“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” – 1 Peter 3:15
As a follower of Jesus, you have a story of faith to share. God’s work in you is personal and unique. Sharing your experience of God is a way to encourage other people in their faith.
Peter’s instruction to the early church was to be ready to tell others. Reflecting on your faith story and considering what and how you want to tell others is a way to get ready. Maybe your story is the way you came to know Christ. Maybe your story is the way God met your needs during a difficult time in your life. Maybe your story is about the way God called you to repentance and to follow his way.
If you are a follower of Jesus, then you have encountered God. Jesus’s own invitation to his disciples was “Come and see …” (John 1:39). When you share your story, you are following Jesus’s example—not convincing or arguing, but inviting others to come and see God’s good work and experience it themselves.
Telling your story may feel overwhelming at first. Where should you start? What should you focus on? These four principles can guide your testimony.
- Every good story has a before, during, and after. Before: where did God meet you? During: how did God guide you in this situation, or work in your life? After: what changed in your life as a result?
- Keep it focused. If you are in a group, you may be telling your story in just 5 minutes. What are the most important points?
- This story should point others to Jesus. What in your story will help other people understand something about God?
- God meets us in the hard and messy times of our lives. Think about what feels right to you to share; you do not have to share anything that feels overwhelming or too personal. But remember, God also meets us in the middle. Your story does not have to have a happy ending or a perfect resolution. Your real experiences struggling with God in a hard experience can help someone else who is struggling too.
As you reflect on your faith story, these questions can get you started:
- How did you become a Christian?
- If you are a life-long Christian, was there a time when following Jesus became more important to you?
- Has God helped you through a challenge or struggle in your life? How did you encounter God in that experience?
- Have you experienced God’s guidance or care at a particular time in your life? What was that like?
- How has following Jesus changed your life?
Share your faith story with us here.
