The Danger of Altar Calls - Paul Washer - Legacy Conference 2010

[MissedTheMark]

Sometimes I think that Paul Washer needs to get saved.. He'd be a much happier person..

[classiq876]

Alter calls are ok but what he is sayings is that the church stage it so that people could feel bettet about coming up to repent and accept God.

[samuel45]

Thinking far too much into this. 

[SSBALES1]

i wish Paul Washer would shut up and stop assuming all other ways are wrong and he is all right. There are many ways God can save a person. If its music, lights, or a altar call, God can use what ever He can and wants to save a person. Yes its through Gods grace and love we are saved, but who are we to say methods on saving ppl are wrong, and manipulating. My goodness, somthing as small as a rain drop can soften a heart of man, as long as God is in it. I like some of his msg but no this one.

[Altonahk]

@SSBALES1 He is objecting to shallow "confession of faith". There are many people who believe in what I call "voodoo" christianity: "I spoke the words", "I got wet", "I participated in the magic ritual, so I'm saved". It's about repentance and belief, and then it's about discipleship. So many churches just look for you to sign a card, or speak a prayer. They will often pervert the gospel to make it happen. They don't preach repentance, they preach happiness. They don't disciple, they count #'s.

[voiceofelijah2012]

it does not take 4 hours to come to christ. It takes one moment of believing what Christ did on the cross, repenting of their sins and then believing by faith. Washer seems to wants people to go thru hoops and circles and buerocratic red tape. Washer needs to cool his jets and just preach the gospel....and getting baptised with the holy ghost speaking in tongues wouldn't hurt him either - just sayin,.

[82sbg]

Many Christians I know who have the evidence of regeneration have gotten saved in quite lonely times when it was just them and God. No alter call needed.

[MrMikeds]

I like to listen to Washer cause it looks like he really hates sin.No body is perfect and I want to listen to some preaching that's pointing me to some truth.I think to much of this inspirational preaching is deceiving cause Hell is real and so is the wrath of God.The road to heaven is what we need to find and hold on to.It's a matter of life and death.Salvation begins laying hold of a close,true relationship with Jesus.I don't believe because I say one prayer that I will reach heaven.

[ConvergenceMinistry]

Wow, he's on point.

[chamzoful]

I don't understand why he's upset. I was born again in 1998 I was alone in my room watching a sermon by Charles Stanley and I received Jesus Christ as my savior that night as answer to Stanley's call to receive Jesus. This even radically changed my life and Jesus has never stopped changing, blessing, loving, and correcting me ever since that day. It isn't the altar calls. Besides, not all alter calls play music and what have you as a ploy to emotionaly arouse people to"accept"Jesus

[identity313]

@chamzoful - You were saved by the hearing of the gospel which alone is the power of God unto salvation and therefore was granted the faith to believe (Rom. 1:16; 10:17; Eph. 2:8-9). Altar calls or invitations can give a false assumption that man has power in himself to come to God (i.e. "I believed because I..."). Salvation belongs to God Alone by His choosing (Eph. 1:4-5) and through Christ's work on the cross and power over sin and death and by the Holy Spirit's regenerating power (John 3:3).

[chamzoful]

@identity313 2) I believe the guard against that in the church is grounding believers in the reality of who they are in Christ through sound biblical teaching, 1-on-1 discipleship, sincere love, Discipline of sin, and involvment in service. Paul invited the philippian jailer to believe, Peter invited people to believe after his 1st sermon; this doesn't contradict the fact that those assigned for salvation wil respond properly and be saved, others, like simon the magician may tag along initially.

[crazydays4444]

@chamzoful Amen. God drew me for years, and I picked up truths throughout these strage years of weird circumstances that could not be explained. But through these times God supernaturally pulled me out to a dirt field at night, & His Spirit regenerated me, at the same momement my old-self was crucified with Christ, & He began to live in me. It is The Spirit of God who bekons us day after day after day. It is when we have not responded to this and die- that we die spiritually as well.

[squall274]

@chamzoful Agreed and bless God for you! Though a lot of churches that claim to be christians do just what He's talking about and are truly more like cults than churches.

[worksequalsalvation]

@chamzoful

That is a mistake.Stanley is a satanic agent.His wife knew this and divorced him.He swore if she divorced him he would step down.He did not.He i preaching nothing but Paul of Tarsus who was Jesus enemy. I invite you friend to read this fantastic book online and learn the words of Jesus and how he warned Paul would deceive.

jesuswordonly(dot)com

[BADDOOKUS]

I dont think I would like to attend his church

[AlexfromNorway]

@BADDOOKUS Why not? Because He's preaching the truth?

[gore53]

Oddly I kind of agree with Paul Washer. Never thought I'd say that. Maybe it's cause I didn't recognize him until he was nearly finished. Salvation is of God, and God does not need the right music and seldom, if ever, resorts to a hard sell.

Consider the Sermon on the Mount... how ludicrous would it have been for Jesus to follow that up with an altar call. "Would you like to accept Me?" Undermines the authority, I'd say.

[jetdriver26]

Yall need to listen to what this man is saying. The majority of people who come forward/make a decision are not truly saved. There is nothing we can do to manipulate salvation, it is a work of God. Do a search for God saves, the sinners prayer only hurts people. Powerful testimony!!!

[LittleShinikami]

Thank you so much for posting all of these videos. I have been extremely blessed!

God bless you. :)

[identity313]

@LittleShinikami - Praise God! Please spread the word! Grace & Peace

[JessaMesss]

Wow the comment when Jesus comes back its not the politicains that should tremble but the pastors, thats a powerful and true statment, the bible says be carfule that not many of become teachers because they will have harsher judgment wow

[TrustinJC]

I was baptised during the type of altar call that he described. I know today that it is not the way it should be done. Fortunately for me, true conversion eventually happened during a weekend encounter group for men, which was precedded by months of small group bible study every week.

Unfortunately for many, they only experience the altar call and nothing more.

[rulerwithcounsel]

"This is about people", yes, but which ones? All of humanity, every race, creed and colour? - That's certainly not the witness of scripture. Still preaching a leavened doctrine. Will you ever wake up?

[dude853]

Pauls lookin rough lol

[icarusdescending881]

identity313, that's fine. Each to his own. Great men deal with great issues, while lesser men must scratch for the odd pickings they find at their feet. Preaching against altar calls sounds like the work of someone who can't stir up a decent altar call. I marvel that anyone would concern themselves with such trivia when there are truly great issues that need addressing. Lift humanity to Christ, don't worry over crumbs. I'm so personally grateful that Billy Graham wasn't against altar calls.

[icarusdescending881]

Identity331: You have yet to grasp what I'm saying. And, no, I'm not going to listen to whole messages, because I don't need to. ALL I have said is that there is no inherent danger in altar calls. ALL I have said is really, really simple if you'll just not feel so threatened. ALL I'm saying is that evangelists started giving altar calls so they could lead a group of people to Christ instead of one person at a time. That's all I'm saying. I just think it's a side issue and not important.

[identity313]

@icarusdescending881 - There were times that the Apostle Paul even called people out BY NAME for being wrong (see I Timothy 1:18-20). Was the Apostle Paul wrong for doing so? Should he have stuck to just preaching the Gospel. This is the Gospel. Standing for the truth of the Gospel. Paul Washer is calling out no one by name but calling out methods in the church that are foreign to Scripture. He as well as all of the body of Christ want to see God get the maximum amount of Glory! Soli Deo Gloria!

[LittleShinikami]

@icarusdescending881 - Did you even watch the video??? Paul doesn't say he's against alter calls, he says he against certain kinds of alter calls. Because after he denounces the one kind at 1:13 he shows another kind that he has no problem with. The problem is that most "pastors," elders/deacons and "counselors" are too lazy to spend 4-8 HOURS with someone AFTER the alter call to make sure GOD really saved them and not just say some heretical little sinners prayer.

[icarusdescending881]

Dear Identity 313, altar calls started because it was impossible for evangelists to lead each person that came forward to Christ one at a time. Big meetings meant lots of new souls coming forward -- hence the group altar call. There's nothing unscriptural about it at all. Paul Washer needs to preach Christ crucified and risen and leave these petty secondary issues aside -- that's if he has a message about Christ crucified. I'm sorry you mistake frank discussion for a lack of love.

[identity313]

@icarusdescending881 - You have failed to prove whether the Scripture I shared is true or significant to the discussion. You have failed to provide Scripture evidence for "altar calls" however you claim they are Scriptural. You have failed to prove whether or not brother Paul Washer has a true Gospel message. (Remember: this clip and many others are excerpts of whole sermons). You have used words like "impossible" for sinners to "come to Christ" in large settings because of a lack of numbers.

[identity313]

@icarusdescending881 - If you are gathering information from what you have witnessed or learned from the traditions of man and even the traditions of the American church, your claims are solely based on traditions and not the Holy Word of God. Please refer to ALL Scripture you may be searching for and explain it in its CONTEXT. The matter is not based on opinion but rather what God has to say.

[icarusdescending881]

For the original Paul it was enough to "...preach Christ and Him crucified." I guess this Paul, Mr. Washer, needs to nitpick in order to have things worth preaching about. Lots of great pastors have used altar calls for centuries.......think you'll ever even begin to measure up? One way to do it, and to have people take your ministry a little more serious than they do, would be to get back to preaching "Christ crucified and RISEN!" Ever hear of that?

[identity313]

@icarusdescending881 - I appreciate you honesty. But you have exposed much error in your thinking on the matter. First, your lack of love towards brother Paul Washer is unbiblical (1Cr. 13:1). Secondly, the Apostle Paul is the one who says, "Test all things..." (1Th 5:1). The Apostle John in a like manner says, "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1John 4:1).

[identity313]

@icarusdescending881 - The Apostle Peter also exhorts us to, "always being prepared to make a defense..." (1Peter 3:15). Jesus warns us about, "false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15). You have mentioned "many great pastors using altar-calls" but did the Apostle Paul use altar-calls? Please test all that you think and say with Scripture before you say it. Be a Berean and search the Scriptures before you point fingers.

[identity313]

@icarusdescending881 - And lastly, remember what Jesus says about call pastors "great" or "good," "No one is good but One, that is, God." (Matthew 19:17). Brother Paul Washer has even been quoted saying, "There are no great men of God, there never have been, never will be; only been pitiful, weak, sinful, unbelieving men, of a Great and merciful God." Please repent for you attitude and remarks and pray for brother Paul Washer.

[identity313]

@icarusdescending881 - Brother Paul Washer is a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I strongly recommend you listen COMPLETELY through any sermon he has preached to hear the true gospel preached

[dude853]

@icarusdescending881 Christ never gave an altar call...

[wwdunc]

@icarusdescending881 "Lots of great pastors have used altar calls for centuries." Actually, that's not quite the truth. "Altar calls" have only been around only about 200 years or less, beginning with the work of Charles Finney (1792-1875).  There are no "altar calls" (or "sinner's prayer") in Scripture.

[rydelrenan]

@wwdunc So just exactly was the method Peter used the day of pentecost? He pleaded with them and 3000 were added to the church that day. Don't think he spent 4 hours or six weeks with each one of them. I'm pretty sure there weren't enough "qualified" people there to do that either. This is no different than saying that God couldn't create the universe in 6 days. Why can't he-all by himself- save a sinner instantly?

[guylacelle]

amen...nothing but truth. The church doesn't know the seriousness of it.

[GrowUp318com]

Can God not use ANYbody? Is He restricted to only be able to use Pastors and elders?

No... not my God. He has no limitations. He can use ANYone in the church to win souls for His kingdom.

[heatmanable]

You are bang on, brother , bang on ....

[sandorr]

So Biblical and so Historical PraiseGOD !

[bigkitchenjaybo]

Cont.- Be careful to not be so dogmatic that you throw the baby out with the bath water. This does not mean that you have spoken untruth about manipulation just to get easy numbers. Godly music, however, is shown in scripture to go before the army of the Lord in battle. Yes, it can be used improperly, but be careful not to put God in a box. Trust and allow the Holy Spirit to move in services and where the Gospel is preached. Brother Paul, You are a blessing. May the Lord bless you in all.

[MD4Christ]

People are saved because the Holy Spirit draws them and brings them to repentance through faith in Jesus Christ. They are saved not because of the prayer, or the music or the altar call but in spite of it. God will save His people. We have more of a problem with this false heresy preached in church of the "altar call" than we do with proper preaching of the gospel. So I don't think there should be a fear of throwing the baby out with the bath water, we should be faithful to men's souls.

[bigkitchenjaybo]

Brother Paul, God bless you for speaking out so boldly on many important issues of the Lord. As a minister I share your concern about what has become common practice at alter calls, but I counsel you to revisit scripture concerning the lost coming forward for salvation. Yes, discipleship is to often not initiated from the start and a lack of counting the cost is a very large problem, but in scripture it was the practice for many to come forward to be baptized after the Apostles preached.

[janeym]

oh the legitness of this man!