tips for your testimony

Sharing your testimony within appropriate cultural context

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Spend some time researching the issues of faith in the place where you will be serving:
  • Learn the basic foundations of the host country's faith
  • Know how Western Christians tend to offend nationals and religious practices of the host country
Learn the difference between Gospel and culture:
  • Explore ways other cultures view the truth of Scripture
  • A short term mission project can help distinguish between Gospel and culture by allowing us to see aspects of our individual lives that are cultural practices and specifically the Gospel
Expect the unexpected:
  • Continuously look for ways to initiate relationships and love on the individuals you encounter
  • Remember that we are individuals and hold personal beliefs. A person being in another host country doesn't mean they follow the host country's national religion

Here are some do's and don'ts of preparing and sharing your testimony

DO:
  • Share your name 
  • Talk about where you live
  • Discuss your profession/school
  • Tell them why you came to this country
  • Share what being a Christian means to you
  • Explain your life before Christ
  • Share scriptures that mean something to you
  • Tell about your life after Christ
  • Discuss how you became a Christian
  • Tell them why you made the decision to accept Christ
  • Inform how someone else can become a Christian 
  • Allow them to respond
  • Express your thanks for being able to share your testimony
  • Keep it SHORT and TO THE POINT! 
DON'T:
  • Glorify past struggles like addictions, divorce, negative life experiences, etc.
  • Tell how much the mission project cost
  • Be long winded 
  • Discuss how God provided for your project expenses
  • Use religious jargon or "Christianese"
  • Tell jokes
  • Use slang
  • Condemn other beliefs/religions
  • Make it about YOU. Let's face it people love to talk about themselves. However, the person should walk away knowing more about Jesus than they know about you! 

additional testimony tips

  • Be able to state in a couple of sentences what you would like to communicate to your listener. (Col. 1:28)
  • Make your testimony an ongoing process, always allowing for updates
  • Be in touch with the people's needs and not preoccupied with yourself (Phil. 2:4)
  • Be honest, open, and real. (Rom 7:15-21; 1 Tim. 1:15-16)
  • Back up your experiences with Scripture or Scriptural principles (2 Tim. 2:15)
  • Point your listeners to Christ, not yourself (1 Cor. 2:4-5)
  • Study the Romans Road - memorize verses such as Romans 6:23 or John 3:16 and be able to simply explain salvation through the verses you chose
  • Don't mention religious denominations
  • Have a general outline in mind before you begin...be able to condense or lengthen your talk according to the time frame available
  • Rehearse your testimony until it becomes natural to you...practice telling to friends or family members to get their opinion