Stories of Faith - Episode 52

The true story behind the song “I have decided to follow Jesus” according to Dr. P.P Job in “Why God Why”

‘I Have Decided to Follow Jesus’ is a Christian hymn originating from India. The lyrics are based on the last words of a man in Garo, Assam. 

About 150 years ago, there was a great revival in Wales. As a result of this, many missionaries came to north-east India to spread the Gospel. The region known as Assam was comprised of hundreds of tribes who were primitive and aggressive head-hunters. Assam and its surrounding provinces was located in one of the most oppressive forms of Hinduism — a place where the caste system was entrenched. These provinces often prided themselves on the hostile reaction they gave foreigners. 

Into these hostile and aggressive communities, came a group of missionaries from the American Baptist Missions spreading the message of love, peace and hope in Jesus Christ. Naturally, they were not welcomed. One missionary, who had endured severe persecution, finally succeeded in converting a man, his wife, and two children. This man’s faith proved contagious and many villagers began to accept Christianity. 

Angry, the village chief summoned all the villagers. He then called the family who had first converted to renounce their faith in public or face execution. Moved by the Holy Spirit, the man said: 

“I have decided to follow Jesus and there is no turning back.” 

Enraged at the refusal of the man, the chief ordered his archers to arrow down the two children. As both boys lay twitching on the floor, the chief asked, “Will you deny your faith? You have lost both your children. You will lose your wife too?” 

But the man said these words in reply: 

“Though no one joins me, still I will follow Jesus”. 

The chief was beside himself with fury and ordered his wife to be arrowed down. In a moment she joined her two children in death. 

Now he asked for the last time, “I will give you one more opportunity to deny your faith and live.”In the face of death the man uttered the final memorable lines: 

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

He was killed like the rest of his family. But with their deaths, a miracle took place. The chief who had ordered the killings was moved by the faith of the man. He wondered, “Why should this man, his wife and two children die for a Man who lived in a far-away land on another continent some 2,000 years ago? There must be some remarkable power behind the family’s faith, and I too want to taste that faith.” 

In a spontaneous confession of faith, he declared, “I too belong to Jesus Christ!” When the crowd heard this from the mouth of their chief, the whole village accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour. 

The formation of these words into a hymn is attributed to the Indian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh (picture above). The melody is also Indian, and entitled “Assam” after the region where the text originated. The song is based on the last words of Nokseng, a man from the Garo tribe of Assam (now Meghalaya and some in Assam), India. It is today the song of the Garo people. 

An American hymn editor, William Jensen Reynolds, composed an arrangement which was included in the 1959 Assembly Songbook. His version became a regular feature of Billy Graham’s evangelistic meetings in America and elsewhere, spreading its popularity.

Culled from http://charismatanews.org/2019/02/15/the-true-story-behind-the-song-i-have-decided-to-follow-jesus/ and https://pastorbradabley.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/the-incredible-story-behind-the-hymn-i-have-decided-to-follow-jesus/