When to Share Your Testimony

When do I share my testimony?

There are two main Christian views on sharing testimonies.

One view says that your personal story does not affect other people’s salvation, meaning that if you share your testimony with someone, it will not “trigger” or induce that person to become a Christian.

The other view is that your testimony can be powerful enough to move someone into a saving relationship with Christ.

In some churches, testimonies are presented as part of the service by those who wish to share their story.

In other churches, there is no place for sharing testimonies as part of the worship service.

Two distinct views within Christianity on whether testimonies should be shared during church services:

1. Testimonies should not be shared during church services.

2. Testimonies should be shared during church services.

There are many reasons that Christians would want to share their testimonies, including:

To encourage someone who is struggling with sin in their life. For example, if you are struggling with drug addiction, sharing your testimony to let people know where you have been can help them realize that they are not alone in this struggle.
To share the Gospel with someone who is not a Christian. If you lead someone to Christ by sharing your testimony it could be considered evangelism, which is one of the four spiritual practices encouraged by the Apostle Paul in his letters.

To share with someone who you are witnessing to. The act of sharing your testimony shows that you are not ashamed of what God has done for you. It opens the door for more conversation about God.
To inspire other Christians.

There are many reasons that Christians would not want to share their testimonies, including:

To avoid causing someone else to become prideful. Many people who hear about the sin and degradation of other people’s lives can easily slip into a proud mindset where they think they are better than those who do not follow Jesus. If someone is hearing the story of your life and becoming prideful, you may want to reconsider sharing your testimony with them.
To avoid causing someone else to become discouraged. Many people (particularly young Christians) can be easily overwhelmed by the sin and degradation that they see in the world. Occasionally, a testimony can cause someone to feel as though they must be perfect in every aspect of their life or else their faith is useless.
To avoid becoming prideful yourself. Many Christians can become very proud about the sin that they overcame and the fact that they now follow Jesus.

To avoid becoming arrogant or thinking that you are better than other people.
To avoid causing someone to think that your testimony is the only way that they can become a Christian. Christians who put pressure on others by saying that they need to hear their story in order to come to Christ hold an “off with the bathwater” view of evangelism.
To avoid causing someone to think that you are more spiritual than they are because you have overcome sin in your life.

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