Pentecostalism is a Spirit-movement; therefore, Pentecostals favor worship in which the Spirit moves. For Pentecostals, worship means experiencing the Holy Spirit in the fellowship of the church. While anointed singing and preaching are highly valued, they are not the goals of worship; they are a means to the desired end—an encounter with God at the altar. It is at the altar that souls are “gloriously saved,” converts are sanctified, the sick are healed, and seekers are baptized in the Holy Spirit. Whether these altar calls are noisy and dynamic, or somber and tearful, those who witness and participate in this spiritual worship walk away from the altar deeply moved and inwardly transformed. Pentecostal worship is not simply enthusiasm, neither is it entertainment—it is an evangelistic encounter with God’s holy presence.
Testimonies were routinely published in early Pentecostal periodicals that demonstrated the centrality of the altar. W.J. Seymour wrote,
The meeting was then transferred to Azusa Street, and since then multitudes have been coming. The meetings begin about ten o’clock in the morning and can hardly stop before ten or twelve at night, and sometimes two or three in the morning, because so many are seeking, and some are slain under the power of God. People are seeking three times a day at the altar and row after row of seats have to be emptied and filled with seekers. We cannot tell how many people have been saved, and sanctified, and baptized with the Holy Ghost, and healed of all manner of sicknesses. Many are speaking in new tongues, and some are on their way to the foreign fields, with the gift of the language. We are going on to get more of the power of God (emphasis mine).
W.M. Tallent testified,
When I would go to church the dear Holy Ghost would warn the people, so they fell into the altar weeping and crying for mercy. One man was led in from out in the yard while the Holy Ghost was warning the people . . . When the altar call was made he tried to come but could not so some of the workers assisted him to the altar, and before the service closed the Lord wonderfully saved him (emphasis mine).
J.W. Buckalew reported,
The power of God is falling here, and the altar is being filled with hungry souls. Some have prayed through to victory, and have been saved, sanctified, or filled with the Holy Ghost . . . The devil is howling and the saints are shouting (emphasis mine).
Worship at Pentecostal altars is often ecstatic, that is, the worshiper is lifted into “heavenly places.” Pentecostals often refer to this encounter as “the glory of God coming down.” One early Pentecostal believer testified, “There is a heavenly atmosphere there. The altar is filled with seekers, people are slain under the power of God, and rising in a life baptized with the Holy Ghost.” To speak of Spirit “falling” or the glory “coming down” reflects biblical language (Ezek. 11:5; Acts 10:44; 11:15). The experiences of salvation, sanctification, and Spirit baptism are ecstatic because they are “in the Spirit.” The presence of the Holy Spirit brings the believer into fellowship with the Holy Trinity. A foretaste of heaven is experienced at the altar. Louisa O’Neal testified,
. . . after the sermon the preacher asked if there was anyone who wanted to be sanctified. I went to the altar again, with my heart so big and heavy I could hardly walk, but I prayed earnestly to God that if this was the right way He would hear my prayers and cries. . . I felt the presence of the Blessed Savior and was accepting his cleansing . . . In a moment I found myself telling the people I was sanctified. Glory to Jesus! I was so full of laughter, I could not laugh enough (emphasis mine).
But there is more going on than Spirit “falling” or the “glory coming down.” Because these experiences are ecstatic, the worshiper is being lifted up. The Spirit “falls down” so that worshipers may be “lifted up” into heavenly places. This is the movement of worship. Worship begins at designated times and spaces. As worshipers come together in singing, prayer, giving, sharing the Word, and sacraments, the Spirit is encountered and worshipers enter “into His gates.” The presence of the Spirit makes worship transcend the designated time and space so that “worship in Spirit and truth” becomes an otherworldly encounter. The legend of the conversion of Russia tells us that Prince Vladimir sent delegates throughout the world to investigate the great religions. When his delegates returned from their visit to Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, they exclaimed, “We did not know whether we were in earth or heaven!” Pentecostal worshipers can testify to similar sentiments. W.J. Seymour described the Pentecostal altar as the place where “the great Shekina of glory is continually burning and filling with heavenly light” (sic). At the altar where the Spirit is present, worshipers enter the heavenly places.
The altar is a sacred place where the sinner kneels to confess sin and accept Jesus as Lord. It is a memorial to God’s saving grace. Pentecostal worshipers regularly return to the altar to call upon the Lord, always going forward in spiritual development. Worshipers often referred to the altar as the place where God was encountered. T.L. McClain wrote,
So I went back the next Sunday, after praying all week; and when the altar call was made it seemed the power of God was too strong for me and I was in the altar before I hardly realized what I was doing. After this time I did not care who saw me going to or at the altar; so I did not miss going to the altar for a time . . .
Ethel Lee reported,
So one night brother Flavius Lee, who had been seeking the Lord for two weeks, was stuck by the power of God, and would have fallen, had not some men caught him and carried him to the altar. Then he was raised up by the power of the Spirit. . . (emphasis mine)
The altar call provides the time and space to meet with God, to call upon God for strengthened commitment, to be sanctified, or to pray through to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Pentecostal worship has always been about movement. Pentecostals pray that the Spirit will move among the gathered worshipers. Pentecostals come to church expecting to be moved by the Spirit. At some point in the service, worshipers are invited to move from their seats to pray at the altar. Sister Haynes reported of a fascinating revival:
And as the glory of the Lord filled the place, some were leaping, dancing, shouting, and speaking with other tongues. As the Holy Ghost played on the organ, a number would be on the floor dancing under the power. Sinners came to the altar crying to God for mercy. The last Sunday night of the meeting while Bro. Lemons was preaching, all at once people began to cry and scream, and arose from their seats all over the congregation, and came rushing to the altar, until the entire front and part of the isles were filled with seekers. Oh, such a scene as it was can’t be described, people crying to God and the saints rejoicing. (sic, emphasis mine)
From the Azusa St. Mission, W.J. Seymour reported,
As soon as it is announced that the altar is open for seekers for pardon, sanctification, the baptism with the Holy Ghost and healing of the body, the people rise and flock to the altar. There is no urging. What kind of preaching is it that brings them? Why, the simple declaring of the Word of God. There is such power in the preaching of the Word in the Spirit that people are shaken on the benches. Coming to the altar, many fall prostrate under the power of God, and often come out speaking in tongues. Sometimes the power falls on people and they are wrought upon by the Spirit during testimony or preaching and receive Bible experiences (emphasis mine).
Pentecostals crawled to the altar, rushed to the altar, fell prostrate at the altar, wept and groaned at the altar, laughed and danced at the altar, and were saved, sanctified, healed, and baptized in the Holy Spirit at the altar.
