Preparing Your 3 Minute Testimony

1. Preparing Your 3 Minute Testimony ECYD Mission Corps 2013

2. Introduction • Discover the Power of your Testimony • Examples • Steps & Tips to Prepare your Testimony • Before, Encounter, After • Format & Questions to Help you Reflect

3. Discover the Power of your Testimony • Scriptures speak of the power of personal testimony: • Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time.” (Rev. 12: 10-12)

4. Discover the Power of your Testimony • Christ commands us to witness.TheGreat Commission that Christ gave us was to proclaim the gospel to everyone on earth. This is a commission for all believers. Fortunately, God does not expect us to fulfill this command through our own resources. • He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) • Christ gives us the power. The Holy Spirit is the source of our power to witness. • But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) • People need to know Christ. •  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10) • We need to be prepared to present Christ to anyone at any time. • Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. (1 Peter 3:15)

5. Discover the Power of your Testimony • The purpose of a personal testimony is to present how you received Christ and how Jesus has affected your life. • John relates that he presented what he heard, saw and touched. It was a personal witness of what happened to him and what he saw. • What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life—for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.We are writing this so that our joy may be complete. (1 John 1:1-4) • A well-prepared, clearly organized testimony, given in the power of the Holy Spirit, has a direct impact in nearly every witnessing situation. • It provides evidence of God at work in your life. • You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:14-16) • It is one of your most valuable ministry tools. It is effective in large groups, small groups and one-on-one situations. • It presents Christ in a clear, and positive manner with the hope that all who hear will want to know Him personally.

6. Examples • The testimony of the woman at the well: • Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of His words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world. (John 4:39-42) • Here the Samaritan woman told people from the city what Christ had told her about herself. This action caused many of them to seek Jesus and hear what He had to say. The result was that many believed in Christ.

7. Examples • See video of Paul’s Testimony to King Agrippa in Acts 26:1-29. • http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Paul+the+emissary+4_5 • Paul’s Testimony: • Before – He described what he thought and did before he became a believer. • How – Paul explained how he became a believer, emphasizing the moment of conversion. • After – Paul explained how becoming a believer changed his life.

8. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony • Let’s make this easier: introducing the “3 Minute Testimony”. • See video introducing the 3 Minute Testimony • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zbvk3EQNWE • Look for the 3 parts of a testimony • Look for important characteristics for each part • Focus your testimony on one of these: • A powerful moment of conversion for you • One to three moments when you experienced God’s love for you. • Divide your testimony into a simple 3-point outline: • Before – your life before the experience of Christ • How – during the experience of Christ • After – the changes after the experience of Christ • In general, each part can take 1 minute, depending on where you wish to place the emphasis.

9. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony • Before: • Simply tell what your life was like before you experienced Christ. • What was a key problem, attitude, emotion, or situation you were dealing with? • Did something happen in your life that put you in crisis? Why was this hard for you? • What did my life revolve around? Where did I find happiness, security? • What were you searching for before coming to know Christ? • What was I missing before, that I have now because of Christ. • How did you try to satisfy your inner needs? • (Examples of inner needs are loneliness, insecurity, boredom. Possible ways to fill those needs include work, money, drugs, relationships, sports, lust, sex, video games) • Did any of this leave you dissatisfied? Disappointed? If so, how? • How much was Christ a part of my life?

10. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony • Tips on “Before”: • Remember that descriptions of concrete examples better establish you as a credible witness. • For now keep the focus on what was happening in you. • Also, avoid being explicit and sensational in speaking of drugs, immorality, crime or drunkenness. You don’t have to go into the details.

11. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony • How: • At what moments did you really experience Christ? • Did you feel close to God when you received one of the sacraments? (first communion, confession, confirmation) • Did you have an experience of Christ at a retreat? Camp? • Were you alone in prayer when you felt close to God? • Did a friend or adult tell you something, or give you good example? • What were my initial reactions? • How did you feel during this moment with Christ? • Simply tell the events and circumstances that caused you to have that experience of Christ. • Perhaps it was a specific person that brought you closer to God? Think about what moments in particular in that relationship. • Take time to identify the steps that brought you to the point of changing as a person, and trusting more in Christ. • Where were you? • What was happening at the time? • What people or problems influenced your decision? 

12. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony • Tips on “How”: • It’s okay if you haven’t had a powerful experience of God in your life. • Perhaps, like Mary, you were always a faithful follower of Christ. However, try to think of one or a few moments in your life where God touched you, and changed you, even if slightly. • It’s also okay if you’ve experienced God progressively, over a period of time. • You can have a religious focus now, and talk about church activities that helped you. • Also avoid being overly sensational in speaking of the experience.

13. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony • After: • Specific changes and examples about the changes Christ has made in my life, actions and attitudes. • How long did it take before I noticed changes? • Am I motivated differently? • Do I still struggle? • Do I speak with God? Do I feel closer to him? Do I feel he is present in my life? • How has your life in Christ made a difference? • How has his forgiveness impacted you? • How have your thoughts, attitudes and emotions changed? • Share how Christ is meeting your needs and what a relationship with him means to you now. • Very importantly, and lastly, challenge your audience: • To be more open to God in their lives • To allow God to change their hearts, make a difference in their lives

14. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony • Tips to Remember: • Stick to the point. Your conversion and new life in Christ should be the main points.  • Be specific. Include events, genuine feelings and personal insights that clarify your main point. This makes your testimony tangible - something others can relate to.  • Be current. Tell what is happening in your life with God now, today.  • Be honest. Don't exaggerate or dramatize your life for effect. The simple truth of what God has done in your life is all the Holy Spirit needs to convince others of God’s love. • Title. You can give your testimony a title. Don’t worry about this until the end, or you’ll get bogged down!

15. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony Phrases that may help you: Positive: spiritual renewal  to come alive spiritually  given a new life sins forgiven  delivered from despair  found hope for life God's message to man  the good news about Christ's purpose on earth change one's mind, heart or attitude  make a decision to turn away  turn around  a 180 degree turn from what you were doing Negative: • heading in the wrong direction • separated from God  • had no hope • rejecting God  • missing the mark  • falling away from the right path  • a crime against God's law  • disobedience to God • admit a wrong 

16. Presenting your 3 Minute Testimony HOW TO PRESENT YOUR TESTIMONY • Rehearse your testimony until it becomes natural. • It’s okay if you read it. • Share your testimony with conviction in the power of the Holy Spirit to move other’s hearts. Remember that a successful testimony is one communicated in the power of the Holy Spirit. • Be joyful. Ask the Lord to give you a pleasant and natural countenance. • Speak clearly but in a natural, relaxed tone. • Speak loudly enough to be heard. • Avoid nervous mannerism such as rubbing your nose, swaying, jingling coins in your pocket, playing with a pencil or clearing your throat. • Avoid using emotional pressure in your testimony to challenge others. • Limit your testimony to three minutes in length. This is long enough to say what you need to say without going too long and losing interest. • Very importantly: Don’t be silly, and allow yourself to be vulnerable. Don’t be discouraged if your audience responds superficially.

17. Examples of 3 Minute Testimonies • See two video-taped 3-minute testimonies. • Unsatisfied to Satisfied • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T16nu44LXRI • Temporary to Eternal • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA7NuRqbav0

18. How to Prepare your 3 Minute Testimony Good luck!