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in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.  (1 Peter 3:16-17)

God’s word encourages us to be willing and able to let people know what we believe and why we believe it. One way to do this is to share how God’s story—the good news of Jesus Christ—intersects with our story. Traditionally this has been called ‘sharing your testimony.’

Testimonies: evidence and honour

Testimony isn’t a word we use very often. We hear it in a courtroom, because it has to do with providing evidence. Sometimes special functions or dinners are held as a testimonial to a person, honouring their life or particular achievements.

A Christian testimony should be about giving honour to God—in particular, pointing to the wonderful life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

A Christian testimony should be about giving honour to God—in particular, pointing to the wonderful life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A personal Christian testimony will provide evidence of how the gospel has transformed the life of an individual. The transformed person provides evidence that God’s continues to be active in people’s lives today.

When I was growing up, it was very common for Christians to share their testimonies. We would often do this at youth group, in church services, or during special evangelistic events. Let me share a few things I’ve picked up along the way.

A testimony to forget

I can still remember giving my first testimony. At the age of 16, at a church camp, I was asked to describe what it was like to be a Christian. It was something I will likely never forget. The fear of speaking in front of others didn’t seem to bother me. It was more the pressure to say something impressive. I hadn’t been a knife-wielding, drug-crazed gang member. Nor had my conversion been any great, emotional, charismatic experience. I couldn’t remember a time when I didn’t believe in God, brought up in a Christian home, what could I say? I remember it well. I lied! That’s right, I made up a story to impress. And it was a great testimony. I know, because people came up and told me afterwards! Have you heard people give testimonies? Have you given one yourself? What was it like?

I made up a testimony to impress. And it was a great testimony. I know, because people came up and told me afterwards!

Why a testimony?

Testimonies are a great way of letting others know that people do change to become Christians. Real people—people who are like them. Because the gospel we preach is rooted in an event of early history, it is helpful for people to hear that God still works powerfully through His Word today. And living evidence for this stands before them.

Where and when to give a testimony?

Almost any situation can be a good time to give your testimony. You don’t need to be invited up front at an evangelistic meeting to tell someone about what Jesus has done.  This can be done as you talk with your friends, as you travel on a plane, as you talk with other mums in your antenatal class, as you share the gospel on your campus, or as youtalk with mates after work. If your church or group is planning a public evangelistic meeting, it may be helpful to arrange for someone to give their testimony. This gives a real-life example of the gospel at work.

Who should give it?

Remember the purpose of a testimony is to show that the gospel changes real people, people that the listener can relate to. For this reason, there is probably little mileage in having an ex-bikie speak at the Women’s Bible Group dinner. It is usually better to have an ordinary member of the group speak rather than some high-powered outsider. You want those who accept your invitations to hear about someone just like them. It might even be good to have a couple of people speak to show how God deals differently with each of us.

What should you say?

Firstly, work out clearly why you are saying anything at all. You are speaking because you want to see people come into a relationship with God. And that means they need to hear about Jesus, not all the sordid details of your pre-Christian days. Some testimonies I hear are 95% sin and 5% salvation. And sometimes Jesus doesn’t even get a look in. Testimonies can be a great means of ego-tripping, so it is of first importance that we point people beyond ourselves to Jesus.

Your purpose is not to preach a sermon—it’s not about explaining a Bible passage. It’s about explaining what God has done in your life.

Your purpose is not to preach a sermon—it’s not about explaining a Bible passage. It’s about explaining what God has done in your life. So, speak about what JESUS has done, and how He has changed your life. Most people have no trouble speaking about themselves, so you must work out clearly beforehand what you are going to put in and what you will leave out.  We don’t need to hear every little detail, just the important bits: what was going on in your life, how you came to hear and understand the gospel, how you responded to it, and what difference this has made to your life. A short clear talk will be remembered, but long-winded drivel will only bore people, and leave them wondering about your point. I remember listening to a student give her testimony one night. It started off great. She quickly moved from her need of forgiveness to the night that she understood that Jesus had died for her. But then she didn’t know how to stop. Another 10 minutes passed before she sat down. Work out beforehand what you should say, how you will start and how you should finish. You may not know when to stop but everyone else will.

How should you give it?

Not like an expert, but then you don’t want to be sloppy either. Think about meetings you’ve been to where everything seems laid back and relaxed. My guess is that they were very well prepared. It is a great idea to practise your testimony with a friend. They will be able to tell you how it sounds, whether there is jargon to chop out, if it is too long and so on. Clarity, sincerity and honesty are called for in a testimony. Not slickness! Give it without notes. If you think you need notes, then either you are saying too much, or perhaps you are speaking about things that haven’t really made a big impact on your life.

Interviewing

An alternative to the monologue testimony is the interview. Tom asks Jane a series of questions designed to show how Jesus has changed Jane’s life. The aim of the interview remains the same as the testimony. But this way gives Jane the advantage of not having to remember the format of the testimony. Tom is able to control what is being said and the length of the interview. This is a great help to people who are unsure about public speaking. If Jane says something that is unclear, or full of jargon, Tom is able to ask another question to clarify it. Again, preparation is important. Both people should meet beforehand to go over the questions and responses. Then you both know what is going to happen.

John Chapman developed a pattern of questions that you may find helpful:

  • Did you grow up in a Christian home?
  • What makes you say that?
  • How did you come to understand that Jesus died for you?
  • What did you do to respond to this?
  • What is the hardest part of the Christian life for you?
  • What is the best part of the Christian life for you?

Finally

Remember, it is JESUS you are promoting, not yourself. So pray that what you say might lead others to Jesus. That’s what you really want to happen, isn’t it?


P.S.

There are a number of ways to improve your ability to testify to Jesus.  Here are some further tips:

  • Pray for opportunities to share Christ with others.
  • Practice talking with others about Jesus.
  • Know a gospel outline clearly.
  • Practice talking with others about Jesus.
  • Read Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice.
  • Practice talking with others about Jesus.
  • Listen to some evangelistic talks on line.
  • Practice talking with others about Jesus.
  • Pray for more opportunities to share Christ with others.
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