Why, when, and how did the custom of singing a hymn at the end of a religious service at which time people are

Question

invited to join the church get started?

Answer 1

Many of the first hymns were re-worded popular or pagan songs- that way people would be able to sing them in tune. The custom of going 'to the altar' at the end of the services was begun on the first Pentecost, which is pretty much understood to have been the first "altar call". It is likely that there would have been some form of singing to either open or close the service, even back then.
Of course, I don't necessarily believe what I type, but I was raised in the church, and that is my recollection of what I learned in the 25+ years I attended regularly.

Answer 2

What may I ask is it "ready to leave the church and go home" or what! "Place donations in the collection plate or what"?

In reference to singing, it has been around with homo-sapians ever since they discovered that they had a voice box to explode with into blissful sounds of harmony. For well over hundreds of thousands of years they would have entertained themselves with this type of man made music for religious customs or just to party.

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Your question has asked primarily about singing hymns at the end of a church service didn't it! Then is the "invited to join the church get started" part of your question or is it part of your rational. It is a bit hard to distinguish between the two..

I would have thought that the first thing any minister or priest would have asked at the beginning of any church service is the welcome to visitors. Just the same when attending any meeting of any organisation when the chairperson would ask and welcome new members to that meeting and not at the end as you have suggested.

Singing hymns has been around since homo-sapians discovered and have been able to distinguish the sounds of melody and is not owned by one religious body alone.

So clap your hands once again and sing your life away-yer and helluva all the way out the church door and come back again sometime, Amen.

Answer 3

Even the earliest Christian churches sang hymns. I don't know about the invitation to join the church, though, since if a person was considered a Christian when Christianity began, they were automatically a member of the church.

Answer 4

You have to remember that Christianity has its roots in Judaism. For thousands of years there was nothing writen down. Most of the O.T. was from oral history and it was easier to remember stories and verse in song and poetry. We forget that when we READ the bible. It used to be sung. This is where our hymns came from. They used to be the entire service of praise and worship to God. (Read Samuel to see where King David came from)
We have expanded this to have a speaking sermon and singing before and after. This JOINT effort binds the congregation into unity in praise to God. If one is to have an invitation to join this mighty force it is a good time to do it at the end of worship so the new person can SEE and HEAR who this church body is.

Answer 5

It is called an invitation. Baptist have been doing it since they began. Not all churches have an invitation.

grace2u

Answer 6

Ever hear the saying; "It ain't over til the fat lady sings?"