Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation… 2 Cor 7:10

2. Your Story

• Your Story is your spiritual autobiography.

• Your story is simply the account of how you came to know Christ as your personal Savior. A personal story is the most non-threatening way to tell an unbeliever why Jesus is important to you.

• Skeptics may debate the validity of Scripture or argue the existence of God, but no one can deny your personal experiences with the Lord. When you tell your story of how God has worked a miracle in your life, or how he has blessed you, transformed you, lifted and encouraged you, perhaps even broken and healed you, no one can argue or debate it. You go beyond the realm of just knowledge into the realm of a personal relationship with God. There is power in your testimony!

3. His Story

• His story is the greatest story in the history of mankind. The life changing gospel story needs to be intertwined in your story.

• You bring the spiritual conversation to a close by asking a few questions: •

  • Does that make sense?

  • Has there ever been a time when you surrendered your life to Him as Lord and Savior? Have you ever truly been Born-Again?

  • If not, ask: Are you ready and willing to repent and surrender now? Explain that it is not the words that save you, but true surrender and repentance, a turning away from doing it your way to His way. The words are just expressing to Jesus what is going on in your heart.

HOW TO WRITE YOUR TESTIMONY

1 - Realize the Power of Your Salvation Story

• First and foremost - remember - there is power in your testimony! Revelation 12:11 says we overcome our enemy by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.

• Stick to the point. Your conversion and new life in Christ should be the main points.

• Be specific. Include events, genuine feelings and personal insights that clarify your main point. This makes your testimony tangible - something others can relate to.

• Be current. Tell what is happening in your life with God now, today.

• Be honest. Don't exaggerate or dramatize your life for effect. The simple truth of what God has done in your life is all the Holy Spirit needs to convict others of their sin and convince them of his love and grace.

2 - Study an Example of a Testimony from the Bible

• Read Acts 22. Here the Apostle Paul gives his testimony.

  • Who he was before Jesus. (vs. 3-5)

  • What happened when he met Jesus. (vs. 6-16)

  • How his life has been changed since Jesus. (vs. 17-21)

3 - Spend Time in Thought and Preparation

• Before writing your testimony, think about your life before you met the Lord. What was going on in your life leading up to your conversion? What problems or needs were you facing at the time? How did your life change after that?

4 - Start with a Simple 3-Point Outline

• A three-point approach is very effective in communicating your personal testimony. The outline focuses on before you trusted Christ, how you surrendered to him, and the difference since you've been walking with him.

  • 1. Before: What was your life like before Christ?

    • Simply tell what your life was like before you surrendered to Christ.

    • What were you searching for before coming to know Christ?

    • How did you try to satisfy your inner needs? Examples of inner needs are loneliness, fear of death, insecurity. Possible ways to fill those needs include work, money, drugs, relationships, and sports.

    • You do not need to spend a lot of time sharing all the mistakes and bad choices prior to surrendering to Christ. It is important to acknowledge your brokenness and hopelessness without Jesus.

  • 2. How: How did you come to know Christ?

    • How did you come to know Christ as your Savior?

    • Simply tell the events and circumstances that caused you to consider Christ as the solution to your searching.

    • What motivated you to know about the Gospel?

    • What were the steps you took in coming to know Christ?

    • Share the Gospel!

  • 3. Since: What has your life been like since coming to Christ?

    • How has your life in Christ made a difference?

    • How has His forgiveness impacted you?

    • How have your thoughts, attitudes and emotions changed?

    • Share how Christ is meeting your needs and what a relationship with him means to you now.