Question 50: Why do Baptists go forward to the alter to pray at the end of your services?

Answer: There are two basic situations that apply to this question. First of all, every service at our church will include a “public invitation to accept Jesus Christ.” When the Holy Spirit of God is at work, bringing conviction to the life of a lost individual, he should always be given an opportunity to respond to that conviction. Coming forward to the alter in a public worship really meets two Biblical requirements – (1) humbling oneself and (2) publicly professing that you are accepting Jesus Christ’s free gift of salvation. Jesus Christ gave us the ultimate example of humbling Himself in Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Salvation clearly involves humbling yourself – admitting that you are indeed a sinner that deserves death and Hell – and that there is nothing that you can do yourself to earn God’s favor. A person who is not willing to humble himself and tell the world that he is a rotten sinner is not one who is ready to receive Christ’s gift of eternal life. Secondly, the Bible tells us in Matthew 10:32,33 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. ³³But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Jesus Himself in this passage tells us that we have to publicly profess Him as our Saviour before men. If we are really indeed saved, there will be a new desire in us to tell others about Him unashamedly. At the same time, we will want to tell the world that Jesus Christ is our Saviour and that He desires to be theirs as well!

The other situation that needs to be addressed is that of the Believer. The alter is also open for the Believer to go forward and pray according to the leading of the Holy Spirit during the worship service. There is nothing “magical” about the alter in this case. Indeed, prayer can be offered up from the pew right where they are sitting or standing. However, there’s something to be said about openly and actively responding to the leadership of the Holy Spirit in your life by going to the alter. It should not be done for “public show” in any way but as a way of truly “doing business” with God – acknowledging conviction and confessing and repenting of sins; praying for the soul of some lost person the Spirit has laid on your heart, etc - the reasons are endless. It certainly has been true in my life that when I get on my face before God and respond to His leading in prayer, I am more likely to see a true change in my life.