Grace & Peace!

Though some may things slightly different, the structure of the service is basically the same in most African American churches. Let’s go down the list… we start off with prayer, right? It’s either the deacons praying, or one of the elders taking us in. Next we have the congregational selections either sung by a praise and worship team, a one person psalmist (that’s what we call them now a days) or it maybe testimony time (wow, I remember those… and if you’re still doing it, please make sure you are only telling of the Lord’s goodness, not yours).

Keep moving. At some point, the choir comes forth and just as expected, they sing that special song, your favorite song that grabs your spirit, ministers just for your need. Talk about being at the right place at the right time. Things that were not right, seem to be alright; you begin to lift your head and while wiping the tears from your eyes, you (within the 4-7 minutes of the song) realize that God is, was and will always be there. No matter the situation, the words of the song encourage the soul to bring you to a place where you can find compassion, conviction, security, healing and or freedom. Whatever you needed from The Father has now become a mental success and peace of mind is possible, just through hearing that song! Isn’t it amazing?

Let’s move on to the next part of the service, the word, the message. It is that bread/manna from heaven builds you up higher and/or confirms what the Lord has already told you. Now the preacher is either going higher in the “hacking” or has broken that thing down to the simplest form with the answer that you have been waiting for. Throughout the whole service, it’s the most important time after everything that went before. It is the moment of decision making.

You’re here now, wondering and deciding to choose life over death, saying “yes” (to Christ) over “no.” It’s time and you have decided to try righteousness instead of wrongness. It is an important, serious, major move toward your destiny and it’s time for what we’ve titled Alter Call. The song that ministers here is the hook, line and sinker. If nothing else pulls you, the song that’s played/sung here will do the tugging and while your tears are flowing, your feet begin to move. “How did I get here?” you wonder, but in the end you’re glad you made it.

Hmm, do you remember what song it was? “We Offer Christ to You,” “Come to Jesus,” “There’s Not a Friend,” “Love Lifted Me,” “ I need You Now,” “ I Need Thee,” “We Fall Down,” “There is Room At The Cross,” or “I Surrender All.” No matter what the song was, you (the spirit man) were at the alter before you (the flesh) knew it.

This is the best part of the service and God ordained the structure of song to give you relief and bring a celebration to your new life. The invitation to know Jesus in the power of His might and accept Him for a better life is the greatest move one can make. Some people do it coming down to the alter, some churches do it by coming out to you. Sometimes, you don’t have to be in church but you hear a song and it does what it needs to do, and because the words minister to your soul, you lift your hands and ask God to forgive and accept you as you accept Him.

By no means am I saying that your deliverance comes through the song, but it’s the delivery and content from that song that gets to your inner being and relates to your soul through sound. We are made from sound through God and He is the Deliverer. The importance of the alter call song is that we lift up Jesus for all to see. He said, If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.’
Wow, it is such a major part of the service that no one should take lightly or for granted. The bible says the angels rejoice when souls come to Christ. Why? Because Satan failed again on his mission. You have just received a new lease on life, the best is yet to come and your destiny is now on its way to being fulfilled. Glory to God, Praise the Name of Jesus! I tell you people, in the end WE WIN!