As the invitation song was playing and our heads were supposed to be bowed and our eyes closed, I looked up to see him. He was getting “saved” again. But this time it was for “real”, this was the right one, this one was gonna stick. He seemed to be almost running down the aisle. I think I saw tears in his eyes, or was it just the sun light from the stained glass window? Several of us looked at each other and without saying a word, “There he goes again!” was spoken but not spoken.
Shortly after setting in the front row with the pastor and seemingly in deep prayer and conversation, he was quickly wisked away, only to appear in the baptistry with the pastor. Now the baptistry was seemingly some 100 feet up and there he was getting “dunked” for the umpteenth time. As he came up out of the water, the pastor said, “And all God’s people said…” and right on cue a loud chorus of “Aaameeen!” went up to the heavens.
Does this sound all too familiar? How many times have seen people getting “saved” over and over again. And then marched up into the baptistry once again, cause this time it was for sure a conversion to Christ. All the while the preacher rejoices in another soul gettin saved and joining the church. And the congregation says the pastor is doing a great job of bringing people to faith and joining our church.
When my mind wanders back to the early days of my new found faith, I can replay this “conversion” event over and over. Honestly it kinda makes me sick at my stomach. Is it any wonder why people are either turned off by Christianity or confused about what conversion is? Is it a one time thing, or do we keep on surrendering? Is being baptized several times, a type of works system and thus making it a part of salvation?
I was counselor at a Baptist camp this summer and was frustrated with the invitations given to follow Christ. The lights would actually be turned off, except those on the stage to highlight the preacher and the band. The preacher would close his message with a gut wrenching story to drive home the need to get ”saved”. He would then ask that every ”head bowed and every eye closed” and to listen attentively to what he was saying.
He would then say, “If you are here tonight…” as if they aren’t there? Anyway, I digress. And proceed to ask that hands be raised, “no one looking” and then he would look around and say something like “amen, I see that hand”, if you desire to give your life to Jesus. Of course with the lights out and you can’t see very well, the kids look around to see who is getting “saved” and so join in on this thing.
While the band plays some soft soothing music to “manipulate” the repentant hearts to decide for Jesus, the preacher asked those who raised their hands to come down the “aisle” and get saved. Lights are still out and the invitation to “respond right this moment” is given. If only a few come down, the preacher would then give another “invitation” to come down the aisle.
At this camp, the “invitation” was given each night of camp and the “decisions” shared with hearty “amens” from the counselors and staff. Each counselor was strongly encouraged to get decisions from all campers. After all that’s what we were there for. The churches that submitted larger numbers of “decisions” got real strong shouts of “amen”. Smaller numbers were almost greeted with defeat.
I guess the question for me is, is this the way Jesus told us to do it? Did Jesus give “altar” calls? Did Jesus ask people to bow their heads and close their eyes and then raise thier hands if they wanted to follow Him? Did Jesus ask that the lights be turned down low and play soft soothing music to “get” decisions from people?
Is it “spiritual rape” to manipulate people, especially young people to make “decisions” in such a staged environment?
Billy Graham, or so I am told, said that less than half of the so called “decisions” at his crusades were real. Lots and lots of money went into those crusades to gain souls. And for what? Lots and lots of money was spent at the baptist camp I was at. I’m on the camp board and to the best of my knowledge, nothing has been published as to how much it cost to get high powered speakers and bands to come and “get” decisions.
Whatever happened to one on one relationship building and slowly bringing someone into the arms of Christ? But that takes work and time. We live in a fast paced society that wants instant results and youth camps do just that. We just gotta bring em and then they get saved. But are they really? Do they understand any of it? Are we just copping out of doing what we should do?
What say y’all?
