How Do I Share My Testimony?
The popularity of films and books about real life experiences indicates that people love to hear the stories of others. There seems to be something in us that makes us desire to hear a good yarn about events that occurred to someone else. It is for this reason that we should consider using our testimony in evangelism.
Never underestimate the power of your story. If you are a Christian, then the Lord has been incredibly kind in that He saved you, and now you have a unique testimony that you can tell others. Your conversion is a miracle; God took you, a person who was dead spiritually (Ephesians 2:1) and caused you to be born again. This is a wonderful miracle, and it is a story that should be shared.
A few weeks ago, I was able to chat to two people who were very difficult to share the gospel with. Both of them wanted to teach, but they didn’t want to listen to what anyone else had to say. As we chatted, I said to them, “Tell me your story. I want to get to know you, and how you got here.” Well, this opened them completely up as they wanted to talk about themselves. I listened as they shared, then at the end they said to me, “What is your story?” Now the door was open for me to use my testimony to explain the gospel.
Throughout the years, I have seen the value in sharing my testimony. In the open-air, I have had people ask me while I was preaching, “Why do you believe in Jesus?” These types of questions give me opportunities to either make an apologetic argument, or to share my story. Often, I would choose to use my testimony because people were more interested in hearing a short summary of my life, than for me to make a complicated philosophical apologetic case.
As I have travelled to different churches and events to preach, it isn’t uncommon for people to ask that I share my testimony before the sermon. I know some preachers don’t like to share their story, but I view the testimony time as another opportunity to speak of Christ and what He has done. This is why I have worked hard at getting my testimony short and sharp. When I share my story, I don’t want the focus to be upon me, rather I want to make much of Jesus, and then invite people to come and trust in the Saviour who rescued me.
Perhaps you are reading this, and you are thinking, “I’ll never been invited to speak at an event, so my testimony isn’t that big of deal.” If that is what you are thinking, then let me be blunt – your thinking is wrong! While you may never be invited to stand on stage and share your story, you can still use your testimony to reach out to the people around you, including strangers that you may meet.
With social media being extremely popular, you could even use your testimony as an online tool to share the gospel. Never underestimate your story – remember, your salvation is a miracle. You have a wonderful story of grace to share!
I would encourage all Christians to write out their testimony; spend time thinking through what your life was like before Christ, then remember His amazing grace when He rescued you. Write out your story, then look for ways to share it. Perhaps you could print out your testimony and share it with friends or family. I know of some people that have had their testimony printed into little booklets which they give away to people they meet. They use their story to share the bigger and better story of Jesus. Maybe you could make a short video in which you explain how the Lord saved you. You could then upload it to different social media pages, or YouTube. People are interested in hearing the stories of others, so make sure to use yours in order to make much of Jesus.
Now, I know that some people would object to using testimonies in evangelism. I have friends who would say that our story is irrelevant, so just present the gospel facts. I understand where they are coming from, as oftentimes if a testimony is presented badly, then the person sharing becomes the star of the show, not Jesus. But I would suggest that disregarding testimonies completely would be unbiblical. As Christians, we should want to be biblical in all our methods of evangelism, as such, if we are going to use our testimonies in witnessing, then we should expect to see examples of such methods in Scripture. So, do we see testimonies being used in God’s Word? Yes! In Acts 22 we see that the Apostle Paul uses his story as a means of presenting the truth when he was confronted with the crowds in Jerusalem. Then in Acts 26, we once again see Paul using his testimony when he stood before King Agrippa. Paul had a variety of evangelistic tactics; his story was just one of them.
Biblically we have a warrant to share our testimony in evangelism, but the next question we need to ask is, “How do I share my testimony?” To answer that let me give you four key ingredients that should be in every good testimony.
1) Life Before Christ: This is your B.C. You should start your testimony by talking about your background, what it was like for you. You should talk about how you lived a life of rebellion and share about your sin. Please note, when you do talk about sin, do not make it the major focus, and do not glory in it. You don’t even have to give all the depraved details, rather what you should seek to do is make it clear that you have sinned against God.
2) Jesus Saves: This is the area we want to major in. We want to make much of Jesus, so talk about how you heard the gospel, and how it made sense. Share the details of how Christ died on the cross for sinners, and how He then rose again from the dead. Speak about how you owned that message for yourself, and how you responded to the good news in repentance and faith. This is where the story of God’s grace come out, so make sure to share all the wonderful details!
3) New Life: In your testimony share about how your life has been changed by Jesus. Speak about how you now know God, and how He is with you every day. This would be a good opportunity to speak of the promises and the hope you have.
4) Challenge for Response: As you share your testimony, what you are wanting to do is build to the point where you invite the person listening to join the ultimate story of the good news of Jesus. When you share your testimony, you are declaring what Christ has done for you. But what you want to end with is the challenge that says, “Jesus rescued me, and He can rescue you also. Come to Him!”
Remember your story is unique, and if you are converted, then you are a miracle of grace. Take your story and share it with others. Tell people about the Lord Jesus by declaring what He has done in your life. Use your life, and your story to make much of Jesus.