“I Have Decided To Follow Jesus” And The True Story Behind The Lyrics

“I Have Decided To Follow Jesus” And The True Story Behind The Lyrics

The popular hymn that has been a source of hope and comfort for billions of people over the years “I have decided to follow Jesus” is a Christian hymn which generated from India and what most people don’t know about this hymn is that it was actually based on the last words of a man in Garo, Assam.

The story began when a great revival took place in Wales about 150 years ago. As a consequence of the revival, many missionaries went to North-East India to spread the gospel. The region of Assam was among hundreds of tribes in Indea at that time that was still primitive and sometimes very aggressive with their belief. 

As missionaries, some Welsh ministers decided to go on ahead to spread the message of love and peace and the hope of life in Christ’s to these communities, including Assam. As expected, they were not greeted with love. The beliefs of the native and the fact that they were strangers made it quite difficult to get across to them. However, one of the Welsh missionary was able to convert a man, his wife, and two kids. As most new Converts, these man’s faith was contagious and soon, many of the villagers started to embrace Christianity. 

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Angry at the new development and the numbers Christianity began to garner in the community, the chief gathered all the villagers. He then called the man who had first converted, the same man who used his faith to speak to others and got them to christ. The chief demanded that the man renounce Christianity in public or face execution. The villagers were shocked when rather than respond to the threat with words, he began to sing. The man was perhaps moved by the holy spirit judging from the words that came out of his mouth when he began to sing. The song eventually became famous. He sang:

“I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back.”

The chief listened to the man as he sang and became outraged at his refusal. Out of his anger, the chief Commanded his archers to shoot down his two children. As both boys lay on the ground twitching and suffering, the chief asked the man “will you deny your faith? You have lost both your children. You will lose your wife too.” however, the man responded with words that were so beautiful they made the hymn that came after even more beuatiful:

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“Though no one joins me, still I will follow. Though no one joins me, still I will follow. Though no one joins me, still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back.”

You can tell now that the Chief would have been very angry so he ordered for the man’s wife to be shot down as well. In an instant, the man’s wife joined her two kids as they lay on the ground, dead. For the final time, the chief asked “I will give you one more opportunity to deny your faith and live.” 

Knowing that death may be what comes after the chief’s final offer, the man bolted out the final memorable lines:

“The cross before me, the world behind me. The cross before me, the world behind me. The cross before me, the world behind me. No turning back, no turning back.”

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Like the rest of his family, the man was killed but with his death and that of his family came a stunning revelation that helped save the villagers and turn them towards christ. Infact, it is said that Chief who ordered the killing was very shaken by the faith of the man that he wondered why the man, his kids and his wife, die for a man who lived far away over 2000 years ago. He wondered if there is some remarkable power that the man whom they supposedly served have that powered the faith of the man and his family. He eventually Concluded that he wants a taste of that faith. 

In a his confession which came after the death of the man and his family, the chief said: “I too belong to Jesus Christ!” when the crowd heard this from the mouth of their chief, the whole village saw the message of the missionaries differently and they accepted Christianity. 

This story is according to Jesus Daily,based on the testimonies of local Christians currently residing in the Assam village of India.

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