Share Your Story

Are you able to share your salvation testimony succinctly and in a way that honors the Lord?

For the past several years, I have had the joy of working with children in a camp setting each summer.  During the week, I try to visit one-on-one with as many children as possible about where they are spiritually.  After spending some time talking about what they like best about camp and what they are learning from the Bible lessons, I will ask them, “Do you know for sure where you will spend eternity?”  If they tell me “yes” and that they are going to Heaven, my next question is, “How do you know that?”  The standard response is, “Because I’m saved.”  To which I will ask, “Can you tell me about it?”

Here are some examples of a typical testimony I will hear:

“I got saved when I was 5.”

“My mom prayed with me and I got saved.”

“My dad showed me some verses and prayed and I got saved.”

While these things may all be true, they don’t give the complete story. 

When working with children, I try to teach them the importance of covering the main points of the gospel message in their testimony.  Their salvation testimony is their story of what Christ has done for them.  It is an instrument they can use to share the gospel with their friends.  We work on them being able to share their testimony in such a way that after hearing their story, the listener would know how to be saved from their sins and brought into a relationship with God if they so desired.  Plus, I believe being able to answer the following questions gives the child himself more confidence to share his testimony publicly because he has a better understanding of what God has actually done for him. 

I have them answer these questions:

• ·         WHY did you need to be saved?  What was the problem?
• ·         WHO could save you?  Why does He have the ability to do that?  What did He do for you?
• ·         WHEN and HOW were you saved? (This is the part where they share the details of their personal experience.)
• ·         How do you KNOW that you’re saved? (This is where they share a Bible verse that assures them of what God has done for them.  This has nothing to do with their feelings.)

I try to emphasize that the main character of this story is the Lord Jesus.  It is not so much about what the child did, but about what the Lord Jesus has done for them.  I also encourage them to use Bible verses in their testimony.  God’s Word is truth.

Here are the salvation testimonies of two of my children, written using this format:

Seth:

When I was 6 years old, my family was having our Bible time in the afternoon.  We were talking about the Lord’s return.  I started to cry because I knew if the Lord came back that day I would not be ready.  My mom and I went back to her room to talk.  I knew that I needed to be saved because I was a sinner.  I had told many lies and I knew that Revelation 21:8 says that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire.  I knew that as a sinner I deserved to spend eternity in hell.  But then we read 1 Timothy 1:15- “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”  I understood that Jesus had died on the cross for my sins and took the punishment that I deserved.  I told my mom that I wanted to be saved.  She told me to talk to the Lord about it, so I prayed and asked the Lord to save me.  I know that my sins are forgiven because Acts 16:31 promises, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” 

Eric:

          I was raised by parents who knew and served the Lord.  They taught me the gospel at an early age, but I never acted upon it.  I thought I was a good person and went through life without thinking of my need for salvation.  But more and more, I became aware of my sin, and I knew that I could not be good on my own.  Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, not even one.” 

          One evening at Bible club, when I was nine years old, the teacher taught a lesson on eternity.  He said that all men were sinners, and sin leads to death and hell.  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death.”  I knew that I was on my way to hell, a place of eternal darkness, torment, and separation from God.  There was only one way to be saved from this horrible punishment.  God loved me so much that He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to earth as a man.  He died and shed His blood on a cross, bearing my sin and punishment.  He later rose from death so that I could have eternal life. All that was left for me to do was to believe and accept His sacrifice for my salvation.

          When I went home that night, I knew the most important decision of my life lay just ahead.  I confessed my sin to the Lord, thanked Him for taking my place on the cross, and asked Him to take control of my life.  I know that I am saved because John 5:24 says, “He who hears my word and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”  The Lord has been working to change me.  I want my life to glorify Him. 

"Then they said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for us.'"  

-Psalm 126:2