Altar Call

Casting Crowns has a song called “The Altar and the Door”, it is a very good song and it started me thinking about the altar call and the church that I grew up in.
I grew up in a small town Southern Baptist church in Commerce Oklahoma and like other protestant churches in the U. S. and the altar call is a prominent feature of each service. Practically speaking it was a pointless exercise.
Let me explain. When the invitation was given at the end of a service people who were concerned about the state of their Christian life or their lost estate would come to the front for prayer and counseling. What usually happened though was when they came forward what they got was a quick prayer and a card to fill out then they would stand next to the pastor and people would come by and extend the right hand of fellowship. As a young man in high school this is the help that I got whenever I came forward seeking answers to the problems facing me. I had friends who attended other churches and they got the same treatment or worse. I remember one friend who was repeatedly drug to the altar and told to repent. That led him to reject all things to do with God and salvation.
I found an article written by Keith Green that explains the history of the altar call:
“the altar call was invented only about 150 years ago. It was first used by the American evangelist, Charles Finney, as a means of separating out those who wanted to talk further about the subject of salvation. Finney called the front pew "the anxious seat" (for those who were "anxious" about the state of their souls) or "the mourner's bench." Finney never "led them in a prayer," but he and a few others would spend a great deal of time praying with and giving specific instruction to each, one by one, until finally, everyone was sent home to pray and continue seeking God until "they had broken through and expressed hope in Christ," as Finney would say.The early Salvation Army, going a bit further on Finney's innovation, developed what they called "the penitent form" or "the mercy seat." After a rousing time of singing and preaching, they would invite any sinner present who wanted to confess his sins to God and repent, to come to the front, and they would be prayed for individually. I have met a few older Christians who used to attend some of these early meetings, and they said that sometimes people would stay there all night, and on a few occasions, even a few days, weeping and confessing their sins with broken hearts. There were always some who would stay right there to instruct them further, encouraging them to make a clean sweep of sin from their lives.”[1]

D. L. Moody used the altar call in his revivals and I found this in an article online:
“One time, just before the great Chicago fire, he gave a message and then told the audience to think about making a commitment to Jesus and then come back the next week; however, the next day the fire took many of their lives.”[2]
After that he always gave an altar call at the end of his meetings.
The church that I attend now does not use the altar call instead the pastor lets the Word of God as it is taught in each class to do the counseling and if someone has a question or is struggling with something then they are encouraged to speak with him or one of the deacons in a setting where they get more than just a few moments.
The altar call was a good idea and used correctly it still is a good idea, but if all it is is a quick prayer, a card and a handshake then it is not just a waste of time it is dangerous.

[1] What's Wrong With the Gospel? Section 2: "The Added Parts" by Keith Green
[2] Dwight Moody God's Just Do It Man Author unknown http://www.washingtonubf.org/Resources/Leaders/DwightMoody.html