Re-Post: Decisions: “We had [insert number] receive Jesus today”
Mar 27th, 2008 by Nathan White
In light of the discussion going on about my last blog post, both here and in my email inbox, I am re-posting an article I wrote back in January. Again, my focus is on these teachers and what they are saying; not on them personally or what they are doing. I hope this post will spur some discussion on the topic of ‘decisions for Christ’.
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My thoughts of late have been centered on the topic of conversion. That is, salvation; the momentous event when a soul is justified. Of course, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ, but specifically, I have been contemplating just how hard -or how easy- this ‘process’ of conversion is.
I am continually amazed at a few churches in my area who regularly announce those who have ‘accepted Christ’ that week; how many came forward to be saved. These announcements are given all the time, and the numbers are sometimes small, sometimes large, but seem to always been something in number.
There are many of reasons why these announcements shock me:
1) The first reason is that these announcements come from a theological position that assumes salvation is a simple decision or act of the will. Of course, I would argue that this is patently unbiblical, but I do try and understand and account for this underlying presupposition, without judging them on this one fact alone.
2) Announcing these decisions, by necessity, undermines the fact that many humans make rash, emotional, and ignorant decisions every single day. ‘Why did I eat that last night?’ ‘That blind date was a mistake.’ Etc. In other words, they seems to ignore the fact that false conversions are real and very common, especially considering that scripture speaks to this issue time and again.
3) If the number is small, by comparison to the size of the church of course, it usually isn’t met with much enthusiasm. This is astounding to me because I would assume that one true salvation is worthy of years and years of thankfulness and worship. A soul has been saved from hell! That is worthy of angels rejoicing! But it’s almost like their saying, ‘we didn’t meet our quota, but we’ll get ‘em next time.’, instead of falling on their faces in worshiping God for such an astounding miracle. (This, to me, is their actions speaking louder than words, in that they testify with their lack of enthusiasm that these decisions are likely not genuine.)
4) On the same note as the point above, when announcing these decisions, the implication is that the congregation and/or pastor is responsible for the decisions. Sometimes you’ll even hear the ‘give yourselves a hand’ comment. But even still, announcing decisions in this manner seems to me as a clear attempt to take credit for the work that God says only He can do. The pride in such announcements is astounding to me.
5) I have only been a believer for 5 years, but I can say without hesitation that I have personally witnessed very few real conversions. That is, in the churches I have been a part of in the last 5 years, and the Christian circles/ministries I have worked in, I have personally seen about half a dozen (or less) true conversions during this time –and Atlanta is a big city. Sure, I’ve seen a lot of people come and go, but if there is one thing I’m certain of it’s this: when the gospel is proclaimed with the demands that Jesus and the Apostles put on it, and not with a plea for a simple decision or walk forward, then those who respond are very few. But oh, what a miracle, and what a beautiful, astounding, amazing thing it is when they do respond (by God’s grace). Their entire makeup is radically changed and all can see, –and it lasts!
John Bunyan, the great Puritan and author of the Pilgrim’s Progress, had many things to say about conversion. I’ll close with a few thoughts from him –and note the ‘horse’ story below, as it is a good one.
“The righteous shall scarcely be saved. That is, they shall, but yet with great difficulty, that it may be the sweeter.”
And,
“Conversion is not the smooth, easy-going process some seem to think…It is wounding work, of course, this breaking of hearts, but without wounding there is no saving.”
And,
“He that comes to Christ cannot, it is true, always get on as fast as he would. Poor coming soul, thou art like the man that would ride full gallop whose horse will hardly trot. Now the desire of his mind is not to be judged by the slow pace of the dull jade he rides on, but by the hitching and kicking and spurring as he sits on his back. Thy flesh is like this dull jade, it will not gallop after Christ, it will be backward though they soul and heaven lie at stake.”
Bunyan’s point is more along the lines of sanctification after conversion, but I think it is relevant to this topic as well. We humans, in our flesh, may freely admit that we would like to escape the wrath of God, but all the kicking and screaming in the world amounts to nothing of God does not wrought a change deep within, and light a fire of unquenchable love for Christ in the soul. Heaven and hell could lie at stake, and we could and do care less –despite what affirmations we make in our minds.
I was just reading this morning about Peter’s confession. I have often asked and have no real answer as to the timing of the “quickening” of the disciples. It lies in mystery, but it was no easy road. We may think of how harsh the Lord was on his own disciples as if pruning the tree. We might think of the requirement of covenant that Jesus put before the people and at that point how many (most) turned back and no longer followed. What we find then is that the making of followers is easy, but the making of disciples requires much patience and long suffering with what appears an ignorant people who are self-centered. The breaking of the old yoke doesn’t appear to be so easy. Even those who appear most committed, may not be.
We generally take this to mean that these were “born again”. But, why should we? Was not Judas chosen, baptized and even did baptisms, healed, preached the Gospel, yet he was not of the disciples truly; he was not of the number. And we can examine a man named Simon who sought to join himself to the apostles.
But Peter says of him:
We should not then be so quick to accept confessions as signs of faith, nor should we be so quick to baptize in accordance with the GC until we have secured at the minimum some evidences of repentance. “Let them first be tested then let them serve” is an admonition about filtering leadership, however, it seems prudent advice when accepting an “applicant” for discipleship also.
What this would mean is that a church would not be so quick to accept “decisions” and would delay the announcement of numbers until the confirmation process had secured verified confession as a prelude to baptism. Even at that we could be humbled by a baptized confessor who was not a legitimate convert. But, we should be wise and not wishing to do harm, we should seek as much affirmation of the confession as is reasonable both for the sake of the one coming forward and for the sake of the fellowship.
Such are my thoughts…
TT,
Excellent thoughts. The example of the baptism of Simon is very relevant to this discussion, and to the very nature of the gospel. ‘Decision’ theology has infected this country like the plague.
Another thing I thought of giving your words: if there were false converts under the preaching of Jesus and Peter, how MUCH MORE so today with the preaching of many of today’s teachers! I have listened to some of the sermons which generated the decisions noted in my previous post, and it amazed me people responded at all…because there was nothing said to respond to! The church is so focussed on manufacturing decisions through industrialized manipulation, that they’ve lost the gospel and placed all of their eggs into the basket of numbers-counting to justify their ministry.
Just a thought. Thanks for yours.
Interesting that you should say
Because, the life of Charles Finney just happens to coincide with the industrial revolution. Strange? Not really, trends and fads in the church tend to track the civil sphere too closely. That you should choose those words, however, is just so appropriate.
Now think of this. We have become a near completely non-agrarian culture where most everything we do, use or eat is manufactured by others. We as a civil culture have placed our eggs almost entirely in one basket. And a wrong headed basket at that. A consumer society is a dependent society. Its people cannot produce for themselves. They become slaves to what ever supplier is available. And what ever supply he supplies at what ever price he demands. Today\’s church manufactures faith and adherents, stripping the individual of personal devotion; personal responsibility. The supply and “magical” skills are in the hands of others (not trying to get Marxist here). But, the fact is that with the manipulative methods also comes a false experience of security and one that can only be fed by the one who manipulated in the first place. That requires, always, new entertainments to elicit the “experience.” Can I get a Toronto here? Born is an addictive cycle, a slavery to spirituality void of the Spirit. What a habit to break.
Just another thought.
TT,
That thought is definitely worth some more expounding in a full post. If you don’t post something on it soon, I just might myself
Funny, I am just finishing up an Anthropology class at my school, Kennesaw State University. We studied the industrial revolution, and in such a liberal, agnostic setting, the material was very, very critical of industrialism and capitalism altogether. Thus, my thoughts have been so centered on studying and thinking about this, I guess my mind just went straight to the language I have been writing about all week in class. But your assessment in comparing our dependence on industrialism and it’s close relation to the church was terrific.
Also, this statement is directly related to this subject, or more specifically the subject of my last post when I mentioned all of the hyper-seeker-sensitive churches:
In anything but a clear proclamation of the gospel, what you win them with is what you win them to. Or, in other words, if you bring them into the church with gimmicks and fun, and you win them with emotionalism and forced drama, then in order to keep them in church you’ll have to continually up the ante of the gimmicks and fun, and you’ll have to continue to break their emotions in some way or another, otherwise you lose them. And that is exactly what is happening; people make a decision and as soon as they get bored with that phase of their life, they’re off to the next thing.
Nathan,
stumbled on your blog and enjoyed reading it. Was wondering if you could clarify the following comment for me:
“Sure, I’ve seen a lot of people come and go, but if there is one thing I’m certain of it’s this: when the gospel is proclaimed with the demands that Jesus and the Apostles put on it, and not with a plea for a simple decision or walk forward, then those who respond are very few.”
I’m curious what demands you feel Jesus and the Apostles put on the Gospel in regards to salvation other then belief, or perhaps I’m not understanding your point.
Caz said: I’m curious what demands you feel Jesus and the Apostles put on
the Gospel in regards to salvation other then belief, or perhaps I’m not
understanding your point.
The call and demand for real, radical repentance is not only the theme of
Jesus and the Apostles, but of the entirety of scripture. A prince may
pardon a rebellious faction, but only if they agree to lay down their
swords.
My point is that salvation is seen in these circles as nothing more than a
decision, a belief, and act of one’s will. Jesus and the disciples, on the
other hand, far from trying to get people to ’sign up’, proclaimed a gospel
of turning from evil ways, of dying to self, of taking up your cross and
following Christ, etc. Repentance is the gospel, for even the Demons believe
the gospel.
Another point we must keep in mind is that decision theology undermines the
biblical practice of church discipline. The bible is clear, both Jesus in
Matt 18 and Paul in 1 Cor 5 (and other places) that we are to cast out those
in our midst who profess Christ but who continue in unrepentant sin. Thus,
the gospel of ‘Repentance’ mentioned above is not just a one time
proclamation we make to the church, but it is a continual thing in that
those who do not live an entire life of repentance (not perfection at all,
just repentance) are subject to being cast out of the body in order to keep
the church pure from sinful influences. But the theology of the ‘decision’
mindset undermines this completely, for why would we ever cast out someone
who has made a decision for Christ; why would we ever cast out a believer,
if we define Christianity as a decision??
Therefore, the demands in which so many respond to is the demand that faith
in Christ requires a deep repentance from sin, and a repentance that is not
just one-time, but is life long. Very few nowdays wish to be held to any
kind of standard in this regard; they’d rather make their decision, get
their fire insurance, and politely tell you to stay out of their lives.
I hope that helps. Very good question.
Correction, sentence above which reads: “Therefore, the demands in which so many respond to is…” should read ‘Therefore, the demands in which so many DO NOT respond to is’.