain
I don’t think they do.
Varnel Watson
They do have altar calls right?
Billy Singleton
How could they find an altar in that huge crowd? Might need to focus a strobe light on it
Varnel Watson
Billy Graham had larger croweds and they found the altar just fine
Hunter McLain
It’s not the crowd it’s the lack of Bible preaching that makes me doubt. I don’t know if they have altar calls or not. Billy Graham did and Preached Bible.
Varnel Watson
Billy Singleton asked
How could they find an altar in that huge crowd?
and I simply responded. He seems to have deleted his comment since
Hunter McLain
I’d hope they wouldn’t have a hard time finding the altar. I’ve never seen a place no matter how big where it wasn’t fairly obvious where the altar was.
Billy Singleton
Troy Day I deleted it because I wasn’t really serious when I posted it. I’ve seen many altars in my life and many people making their way up to them.
Varnel Watson
Billy Singleton that’s fine brother. I was just explaining the missing link
Billy Singleton
At an altar call, I should be one of the first to respond. I find it so hard to forgive myself for things I have asked God for forgiveness.
Philip Warstler
according to the google definition, that would be no. According to mine: “places where sacrifices take place.” that would be a yes.
Andrew Gabriel
Troy Day, is there supposed to be an article at the link? All I saw was a couple of comments from someone.
Varnel Watson
sure http://www.christianpost.com/news/altar-calls-are-they-a-biblical-approach-128611/
Hunter McLain
The altar call isn’t supposed to have anything to do with “try Jesus”. It is meant to come down there to pray, get prayed for. Publically profess and make Jesus The Lord if your life. God Bless
Varnel Watson
Who is saying anything different ?
Hunter McLain
That article seems to be
Varnel Watson
The Christian Post one? What do you disagree with? I am personally against the whole sacramental idea
Hunter McLain
I thought he meant that altar calls lead to more false conversions than not. Why are you against them brother?
Terry Wiles
There is an altar there. Who or what is being worshipped is the open question.
Varnel Watson
Do you have an altar in your church? How many?
Billy Singleton
Yes, Assembly of God. The steps surrounding the platform.
Varnel Watson
Billy Singleton where do they sit when doing foot washing ?
Billy Singleton
They don’t do foot washing there. Last foot washing I witnessed was at a Holiness church. The women went into the fellowship hall and the men stayed in the sanctuary, sitting on front pews. They washed only one foot
Billy Singleton
FWB Church of the Pentecostal Faith was the denomination
Varnel Watson
Jesus said This do until I come Terry Wiles Joe Absher
Terry Wiles
That’s your position of the punctuation to fit your doctrinal position.
Varnel Watson
It is Jesus’ position He did it – so shall we. You can invite us to do a foot washing service in your church one Sunday 🙂
Joe Absher
Just thinking out side the box but what if God did a miracle and put everyone on the strait and narrow. Wash off the broad way to destruction and healed that walk and brought light back into that soul. Crazy ideas people get I suppose.
Was it the sheep gate where the bath was?
Varnel Watson
we;ve had ppl getting saved in a dark bar @ the Southern border in the mid of the day so who am I to judge ???
Scotty Searan
People may get saved in a bar but they won’t stay in bar.
They will find that place to commune with Jesus.
Jesus said when you go to pray go in your closet and talk with Him.
Could this have a symbolism of an altar (HOLY OF HOLIES)?
Varnel Watson
As long as they get saved bro Scotty There are plenty of well lighted temples today in America that have not seen a saved soul since the turn of the century or even before that
All and while an underground church of hundreds in China is lighted by single candle
How much light did the early church in Rome had when they met in the grave catacombs under the city?
The light of Jesus shines best in the darkness of mankind…