altar call

American  

noun

1. an evangelist preacher's invitation at the end of the sermon, asking people to come forward to acknowledge a conversion.

---

Etymology

Origin of altar call

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Like an evangelist giving an altar call, his bid is invitational in nature.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026

When she was 11, she had a conversion experience during an altar call and vowed to devote herself to Christian service.

From New York Times • Jan. 30, 2024

But how does one know if he or she has become “woke”? How does one respond to this altar call and accept this baptism?

From Washington Post • May 27, 2021

Some sat in lawn chairs or on tailgates, but families stayed at least 6 feet apart - even when Bailey did an altar call.

From Washington Times • Apr. 12, 2020

“She never answered the altar call, did she now?”

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez