Testimony Help

Testimony Help

What is a testimony ?...How do I go about it ?; and why ?

In 1 Peter 3: 15, Peter writes:

"but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear:"

Tes-ti-mon-ny:

1. law. The statement or declaration of a witness under oath or affirmation, usually in court.

2. evidence in support of a fact or statement; proof.

3. open declaration or profession, as of faith.

4. usually, testimonies. The precepts of God.

5. the Decalogue as inscribed on the two tables of the law, or the ark in which the tables were kept. Exodus 16:34; 25; 16.

A Testimony is what you tell others about how Jesus Christ gave you new life, has changed (and is changing) your life, and has given you the hope of eternal life through him.

First Things First:

Pray for guidance, patience and understanding. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you as you read the Testimony of Paul to King Agrippa in ACT 26.

Read ACTS 26. It won't take long and will help you.

Really- Go do it.

Paul simply tells King Agrippa about how his life was, how he met JESUS and how his life was afterwards. Remember, Paul was somebody who murdered Christians as Saul. Jesus even changed his name !! If he could tell his story to a king; you can certainly tell yours too.

INTRODUCTION:

Giving Testimony, this is an area where we all need a little bit of instruction…. don't ask me how it all got written down; it just did (Thank you Lord); after seeking information on the internet, and from the vast amounts of web surfing…I must give credit to whomever and wherever I got it because it got re-written several times. Thank you Lord…so, let's dive in and have some fun !!

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE:

Simply start out by writing your testimony using the example of Paul's testimony format:

1. (Before) Life without Jesus

2. (How) How I came to know Jesus

3. (After) Life after Jesus

The important thing to remember is that….it is all about JESUS. You are not preaching.

You are giving testimony to those that need to hear about how JESUS changed your life and how he can change those that listen to your story, which is a story that needs to be heard specifically from you at the specific moment that they are there to listen.

You are at an appointed moment.

Practice, Practice, Practice, .start off by writing your testimony, the purpose is not to memorize it and give it verbatim.

The purpose of Practice, Practice, Practice is to help you express your experiences with words so your hearer can understand what has happened to you. The choice of the right words, the flow of your story, and knowing how to begin and how to end are all important.

As you begin writing, ask the Lord for wisdom and insight in just how to share your story.

Ask for help from experienced Christians and be open to their suggestions.

Trust God and work hard. Give time, thought, and prayer to this important part of your Christian walk.

NOW THE ABC's & 1,2,3's…IV's & V's !!

I. Preparing a Personal Testimony

Keep your testimony to where it is interesting and not overextended….people will listen to you when it is short and to the point. Do not dwell on the past…that is done; over; gone; erased; nadaa; forgiven and you are changed.

(Satan's favorite tool is torment by memory of the past). Unless you have a specific audience, remember that If God does not remember your sins and has forgiven you, what makes you think anybody else wants to hear too much about it !!!

People do not want to hear who you WERE. People want to know who you are NOW and WHO changed your life and WHY you are different then yesterday.

People want to hear about JESUS in your life NOW.

Give them an answer they are needing, tell them about JESUS and what he has done, is doing and will do for you !!

Some testimonies will have to be shortened to a manageable length. Others may need to be expanded. There are many factors which influence how long it will take you to complete your written testimony.

If yours comes quickly and easily, don't be proud. And if the preparation seems to be more difficult for you than others, don't be discouraged.

Be consistent in prayer for yourself and your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

II. Difficult but Rewarding:

Some people may find this work on giving a personal testimony the most difficult part of being a Christian, and sometimes the most discouraging. It is difficult at first…but; practice; practice; practice and then again. You just might learn something about yourself !!

Many may find it to be the most profitable and stimulating part of being a Christian. Your attitude and how aggressively you do your work can make all the difference. Work hard! Pray for God's wisdom and guidance!

III. Practice and Helps for Preparing Your Personal Testimony:

Testimonies can be prepared on many subjects and tailored for various audiences. Try writing a testimony to be told to a non-believer.

Practice writing a testimony that can be shared on a one-on-one basis with someone or in a small group, yet usable talking to many.

Testimonies should be "door openers"; "Ice Breakers"; "Conversation starters" not a "convincing tool" that attempts to convict someone…that is the job of the Holy Spirit.

Testimonies should leave a person to ask you more about JESUS filled with questions like…

"How can I change my life ??"… "I want what you have...tell me more about this 'JESUS'...

just "WHO IS HE?"…"tell me more" !!…

IV. The General Outline of a Personal Testimony:

a. BEFORE - a short sketch of what your life was like before you became a Christian.

b. HOW - how, specifically, you came to become a Christian (believe in Jesus as Lord)

c. AFTER - relating the changes in your life.

V. Guidelines for Preparing More Specific Content:

a. Make it sound conversational. Prepare it to be spoken, not read. Use informal wording so it doesn't sound

like you're reading a book.

b. Say "I" and "me," not "you." The idea is to share, not preach. This makes your testimony warm and personal.

c. Suggested wording in your writing for your practice…..

"Asked Jesus into my heart".

"Trusted in what Jesus did to save me."

"Sin"

"Disobeyed, breaking God's laws"

"Turned my back on God"

"Went forward"

"Decided to take God at His Word"

"Decided to give my life to God"

"Accepted Christ"

"Saved" "Became a Christian"

"Freed from penalty (or consequences) of not obeying God"

d. Generalize so more people can identify with your story. Don't name specific churches,denominations,

or groups (unless relevant to the group or individual talking to). For the same reasons avoid using dates or ages.

e. Humor and Human Interest can make a listener smile or laugh... often reducing tension, not to mention

increasing their attention span.

f. Descriptive word pictures can help a person understand settings, people and events.

g. Your "BEFORE" section of your testimony can include good aspects as well. Most people have things that

were good in their life even as a non- Christian. These combined with the bad aspects make it easier for people

to relate to your life. But do not dwell on them.

h. In the "HOW".

(How did you realize; how did you come to understand the truth; How did the Holy Spirit intervene ??)

(1) Communicate the Gospel clearly and briefly. You need to include:

(a) The fact of sin (Use God's law! = The Bible)

(b) The penalty for sin (Use God's Law = The Bible)

(d) That there was nothing you could do to save yourself.

(e) The requirement to trust (or believe) in Jesus' completed work on the cross.

(2) Always uphold the Bible as the authority.

Don't say "Mike told me that I was a sinner," say "Mike showed me from the Bible that I..."

i. In the "AFTER".

Rapidly conclude with two or three personal changes (benefits) of becoming a Christian. Things that are current

help your testimony to sound current. The last benefit should always be with a focus on eternity...

"The best thing is I know that God has promised me eternal life."

j. Sound adult, not juvenile. Even if you were young when you became a Christian, share it as you would talk.

k. Simplify. Don't try and tell your life's story, every move, job, friend, etc.

VI. The Sequence of Your Preparation:

a. Before you begin writing, pray for God's help. Look to Him for wisdom.

b. Make three separate notes headed: Before, How, After.

c. Make a draft using what you have written in your three notes. Read it. If it's over five minutes, it's way to long.

d. Make improvements on your draft (think simplify, keeping essential details).

e. Make a new (maybe final) draft. It should read at 3 to 5 minutes long.

f. Now make an outline of your presentation on a 3" x 5" index cards.

g. Practice giving your testimony with only the card in a three to five minute time frame.

VII. Two Basic Testimony Formats:

a. Chronological= Before — Salvation — After — Eternity

b. Flashback = Before — Now — Salvation — Eternity

If the how in salvation is short, share more time on the AFTER. Do not forget the gospel message of Eternity.

If you want to share more about the NOW remember to tell about the how in salvation. Do not forget the gospel message of Eternity.

VIII. Common Pitfalls in Preparation:

a. Too cautious in your first draft. It's rough. Even if it's long, get it down. You can fix it up later.

b. Too much dwelling on the past. Don't get bogged down in old memories, feelings, or trying to reconcile old conflicts.

c. To spiritual too soon, or too much. Let people know that you are a human being, share ordinary things that

allow you to build to spiritual things.

d. Not sure when you were converted. Sometimes there is more than one time/event that led to conversion. If you

are not sure, ask a spiritual leader (elder) for help to sort this out.

e. Procrastinating. Yes, this may be hard, and it will take hours. Putting it off doesn't get it done.

Just do it!

IX. Conclusion:

Remember that you do not have the power in yourself to convince anyone of spiritual truth.

The Holy Spirit convicts non-Christians of their need to know Christ (John 16:8).

As you pray for those with whom you desire to share your personal testimony, be sure to ask God to honour the proclamation of His word, to convince people of their need, and to strengthen you as you share the gospel.

God has summoned each Christian to be a witness of what he has "seen and heard" (I John1:3). Witnessing is a style of living—you are a witness at all times. Loving others and showing your genuine concern for them are practical ways to communicate the Love of Christ. You also witness by your life.

Actions are often more revealing than words. Your actions, however, are not sufficient to communicate to another the message of the gospel of Christ. You need to witness by your words—to identify openly with Jesus Christ and to tell others how they can be reconciled to God.

X. Final note: How important is Testimony?

Please read from the book of Revelation for yourself;

Chapters: 1:9; 6;9; 11:7; 12:11; 12:17; 15:5

"And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true saying of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy.

Revelation 19:9-10.

One of the most effective means of communicating the Gospel to another person is the story of how God has worked in your life—

your personal testimony.