Ideas and Tips to Help You Share Your Story
The Power of Your Story
Often we can give Bible Studies, share scriptures and quote authors to our friends, we can even lend DVD’s, books and tracts and while these are all good and have an important place in the process of evangelism sometimes we can miss the greatest tool we can use to bring someone to Christ. That is your testimony. Your life story is the most powerful thing you can share with your unchurched friends, family or neighbours. When was the last time you shared your personal testimony with someone? Have you ever stopped to think about what you would say if you were asked to share yours? Have you written your testimony down? In Philemon 1:6 Paul says “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith.” So how can we be active in sharing OUR own testimony, that personal journey of life transformation in Jesus?
Below you will find some easy steps to writing and sharing your testimony so you can be ready to tell your story about Jesus and how He has changed your life when needed. You just never know when that opportunity may arise.
Why Share Your Story
There are three reasons why personal testimonies impact people.
- People who know you are interested in you and your life
Those who know you the best and are closest to you are interested to know about your life. These people include friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues they are all interested in your life, your family, who you are and how you got to be where you are today and the story of how Christ has changed your life may just be the open door to the journey of transformation for them too.
- Other people can relate to your story.
The value of a story can never be underestimated and this is especially true when it comes to yours. When you share your journey with others more often than not, these people will relate to what you share, allowing them to understand how Christ works in peoples everyday lives, even theirs!
- They can’t argue with the fact that your life has been changed.
Probably one of, if not the greatest argument to the existence of Christ and His presence in your life is the transformation of yourself. You have probably seen all those before and after body transformation pictures taken by gyms, well the same is also true for your spiritual life. The before and after picture stories of your life are real life examples of How God changes lives, from what was to what is…What Jesus has and is doing for you can never be taken away or denied.
How to Structure Your Story
Paul tells His story in the book of acts, stop what you are doing and take a read before continuing.
If you begin to pull his testimony apart, it is structured like this,
- Acts 26: 4-11 Before
- Acts 26:12-18 How
- Acts 26:19-23 After
Simple really isn’t it. So have you ever thought about your life like that?
Writing Your Story
Using the same method as Paul, use the following questions to help you write out your life story. Write it in your prayer journal, diary or on your computer and be sure to save it!! You will find you may go over it a few times before you are happy with it.
- Before: your life before you knew Christ
- Before you came to Christ, where were you spiritually? How did that affect you? Include your feelings, attitudes, actions, and relationships?
- Before you became a believer, what were some ways God began leading you to Christ?
- How: your conversion
- What motivated you to invite Christ into your life?
- Specifically, how did you come to walk with Christ?
- If a church played a part in your conversion, how did you come in contact with that congregation? Who and what do you remember from your first visits?
- After: your new walk with Christ
- What changed in your life after you accepted Jesus and experienced His Amazing grace?
- Finish this sentence: “My prayer is….