Decisions or Disciples: What's the Goal?

I believe it may be safely stated that the majority of confessing Evangelicals can be classified in the Arminian camp (or at least the "non-5 point Calvinist" camp). For example: a recent survey by Lifeway Research has found that a mere 10% of Southern Baptist pastors identify themselves as "5 point Calvinists". If Calvinists are so few in a denomination with its roots in Reformed theology, then in other movements, such as Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations, I doubt you would find a fraction of one percent who would claim to be "5-pointers" (however there are a few!). Therefore, assuming most of the the Evangelical community are not Calvinists, I will grant that the majority of the "decisions for Christ" we have seen in modern times are being generated by those who are NOT 5 point Calvinists!

Now that I have admitted that Calvinists are probably not the ones primarily generating the majority of the reported decisions for Christ, don't get too happy just yet... Looking at the raw data of "decisions for Christ" can be misleading. Getting a "decision" and making a DISCIPLE may not be synonymous! As a preacher, I'm not ignorant to the fact that many preachers know how to say just the right things to "push people's buttons" in order to invoke an emotional response or get a few hands raised (aka decisions) during an invitation, it's not too hard to do!

My questions are these: Are the modern -primarily Arminian- evangelism efforts really changing lives? Should the detractors of Reformed theology be pointing fingers while gloating over their own evangelistic efforts? Are all these reported decisions translating into disciples for Christ? If you think so, I have some shocking news and statistics to share with you:

• In Cleveland, Ohio, an inner-city outreach brought 400 decisions. The rejoicing no doubt tapered off when workers involved in the follow-up campaign couldn't find a single one of the 400 who had supposedly made a decision.



• In 1985, a four-day crusade obtained 217 decisions. However, according to a member of the organizing committee, 92 percent fell away.



• A pastor in Boulder, Colorado, sent a team to Russia in 1991 and obtained 2,500 decisions. The next year, the team found only thirty continuing in their faith.



• In November 1970, a number of churches combined for a convention in Ft. Worth, Texas, and secured 30,000 decisions. Six months later, the follow-up committee could find only thirty still continuing in their faith.



• At a 1990 crusade in the United States, 600 "decisions for Christ" were obtained.... However, 90 days later, follow-up workers couldn't find even one who was continuing in his or her faith. That crusade created 600 backsliders- or, to be more scriptural, false converts.



• In 1991, organizers of a Salt Lake City concert encouraged follow-up. They said, "Less than 5 percent of those who responded to an altar call during a public crusade... are living a Christian life one year later." In other words, more than 95% proved to be false converts.



• A leading U.S. denomination reported that during 1995 they secured 384,057 decisions, but retained only 22,983 in fellowship. They could not account for 361,074 supposed conversions. That's a 94 percent fall-away rate!



• In Sacramento, CA. a combined crusade yielded more than 2,000 commitments. One church followed up on 52 of those commitments and could not find one true convert.



• In Leeds, England, a visiting American speaker acquired 400 decisions for a local church. Six weeks later, only two were still committed and they eventually fell away [as well].





• Charles E. Hacket, [the national director of the division of home missions] of the Assemblies of God in the United States, said, "A soul at the altar does not generate much excitement in some circles because we realize that approximately 95 out of 100 will not become integrated into the church. In fact, most of them will not return for a second visit."
  
  (Statistics are from the book: The Way Of The Master, by Ray Comfort)

Are you shocked? In some ways I was when I read these statistics, but after I began to think about it for a bit, I am sad to say the percentage of false conversions in these statistics are probably close the same results I have seen in my own ministry and in churches I have attended! In my 6 years of ministry, have seen too many people "decide to follow Jesus"only to end up more reprobate than ever not a year later -despite intense follow-up and personal ministry to them. Sadly, as we have seen above, these results are almost expected in some churches -and at some church youth camps.

Can't you see that something is terribly wrong?!! Sure, there are some people who are being truly saved and will live the rest of their life for Christ. However, only the most rank Antinomian would be foolish enough to look at the statistics above and believe that all of these "decisions" are going to result in every one of the people actually going to Heaven! This is the very sad -but very true- results of modern evangelistic methods which are so revered by our Arminian friends!

Honestly folks, if modern evangelism methods are proving that they are not resulting in people being truly saved and integrated into local churches, then what good is it accomplishing? Why are Arminians so adamant that they are the avid evangelists in the Body of Christ, when the majority of what they are creating is hard-hearted backsliders who are inoculated to the true Gospel because they've "tried Jesus" and found out He didn't provide them with what some silver-tongued preacher promised? These big decision numbers do not matter unless people are born of the Spirit! Without true conversions taking place, all this effort is vanity!

The worn out allegations that "Calvinism kills evangelism" are totally unfounded. While it may be true that some Calvinists do not employ the same "decision" generating tactics as non-Calvinists, I think this is due to the fact that Calvinists are more concerned about making true disciples, rather than generating big numbers of "decisions" that result in people backsliding in two weeks!

Big numbers may receive the praise of men and earn political appointments within denominations, but these numbers are worthless if lives are not being changed! I am concerned that there are many preachers who are more worried about growing big churches -and bigger salaries- even if it means generating hundreds of false converts in the process!

In conclusion, our "non-5 point Calvinist" friends need not boast about being so "evangelical" with the percentages of people falling-away as high as they are! If anything, Calvinists and Arminians ought to join together and mourn over these numbers and seek God's face for true revival! Something has got to change, and I believe the change will come when people wake up to the fact that their methodology is not scriptural and could actually be a hindrance to effective witnessing and evangelism!

What a wonderful day it will be when preachers put their trust in the Word of God -and the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit- to save souls, rather than some gimmick method to try and get people to raise their hand, walk down an isle, and repeat the sinner's prayer!

Suggested reading:

The Way of The Master

Photo from:

http://www.bottradionetwork.com/billygrahamkc.asp