Guide to Sharing Your Testimony

August 22nd, 2023

Guide to Sharing Your Testimony

Why Share A Testimony?

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
1 Peter 3:13-17
  • We share our testimony because it is in God's will to do his mighty works through our lives. And by sharing our testimony, it honors Christ and validates the faith we profess because the hope we have in Christ is real and true.

What Is A Testimony?

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
1 John 1:1-4
  • A testimony is simply sharing what we have seen and heard, specifically regarding the works of God and for the purpose of edifying and encouraging others to know more about and draw near to God and God's people.

How Do We Testify?

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
  • Take a moment to meditate and reflect on the passage above from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. What are some observations you see from here regarding how we share our testimony?

A Practical Guide

Below are a few simple tips as you prepare to share your testimony.
Adapted from: “6 Principles for Sharing  Your Testimony,” by Shelby Abbott, The Gospel Coalition; “10 Tips for Sharing Your Testimony with Others” by Cru.org
  • You've Got The Power
    God’s Spirit lives inside you from the moment you first trust Christ as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit gives you the power to be His witness (Acts 1:8). You don’t need to muster up courage or even be an amazing speaker (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Just be honest about who Christ is and what He’s done in your life.

  • Everyone Is On A Spiritual Journey
    God is already at work in the lives of others. You can’t tell whether someone is moving toward or away from Him based simply on outward appearances (Acts 17:26-27).  Don’t let assumptions keep you from asking others about their spiritual journeys and sharing your story of how God has met you.

  • God Desires To Use You Uniquely
    Throughout the Bible, we see God choosing to move through people’s lives. And even more, He invites you to be part of other people’s spiritual journeys to faith (2 Corinthians 5:20).  Your story might help connect someone to Jesus in ways that others cannot.

  • Be Prepared
    The Bible says to always be ready to give a reason for the hope you have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15). One great way to be prepared is to write out your spiritual story (your testimony) ahead of time.

  • Keep It Short
    Communicating too many details about your life can distract listeners from the central point: Jesus Christ. Keeping it short can help with that. Three minutes is a good target. Remember that the purpose of telling your story is not about you; it’s about God. Clearly and succinctly communicate what he has done in your life.

  • Structure Your Testimony
    If you are sharing about your salvation testimony, talk about what your life was like before Christ, how you met him, and what your life’s like now. This timeline is different for everyone, of course, but it brings a sense of structure to what you’re saying and helps keep your listener tracking. The structure can look different depending on the context and content of your testimony (i.e. a missions testimony).

  • Have A Theme
    A theme helps people walk away from your story remembering one main idea. There may be many themes in your story, but try to boil it down to one. Eventually, the more your share, you’ll have multiple testimonies you can share that focuses on various themes to approach different people and contexts uniquely.

  • Clearly Present Jesus Christ
    You want people to clearly grasp the source of your transformation: Jesus Christ.
    The conclusion of your testimony should highlight Jesus Christ rather than yourself. And especially when you are sharing your salvation testimony, you should aim to share the Gospel clearly. That God loves them, they’re sinful, Jesus is the payment for the penalty of their sin, and they need to trust Christ as the payment for the penalty of their sins in order to have a personal relationship with God.

  • Contextualize
    If you are speaking to unbelievers, replace or explain words like sin, salvation, repentance, fellowship, sanctification, born again, etc. We want anyone and everyone to have intellectual access to what we’re saying, so eliminate alienating language (or at least be willing to quickly define it).

  • Practice
    After you’ve written out your story, practice. Practice reading it out loud a few times. Try recording yourself on your phone. Time it, aiming for about three minutes. Make sure what you’ve said is clear. Try memorizing your story and saying it in different ways.

  • Pray
    Pray that God will draw people to Himself.  Ask God to help you see and take the opportunities He provides to share your story. He might give you that chance in the midst of everyday conversations, in front of a group of friends or at church, or through your own efforts of connecting with people and setting up a meeting.

  • Entrust The Results To God
    Share your story in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God. No matter how someone responds, continue to pray for them. You never know how the Lord will move in someone’s life down the road.
Posted in Guide