During my first two years of college, I didn’t have a car. If I wanted to go to church on Sunday, I needed to find someone with a car who was going to church, and of course, we went to the driver’s church.

One Sunday we went to Eddie’s church. I had been there before and always felt spiritually uplifted by the preacher’s message. As was the practice toward the end of the service the pastor held an altar call. The “call” is issued by the preacher to those in the congregation who were spiritually inspired, enlightened, motivated, or for whatever reason to publicly declare their life to Christ.   Now I realize that many churches, even in this denomination do not like to hold an altar call. But that’s not the point.  Usually, the alter call lasts only as long as the hymn accompanying it. On this day the preacher had been unnaturally inspired, and the  “call” was issued several times and Eddie’s carload of five were running out of time..

We had to return to the dorm cafeteria by 12:30p.m. if we wanted any lunch. We tried to our best to leave without being noticed but to no avail. The preacher spotted us and said, “brother Henry, bar the door.  The devil is at work, and we must save those sinners.”

We left anyway.  The pangs of hunger surpassed our fear of the devil.

This did not endear me as a fan of altar calls.

Years later, I had a very positive experience at a Vacation Bible School (VBS).  On the final day of the VBS, at the last worship time, the leader issued a call to the children.”If you accepted Jesus as your friend, if you have a desire to know Jesus better, if you have learned how life can be with the love of God., then come forward and let us share that joy with you,

The response was slow to start, but a few started forward, then more, and more until there was hardly any room to stand on the platform.

OK, I grant you that some came because of peer pressure, or desire to be part of the crowd or to do what they thought people expected them to do.  But not everyone.  If even only a few, even if just one child came to know Jesus Christ, God was smiling, and so were we.

Observing next to me was one of the VBS volunteers. She looked up at me with red, tear-swollen eyes and confided, ” I’m so glad I was a part of this, bringing these children closer to Christ.  It feels so good. I feel closer to Christ too.”

Believe me, that feeling is addictive. She volunteered to come again the next year and in fact the year after that.

Now, that’s the kind of addiction to have.  Join or start a VBS team at your church!

Next Week:  What Was Your Motive to Volunteer?