We all love a good story, don’t we? When I was a child, the storytellers at the library captivated me with their creative imagery, engaging delivery, surprising plot twists, and exciting action. Their stories felt real and alive.
Though I loved reading, hearing stories was even better. Some of the best stories I heard came from my grandparents, teachers, and others I looked up to. Whether funny, embarrassing, or thought-provoking, their stories shaped who I was, how I viewed the world, and how I wanted to live in it.
As I’ve gotten older and grown in ministry, I’ve realized the profound impact my story with Jesus can have on both the students I serve and adults I share the Gospel with.
Here are five steps to incorporating the power of testimony into your ministry:
1. Recognize how God uses our journeys with Him.
While many stories have impacted me, none have affected me more than those about lives that Christ changed through a relationship with Him. Hearing such testimonies reminds me of God’s powerful love and grace in redeeming the lost. These stories also reveal how God works through others to advance His Cause, encouraging me in my own walk with Him.
As a follower of Christ, you also have a story—a unique testimony of how He brought you from death to life. Your relationship with Jesus is the most powerful story you can share. Just like the parables Jesus told, our stories can communicate profound truths and inspire transformation.
2. Study how Jesus used the power of story.
Jesus was a master storyteller, often using parables to communicate principles that transformed lives. He knew that stories had a unique and effective ability to communicate powerful truths.
In Mark 5, we see the story of a demon-possessed man whose life Jesus radically changed. He cried out day and night and cut himself with stones because of the evil spirit that was in him. When Jesus cast out the demon, the man wanted to stay with Him, but Jesus told him in Mark 5:19:
‘Go home to your people, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you.’
Imagine hearing firsthand this man tell how had Christ transformed his life! His testimony left people amazed. Scripture also highlights other individuals sharing how Jesus healed them, provided for them, redeemed them, or empowered them to spread the Gospel. That’s the power of a story that is centered on who God is and what He has done in your life!
3. Model your story with Prayer – Care – Share.
As youth leaders, we can encourage students by boldly sharing our transformation stories with them. By describing how God is using us to fulfill His purposes, we set an example for students and show them how God can work in their lives too. Through our stories, students can be encouraged and empowered to share their own testimonies.
In Gospel Advancing ministries, it’s vital to model how to share our stories as part of the Prayer – Care – Share approach. By being vulnerable and sharing our own testimonies, we give students the courage and confidence to do the same.
Take the words of Psalm 66:16 to heart:
Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me.
4. Equip students to share their stories.
Take time to write out your story and model how to share it with your students. Then teach them to do the same, using our free resource Before – Then – After. Remind them that their testimony is a powerful tool that God can use to draw others to Him.
5. Program time weekly to share testimonies.
Have your adult volunteers, student leaders, and any other willing students take turns each week sharing their stories. Before they share, spend some time helping them prepare, reminding them to glorify Jesus in the story, and encouraging them to use the model in Before – Then – After.
As students hear how God has worked in the lives of others in your group—and as they learn how to share their own faith stories—they’ll be inspired and equipped to both grow in their own faith and share their testimonies with people in their lives who need to hear the Good News of Jesus.
