RISE COLLECTIVE WOMEN: Your Testimony
Whether you’re new to the faith or have been a practicing Christian from a young age, your understanding of the importance of testimony is often taken for granted. You may feel like you’ve never gotten answers to fundamental questions, like what is a testimony? Why is the story of my walk with God important to me and to my community? How do I write my testimony? How do I share it?
This article serves as a frank look at the beauty of your conversion story, why we cherish it within the Rise Collective community, and why it’s important to share it with the world. Let’s break it down.
1. What is a Christian testimony?
Think about the greatest love stories of all time: Romeo and Juliet, Rose and Jack, or Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. In these relationships, our protagonists share a deep passion for one another, true devotion to one another, and exhibit willingness to sacrifice (there was definitely room on that board for Jack). Most importantly, they share a heart transformation - a moment where they meet, are truly seen and are indelibly changed.
Your testimony is your love story with God spoken aloud to others. Your life before Him, the heart changing moment when you came to know Him, and your life with Him from now into forever.
Your testimony may take many forms. Some people first experience God in an earth shattering, fall-to-your-knees way. Some, like C.S. Lewis, describe the distinct and gentle feeling of God “closing in” around them, coaxing them into salvation. Some have known Him all their lives. You may come to Him through family, upbringing, intellect, emotion, desperation or joy.
The truth is, the specifics matter very deeply, and don’t matter at all. Though your personal story will connect you to others and help you to understand God’s role in your life, the bottom line is that you’ve been made new, which is something that binds all Christians together. What matters is that when God captures your heart, it is His to keep. When He renews your mind (Romans 12:2), you will never be lost. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28).”
2. Why do Christians emphasize testimony?
Christians emphasize testimony because the Bible does. The written Word is, among other things, a string of testimonies propelling the spread of Christian conversion around the world. The Bible is clear about this power.
Jesus himself often encouraged His followers to be vocal about their conversion stories. In Mark 5:19, Jesus says, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you…” God intentionally chose “hearing” and the spoken word as the means of producing faith and followers (see Romans 10:17; John 4:39).
The Apostles listened, and were avid testifiers (Acts 4:33). In fact, Paul delivered his testimony seven times in the Acts and Epistles because he knew the power of God’s work in him. His testimony, and the testimonies of the other eleven Disciples, changed hearts and made warriors of millions of people. Their stories rippled outward like waves in holy water. “To this you were called,” says Peter, “because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21).”
In this way, they built the foundation for the modern church. In our own communities, we see how our stories bind us together, creating a sense of true belonging. Sharing our testimony with one another not only shows us how He’s at work in the lives of others, but reminds us how He’s shown up in our own.
Testimony not only plays a role in the past and present, but will play a major role in the end times. Revelation 12:11 convicts us, saying that believers “triumphed over Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” If that isn’t motivation, I don’t know what is.
3. Why is my testimony important?
In order to understand the importance of each individual testimony, you need to understand the way God feels about you.
You are of surpassing value to the savior of the world.
Read that again. Romans 5:8 says, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God would do anything, sacrifice anything, experience anything - including an unfathomably painful and unjust death on the cross - to keep us in his courts. He pursues us relentlessly, from birth to death.
This gracious God is the one who “knitted us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-14),” writing our stories with intention. He wrote your testimony, and just like everything else He’s done, He wrote it perfectly for this purpose - to further His kingdom on earth.
We move from awe at God’s grace, to gratitude, to action. The gospel is not merely a quiet, private truth, but a public one. We are called to live on a mission, and you’ve been given the ultimate sword and shield - the Bible and your testimony.
“Fight the good fight of the faith,” says 1 Timothy 6:12. “Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
4. How do I write a testimony?
Pray. Ask God to walk with you through both painful and joyful moments as you enter deep reflection. Ask Him to allow you to see things clearly through a biblical lens.
Open a notebook. Split your love story into three parts: life before Him, the moment you met Him, and life with Him. Now write it down!
Having trouble? Try making a post-it note timeline. Write important people, places, experiences, and things on separate post-it notes. Mark the beginning of your love story with God as a cross. Then, lay these post-its out in chronological order. Where does your conversion fall on this timeline? How has your life changed because of God’s presence? What good things has He done for you? How has your identity changed (or rather, been revealed to you) since He entered the picture?
Finally, share your love story with others without fear or shame! We are called inward to serve outwardly. We are discipled to make disciples. We are blessed to be a blessing. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes...(Romans 1:16).”
“You are a light for the world,” Matthew says in verses 5:14-16 of his titular book. “A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your father in heaven.”
Written for Rise Collective Women
Image: Rise Collective Women