Why we need to seriously reconsider the traditional altar call – Part 2
Recapturing the beauty and significance of baptism
Inviting people to embrace the kingdom of God where Christ is worshiped as King is a community event, not a private, spiritual experience. The Church, as the primary expression of Jesus' kingdom on earth, is called to live out the kingdom ethics of our King. Our commission as kingdom ambassadors is to invite others into His kingdom, to be reconciled to God through Jesus and to become active members within the community that bears His name.
Unfortunately, we have often turned salvation into a deeply privatized, individualized affair that many believe can happen with or without the Church.
Borrowing cues from contemporary culture, many have come to define Christian spirituality as an internalized experience between Jesus and me, while the community of Jesus into which we have been called is seen as an optional and non-essential part of the salvation process.
Hasn't the Church been called to play an important role within the salvation process?
When the church gathers together on Sunday morning (or whatever day of the week you gather together), and the opportunity to reflect and respond to Jesus is given, we should never bow our heads and look away. This is a community event, not a one person show, and the church needs to be fully aware of what’s happening, to pray and to assist in whatever way we can.
In fact, I would go so far as to say that we need to keep our eyes wide open. We need to look around, not to be nosey, but to take stock of others intentions and the seriousness of their response. What they are embarking on is a lifetime journey with Christ and His Church. And, entering into this community involves Jesus and His Church, not just Jesus and me.
By closing our eyes, we are only perpetuating the sermon of individualism preached by contemporary culture, rather than providing the counter-script of community and togetherness that the Church is called to embrace.
Personal and public
Is the commitment to follow Jesus a personal choice? Yes. And, no one can make this decision for us. We have to a make it for ourselves.
However, the decision to follow Jesus happens within the context of a local church community who have been entrusted with God's message and ministry of reconciliation, combined with the subsequent responsibility of maintaining an important role within the initiation-discipleship process.
The Catholic teaching, "All salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body” is very accurate. The statement helps us to better understand and appreciate the enormous responsibility we have as Christ's ambassadors (Catholic and Protestant) to communicate a message of invitation that is open to all, yet demonstrates the depth and seriousness of the call.
The Church is not an army of one, but a body of people who live under the loving reign of God. Click To TweetI once heard a friend say 'I church myself.' The context wasn't an appropriate place for me to respond, but I felt like saying, "This is a contradiction; a logical fallacy." There is no such thing as 'churching yourself.'
The Church is not an army of one, but a body of people who live under the loving reign of God, with Jesus as its King, who in the power of the Spirit seek to faithfully demonstrate to the world, in word and deed, what Jesus has done and is doing in building His new Kingdom dream - a dream for the whole world.
A public confession is just that - public. The church gathers around, supports, endorses, and assists those who respond to the call to embrace Jesus and His kingdom. We’re not just attaching our spirituality to Jesus alone, but to Jesus and the Church that bears His name.
The Church is a community of followers seeking the life, love and kingdom of Jesus. And, to join with Jesus is to join with the Church. You cannot separate the two.
Recapturing the beauty of baptism
Public confessions and declarations within the context of the community of Jesus are a part of what we do. And, no declaration can be more public, and beautiful, than the sacrament of baptism.
In baptism, we publicly declare to the Church and world - I am a follower of Jesus. I have been buried and raised with Him through this act. I am His apprentice and within the Church, both locally and globally, I will use whatever gift I have been graced with to serve the Church and world for the glory of God, for the extension of His kingdom, and for the good of all people.
Baptism is a public confession of faith.
Baptism is a public confession that seals our decision to be a follower of Jesus and a member of His Church.
In baptism, we tell the Church and world that we identify with Christ and will forever seek to participate with Him and His Church in His kingdom work in the world.
Baptism is not a private affair.
As Scot McKnight wrote in his book, The King Jesus Gospel,
The public act of baptism is in and of itself a public declaration of the saving story of Jesus. If done right, baptism gospels the gospel in a public manner. (158)
Contrary to my friend, we cannot baptize ourselves. We are baptized into Christ. We are baptized into His community, by His community, and for His community.
If I can think of one way to help ease the privatization and individualism that has captured the attention of the Christian Church, it is this - baptism.
Rather than rely on our ineffective altar call invitations, maybe we need to recapture the beauty of baptism as the sign that demonstrates our understanding of the commitment required in serving Jesus and His Church.
Recapture - Remember - Return
If we tell people that all they need to do to become a follower of Christ is to bow your head, close your eyes, and repeat this 30 second prayer after me, what are saying about Jesus?
It doesn't seem like we believe this thing to be all that valuable after all. I mean, even the initiation process to become a member of a community social club is more difficult than this.
If we don’t treat Jesus and the call to follow Him seriously, neither will anyone else. Click To TweetThe invitation is open to all, but the cost is steep, not cheap. To say that salvation is free is a misnomer.
When we tell people that something is free, it immediately loses value. We don’t place value on those things that are free. If it doesn’t cost us anything, we are quick to dismiss it.
Salvation is not free. It cost God much. And, it will cost us much too.
So…
Let us recapture the costs associated with becoming a follower of Jesus.
Let us remember those costs the next time we’re tempted to offer a cheap, 50% off sales pitch to people during a Sunday morning church service.
And, let us return to embrace the sign and sacrament of baptism as we invite others to join with Christ and His Church in God’s kingdom work at home and around the world.
“Follow me, as I follow Christ.”
- The Apostle Paul
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