What if I really do have a boring testimony?
Short
answer: You don't. The problem that many of us actually have is arranging the
parts of or stories in a way that is 1) honoring to God, 2) honest, and 3)
relevant to our audience. All testimonies are worth telling, but not all
testimonies need to be told in the same way. It is better that we follow a few
principles rather than a formula by which these stories need to be told.
1) Honor
God
-Let us not forget that a testimony is to testify about
something God has done. For many of us the story we want to tell is how we came
to know Christ. This is a great place to start. There is, however, a way to
tell the story of coming to know Christ that does not actually honor Him. A
major testimony failure is to make you the hero of your own
story rather than Jesus. Was it when you had enough of the partying lifestyle
and found it unfulfilling, or was it when Christ convicted you of your sin and
convinced you of your need for a savior? Could those things coincide?
Absolutely, but the way you tell it is important. The hearers of your story
need to hear that Jesus saves us from our sins-- not, once you are good enough,
strong enough, and tired of doing the "big" sins, then you can go to
Jesus.
2) Be
Honest
-Every testimony requires some level of
vulnerability. If you've ever heard a testimony that you would consider
"bad" it was probably because the teller of the story seemed to be
dishonest or phony in their struggles. You have probably heard, "I grew up
in a Christian home, accepted Christ at the age of 10, and my life has been
great since." First of all, that's not a testimony. Secondly, that is not
honest. And third, that is dishonoring to God. The point of a testimony is not
to prove how much better your life is because you're a Christian. The point is
to prove how much better Christ is than the sin you want to live in. You first
need to be honest with yourself. Is the Gospel that you are proclaiming good
enough to save you from your deepest and darkest sins? I'm reminded of a
passage- 1 Timothy 1:15 where Paul says, "Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." Your testimony must reflect
Jesus as the savior and your deep need of this salvation.
3) Be
Relevant to Your Audience
-Not with a pop-culture reference, not by talking about
tweeting, not even with skinny jeans! This is more on the practical level.
Relevance can be as simple as-- what does my audience need to hear, how
can I say this in a way that engages that audience, and how can I be a good
steward of the time allotted to me. There are hundreds of books you can read on
public speaking, so I will not give advice on posture, time management, and
vocal variation. For most of us, the applicable place for our testimony is
going to be with a friend, co-worker, or random person you sit by on a plane.
Do you have a testimony that is suited for casual, informal, and ordinary
occurrences? Most of the time you are not prompted for your whole story. Can
you put into words how God has delivered you from particular sins? What is it
like to trust God daily? Do you still struggle with sin? The more you know
scripture, and the better you understand the Gospel, the better vocabulary you
will have to engage with someone on these topics when the situation
arises.
God gave
us all stories to tell. He gave us hundreds, even thousands of stories that
reveal our need for a savior and Let us honor him by sharing with others how He
is always faithful, always loving, and always willing to give us the grace we
need.
Austin Hilmer
About the Author:
Austin serves on staff at Westchester as Associate Pastor of Corporate Worship
About the Author:
Austin serves on staff at Westchester as Associate Pastor of Corporate Worship
