Preparing Your Personal Testimony

When to Use it

Preparing Your Personal Testimony

How to Effectively Write and Share Your Personal Testimony

• When you sense they think Christians are not real people.

• When you feel it will help the prospect better understand the gospel as well as build a bridge

  between you and them.

• When excuses or objections come up, your testimony may be applicable.

  What is a Testimony?

• It is a clear-cut, warm, persuasive account of how you came to know Christ as your Savior and Lord.

• It is sharing your experience. Why Give it?

• It provides an opportunity for a non-believer to see, hear and feel what it means to be a Christian.

• It makes you real in their eyes.

• It provides the chance for you to share the miracle you best know and understand....YOU!!

• Scripture says to be ready to give an account (always) to anyone who asks.

  ...always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you...” 1 Peter 3:15

  How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!" Romans 10:14-15

  The Three Main Parts of Your Testimony

1. Before I Accepted Christ (20%)
   a. Identify one key principle, or problem (such as lack of peace, lack of purpose, covetousness, pride, etc.), that characterized your life before you became a Christian. Next, illustrate how this principle or problem affected your life. Be sure to include a good element of your life before Christ.

2. How I accepted Christ (30%)
   a. Here you must be specific. This part of your testimony requires the most detail. Use details which show your personal transaction with God and avoid confusing statements.

3. Since I Accepted Christ (50%)
   a. Here, you want to illustrate how Christ dealt with the principle or problem you discussed in part 1. Mention the most striking change in your life (such as pardon, peace, joy, victory over sin, love, hope, power, etc). Be sure to include the assurance of salvation you have in your life.

Rules to Remember When Sharing Your Testimony

1. Your testimony should be brief, three to four minutes.

2. Do not go into detail about former sin.

3. Be specific (as compared to vague).

4. Be humble (God is to be exalted, not you).

5. Be brief (this is not a sermon).

6. Don’t be over dramatic (this isn’t drama 101).

7. End your testimony with your favorite scripture and a brief comment on why that scripture has

   been meaningful to you. “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5
   

   Be Humble
   The Fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility. Proverbs 15:33

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love. Ephesians 4:1-2

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. Philippians 2:3

And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:19 But let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position. James 1:9

Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:10