Are you for or against the altar call and sinner’s prayer ?

(Note: You can read excerpts from the articles cited below in my “Baptist churches in the Philippines” blog.)

For the altar call

• Rescuing the Perishing: A Defense of Giving Invitations, by Ken Keathley, Assistant Professor of Theology, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
• Evangelistic Invitations, by Dr. Edward Watke Jr., Revival in the Home Ministries
• In Defense of the Invitation / Altar Call, by Kevin Jackson (Society of Evangelical Arminians)
• NO, NO I WON’T GO! Is it time to drop the altar call? by Keith Drury
• Finney’s Altar Call and the Quest for Efficient Evangelism, by Gerardo Marti
• A Case for Altar Calls, by Regina Shands Stoltzfus
• What does the Bible say about altar calls? Are altar calls biblical?
• Differences Between Reformed and Southern Baptist Churches: Altar Calls vs No Altar Calls, by Les Puryear

Against the altar call

• Altar Call Evangelism, by Paul Alexander, Capitol Hill Baptist
• The “Altar Call” Is it helpful or harmful? by Fred G. Zaspel, published by Word of Life Baptist Church, Pottsville, PA
• Are Altar Calls Biblical? from Trinity Baptist Church, Burlington, Ontario
• Why We Don’t Use The Altar Call, by Laurence A. Justice, Victory Baptist Church
• The Corrupt Root and Bitter Fruit of Altar Call Evangelism, by Daryl Wingerd
• Decisional Regeneration, by James E. Adams
• The Dangers of the Invitation System, by Jim Ehrhard
• “Saving Faith In Focus” by Bob Wilkin, Grace Evangelical Society (Note: GES is a non-lordship salvation ministry)
• D. Martin Lloyd-Jones on the Altar Call
• A Close Look at Invitations and Altar Calls, by Carey Hardy
• In Defense of Refusing to Heed an Altar Call, by Sandy Fiedler
• Altar Call, by G. I. Williamson
• How to Botch an Altar Call, by Way of the Master
• 21 Flaws of the “Altar Call” by Pastor David Wooten
• Altar Calls Examined: The Invitation System (MP3), by James M. Harrison, Red Mills Baptist Church (New York); panel composed of Jim Elliff, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Ptr. Gary Scott, New Heights Park Baptist Church, Long Island; Ptr. Jim Harrison, Red Nose Baptist Church, New York; Ptr. David King, Presbyterian Church of America
• Why doesn’t The Village do altar calls? (Highland Village First Baptist Church)
• “What is an Invitation?” by Dr. James Galyon
• “On Altar Calls And Gospel Proclamation”
• Our pastor recently stopped doing an altar-call / invitation at the end of the services. Is this biblical? by Bob Deffinbaugh (pastor-teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel, Richardson, Texas)
• The Altar Call: Twelve Questions, by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, Franklin Road Baptist Church, Indianapolis
• “What About Altar Calls?” by Thabiti Anyabwile, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman

Middle ground on the altar call

• Four Reasons Not to Give an Altar Call, by Dr. R. Larry Moyer, President and CEO EvanTell, Inc.
• Walk the Aisle, by Douglas A. Sweeney and Mark C. Rogers

For the Sinner’s Prayer

• The Sinner’s Prayer, from Bible-Knowledge.com
• What is the sinner’s prayer? and What is the prayer of salvation? from Got Questions.org
• Sinner’s Prayer for Children by Jerry Gaffney Ministries
• Differences Between Reformed and Southern Baptist Churches: Altar Calls vs No Altar Calls by Les Puryear

Against the sinner’s prayer, and reasons not to ask Jesus into your heart

• “Animism and the Sinner’s Prayer” by Karl Dahlfred, church planting missionary in Thailand
• Romans 10:9-14: Sinner’s Prayer for Salvation? An Exegesis and Application for Soulwinning Churches and Christians, by Thomas D. Ross (Master of Arts degree in Bible from Fairhaven Baptist College, a Master of Divinity degree from Great Plains Baptist Divinity School and a Master of Theology degree from Anchor Baptist Theological Seminary, Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Reclaiming Regeneration: Declaring war on the Sinner’s Prayer by Paul Washer
  
  
• The Magic Prayer, Is The Sinner’s Prayer Effective? (listen to mp3) and Baptism and Belief, by Greg Koukl (Stand To Reason)
• Closing with Christ, by Jim Elliff, Christian Communicators Worldwide
• Charles H. Spurgeon’s sermons on Romans 10:9-10 in which he did not equate “confession with the mouth” with the sinner’s prayer for salvation:
  
  1. Romans 10:9 Heart and Mouth (Sermon no. 1898)
  2. Romans 10:10 Faith First, Confession Following (Sermon no. 3011)
  3. Romans 10:10 Confession with the Mouth (Sermon no. 520)
  4. Romans 10:9 Believing with the Heart (Sermon no. 519)
• Repentance Blacklist by Dr. Dan Botterbrodt, Independent Baptist Institute, Fort Dodge, Iowa
• If You Sincerely Say ‘The Sinner’s Prayer’ Are You Saved? (MP3) by Dr. David Downs, Cornerstone Baptist Church of Orlando, Florida
• Testimony - The Sinner’s Prayer Only Hurts People (MP3), by Mason Vann, Grace Community Church, San Antonio, Texas
• Romans 10:9-15, from Jamieson-Fauset- Brown Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
• Paul’s Discourse of Righteousness; The Method of Salvation, from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible Unabridged
• Praying the prayer, by Steven Hall © 2000 Living Waters Christian Fellowship (a look at what someone at each stage of the Engel Scale might “look like” in terms of the seven understandings and willingnesses and what the “sinner’s prayer” might actually mean to someone like this)
• “Some Simple Difficulties of Salvation” by Roy L. Aldrich, Bibliotheca Sacra 111:442 (Apr 54) p. 158-169
• “The Gospel And Water Baptism: A Study Of Acts 22:16”, by Lanny Thomas Tanton, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Lincoln Park, MI; Editorial Board, Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society (Note: GES is a non-lordship salvation ministry)
• “Why Confess Christ? The Use and Abuse of Romans 10:9-10,” by John F. Hart, Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society 12:2, Autumn 1999 (Note: GES is a non-lordship salvation ministry)
• Questions Answered About Repentance, by David Cloud, Way of Life Literature
• “The Sinner’s Prayer”, by Michael D. O’Neal, Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia
• Resources by Thomas D. Ross (Master of Arts degree in Bible from Fairhaven Baptist College, a Master of Divinity degree from Great Plains Baptist Divinity School, and a Master of Theology degree from Anchor Baptist Theological Seminary, Salt Lake City, Utah)
  Will I Be Saved if I Ask Jesus to Come into my Heart or Repeat the Sinners Prayer?
  Evangelism Video: How to Proclaim the Gospel and do Biblical Soulwinning
  How to Proclaim the Gospel: A Guide to Personal Soulwinning
  The Sinners Prayer: A Historical and Theological Analysis, Chitwood
• What it means to accept Christ, by A.W. Tozer (Part 2; Part 3; Part 4)
  
  
• Getting John 1:12 Right: Should You Invite Jesus Into Your Heart? by Jim Elliff, Christian Communicators Worldwide and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Scriptural Evaluation of Salvation Invitations, by AWANA Clubs International (non-lordship salvation view)
• Ten Reasons Not To Ask Jesus Into Your Heart, by Todd Friel (Way of the Master Radio)
• Ask Jesus into your heart? by Hank Lindstrom (Calvary Community Church, Tampa, Florida)
• Seven Reasons NOT To Ask Jesus Into Your Heart, by Dennis M. Rokser, Duluth Bible Church, Minnesota
• Why NOT To Ask Jesus Into Your Heart, by Carol Brooks
• “Saving Faith In Focus” by Bob Wilkin, Grace Evangelical Society (Note: GES is a non-lordship salvation ministry)
• The Other Jesus: Justification by Faith vs. Asking Jesus into one’s Heart, by Pastor Ovid Need Jr., Linden Baptist Church, Linden, Indiana
• Revelation 3:20 and the Offer of Salvation, by Daniel B. Wallace (professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary; his book “Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics” is currently used as a standard textbook in seminaries throughout the United States.)

Middle ground on the sinner’s prayer

• Beyond the Sinner’s Prayer: The Power of the Gospel of a Promise-Keeping God (Acts 13:38-43), by Ptr. Russell Moore, Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky
  
  
• The “Sinner’s Prayer” – To Pray or Not To Pray? from The Evidence Bible (page 316)
• Is the “Sinner’s Prayer” Essential to Salvation? by Dr. Larry Moyer, President/CEO, EvanTell, Inc.
• What Must I Do to Be Saved? by John R. Rice
• The Sinner’s Prayer (from Sayings Not Found in Scripture, Blue Letter Bible)
• “One Way, One Cross, Many Journeys, Thinking Again about Conversion” by Dr. David Greenlee, Operation Mobilisation (pages 22 to 24)
• Biblical Assurance of Salvation, by Greg Wright

Backgrounder on Charles G. Finney, by Dr. Kevin T. Bauder, Central Baptist Theological Seminary

• Part One: Finney’s System
• Part Two: Finney’s Influence

Note: (1) You can read excerpts from the articles cited above in my “Baptist churches in the Philippines” blog. Jump to For the altar call; Against the altar call; Middle ground on the altar call; For the sinner’s prayer; Against the sinner’s prayer and Reasons not to ask Jesus into your heart; Middle ground on the sinner’s prayer; (2) Some ministries whose works are cited in this post are described as holding a “non-lordship salvation” view. This ministry uses the term “Lordship salvation” based on A.W. Tozer’s discussion in his essay “No Saviorhood without Lordship” and in “What is Biblical repentance?”