HOW TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15
When the apostle Paul stood before King Agrippa (Acts 26), he spoke simply, logically, and clearly about his life before salvation, how he met Christ, and what his life was like after conversion. Paul’s testimony takes three or four minutes to read aloud in a conversational manner. It is important for you to be able to write out your personal testimony—not for the purpose of memorizing and sharing it verbatim, but because it helps to put into words some of the important and interesting details of your relationship with Christ.
Our individual stories are some of the most powerful discipleship and evangelism tools because they are so deeply unique to us. The choice of the right words, the flow of your story, and knowing how to begin and end are all important. As you begin to work on this, ask the Lord for wisdom and insight into just how to share your story. The following worksheet is meant to help you outline the significant highlights in your journey with Christ.
BEFORE
1 Before you met Christ, what were some of your needs, what was lacking, or what was missing in your life?
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2 What solutions for your life did you try that didn’t work?
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HOW
1 What were the circumstances that caused you to consider Christ?
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2 Tell how you trusted Christ, and briefly include the gospel.
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AFTER
1 Give an example of how Christ met your needs or how He is now contributing to your life.
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2 End with a sentence to the effect that you know that you have eternal life through Christ.
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HOW TO SHARE YOUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY
Ever wonder how to go about sharing the Good News? Telling His Story by Telling Yours provides a template to help you share your personal testimony. No one else shares the unique combination of where you live and work, places you frequent and interactions you have each day. These not only form your story but also your opportunities to share the Gospel.
As Christians, each and every one of us has a testimony—a story of the way that Christ has worked in our lives. Regardless of your background or past, God wants to use the stories of both hardship and victory in our lives to transform the lives of those around us. It is truly beautiful how He can redeem even the most difficult parts of our lives and use them to impact others for the Kingdom. By telling your story, you truly are telling His story!
Below is a brief excerpt of practical tips for sharing your story:
1. Live your life.
2. Go out of your way to show dignity to others.
3. Be alert for opportunities to go deeper with them.
4. Listen well.
5. Share your story, but leave room for conversation.
6. Stop telling your story when it leads to other people telling theirs.
7. Enter into their story.
8. Share truth but don’t be concerned if you can’t get into the whole thing yet.
*This is a Navigator Discipleship Tool from www.navigators.org*