The Audience, Aim, and Appeal of the Invitation or Altar Call

Written by Roger Willmore

This article is excerpted by permission from the "ministerial helps" section of the new Holman CSB Minister's Bible.

The altar call, or the public invitation, is an essential part of the pastor’s preaching ministry. The Apostle Paul reminds us that the invitation for response comes from God and not from the preacher. Though the pastor extends the invitation, the call itself comes from God.

“In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God’” (2 Co 5:19-20 HCSB).

HCSB Minister's Bible: Black

The pastor must keep the ultimate aim of his sermon in mind. He is not preaching simply to give information or even to inspire. The pastor preaches with a purpose. He must call for a verdict. The word he has preached demands a response. The following will determine what kind of altar call the pastor extends:

The Audience
A pastor’s pulpit ministry and his pastoral ministry go hand in hand. Jesus described the unique relationship of shepherd to sheep and pastor to people when He said: “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father” (Jn 10:14). Since the pastor lives among his people and ministers to them on a daily basis, he will issue an invitation that reflects his knowledge of their needs as well as his compassion and personal concern for them.

The Aim
The ultimate aim of the invitation is to provide those who heard the sermon the opportunity to express obedience to the revealed truth of God’s Word. Before the altar call is made, be sure that the truth has been presented clearly. The focus of the appeal will be determined by the varying and changing needs within the lives of those in the congregation. Since a sermon should always call for a response, the subject of the sermon will also determine the nature of the decisions the pastor encourages the people to make. Examples of decisions include:

To receive Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior
To be baptized as a public demonstration of obedience to Jesus as Lord
To join the church fellowship (explain the method by which members are received)
To repent of a specific sin that is hindering fellowship with God
To renew commitment to grow toward spiritual maturity
To pray for a lost person
To request prayer for a personal need
To respond to a specific challenge issued in the sermon

The Appeal
The pastor will use different types of appeals to his people week by week. This does not mean that every person who hears the sermon needs to respond in a public way, but it is certain that some will need that opportunity. The appeal can call for a variety of public and private responses such as:

Come forward and speak to the pastor and/or a counselor
Raise your hand to indicate response
Pray a prayer silently (as the pastor prays a portion at a time)
Complete a response card (explain where the card is to be placed)
Write the decision in your Bible
Come to the altar to pray
Move to another place in the worship center to meditate on your decision
Go to an inquiry or counseling room

Finally, be prepared with counselors and resources to assist those who respond to the invitation. A guide for decision counselors is found on the following pages. Have a follow-up plan to assure that those who make public decisions have adequate support and encouragement.

The pastor must always preach and extend the invitation with the same spirit as Paul when he wrote: “When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power” (1 Co 2:1-5 HCSB).

Roger D. Willmore has served as a pastor for more than 30 years and serves as "Minister at Large" for Olford Ministries International in Memphis Tenn. Dr. Willmore has written numerous articles for Growing Churches, Proclaim, Church Administration magazines, and numerous online articles and sermons for LifeWay.com. He currently serves as the Senior Pastor at Deerfoot Baptist Church in Trussville, Ala.

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