How UK Evangelicals think about conversion and salvation

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Bebbington's third distinctive mark of evangelical religion is conversionism, the belief that lives need to be changed. Fitch writes critically about the centrality of decisionism in North American evangelicalism.

In this section we will draw out from the surveys data which addresses this theme, in order to test these ideas and add nuance in our appreciation of UK evangelicals understanding of them.

THE THEORY - Conversion and Salvation

In several waves of our panel surveys Evangelical respondents overwhelmingly affirmed the unique transforming power of faith in Christ, the radical language around regeneration as "being born again" and the costly nature of discipleship or entering the Kingdom of God. The next two tables are from Confidently sharing the gospel? - August 2012 The comparison with the non evangelicals who completed the survey suggests that most of them if not distinctive to evangelicals are most firmly held in this section of the church.

21st Century Evangelicals August 2012 - Evangelism
What are your beliefs and attitudes about salvation and evangelism?
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	SA + Agree		Non evangelicals
Jesus is the only way to God.	85%	13%	98%		84%
Everyone needs to be born again (i.e repent of their sins and trust in Christ) in order to become a Christian and be saved (Pentecostals most likely to strongly agree – Anglicans and Free Church least)	71%	25%	96%		75%
Nurturing disciples and getting new Christians established in church life is just as important as getting them to make a commitment.	67%	28%	95%		93%
People who come to Christ will see their lives transformed.	55%	39%	94%		88%
Becoming a Christian is not easy - you should expect to face opposition.	37%	52%	89%		85%
If a person becomes a Christian they will have to give up things or make sacrifices. (men and younger people most likely to agree)	25%	50%	75%		71%
The central message of the gospel is the Kingdom of God. (men and over 55s most likely to agree)	35%	38%	73%		75%

In the same survey these were the statements which were more contentious. Some evangelicals see the love of god as very inclusive – almost to the point of universalism – though a larger number are cautious about this. Evangelicals are split over their understanding of hell, which formerly was almost a distinctive of evangelical preaching and teaching. Finally although UK evangelicals still think that conversion is important they are no longer wedded to the idea of a moment of decision as normative.

21st Century Evangelicals August 2012 - Evangelism
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Strongly disagree	SA + Agree	NON evangelicals SA + Agree
God's love is so wide and unconditional that he will welcome everyone into his Kingdom. (women most likely to agree)	33%	8%	12%	26%	22%	41%	59%
The best reason for sharing the gospel is to offer unbelievers the chance to escape hell. (younger respondents more likely to disagree ; Pentecostals most likely to agree – Anglicans least) In the Baseline survey of 2010 only 37% of evangelicals strongly agreed that hell is a place where the condemned will suffer eternal conscious pain.	12%	25%	27%	28%	8%	37%	17%
Every Christian should be able to tell the date when they were converted. (youngest people disagree most : Pentecostals most likely to agree)	2%	7%	26%	45%	20%	8%	2%
answered question						1010
skipped question						103

The following table from the What is Evangelicalism?- survey March 2016

reinforces the picture described above, although the wording and format of the questions (and perhaps demographic differences in the sample) result in some higher figures for belief in hell and the need to make a decision to follow Christ.

1846 and All That - What is Evangelicalism? - Spring 2016
How far do you believe in these statements
Answer Options	I'm totally convinced	I accept and believe this in general terms	I have some doubts or questions about this	I used to believe this, but can't any longer	I have never believed this	Non evangelicals totally convinced
It's possible to be a Christian from infancy without ever making a clear decision to follow Jesus	10%	23%	30%	5%	33%	18%
If you have not given your life to Christ you will spend eternity in hell	36%	27%	26%	6%	5%	11%
You can't be a Christian unless you have turned from your sins and been converted	62%	29%	7%	1%	1%	25%
Every Christian should be committed to telling people about the salvation in Jesus	68%	28%	3%	0%	1%	24%
Everyone needs to be born again if they are to enter into the kingdom of heaven	72%	19%	6%	1%	1%	33%
Accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation	74%	18%	7%	1%	1%	35%
I personally have been converted to Christ (am born again)	93%	6%	1%	0%	0%	47%
Any comments about how people become Christians, experience conversion or find salvation						331
answered question						1424
skipped question						60

Among the 331 comments were many which discussed and gave nuance to various understandings of God's gracious love and inclusive welcome, such as the following:

Questions about those who are not given the option to hear about God. If God is a just God and they have not have the opportunity to hear about him, what then?

I believe that some people who have not heard about Jesus can go to heaven (this would include those who have heard incorrect things also), but that this will be uncertain - for certainty, you should be a Christian.

Jesus is the only way to the Father, but there are many ways to Jesus. Whoever seeks will find. God looks on the heart. It is not always possible for us to judge where someone is at in their journey.

I would say that God is love and more loving than we could imagine. I think some people who have never heard of Jesus will be saved because of God's loving kindness, and also because some people may have served God but understanding him by a different name.

A number of respondents who were uneasy in some way about traditional views of hell commented to express their concerns in terms such as these.

I would be more convinced about annihilationism than the eternal conscious punishment of those who die impenitent

Teaching about judgement and hell from scripture is not entirely clear but open to interpretation.

I am an Evangelical Universalist. I still believe in Hell, but there is hope beyond Hell. God will never be satisfied until all creation is restored.

Will non-Christians go to hell? Well what does hell mean? Is scaring people into the kingdom really a good thing? I believe Jesus is the only way, that if no decision made to follow Christ then people will be excluded from Kingdom and be apart from God - but not sure that means a 'physical hell'.

depends on interpretation of 'hell'...eternity out of God's presence in whatever form

Another group of comments referred to the idea that a specific moment of decision was necessary for authentic conversion to Christ and in all cases questioned or refuted it.

While I accept that Children raised in the faith still need to make a decision to follow Jesus this can be such an easy thing that they may not be able to identify when it occurred.

It's possible to be a Christian from infancy - but one still would need to be making clear decisions to follow him throughout life.

Having come to faith as child from an evangelical background I believed for many years that there was an exact moment when a person came to faith and that that was the only way to be saved. With age comes more wisdom and I now believe that, although sins need to be forgiven, everyone's journey to that place and experience of it is different and there is 'no right' way..The outcome is what matters.

The traditional 'Damascus Road' experience expected (and sometimes demanded) of Christians is not the reality for many believers.

Although many people cannot remember having a specific conversion experience, I believe that if are they obviously deeply committed Christians and evidence can be clearly seen in their lives, they are true Christians.

I think the Bible seems to suggest that unborn children or infants of believers who die may be saved even though they have not made a conscious personal decision to follow Christ.

A further group of comments sought to nuance the language often used by evangelicals to describe conversion.

What does the word "converted" actually mean? What does "born again" mean for the non-believer? Some of our Christian "jargon" should not be used when speaking to non-believers.

Some people have true faith but would not describe themselves as being born again

Evangelicals always seem to need to use the phrase 'born again' to talk about the process of coming to follow Jesus. Jesus used the phrase once with one person! Dividing and defining conversion by one phrase seems divisive and unhelpful.

Finally there were comments which stressed God's initiative in conversion which cannot be confined in a single box or formula.

I believe the New Testament gives examples of family members "covered" by the faith of their relatives.

Judgement is Gods alone and therefore it is not our role to decide who will or will not be saved.

I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and life and we need to repent of our sins but we need to be careful about judging where people are in this - it is not our job to judge but to witness.

Christians carry heavy responsibility to speak the gospel but it is God who brings individuals into his family. This is conversion and is performed by God only!

Salvation is not a mental assent to a way of believing but a change in what you are due to the Cross and bring identified with Christ. This can happen outside of churches

The important thing is to know and love the Lord. We are not saved by our knowledge of theology. If we love Him we will keep His commandments.

THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

For our respondents the most common time of life for making a commitment was teenage years accounting for 45% of the panel.

21st Century Evangelicals August 2012 - Evangelism
At what stage of your life did you first come to faith as a Christian?
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
Early childhood (6 or under)	11%	125
Later Childhood (7-11)	16%	179
Early Teens (12-15)	23%	255
Later Teens (16-19)	22%	241
As a young adult (20-25)	12%	133
As an adult (26-40)	9%	98
As a mature adult (41-60)	3%	31
As an older person (60+)	0%	2
It wasn't like that... (please specify)	4%	46
answered question		1110
skipped question		3

How then did our respondents describe their own conversion or journey to faith? In several of our panel surveys we asked questions to elicit such accounts. The tables below suggest around half of UK evangelicals have been brought up in a Christian family and/or church community environment. They reveal a wide variety of experiences and influences (both for churched and un-churched respondents) that helped lead them to commitment and faith.

EA Panel Survey Summer 2011Survey on Communications
How did your Christian life begin or develop? (tick more than one as appropriate)
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
Grew up in a Christian family or church environment	57%	275
Made a decision in response to a specific church event, mission or sermon	33%	160
Through privately searching for God, reading the Bible etc.	17%	84
Through the influence of Christian friends who shared their faith	43%	206
Through a church programme such as Alpha, Christianity Explored, or other discovery groups	7%	33
Through a direct revelation or miracle from God	8%	38
Other (please specify)		38
answered question		485
skipped question		390

21st Century Evangelicals August 2012 - Evangelism
Which of the following contexts helped you find faith as a Christian? (tick more than one as appropriate)
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
Growing up in a Christian family or church environment	54%	580
The influence of Christian friends who shared their faith	43%	470
Making a decision in response to a specific church event, mission or sermon	38%	408
A youth club, camp or similar activity	30%	322
Privately searching for God, reading the Bible etc.	24%	255
Seeing God at work in other people's lives	24%	254
Seeing God at work in my life	14%	153
A direct revelation, dream or miracle from God	10%	107
A Christian group for students	10%	103
A film, book, song etc. that made you think very deeeply about life	8%	91
A programme such as Alpha, Christianity Explored, or other discovery groups	6%	60
Other (please specify)		100
answered question		1083
skipped question		30

Discipleship Survey: November 2013
When you first made a response to Jesus or were converted, which of the following describes your circumstances? Tick all that apply
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
I had a secure home and loving family life	56%	821
I had been brought up in a committed Christian family and within the life of a church	45%	654
I was familiar with the Bible and what it meant to be a Christian but just hadn't made a personal commitment	29%	421
I had little or no experience of church	18%	266
I was religious but not a Christian	15%	220
I had been brought up as a Christian but had rejected the faith, drifted far away or been a "prodigal"	9%	126
My life was in a mess	8%	111
I had no time for God or the Church	6%	92
I was an agnostic	6%	88
I was a convinced atheist	3%	50
I was from a non-Christian faith background (e.g. Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh)	0.7%	10
Please specify or give further details		171
answered question		1468
skipped question		61

The more extended accounts which were offered by respondents included the following.

A dozen or so respondents wrote about the importance of Church youth work or Sunday schools as the starting point of their faith

I was confused and a bit depressed but was seeking answers through a youth group. This group took me to see Godspell the musical during which I saw the gospel as a whole story and Jesus was alive and real and fun.

I had stopped going to Sunday school but (at the age of 14) I was encouraged to try going to a local Crusader Bible Class (now known as Urban Saints). It seemed much more relevant- and enjoyable - than Sunday School and a couple of years later I made a firm decision to become a Christian

I became a Christian as a result of church youth activities

Th Sunday School I attended taught the Bible clearly and treated us children as adults.

I was taken to Sunday School by a neighbour. My parents weren't churchgoers

I had been sent to Sunday School from an early age and one night, when I was in bed, it just clicked between God and me.

Summer camp activities organised by groups such as Scripture Union were also mentioned by several respondents

Scripture Union activities - seaside mission, school group, inter-school rallies

I was a member of a boy's Bible Class and attended an evangelistic holiday

Father was a Baptist Minister and both parents knew and loved the Lord. They lived out their Christian faith but at an S.U. camp I realised my need to ask Jesus to be my personal Saviour and to forgive my sins

Almost as many spoke of the influence of school, with Christian activities or the witness of Christian teaches playing a crucial part in the growth of their faith.

School - Christian Union

The exemplary witness of 2 Christian teachers at school

Public school 'Christianity'!

My family were not Christians but I had a knowledge of the Christian faith through Scripture teaching at school

I became a Christian during an RE lesson in South Africa at which an evangelist spoke.

University and the ministry of student Christian Unions was an important context for several respondents.

In a University CU prayer meeting I read Col 1: 15 through which the Holy Spirit convicted me and I became a disciple

I was in my first year at university, and many of my university friends were making Christian commitments.

(I had a) Catholic upbringing with Godly mother & sceptical father. Drifted away from going to services in late teens but kept broad faith in a God, some spiritual interest, as well as holding to general Catholic ethical code. Came face to face with evangelical Christianity at university (CU, Navigators … and my wife to be!) for first time which led me to explore faith and 'who is Jesus' seriously, either to debunk or accept.

The influence of relatives and friends was important for a number of people.

My father became a Christian when I was 5, thus bringing faith in God into our home.

Christian family praying for me to return to Jesus

Wife was a church goer - I had not been since childhood

The funeral of my friends' only 19 year old son, who became a Christian during his illness. His testimony and the message at the funeral made me start seeking.

Seeing God at work in friends lives, leading me to go to church where the minister seemed to be talking to me about things in my life and I then knew it was true about Jesus

I was taken by a friend to the church so she could get points and win a prize!

I (only) went to church for weddings, funerals and Christmas. I was then invited to church by the person who I later married.

As a teenager I visited an old lady one evening every week. She invited me to go to church with her: it was a very complicated Anglican service with all octogenarians, but she helped me and I stuck with it!!

A few people talked about their search for meaning and search for God through reading (including reading the Bible) and thinking.

I was a first year student and sensed that there was something more. I started to read the bible, met a Christian who answered my questions and then made my commitment. After that I went to church.

I had been reading a Bible for 10 years.

I got chatting to a vicar who asked me to read John's gospel. just fell in love with Jesus.

Brought up in a Roman Catholic home but it was when I studied the bible with Christians that I came to understand what being a Christian meant and that I needed to decide for myself to follow Christ.

The meaning of life questions and God being the answer.

Two men! (both doctors) who weekly expounded the Bible which gradually brought to me the 'reasonableness' of faith - something sadly lacking in many.

Specific evangelistic events or missions especially Billy Graham had had a dramatic effect on some.

Making a decision after an American evangelist (Jean Darnell) spoke in my school sixth form

I was invited to the church CYFA group by a friend. After a while the same friend took me to a big gathering at Cliff College and evangelist Eric Delve introduced me to Jesus.

I had attended a Baptist Church Sunday School & Boys Brigade as a boy - but it wasn't until after the Billy Graham Life Crusade 1989 (which I attended but I never made a decision at) and the follow up course after which I made a commitment to God whatever that meant - it wasn't until 18 months later that I made a response of repentance. Key elements were the pastor and his wife who led the follow up course after BG (and ) their gentle encouraging walk with us.

Billy Graham Mission England 1984

An Anglo-Catholic school ! + Dr. Billy Graham were a strong influence

Was rebelling against 'having to go to church'. I had determined I was not going to church again the next Sunday On the Saturday I was sent to see a Billy Graham film and ended up going forward.

A couple of people specifically mentioned an Alpha Course

My family were not church goers - but when I was in 4th year junior school I started to go to church where we lived in the North East. I fell away when we moved (parents divorce) and didn't go back again until an Alpha course in my early 30's at HTB. I gradually became a Christian and now I'd consider myself devout (I'm now 40).It took a few years...

Hadn't gone to church for a few years but knew I was missing something. Went on an Alpha course.

A frequent testimony was about a crisis or mess in a person's life which proved to be the context for turning to Christ.

The Word for Today by UCB came into my life at a time I was in a real mess. Some Nun's had visited and prayed for me when I was sectioned in a hospital and I believe this is when God put his hand on my life. My mother's prayers, Christian upbringing and influence were key to this spark finding a place to fire up

Sheer desperation!!

Living with parents at home but involved in anti-social activities, addicted to drugs, in an abusive relationship, found cancer cells in my ovary. God saved & healed me!

I was made to go to Sunday school - by non-Christian parents - but I rejected the bible and actively baited Christians. Then, in a serious crisis , I experienced two powerful revelations. These led me to seek the truth actively and I surrendered my life fully to Christ.

I was brought up atheist by a single mum, who died of cancer when I was 14. That was in the January and I was converted in October of the same year. A time of crisis and re-evaluating everything.

I was an addict at the time of conversion and was miraculously and instantaneously set free!

Getting sent to prison and meeting God there. He used my father (a lifelong committed Christian) and a Christian member of prison chaplaincy to do this.

Some spoke of a deep personal spiritual experience or a sense that God had spoken directly to them.

watching a documentary on the formation of the Salvation Army and the actors portraying the conversion experience was how God spoke to me and I made a decision to follow Jesus

(I) was brought up in a strange environment where parents were legalistic but unsure of salvation (didn't know if they were one of God's elect) - rejected the faith of my father's - but then had a physical experience of God in my 30's which which resulted in me then knowing that God loved me.

Vivid spiritual warfare experiences resulting from previous involvement in New Age practices.

Specifically I was taken to stand on the edge of the great abyss and experience what happens there and being cast into it. some minutes later I was taken to calvary hill and saw Jesus on the cross and experienced much there and was overcome by his love towards me. I understood his purpose of birth, life and sacrifice. It's a long story.

I was church of England until a teen, didn't understand any of it. Had an amazing miraculous salvation experience at 33 yrs and in love with Jesus ever since (8 years)

God made Himself real to me when my son had meningitis

God intervened when I wasn't interested, to come off the fence and decide for or against him

A physical experience following the laying on of hands.

Regular worship, Bible classes or community activities in a local church also made an impact for some people.

Church mums and toddlers group

A Christian coffee bar

Unlike the rest of the family I attended church from the age of 4 where I found love and joy.

Listening to the congregation sing songs of worship before I became a Christian.

I was a child of 7 that followed the bells to church one day felt led by God, I continued going and became a Christian. My family were not Christians and I didn't feel secure at home....

Felt prompted to attend church out of the blue.

Encountering a strong Christian community

Being challenged about it in a church membership class

Attending church, hearing the Word, for five years before making a commitment

Church Bible Class

For some people their path was best described as a journey sometimes with steps backwards as well as forwards.

I had been invited to 'Confirmation Classes' as part of a group of 12 year olds. I took it seriously and wanted to commit myself to following Jesus but I thought it was about 'doing church' and getting God on side through prayer. I don't now see that this was being 'converted' or truly being a Christian.

My mum took me to church when I was young. She drifted away but I continued going to Children's church. I always believed but made a personal firm commitment about age 11 or 12, but then recommitment about age 17... I can't say there was a time when I didn't believe but moments of commitment increased my discipleship.

My father died after a short illness in February 1974.I attended a 'Come Together' celebration in June the same year and accepted Jesus into my life with the promise of a new Heavenly Father. My commitment was genuine and lasting though it was many, many years before I understood what I had really wanted was my own father. The Lord knew that however and was patient with me as I gradually learned how to allow Him to be a Father to me.

a combination of friends, Billy Graham (football ground tour), my local church and a youth group, a long stint in a psychiatric hospital, a Christian book library van service, but not in that order, and an Emmaus road walk followed by a Christmas Day service in a different church which was the final piece to add in the jigsaw.. Complicated set of circumstances.

A handful of people described "conversion experiences" which are either unique in the data set or impossible to categorize.

God speaking very strongly through the natural creation.

A sermon on Judgement!

My father was a minister and brought back a book of the Lost Sheep from a conference - I responded to that (and to the fact that this book had painted pictures rather than the cartoon pictures of other books - I interpreted this as meaning that this book spoke the truth rather than being made up!)

Jesus met me in my mother's womb and revealed to me circumstances that I was not aware of but were confirmed by my mother.

Studying Islam- the irony!

Some Christians shared with me and on July 12, 1972 at exactly 10 pm I said and meant, "Lord Jesus I will follow you for the rest of my life!"...and I meant as Saviour and Lord. The next day I was out on the street witnessing and didn't even know what witnessing was!!!

Rejected commitment when first presented and understood at age 16.Committed at age 18 in Kathmandu Nepal while on VSO in India

The overall conclusion is that UK evangelical Christians have come to faith, or been converted in a wide variety of different manners and contexts, some almost instantaneously, some over a long period. Perhaps the majority have found God before they were adults, in the context of a Christian upbringing through family, school and church. Some conversions have produced a rapid transformation of lifestyle and circumstances, others have been followed by a slower growth as a disciple of Christ. The variety is immense and there is little evidence that making a decision in response to preaching and an "altar-call" is normative.

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