Your Testimony
Today's lesson will be a little different in that it does not include much reading, but will leave you time to write. Your testimony matters because it is your account about who Christ is in your life and what He has done for you. In 1 Peter 3:15, it says, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect".
Sharing your testimony should be a normal rhythm of the believer's life. We should always be ready to share when the time comes. Today the challenge is to write out your testimony and to share it with your mentor or small group. Even if you feel like you know it well enough, the challenge is still to think it out and write it down. If you don't know how to explain your testimony, here are a few pointers to think about.
1) Origin Story:
What was your upbringing like? Who were your parents and siblings, and what were the early years of your life like? What were your family dynamics, for example, "I grew up in ____________. I have 2 brothers, and my mom and dad were a happy couple, but one day my parents divorced." Expand this in your words with greater detail. How did your early childhood affect who you became? What did your family value? What did you value growing up? Was church a part of your life? Did you have a relationship with God in your life early on? One note as you write: sensitive details are always optional, so share only what you are comfortable sharing, and be careful about naming or exposing others. Your testimony is your story, and it can be told with wisdom.
2) Life Before Christ:
A lot of times, we had very specific moments that built up to accepting Christ. What was it for you? Sometimes it was a crisis, other times curiosity drew you into faith, or maybe your upbringing was the leading factor before you decided on Christ. Give great detail about the build-up to that point.
3) Life After Christ:
Since you accepted Christ, have you seen a change in your life? What has specifically changed? How would you describe your life with Jesus? Why would you encourage other people to make the same decision that you made? Remember, there is no time limit on this, nor a specific length of writing you need to accomplish. The only recommendation is to think it out and to write it down!
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect".