I am finishing up Dwairy’s book now and still working through the concepts and trying to grasp them… no opinions formed yet. But, WOW! It would take at least three full posts just to start the discussion of the questions you raised ;^)

And I do agree that group/family conversions is one of the major issues westerners deal with when working within more group-oriented societies. It was/is a major adjustment for me.

Apologies for the brief response – I will be a bit busy for the next couple of weeks.

Peace to you brother,
From the Middle East

I became a Chrisian in my home after my father presented the gospel to me. I didn’t have any kind of pressure (that I can remember), since my dad has always been opposed to those approaches (he went to a church that was reporting high numbers of decisions for Christ and found out their witnessing tool was, “How many of you want to go to hell and be separated from your friends and family forever? Okay then, if you want to go to heaven, pray this prayer.”

Though I’m sure I was presented with the gospel before that time, that was the first time I remember hearing the entirety of it and being presented with a choice to make. Recognizing the immaturity of children and their inability to grow without help, I think that it is vital that children who profess their faith in Christ recieve great care and attention during their adolecent years to help them follow on the good path.

Taking into account the fact that many children will easily cave in to the pressure to pray a prayer or say they believe something, many people will fall away because they really didn’t believe it. Others will fall away and return, really believing in Christ for the first time sometime later. Later on down the road I questioned my salvation, but, strangely, I didn’t doubt whether I was saved when I made my decision, but rather whether I had lost my salvation because of my sinful actions. I was dealing with Arminianism v. Calvinism on “Once Saved-Always Saved.” I’ve never really doubted the genuineness of my conversion experience.

I walked an isle at 6 yrs old and, then, was saved at 25 yrs old. There was a clear change. I thirsted for the word and it has never left me. There has never been a doubt since and I am 54 yrs old.

I believe strongly in the Lordship of Jesus Christ as you have stated. It would agree that rededication is really repentance from sin, especially the failure to yield to Christ as Lord.

I have struggled at times to put all of this in perspective. I did not live under the Lordship of Christ from age 6 to 17. But I knew I had a Lord and knew where my life needed to head.

I believe that I was saved. Then, at age 17, I repented of my waywardness and surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.

Many children “believe” on Jesus at an early age (and are baptized), only then later in their adolescent years “rededicate” themselves to His Lordship (this is my testimony, Dave). Could it be that at this later time these people are actually understanding the implications of the gospel, what Jesus truly requires to be His disciple, truly repent of the gravity of their sin, and follow Him whatever the cost? Jesus said, “Go make disciples and baptize them” (Matt 28:19). Not every one who “believes” is unto salvation (John 8:31-47). When has someone truly counted the cost to follow Him unto salvation?

I think I would hesitate to categorize my pre-adolescent experiences as “not genuine” or “not true.” I would say they were just not mature or complete. But, then again, my present experience is not yet as mature or complete as I trust it will one day be.

To me, it would be an interesting survey.

I had a similar experience (what is it with age 6–something to do with the “number of man” . I believed at age 6 and entered into my own backsliding stage. I sought to be the “good church boy.” I wasn’t trying to earn my salvation, but favor, from God. Around age 13 I rededicated my life to God and really began growing in my faith through accountability and fellowship with a friend of mine.

I think that rededication is important and will be life-altering if you’ve fallen off the course. And the changes from child to adult are great and can have lasting effects on our lives, but I think it is risky to say that is where the real salvation takes place. Perhaps it would be better to say that is the place where you can more easily separate the wheat from the chaff. Where the fruit becomes more evident. Maybe that’s the direction we should take this.

Either way, I think it is a good idea to take periodic breaks and look at our lives and redidicate them to God again, because we all know how easy it can be to get off track. Why should we only rededicate our lives to God once when we’re teenagers, unless we viewed our conversion experience as some sort of pseudo-converion and the rededication as locking our salvation in place.

Just after high school, I recommitted my life to Christ.

Many child converts like myself have a second experience of commitment. That did not, to me, invalidate my childhood experience, it confirmed it (and yes, I understand the irony of the word “confirmed).