How to Prepare and Communicate Your Testimony

Transcription

1 How to Prepare and Communicate Your Testimony Purpose: The purpose of this session is to motivate and equip you to prepare and use your testimony in sharing your faith with others. Scripture Reference: Acts 21:40-22:21, John 4:39-42, Philippians 3:2-11, 1 Peter 3:15 Agree or Disagree: When the time comes, God will give me the words to say for my testimony according to Matthew 10: Therefore, I don t need to prepare my personal testimony. Your personal testimony is a _helpful tool_ to share Christ effectively. 1. Why should I have a prepared testimony? 2. A personal testimony prepares you to be a witness for Christ. a. The importance_ of being a witness for Christ. i. Christ _commands_ us to witness. (Mark 16:15) ii. Christ gives us the _power_. (Acts 1:8) iii. People need to _know Christ. (Matthew 9:36-38, Luke 19:10) iv. We need to be _prepared_. (1 Peter 3:15) b. _Benefits_ of a personal testimony. The purpose of a personal testimony is to present how you received Christ and how Jesus has affected your life. (John 1:1-4) i. A _well_-_prepared_, clearly organized testimony, given in the power of the _Holy Spirit_, has a direct impact in nearly every witnessing situation. ii. It provides _evidence_ of God at work in your life. (Matthew 5:14-16) iii. It is one of your most valuable _ministry tools_. It is effective in large groups, small groups and one-on-one situations. iv. It presents Christ in a _clear_, and _positive_ manner with the hope that all who hear will want to know Him personally. 3. Biblical examples of Personal Testimonies. a. The testimony of the woman at the well. (John 4:39-42) b. The blind man s testimony. (John 9:24-34) c. Paul s testimony in several situations. i. To churches. (Philippians 3:2-11, Galatians 1:13-2:21)

2 ii. To crowds. (Acts 21:40-22:21) iii. To people in authority. (Acts 24:10-16, Acts 24:24, Acts 26:1-23) 4. A closer look at Paul s testimony. (Acts 21:37-22:21) a. Paul generally divided his testimony into _three_ parts. i. _Before_ (Acts 22:1-5). He described what he thought and did before he became a believer. ii. _How (Acts 22:6-11). Paul explained how he became a believer. iii. _After_ (Acts 22:12-21). Paul explained how becoming a believer changed his life. b. Paul adjusted the _emphasis_ in relation to the _audience_ addressed. 5. How to prepare your Personal Testimony a. Ask the Lord to give you _wisdom_ and _guidance_ as you write. (James 1:5-6) b. Follow a _three_-_point_ outline: i. Before I received Christ. ii. How I received Christ. iii. After I received Christ. c. Questions to consider as you write your personal testimony. i. Before I received Christ. 1. What was my life like? What were my attitudes, needs, problems? 2. Around what did my life revolve the most? From what did I get my security or happiness? 3. How did those areas begin to disappoint me? 4. To what source did I look for security, peace of mind, happiness? In what ways were my activities unsatisfying? Remember that examples will establish you as a credible witness in the minds of non- Christians. Avoid a religious focus. Do not spend a great amount of time talking about church activities before your life began to change. Likewise, avoid being explicit and sensational in speaking of drugs, immorality, crime or drunkenness. ii. How I received Christ. 1. When was the first time I heard the Gospel? How? 2. What were my initial reactions? 3. When did my attitude begin to change? Why? 4. What were the final struggles that went through my mind just before I accepted Christ?

3 5. Even though there were struggles, why did I decide to accept Christ? iii. After I received Christ. 1. Specific changes and illustrations about the changes Christ has made in my life, actions and attitudes. 2. How long did it take before I noticed changes? 3. Why am I motivated differently? iv. What if I received Christ at an early age? If you received Christ at an early age, you will be able to follow the three-point outline. However, you will probably put a greater emphasis on your life after receiving Christ. 6. How to present your testimony. a. Rehearse your testimony until it becomes _natural_. b. Share your testimony with _conviction_ in the power of the Holy Spirit. c. Be _joyful_. Ask the Lord to give you a pleasant and natural countenance. d. Speak _clearly_ but in a natural, relaxed tone. Speak loudly enough to be heard. e. Avoid nervous _mannerisms_ such as rubbing your nose, swaying, jingling coins in your pocket, playing with a pencil or clearing your throat. f. Avoid using _emotional_ pressure in your testimony to obtain decisions for Christ. Only God through the Holy Spirit changes hearts. (John 3:5-6, 1 Corinthians 2:4-5) g. Limit your testimony to _three_ minutes in length. This is long enough to say what you need to say without going too long and losing interest. 7. Application a. Ask God to give you the wisdom and guidance as you write. b. Verbally give your testimony to a friend and ask them to give you feedback according to the three-point outline (i.e. Were your three points clear? What was your life like before and after receiving Christ? How did you receive Christ?). c. Write out your testimony!

4 APPENDIX A Testimony Work Sheet 1. What was my life like before I received Jesus Christ? 2. How did I come to receive Christ? 3. What happened after I received Christ? How did my life change? Pertinent Bible verse(s):

5 APPENDIX B Guidelines for Writing Your Testimony 1. Points to remember when preparing your Personal Testimony. a. What to do. i. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and guidance as you write. ii. Prepare your testimony so it communicates with groups as well as with individuals. iii. Keep within your time limit. iv. Be realistic. Do not imply that Christ removes all of life s problems, but rather that He enables you to live through them as you walk in obedience. v. Consider your audience. Write and speak to communicate with the particular group you are addressing so that they are able to identify with you. vi. Speak boldly about Jesus. He is the main focus of your testimony. b. What not to do. i. Do not make statements that reflect negatively on the church, organizations, or people. ii. Avoid mentioning denominations or churches by name. iii. Avoid speaking in a preaching manner. Make your delivery in a normal, conversational tone. iv. Do not use vague terms such as joyful, peaceful, happy or changed without explaining them. v. Avoid using biblical or religious words such as saved, converted, convicted, or sin without clarifying what you mean. These words do not communicate to non-christians. c. Writing style. Write as though you were speaking to a friend rather than giving a formal speech. i. Begin with an attention-getting sentence or incident. ii. Be positive from start to finish. iii. Be specific. Give enough details to arouse interest. iv. Be accurate. v. Include interesting, though-provoking experiences. vi. Use one or two Bible verses, but only where they relate directly to your experience. Explain the references if your audience is not familiar with the Bible. vii. Edit and rewrite as needed. viii. Write a closing that provides a finished and logical conclusion. 2. Evaluate your testimony by asking yourself the following questions: a. Does my testimony express assurance that I know I have eternal life? b. Have I clearly communicated how a person can receive Christ? c. Does my testimony deal with things not related to my testimony theme? d. What positive benefits of my relationship with Christ have I emphasized in my testimony? e. Have I included an attention-getting opening sentence? Do I have a clear statement to close the testimony?