Bibliography: Decisional Regeneration (Altar Calls)

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I have endeavored to provide you some credible information and sources to study the very popular technique called "the altar call." If you are like me, you would be thinking like, "I thought we had always done the altar call thingie." But I think you would be surprised. I have provided sources for both sides of the issues and encourage you to investigate those who are for and against altar calls. I think by now you know where I stand. The sources in bold print are ones that I recommend that you check out first. The ones in red are those against it, and the ones in green are those for it. Some are deeply scholarly, while others are individual's analysis and are highly subjective. However, it is important that we consider carefully this idea of altar calls to see if it is Scripturally supported and representative of what it means to "come to Christ." So here they are: Books Bennett, David. The Altar Call: It’s Origins and Present Usage. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2000. Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. Wheaton: Crossway, 2004. Finney, Charles. Lectures on Revival. New York: Revell, 1868. Ford, Leighton. The Christian Persuader. New York: Harper & Row, 1966. Gundry, Stanley N. Love Them In: The Life and Theology of D.L. Moody. Chicago: Moody, 1999. Hawkins, O.S. Drawing the Net: 30 Practical Principles for Leading Others to Christ Publicly and Privately. Nashville: Broadman, 1993. Hulse, Erroll. The Great Invitation. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1986. Huston, Sterling W. Crusade Evangelism and the Local Church. Minneapolis: Worldwide Publishing, 1984. Iain Murray. Evangelicalism Divided: A Record of Crucial Changes in the Years 1950 to 2000. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2000. _________. Revival & Revivalism: The Making and Marring of American Evangelicalism 1750-1858. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1994. _________. The Forgotten Spurgeon. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1981. ­­­­­­­­­_________. The Invitation System. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1998. Kendell, R.T. Stand Up and Be Counted. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984. Lloyd-Jones, Martyn. Preaching and Preachers. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971. Nettles, Thomas J. By His Grace and for His Glory: A Historical, Theological, and Practical Study of the Doctrines of Grace in Baptist Life. Lake Charles, LA: Cor Meum Tibi, 2002. Packer, J.I. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1961. Reisinger, Ernest C. Today’s Evangelism: It’s Message and Methods. Phillipsburg, NJ: Craig Press, 1982. Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. An All Around Ministry. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1986. Stout, Harry S. The Divine Dramatist. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991. Street, R. Alan. The Effective Invitation. New York: Fleming Revell, 1984. Whitesell, F.D. 65 Ways to Give Evangelistic Invitations. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1984. Articles Adams, James E. “Decisional Regeneration.” Glenwood Hills Bible Church. http://www.glenwoodhillsbiblechurch.org/article.asp?ID=509 Alexander, Paul. “Altar Call Evangelism.” IX Marks Ministries. http://www.9marks.org/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PT ID314526%7CCHID629094%7CCIID1804792,00.html Bennett, David M. “John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Jonathan Edwards: The Evangelistic Methods in Relation to the Invitation System.” Lucas 25 & 26 (1999). Challies, Tim. “Decisional Regeneration.” http://www.challies.com/archives/000643.php http://www.challies.com/archives/000956.php Coleman, Robert E. “The Origin of the Altar Call in American Methodism.” The Asbury Seminarian. (Winter 1958): 19-26. Elliff, Jim. “Closing with Christ: A Fresh Look at the ‘Altar Call’.” Christian Communicators Worldwide. Kansas City, MO: 1998. http://www.ccwonline.org/closing.html _________. “Southern Baptists: An Unregenerate Denomination.” Christian Communicators Worldwide. Kansas City, MO: 1999. http://www.ccwonline.org/sbc.html Ehrhard, Jim. “The Dangers of the Invitation System.” Grace Sermons. http://www.gracesermons.com/hisbygrace/invitation.html Erkel, Darryl. “Errors of the Invitation System: Should We Lead People to Repeat a ‘Sinner’s Prayer’.” Five Solas. http://www.5solas.org//media.php?id=74&print=1 Fiedler, Sandy. “In Defense of Refusing to Heed an Altar Call.” Grace Sermons. http://www.gracesermons.com/hisbygrace/heed.html Gerstner, John H. and John Neil Gerstner. “Edwardsean Preparation for Salvation.” Westminster Theological Journal. 42 (Fall 1979): 5-71. Hardy, Carey. “A Close Look at Invitations and Altar Calls.” Shepherds Conference, 2003. http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/SC03-1050.htm http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/SC03-1050CDNotes.htm Heesen, David R. “Isms, Schisms, and Altar Calls.” Kingdom Digest. http://beloit.edu/~heesendr/Moody.html Johnson, Phil. “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: How Charles Finney’s Theology Ravaged the Evangelical Movement.” Glennwood Hills Bible Church. 1999. http://www.glenwoodhillsbiblechurch.org/article.asp?ID=731 McClendon, H.R. “The Mourner’s Bench.” (D.Th.) Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1902. Nelson, Rick. “How Does Doctrine Affect Evangelism?: The Divergent Paths of Asahel Nettleton and Charles Finney.” Founders Journal Issue 33. http://www.founders.org/FJ33/article1_fr.html Olive, H.G. “The Development of the Evangelistic Invitation.” (M.Th.) Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1958. Payne, William. “Altar Calls.” Grace Sermons. http://www.gracesermons.com/hisbygrace/altar.html Reisinger, Ernest. “On Coming to Christ.” The Founder’s Journal. Issue 21. http://www.founders.org/FJ21/article4.html http://www.founders.org/FJ22/article2.html Spencer, Michael. “Leave Your Seat. Leave Your Sin: How the Public Invitation Has Corrupted Evangelical Christianity.” The Internet Monk. http://www.internetmonk.com/invitation.html http://www.internetmonk.com/invitebible.html http://www.internetmonk.com/invitebible3.html Thompson, W.O., Jr. “The Public Invitation as a Method of Evangelism: It’s Origin and Development.” (Ph.D.) Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1979. Zaspel, Fred G. “The Altar Call: Is It Harmful or Helpful?” Grace Online Library. http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/etc/printer-friendly.asp?ID=704