Testimony
REV CHARLIE (OCTOBER 2020)
A testimony is a statement given in a court of law. It is a form of evidence. For Christians, it also means the recounting of God’s goodness and mercy and is often connected with, but not limited to, a person’s conversion. Whenever we talk about what God has done in our lives, for example, our experience of conversion or even just something that the Lord has done for us in the past week, we are ‘giving a testimony’. Testimonies are powerful. They give evidence, not only of God’s existence, but also of his character.
Sharing a testimony is a very powerful way to talk about our faith. For non-Christians, it is often perceived as being less contentious than say, talking about the bible or Christian doctrine. A testimony is a description of your subjective experience and it is very difficult to argue with that or indeed take offence. Nevertheless, a testimony can be very challenging to the hearer, prompting them to think deeply about what has been said.
The New Testament is full of instances of people sharing their testimony. Jesus sometimes commanded people to do so. In Mark, chapter 5, after Jesus had healed a demon-possessed man, he said to him, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, she returned to the town saying, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” Good news travels fast. When we encounter Jesus, it is only natural that we should want to tell people.
The book of Acts contains three accounts of the Apostle Paul’s conversion. The first is Luke’s description, but the other two accounts come from the lips of Paul himself. Once when he addressed a hostile crowd in Jerusalem (Acts 21), and again when he was taken before King Agrippa II (Acts 26).
There is a definite precedent for Christians to share their testimonies and it is a highly effective way of proclaiming the good news of Jesus. However, it does require some thought and practice. If you came to faith later in life, your testimony might include the following three elements:
What life was like without Jesus
How you came to faith
How your life has changed
That said, everyone’s testimony will be unique, indeed there will be as many different variations as there are Christians.
I want to encourage you to think about what the Lord has done in your life and how you might summarise it in two or three minutes. Perhaps write down a few dot points and practice sharing your testimony with a Christian friend or family member. My hope is that you eventually feel confident to share your testimony with someone who does not yet know Jesus.
On Sunday 18th October, I will be sharing my testimony as part of the service and I hope this will ‘kick-start’ a culture of talking about what the Lord had done and is doing in our lives. The psalmist proclaims ‘My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long.’ Let us learn to do likewise.
