Is leading someone in a 'sinner's prayer' scriptural?

[Shiloh62]

I hope nobody finds this question offensive, trivial or a mere technicality. ( But I have an important personal reason for bringing it up. I'll explain later.)

I have some misgivings about this method. I think that it is a poor substitute for someone coming to Christ on a personal basis ( and giving their life to Him that way.) For example, in the privacy of their own home. One on one with God. Because when someone is put on-the-spot by a well-meaning-Christian ( eager to see them Saved), sometimes this can cause the person to be pressured into 'praying the prayer' (simply to please the Christian.) And the most serious thing about this... is that it can result in false converts.

My elderly dad has advanced cancer in his liver. He started chemo Monday. He has both his age and some serious health problems as strikes against him. Despite this, I believe God can do a miracle and prolong his life. And that all of our prayers for him can play a part in this...

I wrote him a letter, explaining the gospel simply as I could. Included a short sinner's prayer in it, only because I thought he might need this extra help, in his mental condition. But my dad's caretaker insisted that he is just not capable of praying alone to get saved. ( Due to him having dementia...without outside help. That the letter "wasn't enough" & "wasn't cutting it." She persisted,"He'll never be able to pray to get saved otherwise". )

That troubled me, of course. I asked myself, "What if she's right? And perhaps God really was prompting me! She believed I should be the person to handle this, via phone. So (although hesitant to do so), I called my dad the day before his first chemo treatment. I asked him if it would be okay if I prayed for him. Then I explained I'd be saying the words and asked if he'd silently agree along with me. To my surprise, he said that would be fine. So I nervously did so.

Dad didn't say anything about it afterwards, so I didn't know what to think. Couldn't read his mind, but how I hope and pray he still became a Christian! ( even if leading one in praying the sinner's prayer is not the Scriptural way and dad couldn't do the "repeat after me" thing.)

So what do you all think?... Is the 'sinner's prayer' biblical? If so, please share scripture verses. And if it's not biblical, can people still get genuinely saved with a 3rd person's involvement? ( In other words, not just you praying to God on your own to become a Christian.) Your input would be appreciated.

Sorry this is so lengthy. But I am concerned, wanting to hear if other believers think that I did the right thing with my dad... Because forever is a long time!

I think the sinner's prayer is a good idea. what if someone was on their death bed and didn't have time to come to know Christ? If they pray that prayer, they may just get into heaven by the skin of their teeth, with smoke coming off of them.