Developing Your Testimony
Your testimony is the story of who God is to you, how He found you and became real in your life. Your
testimony will help to make God visible to those whom you share it with. Many people who don’t know God
need something tangible, to make God real to them. Your testimony could be that real example of who God is.
The potential of your testimony is huge; there might be people who give their lives to Christ because of hearing
your testimony.
“Then leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who
told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ They came out of the town and made their way toward
Him … Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony.”
John 4:28 -30, 39.
Structure of a testimony:
“Hi, my name is ________ and I’d like to tell you a story.”
1. Life before knowing Christ
2. Meeting Christ
3. Life after Christ
4. A favorite verse
5. Conclusion – Usually one sentence
Some questions to help you start thinking:
Note: You don’t need to use or answer all of these questions. These questions are just a guide to help you
develop a chronological flow in your testimony.
1. Life before Christ?
a. What was your view of God? What did you know about God growing up? What were some
major influences for you? What were significant events that shaped your mind about who God
was?
b. What was the center of your life? How did your life reflect, or not reflect, your knowledge of a
relationship with God, BEFORE making a decision to follow Him? What were you like?
2. How I met Christ?
a. What brought you to a place of knowing that you need God in your life? A person? A significant
event?
b. Tell briefly about the moment surrounding the time when you truly gave your life to Jesus
Christ. What influenced you? What made it special?
3. Life after Christ?
a. How has your life changed since you decided to follow Jesus? What adjustments have you had to
make in your life because of this decision? How is your attitude/outlook on life different? What
have you struggled with and how has Jesus helped you through that? What has Jesus been
teaching you (about yourself, about life, or whatever?
b. What do you love about being a follower of Christ? What do you love about God? What is
exciting for you about knowing that you have a lifetime relationship with God ahead of you?
c. Do you have a favorite verse from the Bible that has been encouraging you along the way?
Tips to keep in mind:
1. Be brief, three to four minutes should be enough to cover the essential facts. A great testimony can be
missed if you ramble on and people wonder when you are going to be finished.
2. Be yourself. People don’t want perfection; they want to know that God works in ‘messed up lives.’
Preparing Your Testimony
3. Be personal. Don’t share your most intimate details, but don’t keep it shallow either. What do you mean
when you say you struggled?
The Do’s and Don’ts of preparing a testimony:
1. Ask God to give you wisdom and guidance as you write (James 1:5-6)
2. Follow the outline (previous page). Tell a little bit about your life before you trusted Jesus; then about
your conversion; and finally something of what it has meant to you to know Him.
3. If you have been a Christian since you were little, emphasize your life after you received Christ.
4. Begin with an interesting, attention getting sentence and close with a strong conclusion.
5. Give enough detail to catch people’s interest.
6. Write in such a way that others feel associated with you in both your past and present experiences (you
want people to be able to relate to you).
7. Write your story out exactly like you would want to tell it to an unbeliever, make sure to edit it and
rewrite as necessary before the final draft.
8. Keep Christ as the central focus. Always highlight what He has done for you (be careful not to ‘toot
your own horn’.)
9. Include the differences in your life, both your outward actions, and you heart, between you life without
God and your life with Him since making a real commitment.
DON’T
1. Use Christian Jargon…these would be words like, ‘saved,’ ‘convicted,’ ‘converted,’ and ‘sin.’ These
words are often misunderstood by non-Christians and consequently ridiculed, even though they might be
great words to be used.
2. Be too wordy, ramble on, beat around the bush, or emphasize how bad you used to be.
3. Be too general; avoid words like, ‘wonderful,’ or ‘glorious.’
4. Mention church denominations, especially in a derogatory way, this might put up walls for some people.
5. Swear or use bad language (even if it might be appropriate in a certain place).
6. Speak critically or negatively about any other individual or group.
7. Give the impression that the Christian life is a bed of roses.
Tips on presenting your testimony once it is written:
1. Share it with loving enthusiasm that Jesus has for you.
2. Speak loudly and clearly in a natural, relaxed tone of voice.
3. Avoid awkward mannerisms when you speak, such as rubbing your nose, jiggling coins in your pocket,
swaying, clearing your throat or saying ‘and…ummm’.
4. Avoid arguing and other high-pressure methods of getting a ‘decision’ for Christ. Remember that
Christians are born by the Spirit of God not through the persuasiveness or the logic of man (though God
may use both).
5. Avoid preaching at people. Present your testimony, not a ‘preachimony’.
6. Smile often! Ask Jesus to give you a joyful face during your testimony.
7. MEMORIZE your testimony and practice until it becomes natural.
Preparing Your Testimony