Why I No Longer Do the “Repeat After Me” Prayer

Question: Why do I no longer do the “Repeat After Me” prayer?
Answer: My decision to do something different is not in any way saying it is not a good thing. This has come from a personal conviction to call people into a courageous relationship with Jesus.

For many years, the end of a church service looked the same: I’d preach the message, give a heartfelt invitation, and then lead those who wanted to receive Christ in a private prayer of salvation—often with heads bowed and eyes closed. I would ever say things like, “Salvation is not a commitment between you and the Church. It is a commitment between you and Jesus.”

It’s a model many of us grew up with. And I want to say upfront—I’m incredibly thankful for the lives that were changed through that method. God can and does work through quiet prayers and private moments.

But over the years, some things have shifted in my heart. After watching people struggling with shallow faith, misunderstanding about the Christian life, and not being interested in taking next steps with their walk with God I began thinking about the whole process of coming into the Kingdom of God. I’ve felt the Spirit challenging me.

Salvation is not just about praying a prayer—it’s about giving your life to Jesus. That kind of decision deserves more than a whispered response in the a darkened auditorium. It deserves courage. It deserves clarity. It deserves a step into the light.

Salvation Is More Than a Moment—It’s a Surrender

Jesus never said, “Repeat these words after Me.” He said:

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” — Matthew 16:24

Following Jesus starts with a surrender. It’s not about saying the right words; it’s about giving Him your whole life. The thief on the cross didn’t pray a perfect prayer—he surrendered to Jesus in faith. (Luke 23:42–43)

The Gospel isn’t just a message to believe—it’s a life to live.

Salvation Is Personal—But Not Private

While faith is deeply personal, it was never meant to be private. Jesus made this clear:

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” — Matthew 10:32–33

That’s why we’ve stopped asking people to silently repeat a prayer in their seats. Instead, we invite them to take a bold first step—get up and come to the prayer team.

It’s not because that walk saves them. Only Jesus saves. Stepping forward marks the start of something real. It says, “I’m not ashamed. I’ve decided to follow Jesus.”

Courage Marks the Beginning

Let’s be honest: living for Jesus takes guts.

In a world that encourages comfort and compromise, following Christ means standing out. It means going against the grain. And I believe that kind of life starts best with a courageous step.

The first disciples left their boats. Zacchaeus climbed a tree. The woman with the issue of blood pushed through the crowd. The blind man shouted when others told him to be quiet.

They didn’t wait for comfort. They acted in courage. So why wouldn’t we expect the same today?

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

A Real Relationship, Not a Religious Ritual

The danger of the “repeat after me” prayer is that it can become a religious ritual—something people do to ease their conscience without actually surrendering to Christ. We’re not interested in producing converts who raise their hand but never raise their cross.

Instead, we want people to experience real transformation. That begins with a decision—and a declaration.

So now, when someone’s ready to give their life to Jesus, we don’t just say, “Bow your head.” We say, “Take a step. Come forward. Let’s talk. Let’s pray. Let’s begin the journey—together.”

Because salvation is not the end of the message… It’s the beginning of the story.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is this: We do not fault any Church or group for conducting worship gatherings where people are challenged to repeat a prayer of salvation as a corporate group. I think repeating a prayer can be a good thing. Many times people do not know what to say so helping them along is beneficial. What I want to get away from is the anonymity of salvation.

Jesus died on a Cross, naked, in front of His enemies for us. To say that we are afraid to take a step for Him likely means we either do not realize what Jesus did or we are not ready to follow Jesus. Being a Christian takes courage. Starting your journey with Jesus by declaring “I have decided to follow Jesus” is an awesome first step. Making some physical step is a great way of creating a dividing line in your life. There is the moment before your decision and the moment after.

How we do this currently at RLC: Currently, we ask people to step out of their seat and go to where our prayer team is waiting. There, they are encouraged to understand what salvation is, then pray the prayer of salvation. This is a great place to repeat the prayer if needed. Then, they receive prayer and resources to take their next step.