One of the best examples you can read through is Paul’s testimony in the Bible. To read his testimony, check out Acts 22 and Acts 26. You should also ask yourself if there were any testimonies you heard or read prior to your conversion that left an impact on you. If so, recall the details of that testimony and determine what made it so powerful from your point of view.
More specifically, ask yourself about the obstacles you faced and how you felt when you were alone with your thoughts. Remember what it was that made you crave change, and any attempts you made to change in other ways prior to your conversion.
Use specific detail rather than relying on generalities. Instead of saying, “I was materially wealthy but lacking something spiritually,” explain the luxury you lived in—“I was the boss at a successful company and had a six-digit salary”—while showing the reader that there was a definite problem—“I was so cruel that my family left me and I felt so empty inside that I drowned my cares in alcohol each night. ”
If you did not have a specific moment of darkness before you turned to Christ, however, that is perfectly fine. You do not need to make your circumstances seem more dramatic than they were. Simply describe your past life as clearly as possible, including as much detail as you can about your unhappiness and your desire to seek something more. From there, move directly into the story of your conversion.
Think of your conversion moment as a “but then” in the tale of your life. Up until this point, you’ve described a life that was lacking in purpose, hope, joy, or some other form of meaning. When you introduce the moment of your conversion, you are saying, “but then. . . this and that happened to change my life for the better. " The entire tone of your testimony shifts from negative to positive at that moment. As with your “before” story, you need to be specific when you describe the details leading to your conversion. List specific events, places, and people as applicable. If your cousin Benjamin or your long lost pal Susie first introduced you to Christianity after you ran into him at the grocery store or met her again at a school reunion, include those details in your story. Avoid non-specific statements like, “A distant relative invited me to church one day. “[1] X Research source
As a general rule, do not focus about how “good” you were before your conversion or how “holy” your deeds became afterward. Take a step back and ask yourself if any of the details you wrote glorify you more than they glorify God. If so, rephrase them or leave them out.
Describe any specific changes you’ve experienced internally thanks to Christ’s influence on your life. Explain how your motivation now varies from the motivation you had in the past.
Another way to look at it is to consider how long it would take you or another person to read your written testimony. The target time you want to aim for is 3 minutes. Anything shorter may not include enough detail, but anything longer might start to drag on.
A “church term” does not need to be complicated. On the contrary, most terms you’ll intentionally need to avoid are seemingly simple terms that have only become part of your language after you converted. Common church terms include: born again, saved, lost, gospel, sin, repent, converted, and convicted. Use these terms only if you intend to explain them. Often, you might find it best to simply replace the term completely by its definition. For example, instead of saying “lost,” say that your life was “heading in the wrong direction” or that you were “separated from God. " Instead of saying “born again,” use a more descriptive phrase, like “spiritual birth” or “spiritual renewal. "
Even if you know that native English speakers will be reading your testimony, it is still a good idea to avoid using too many idioms in your writing. When you rely too heavily on idioms to make your point, you might accidentally leave out details or more specific information that would actually make a stronger point. Consider this: does saying “I was all washed up” really convey more meaning than describing the circumstances of a meaningless career, broken family, or selfish life choices, or is the opposite true? Idiomatic expressions can include phrases like “Nobody gave a hoot” or “a God shaped hole. " When you are tempted to use one of these phrases, opt for something more direct like, “I felt that no one cared” or “I felt incomplete inside. "
Use one or two verses, at most, and only weave them in if they directly relate to your experience. The Word of God is a powerful tool, but the idea here is to make your testimony as personal to your own life as possible. If you rely only on scripture as you write your testimony, you won’t have room for your own words.
In particular, you should avoid mentioning churches or denominations by name, and you should leave out any statement that reflects negatively on a church, Christian organization, or member of the Christian community.
