SHARE YOUR STORY
WHY AND HOW?
Sharing your story about how you've come to put your trust in Jesus, what some talk about as 'sharing your testimony', is a pretty crucial part of being a follower of Jesus.
Firstly, because Jesus tells us to do it. At the end of Matthew's gospel Jesus commissions his disciples to go and make more disciples - telling others about him and helping them to follow him.
And secondly, since we know all that Jesus has done for us - that his story of his life, death, and resurrection is what everyone NEEDS to hear in order to be saved - we also know that it's never been more important to tell others about this news.
But maybe you're not even sure how to start?
One of the great things about sharing your testimony with others, is that you already have a story to share. You might just need some help putting it together and having confidence to tell it to others. That's what we want to help you with.
EXCUSES, EXCUSES
As we're currently living through this Corona Virus pandemic, people are longing for connectivity. People are isolated and cut off from regular and familiar connection with friends and family and are craving human interaction like never before.
We're also more used to reaching out and connecting with others via digital media more than ever - so it's not weird at all to be sending someone a text, an email, or publishing a video on Social Media to share with others.
You might want to start an email or text message with one of these options:
"Hey, I'm missing you and our chats. I was thinking about whether you had a faith story that I haven't heard before, and I'd really love to hear it. Here's mine!"
or
"All of this pandemic stuff and the world changing daily got me thinking about big changes in my life..."
or
"Do you have any plans for Easter? Do you usually celebrate it in any way? Easter is a pretty big deal for me because of what God has done in my life..."
If you have any others that you might care to share with us, we'd love to hear them and share these ideas with others!
GOD'S STORY AND YOURS
As well as your story, your testimony should be about God's story - what he has been doing throughout all of history, redeeming his people. You might want to think about how God's story has become part of your story - or how your story fits into His.
Check out this PDF to help you think about how to do this.
THEIR STORY
What do you hope will happen after you share your story?
Maybe the person you're sharing with is keen to find out more from you about Jesus - or maybe they're keen to share their story with you. You might want to ask a question to continue the conversation.
Maybe something like:
"Do you have a faith story like this? I'd love to hear it!"
or
"Have you thought much about Jesus and how he impacts your life?"
VIA TEXT / SMS
Sending a text can be easy, and super simple!
Here's some tips to remember as you send your message:
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Keep it short. The screen's small, so don't make it hard to read.
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You don't need to say everything. Just give the highlights.
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Take it somewhere else. Maybe suggest continuing a longer conversation elsewhere
VIA EMAIL
We all use email pretty regularly every day, so you might already be a pro. If you'd like some tips and pointers though, we can help your email connect with these tips.
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Be personal. There's no need to be saving time or paper - make sure your email isn't just a script. Maybe you could change up how you tell your story? Maybe include it with other personal info. Don't just 'send all'
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Formatting helps. Just like these sentences! It helps when people can scan through your email to know where you're going and to keep attention. Maybe add headings? Definitely break things down into paragraphs. People tend to scan digital text, so help them to do that easily.
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Attachments. If you're sending an email, why not also add an attachment to give them something. It could be a photo, or a helpful article you could talk about. Maybe you could gift them an eBook? Emails are great not just for saying, but also for giving. Oh, and don't forget to ACTUALLY add the attachment!!
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Subject matters. Don't give someone a 'bait and switch' email! Tell them up front why you're emailing them so they know that you're being sincere. Don't trick people into reading your email, if they want to read it they will.
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Check, check, one-two. Make sure you take a few glances through the email to make sure it makes sense, and that you've avoided any simple spelling mistakes or clumsy sentences. This isn't so that you don't look silly (although that helps) - but makes it easier for someone to read and understand.
