In an age when “Christian” can mean many things, it’s worth listening to voices from earlier times who held convictions with clarity. Billy Sunday’s definition of a Christian, from a pamphlet circulated among his “trail hitters,” challenges brevity without compromise. Let’s consider what he said — and why it still matters..
Here is Billy Sunday’s definition of a Christian, given in a pamphlet presented to each of the “trail hitters” at the Tabernacle:
“A Christian is any man, woman or child who comes to God as a lost sinner, accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal saviour; surrenders to Him as his Lord and Master; confesses Him as such before the world and strives to please Him in everything day by day.”
The pamphlet then gives these rules on “How to Make a Success of the Christian life:
“Study the Bible; pray much; win someone for Christ; shun evil companions; join some church; give to the support of the Lord’s work and don’t get discouraged.”
- Extracted from a Chicago 1918 newspaper
Billy Sunday believed the term “Christian” should not be light nor vague. His concise, structured definition gives both challenge and invitation: a Christian is not just one who claims, but one who surrenders, confesses, strives. May we take his clarity as a prompt to examine not just what we call ourselves — but how deeply we follow.
Evangelist Billy Sunday (1862-1935) 