July 29, 2024
Personal testimonies are one of the most authentic ways to share the gospel. Your story can be used by the Holy Spirit to point people to Jesus. As a follower of Jesus Christ, your salvation story is one of the most powerful tools, one of the greatest tools, and one of the most effective tools to bring people who are far from God into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Nobody else is qualified to share your Jesus story like you are. You are the expert on what God has done in your life and can speak from your heart. You can share your story with an individual or with a group.
Five Simple Principles
Talking for too long can be distracting and you don’t need to share every detail of your life. Paul was brief in sharing his Damascus Road salvation story.
Don’t glamorize any sin that you were in but use words that will resonate with the person you are communicating with. Words such as lonely, guilt, shame, fear of death, and lack of purpose are common thoughts that people have who don’t know Jesus.
Paul clearly presents the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. The gospel in a nutshell is that Jesus died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again on the third day. That is the foundation of our faith. Focus on the cross of Jesus and consider using verses such as John 3:16, Romans 5:8, and 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Connect your decision with the gospel message that you have shared. Let them know that you now have a purpose, that the guilt and shame are gone, and you know that when you die you will spend eternity in heaven.
Answer any excuse that they may give. If the person is not willing to commit their life to Jesus, give them a gospel tract that they can take with them. If they say they are ready to make this commitment, explain what repentance is and what it means to put your faith in Jesus. Let them know the importance of baptism, prayer, Bible study, and church attendance to grow as a disciple.
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Steve Foster serves as an Evangelism Consultant with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.
