The history behind the song: "I have decided to follow Jesus"
English: Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “ I have decided to follow Jesus ” is a polarizing hymn. Made popular by the Billy Graham crusades , it is inseparable from the concept of alter calls and emotional pleading. For some, it stands as a sort of Arminian anthem—a testimony to the power of human volition and an example of all that is wrong with modern Christian lyrics. For others, it is a song celebrating the simplicity of conversion–simple and sincere. But when you know the story behind the song, you realize that it is not a statement about free will, nor about the ease of placing your faith in Christ . It actually stands as a monument to the international nature of the gospel, as well as a radical call to suffer and die with Jesus. The late 1800’s saw an evangelistic explosion in India . Entire provinces formally closed to the gospel were swept up a missionary movement perhaps unparalleled in history. Wales in particular sent hundreds of missionaries to Northe