The Story Behind “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”
The beloved Christian hymn “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” has deep roots in India. Its powerful lyrics are inspired by the final words of a man from the Garo tribe in Assam.
Around 150 years ago, a great revival swept through Wales. As a result, many passionate missionaries were sent to far-off places, including the remote and rugged regions of northeast India. At that time, Assam was home to hundreds of tribal communities, many of whom were known for being fierce warriors and head-hunters.
Despite the danger, missionaries from the American Baptist Mission bravely ventured into these villages to share the message of Jesus — a message of love, peace, and hope. Unsurprisingly, they weren’t always welcomed.
Still, their dedication bore fruit. One missionary was able to lead a man, along with his wife and two children, to Christ. Their newfound faith began to spread among the villagers.
This didn’t sit well with the village chief. Furious, he gathered the entire community and summoned the family who had first converted. They were ordered to publicly deny their faith — or face execution.
With a heart strengthened by the Holy Spirit, the man stood firm and declared:
“I have decided to follow Jesus.”
The chief was enraged. In a brutal show of power, he ordered his archers to shoot the man’s two children. As the boys lay dying on the ground, the chief gave the man another chance and said, “You have lost both your children. You will lose your wife too. Will you now deny your faith?”
But the man’s voice did not waver. He responded:
“Though no one joins me, still I will follow.”
The chief, burning with anger, turned to the man’s wife. Once more, he demanded that the man renounce his faith in Christ. But the man remained unshaken.
As the archers drew their bows again, and his beloved wife fell beside their children, the chief gave him one final chance — a last moment to save his own life.
But even in the face of such unthinkable loss, the man’s eyes lifted heavenward, and he calmly declared:
“The cross before me, the world behind me.
No turning back.”
There was silence in the crowd.
This man had just lost everything — his children, his wife — and yet he stood firm, unwavering in his faith. His courage and conviction deeply moved many who had been watching. It is said that the chief himself was so touched by the man’s example that he later repented and accepted Christ as his Savior, along with many others in the village.
The man’s final words were etched into the hearts of those who heard them, and over time, they became the lyrics to the hymn we now know as “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.”
A simple yet profound declaration of faith, born from the sacrifice of one faithful man in the hills of Assam, continues to echo across generations and continents — reminding us what it truly means to follow Jesus.’
A Song Is Born
The martyrdom of Nokseng and his family would not be forgotten. His final words became a heart-cry of surrender — and eventually, a hymn. Some accounts say the Indian Christian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh was the first to shape those words into song, while others credit Simon Marak, a believer from Jorhat, Assam. The melody that carries these words is of Indian origin, and is appropriately titled “Assam,” honoring the region where this testimony began.
Later, American hymn editor William Jensen Reynolds arranged the hymn for a wider audience, and in 1959 it was included in the Assembly Songbook. From there, it spread like wildfire — sung in churches, homes, and gatherings across the world.
The Lyrics
I have decided to follow Jesus (x3)
No turning back, no turning back.
Though no one joins me, still I will follow (x3)
No turning back, no turning back.
The cross before me, the world behind me (x3)
No turning back, no turning back.
What began with a single voice in a remote village has become a song of surrender and courage for generations of believers. The words are simple, but their power lies in the life that gave birth to them — a life fully laid down for Christ.
source : https://renewaljournal.com/2017/11/29/the-true-story-behind-the-song-i-have-decided-to-follow-jesus/
