Christian Family in India Killed While Singing 'I Have Decided to Follow Jesus'

Pastor Richard Kannwischer of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church shares the story of a man who would not renounce his faith in Jesus, no matter what the consequence. (opendoorsusa.org)

It's a common Sunday school tune, now, but here's the powerful story of how 'I Have Decided to Follow Jesus' came to be.

Christians in India continue to face significant and severe persecution for their faith. The Indian culture, which mostly follows the Hindu religion, views conversion to another faith as traitorous and often results in harsh punishments, including arrest, an attack, or even death.

Open Doors USA and Pastor Richard Kannwischer of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church tell the story of a family who converted to Christianity from a small village in India in the 19th century.

The community was extremely angry when they learned of the family's conversion. "Everybody became so upset that an angry mob gathered and shoved them into the public square," said Kannwischer.

The father of the family was confronted by their village chief, and was told that his entire family would surely die should they not recant their faith.

This news left the man dumbstruck, Kannwischer says. "The only thing that came to mind for him were the words of the song that he himself had composed when he had first surrendered his life to God."

The man began to sing "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back," Kannwischer says. "With that, his children were killed."

The man was given another chance to save his wife, but he continued to sing, and she too was killed. Then, the man was given one last opportunity to save himself. But still, he sang.

"Even though the man and his family died on that day, something remarkable happened. A seed was planted in the heart of that village chief."

Eventually, the chief called the community together in the same square and renounced his own faith to declare himself a Christian.

Celebrations took place at this announcement, and commitments to Christ began to spread across the entire region, all because of a demonstration of real faith.

"They knew the true character of God because of a family who believed and sacrificed even under the penalty of death."

An Indian missionary took the words and composed a hymn, which was then edited in 1959 and included in the Assembly Songbook.

Today, India is ranked 10th on Open Door USA's World Watch List for severe persecution against Christians. Please continue to pray that seeds would be planted because of true faith in the world's second-most populated country.

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