Tell Your Story | A Few More Words
Brief. Logical. Humble.
Be brief. Be logical. Be humble. Last week I shared four "what not to do's" while sharing your testimony. However, I forgot to mention one more "don’t"… Don’t let me tell you what to do, allow the Holy Spirit to guide you! With your permission, allow me to share three things you should consider when sharing your testimony:
First, be brief.
If Paul could summarize his miraculous testimony in just fourteen verses, you can easily keep your story down to a few minutes. Be specific, but also be selective. Keep the focus on Christ's work in your life and leave time for questions, interaction, and listening.
Second, be logical.
Paul's example in Galatians 1 is the best model I know. Like Paul, tell what happened before you came to Christ, precisely how you came to Christ, and then how your life changed after you came to Christ.
Third, be humble.
Glorify God, not self. Focus on the transformed life after Christ, not the inglorious life of sin, stubbornness, or self-righteousness before Christ. Remember the end result of Paul's testimony: "They were glorifying God because of me..." (1:24). Not glorifying Paul, but God due to his witness and transformation.
In light of these simple principles, take a moment right now to write out your testimony. One word of warning, though. Not everyone experiences as dramatic a change as Paul. Resist the temptation to exaggerate or overemphasize sins. So-called boring testimonies from those who were raised in the church and came to the Lord at an early age can often demonstrate to self-righteous people that even "good" sinners need a Savior. Never be ashamed of the story God is telling through you.
There you have it, go tell it on a mountain that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Love to all in Christ,
Pastor Mike
(602) 510-5563