5 Essentials to Sharing Your Story

After spending the last 10 years in ministry in Las Vegas I cannot tell you how many times I have asked a person, “Are you a Christian?  or How did you become a Christian?”  And though I have heard many solid testimonies of God’s saving grace and genuine stories of Biblical conversion, I quite often hear rather unbiblical answers to these simple questions.

I’ll ask, “Are you a Christian?”

They’ll reply, “Of course, I’m baptist.”

I’ll ask, “Have you been saved?”

They’ll reply, “Yes, when I was 22 I almost died in a car accident and…”

I’ll ask, “Do you know you are going to Heaven?”

They’ll reply, “Yes, I was baptized years ago.”

I’ll ask, “Have you ever accepted Christ as Lord & Savior?”

They’ll reply, “Oh Yes, I pray every night.”

This leads me to believe that their are either many folks who claim to be Christian and have not genuinely been saved or those who truly are Christian but have never been taught how to properly share their story.

When sharing your story in public or in private there are 5 essentials that you must Remember:

1.  Tell Your Story

It’s your story, tell it.  Don’t add drama where there is none.  Don’t feel the need to be overly sensational.  Don’t feel the need to “tone it down” if your story is sensational.  Just be sure that your story is your story.  Here is mine:  I was 5 years old when I first understood the truth.  My dad and mom had sat us down for a story time before bed.  He told us all about Jesus, the cross and the resurrection.  I came to understand that I was a little sinner in need of a savior and Jesus was offering to be my Savior.  I felt both fearful and thankful at the same time.  At that moment I asked my father if I could pray and ask Jesus to be my Savior.  We knelt and prayed and I called upon Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior.  According to the Scriptures, Jesus saved me that day.  That’s my story.  My story.  I’m thankful for it.

2.  Give the Gospel

According to I Corinthians 15:3-4 the Gospel is: Christ died, was buried and rose again in 3 days.  This is the gospel!  Be sure to include the gospel in your story.  So many times I have heard Christians give their testimonies and never once mention the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  Remember, you have no testimony apart from the Death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

I was 5 years old when I first understood the truth.  My dad and mom had sat us down for a story time before bed.  He told us all about Jesus, the cross and the resurrection.  I came to understand that I was a little sinner in need of a savior and Jesus was offering to be my Savior.  I felt both fearful and thankful at the same time.  At that moment I asked my father if I could pray and ask Jesus to be my Savior.  We knelt and prayed and I called upon Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior.  According to the Scriptures, Jesus saved me that day.

3.  How you Felt

Take them there!  Share what you were feeling at the moment of conversion.  Were you overjoyed after your long searching?  Were you afraid of what others might think?  Were you overwhelmed by your possible fate in Hell?

I was 5 years old when I first understood the truth.  My dad and mom had sat us down for a story time before bed.  He told us all about Jesus, the cross and the resurrection.  I came to understand that I was a little sinner in need of a savior and Jesus was offering to be my Savior.  I felt both fearful and thankful at the same time.  At that moment I asked my father if I could pray and ask Jesus to be my Savior.  We knelt and prayed and I called upon Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior.  According to the Scriptures, Jesus saved me that day.

4.  What you Did

It was Christ that saved you, yes.  But what did you do to receive that salvation?  (hyper-calvinist theologians need not remind me of dead in sins, dead can’t smell pizza, blah blah blah)

For the sake of the hearer, what was it that you did to appropriate the Gospel into your life.

I was 5 years old when I first understood the truth.  My dad and mom had sat us down for a story time before bed.  He told us all about Jesus, the cross and the resurrection.  I came to understand that I was a little sinner in need of a savior and Jesus was offering to be my Savior.  I felt both fearful and thankful at the same time.  At that moment I asked my father if I could pray and ask Jesus to be my Savior.  We knelt and prayed and I called upon Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior. (Rom. 10:9-13)  According to the Scriptures, Jesus saved me that day.

This part is key!  You were not saved because you found a church full of nice people.  You were not saved because you finished a class at the age of 12.  You were not saved because you happened to grow up in a “Christian” home and magically through osmosis became a Christian.  You were saved because Christ died for your sins (grace) and you believed this and received Christ’s offer of salvation (faith.

5.  What He Did

Bring it back to Christ.  Jesus saved you!  When you came to him by faith (John 6:37) He saved you!

I was 5 years old when I first understood the truth.  My dad and mom had sat us down for a story time before bed.  He told us all about Jesus, the cross and the resurrection.  I came to understand that I was a little sinner in need of a savior and Jesus was offering to be my Savior.  I felt both fearful and thankful at the same time.  At that moment I asked my father if I could pray and ask Jesus to be my Savior.  We knelt and prayed and I called upon Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior. According to the Scriptures, Jesus saved me that day.  

If you remember these 5 essential steps in sharing your story you will always give a testimony that is clear, understandable, Biblical and abel to lead others to salvation.

What do you think?  Did I leave something else?  Is this too simple or too complicated?  Leave a comment below, yes… even my hyper-calvinistic friends. (get it off of you chest, I know it’s killing you)