Easy Believism--The Broad Road?

I have been going through my journals and reflecting on the things that took place whilst I was on Logos Hope and later in the Philippines. This was when my eyes were opened to the dangers of ‘Easy Believism’ or ‘Decisionism.’ These titles are attributed to methods of conversion which encourage an instant, on the spot decision in order to become a Christian. They usually use forms of commitment like an ‘Altar call’ and ‘The Sinner’s Prayer’ in order to lead someone to ‘accept Christ.’ They are not always a bad thing but we need to be aware of the dangers. 

Thinking back, I realise that these methods were around when I was a teenager. I would often re-commit my life to God during an emotional moment at a worship service or large Christian event. I did this every time I fell into sin, promising God that this time I would really change my life and make a new start. But this only lasted until the next sin and recommitment at the next event. What was this? It was a failure to understand that Jesus’ death had already paid the price for my sin; past, present and future. It was a belief that somehow if I had had a ‘good’ day and my good behaviour outweighed my bad, God was more pleased with me and that therefore I was more acceptable to Him. The root of this is a subtle belief in salvation by works or good deeds. If I live a good enough life, I will be saved. But if I don't I need to keep starting the Christian life again in order to reset the balance to zero. I had no assurance of salvation.

There is a tendency for us all to think like this. It's human nature to want to do something to earn our place with God. But the reality is that we can never do enough good things to get right with God. All of the things that we consider righteous God sees as filthy rags. That’s why Jesus had to die. He was the perfect sacrifice for our sin and His gift is free. My frequent re-commitments were the result of a lack of depth in my Christian understanding and a lack of understanding of God. The right response would have been to confess my sin every time I messed up and seek not to repeat the sin (repentance.)  This, not for fear of losing my faith and being condemned to hell, but out of thankfulness to God for sending Jesus, knowing that I could not measure up without Him.

Responding to ‘Altar calls’ and frequent recitations of the ‘Sinner’s prayer’ acted as a method of getting right with God for me but they didn’t change my behaviour or my heart. I hear many stories of teens, and even older people, that go through this process, especially those who have been brought up in the church. They are sometimes responding to an awareness of God ingrained in them from a young age. It can be hard for them to separate their own beliefs from those of their parents or other adults in the church. They may not yet be truly born again. 

Maybe you are thinking, so far so good; that it will take time for a person to mature in the faith and to find their feet spiritually. Maybe you're thinking that ‘Altar calls’ and the ‘Sinner’s prayer’ can be part of this process, reminding people and convicting them of their sin and the need to get right with God. Certainly this can be the case, which is why I hesitate to dismiss them completely. I know people that are clearly saved that trace their moment of new birth back to a decision made at a rally or church where these methods are frequently used. There is no doubt that an ‘Altar call’ can be used to prompt someone to make a decision that they have been hesitant to make, that it can cause them to take their commitment more seriously as they are making it public by walking to the front. The ‘Sinner’s prayer’ could be offered to someone as a guide for how they could pray to become a Christian. But why do that when we already have Jesus’ example in the Lord’s Prayer? Surely that is more significant. Why give someone words at all when God is examining the heart?

Now let’s look at the dangers. Statistics in the West show that 83% of Americans and 53% of Brits still describe themselves as Christians (despite only 10% of Brits attending church.) We can explain those statistics in terms of culture; I was born in England/America therefore I’m a Christian. But an incredible 27% of Americans actually identify as Evangelical. The numbers are lower in Britain but it’s still larger than you might think. But how many of these are actually following Christ? How many counted the cost and gave up everything to follow Him, having turned their back on their past life? How many are really trusting in Jesus’ death and resurrection for their salvation?

The Bible tells us that the way to hell is broad and many are on that road. But the way to heaven is narrow and there are few who will find it. It tells us that the Christian life is hard and that when we decide to follow Jesus we will face trials, persecution and struggle as we fight spiritual battles and encounter the results of the curse of original sin. How many are really experiencing this in their day to day lives? Are we telling people to expect this when we lead them to Jesus so that they are properly prepared for the Christian life? Maybe you think that’s too gloomy, but is it really fair to give a one-sided picture of what following Jesus is all about? We should obviously highlight the hope, joy and peace that are found in Jesus but what about the other things that the Bible says?

‘Easy Believism’ and ‘Decisionism’ are likely responsible for those earlier statistics. There are millions of people who believe they are Christians and are heading for heaven because they signed a card, put their hand up in a meeting, said the ‘Sinner’s prayer’ with someone, or answered an ‘Altar call.’ They were probably prayed for and sent on their way in most cases never to be heard from again and with no resultant change in their life or behaviour. Some people have done all of these things and yet are still not saved. What is going wrong?

The main problem I have witnessed is the lack of follow up by churches and those that are using these methods. They proudly announce that 17 people ‘accepted Christ’ in a meeting and then move on to preparing for the next meeting with little concern about those people that they have apparently just helped to the start of the Christian journey. There is no checking a person’s understanding and little discipleship. We don’t want to embarrass someone or make them uncomfortable by asking clarification questions so we settle for a superficial understanding. We even tell them what to say to God or sometimes say it for them by using the ‘Sinner’s prayer.’ Not all churches and ministries are like this and many have good follow up programmes but there are a lot that don’t. The emphasis has become so much on soul counting and in some tragic cases competing with other churches for numbers or an over-emphasis on church growth that the individual is lost in the confusion. They have become part of another statistic of people who have been given a false assurance that they are going to heaven. That is the greatest danger.

How do we know that this is happening? I have witnessed it particularly in Asia where in some places a foreigner is seen almost as royalty. Asian culture dictates that you must agree with everything that is said to you to avoid conflict due to the potential shame. No wonder there are overstated and inaccurate conversion rates. But ask some of these people even basic questions about the Christian faith; What do they believe about Jesus? What did Jesus do for them? Who is Jesus? And they don’t know! The person who has just walked away happily adding that ‘new covert’s’ soul to their piece of paper has done serious damage to this person by telling them they are now a Christian. They have no idea what it means to be a Christian or where they can go to find out. They have been led astray. Sadly, I saw this happen far too many times in Asia and mostly it was done by Pastors and church leaders who had obviously been taught this themselves. When I asked what they had been talking to the person about I would receive a casual ‘Oh they just accepted Christ.’ This was even in reference to multiple persons, as if this was an everyday event. There was no joy or excitement or interest in the person as an individual. It was a duty well performed and then they turned their attention back to their Smartphone. This is happening everywhere.

So what should we do? We all know it’s easy to criticise. But how can we make sure that we don’t give people false assurance and that those who profess Christianity are truly following Jesus? Of course we need to examine the Bible. We need to look at God’s methods and not our own. What happened when God had already prepared someone’s heart in the Bible? They cried out ‘What must I do to be saved?’ These people were ready; they knew that they were sinners before a Holy God and that they couldn’t rest until they found peace with Him. What was the answer to their question? It was simply “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16 vs 31). And again in Romans 10 vs 9 the clear answer is, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

They were not told to recite a special prayer or sign a card or anything else. They were told to confess and believe. It was primarily a matter of the heart. If someone is ready, we can tell them that they need to get right with God by themselves through prayer. We can help them understand how to talk to God if they have never prayed before and we can explain what a Christian is and what we believe. But we really shouldn’t be putting words in their mouth or asking them to ‘repeat after me’ parrot fashion. We can also give them this free booklet ‘Ultimate Questions’ which explains the basics of Christianity, and of course we must regularly pray for them. 

http://ygod.info/ultimate-questions.pdf

We need to be involved in this person’s life ensuring that they understand the commitment they are making and that they have counted the cost. This is not about making salvation complicated. We know that the Bible teaches that children can understand. It is about being clear, both about our message and about the demands that being a Christian makes on a heart and life. Jesus Himself was clear whilst He was on earth that those who wished to follow Him must be willing to give up everything. Some who understood this rejected Him because they were unwilling. He didn’t soften His message, He let them go. They had heard the truth; the seed had been planted. God would give the increase in those He had chosen.

The Gospel is urgent and it is true that we do not know how long a person has left but God knows. Demanding or putting pressure on someone to make an instant decision without them really understanding that it will change their life will not help them persevere when trials come. They may even blame you if you didn’t explain the Gospel message properly. But most likely they will not do that. They will just quietly slip away never to be seen in church again. Another lost soul, what a waste.

Let’s be sincere and genuine telling people that the Christian life is difficult but that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. They must find Him in order to be free from their sin and to live a new life with God. It is good news!

How the Absence of God's Light Always Leads to Hopelessness

I went to the local library this week to see if I was missing out on some good Christian books. Unfortunately, the "Religious" section (there was no Christian section) consisted of two small shelves largely containing "self-help" books and a few about Buddhism. Then it seemed to have been merged with the "Politics" shelf.....so I turned to the extensive "Biography" area and chose a number of books on subjects that interested me to see what other people are reading. Knowing that these were not Christian books I was prepared for the bad language and decided that I wouldn't on this occasion be implementing my ruthless "three strikes" rule. That was just as well as the first two books had swear/curse words on virtually every page.....

I began with "Tango 190: Raoul Moat, the Gateshead Shootings & Life Without My Eyes" by PC David Rathband UK Readers will remember this story as Rathband was the tragic policeman blinded after being shot in the face by a wanted criminal in East Denton in 2010. A few years later he killed himself after separating from his wife. To read his story that describes events before, during and after the shooting was fascinating but I was also left with a sense of hopelessness, knowing that just a few short months after concluding his auto-biography things had taken a dramatic turn culminating in his eventual suicide in 2012.

Rathband obviously loved his job as a police officer and saw it as a fulfilment of his dream to have a noteworthy career, probably to prove himself to his family with whom he had a difficult relationship. It seems that he chose his girlfriend Kath despite opposition from his family and ended up marrying her some years later. The family feud/rift had come to a head several times during his initial hospitalisation and recovery as various family members were uncomfortably forced together at his bedside. Indeed, Rathband believed that some of these people only came out of the woodwork to get attention for themselves via the media interest in his case or to do their "duty" without any sincere affection.

Rathband alludes to having had a wandering eye and admits that earlier in his relationship with Kath he began having doubts about them, and with her "permission," spent a night with one of his ex-girlfriends, just to "check" whether or not things were right with Kath. He then called Kath who picked him up the next day.... My research indicates that according to Kath, the primary reason for their marriage failure was repeated infidelity on the part of Rathband even after losing his sight. In his book, he makes it very clear that Kath stood by him through the trauma of the events which were played out in the public arena and that she provided that stabling influence in his life that he could trust....

After Rathband's death his family continued fighting about a compensation case that he had launched against the police force he had been serving with at the time of the shooting. His claim was for negligence. It appears that the force had received a call from the shooter indicating that he was "hunting police." Rathband felt that officers on the ground should have been warned about this as it may have changed the sequence of events. Having read his account, I cannot see that it would've made much difference. In the end the compensation claim was dismissed.

I was saddened to read Rathband's story knowing what had happened after its publication. I felt the desperation of a man always striving to prove himself in life; first to his family as a child and later to his colleagues as a policeman. Having his eyesight stripped away made him vulnerable and insecure and he revealed these deep feelings in his account. The constant turmoil in his family due to the broken relationships and the refusal of any parties to reconcile/forgive also placed a burden on him. He focused on winning the court case against others involved in helping the shooter as if justice would help him find the happiness that eluded him, but he continued to be plagued by nightmares. His widow's allegations of infidelity do not surprise me as I had picked up that this was likely from reading his account.

Rathband made it clear in his book that he didn't believe in God and had no faith. As a Christian reading an account like this I was struck by the familiar fingerprints of the enemy on this tragic tale. The sin of violent crime which damaged the body physically, the greed/jealousy and unforgiveness that divided a family over money, the repeated infidelity resulting in a broken marriage, hurt children and the eventual suicide of the author. The striving for happiness in worldly things. The meaninglessness of lives lived without hope in God.

Secondly, I read "Hackney Child" (the language here was even worse.) Hope Daniels (not her real name) became a parent to her two younger brothers at the age of 5 as their own parents were alcoholics and seemingly incapable of looking after them. Her mother worked at home as a prostitute, encouraged by her father who repeatedly stole to fund his addictions. The family moved frequently and hid the neglect and poverty from social services and other authority figures. It seems that there were many around who were aware but no one who was willing to make a real difference/step in to really help these suffering children. This may have been due to the abuse those who did try to help received from the mother.

The most shocking incident occurred when the three children were alone in the house. The mother had somehow been officially "outed" as a prostitute and some of her clients were also in relationships with women who lived nearby. An angry mob descended on the house and basically trashed it, smashing the windows with bricks and writing abuse on the door. The children cowered upstairs thinking that they were at fault and that everyone hated them as they were "bad." A short time after this they presented themselves at a local police station requesting that they be taken into care. This was what happened and after that day they only returned home for short visits.

Once in care Hope struggled to trust authority figures and found herself running away from those she didn't trust. She battled a number of vices. She made it clear that her one desire was to be placed in a long-term foster home, but this was never realised. She remained in the system until she was 18 by which time, she was pregnant and addicted to alcohol....

Obviously, this is a story told from the perspective of Hope, but I was struck by the failure of the authorities to grasp what she was dealing with. It seemed that whenever she began to settle down and trust those taking care of her resulting in improved behaviour, she was suddenly moved and had to go through the whole process again. I do not know why this happened but Hope herself stated that she was crying out for a stable environment with boundaries and people she could trust. Hope has gone on to write two further books and is now married with two children. Her experiences did cause professionals to re-examine things and Hope now travels widely as a consultant for the care system in the UK.

The futility of this situation also jumped out of the pages but for different reasons than the first book. Here we have a care system that prevented Hope being placed in foster care. Initially it was because they wanted to keep her with her siblings but later just because she was a difficult child. Yet all Hope longed for was to be part of a real family, as God had originally intended. Promises were made and broken by professionals who couldn't/wouldn't tell her the truth resulting in frequent breaches of trust and a spiralling pattern of disruptive behaviour as Hope became convinced that she was doomed to follow her mother's path. Her own sin compounded her situation but where was the spiritual help and guidance she really needed; not within the care system which didn't/doesn't recognise the God of the Bible.

Reading these two books made me sad as they are representative of thousands of people in Britain and millions around the world. The sins documented at length in these books; family breakdown, abuse, neglect, crime, unforgiveness, jealousy, greed.....etc etc. They are also unfortunately representative of many of us as Christians in our ongoing battle for holiness. As I was reading both books, I kept waiting for the Christian to appear and bring Gospel light into these desperate situations. For that kindly friend or neighbour to invite this policeman or this young girl to church or even to pass a book/scripture verse along. But if that happened, it wasn't mentioned, in fact the absence of any type of Christian light or hope was the most tragic factor for me. We don't know what God would have done through someone willing to be used by Him as a witness to either of these people, but we do know that there were many people around both of these families at all times during their difficult circumstances.

Let us really SEE those around us and not avoid "difficult people," that might be an emotional drain. Let's seek opportunities to bring meaning into the lives of people caught up in sin and the painful toils of life's troubles with the hope that Jesus alone offers. My prayer is that in every biography, whether or not it has been authored by a Christian, there will be a mention of at least one person who sought to reach out to the author with Christ's forgiveness of sin and with hope for the future.



There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil. (Romans 2:9)

"There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked." (Isaiah 57:21)

He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head. ( Psalm 7:15-16)

The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. (Proverbs 5:22)

The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. (Proverbs 11:6)

The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. (I Timothy 5:24)

One sinner destroys much good. (Ecclesiastes 9:18)

The LORD laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. (Psalm 37:13)

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:6)

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7)

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8)

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4)

God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. (Hebrews 10:26-27)

But because of your stubbornness and you unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. (Romans 2:5)

The evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. (Proverbs 24:20)

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men. (Romans 1:18)

On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. (Psalm 11:6)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our LORD.  (Romans 6:23)