How to Organize your Testimony

If you read Acts 26:1-29 and Acts 22:1-21 you will see two examples of how the apostle Paul gave his testimony in the midst of great pressure, where his destiny hung in the balance. Paul talked about his early life, before meeting Christ - both the good and the bad points. Then he talked about how Christ revealed Himself to him and his response. In Acts 26 (where he was not interrupted) he is able to spend more time talking about his life since his conversion. It is good to devote about 40% to "Before Christ", about 20% to the conversion experience, and about 40% to "After Christ". People want to know what kind of a difference Christ made in your life. Be honest and authentic. Don't try to make it look better than it is, or to make your past sound worse than it really was. God will bless a testimony that is truthful. People are usually pretty good at spotting phony things. Don't be like the politician who reputedly told voters how important religion was to him, and how his favorite verse was John 16:3 when he probably meant to have said John 3:16. You'll get a laugh if you read what John 16:3 actually says.

PRACTICAL POINTS

PLEASE DON'T WRITE YOUR TESTIMONY IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Use lower case, its much more attractive. Try to break up the main sections or thoughts into different paragraphs. Use short sentences and a simple, unaffected style. It makes it easier to understand. Aim to point out the effect that meeting the Lord had on your soul, after you surrendered to Him. Share how you felt. Don't use religious words and biblical phrases that people untrained in the Bible are not familiar with. Even a lot of church people don't understand a lot of the biblical phrases, or the meaning of words. Try to make your testimony clear for someone who has no knowledge of God or the Bible, and as you write it, put yourself in their shoes.

I encourage you to do this today. Give God something that He can take hold of and use for His glory. God bless you.