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"I learned that night [a lesson] which I have never forgotten; and that is, when I preach, to press Christ upon the people then and there, and try to bring them to a decision on the spot. I would rather have that right hand cut off than to give an audience a week now to decide what to do with Jesus."

Is it really bringing anyone to a decision or is it rather bringing a person to the point of awareness of Christ in them? I can recall when the Lord was pulling me towards himself and not understanding this strange presence. I'd occassionally go to church and as soon as I stepped inside I would immediately begin to cry. Jesus was already moving in my heart to receive."No one comes to the Father except by me" No one, no human could have convinced me that I needed to "accept" Christ because Christ had already accepted me and came to me and the work was already complete. Now what would have helped me a great deal is if someone in the church had shown me how to acknowledge that presence in me. I guess what I mean by this is discipling. Perhaps that is what you are calling "accepting"? Though that never happened for me (verbally acknowleding Christ at an altar) I still grew in my faith and have been encouraged since then by believers to walk in this faith.

I can recall when the Lord was pulling me towards himself and not understanding this strange presence. I'd occassionally go to church and as soon as I stepped inside I would immediately begin to cry. Jesus was already moving in my heart to receive."No one comes to the Father except by me" No one, no human could have convinced me that I needed to "accept" Christ because Christ had already accepted me and came to me and the work was already complete. Now what would have helped me a great deal is if someone in the church had shown me how to acknowledge that presence in me

That is a beautiful example of the working of the Holy Spirit.

I appreciate the one on one call because it gives time for the tears and the repentance and the joy to be appreciated, and understood rather than heres a tract , see you next week

I had been saved many years when one day I was overcome with the presence of God during a service in a church I was visiting. I was searching for a home church at that time. I was a stranger there, so I sat in the rear of the church weeping at the love and tenderness of God to one like me.

The Pastor came up after the service to meet me. At that moment I needed someone to talk and pray with , to help me understand what it was God was teaching me about Himself. I asked the very kind Pastor if he had a few moments..He told me he was sorry that he was "busy".

I found another home church

One of the biggest obstacles presented by many churches and evangelists is the "conversion experience." (Some of the more charismatic churches would go so far as to say that if you haven't spoken in tongues, then you aren't saved.) In my opinion, modern Christendom places more emphasis on esoteric experience than a sound biblical presentation of the gospel.

I cannot recall a "conversion experience." I was never "slain in the Spirit." I have never spoken in tongues. The "holy laughter" movement really creeps me out. For me, it was more of a slow, steady growth into a saving knowledge of Christ, not a sudden, "road to Damascus" revelation.