TELL YOUR STORY 

 

Vast numbers of people have never met a fully devoted follower of Jesus, much less heard their “Jesus story.” And in my experience, most believers have not been taught to share it. But it’s a powerful tool that most people, including non-Christian students, will at least find interesting. The Holy Spirit can use it to grab their attention and convict them of their own need for Jesus. That’s exactly why youth leaders and our Christ-following students must learn how to tell our stories in a clear and compelling manner. 

            

Telling our “Jesus story” brings out the “realness” of who Jesus is here and now. Many people think Christianity is a religious system of “do’s and don’ts” rather than a vibrant, personal relationship with Jesus. Telling the gospel story becomes much more compelling when it is connected to our own personal “Jesus story.” Then people can see “Jesus in you” in flesh and blood. 

            

The Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus at the well thought of religion in terms of rules and behavior. As soon as she realized Jesus was no ordinary person, she asked Him a question about the right way to worship (John 4:19). She wanted to know the best way to earn favor with God. Instead, Jesus pointed her beyond rules and religion to a loving, intimate relationship with God. “God is Spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth” (4:24).

            

What Jesus did to move this woman beyond religion to a relationship is what we want to see happen with students on every campus in America and around the world! He did it by briefly telling her His own story about His relationship with His Father and the Holy Spirit. And when she inquired about “the Messiah,” He powerfully identified Himself. 

 

We want to help students avoid religion and discover a fresh, vital, life-changing relationship with Jesus. They will want to know what that looks like. Your testimony may be exactly what they need to hear. 

 

Prepare to Share

Telling what God has done in your life, and students telling what the Lord has done in their lives communicates powerfully, and even more so if you’ve taught them how to do it effectively. The following suggestions will help you prepare.

 

1. Begin with an interesting, attention-grabbing sentence—something like, “All I wanted to do was play basketball . . .,” or, “When my dad and mom divorced . . .” 

 

2. Make one Scripture reference the centerpiece of your story. Using more than two or three can sound overwhelming, so limit it to a couple and focus primarily on one. Examples include John 3:16; 10:10; or 14:6. For me it was Galatians 2:20 and Matthew 6:33.  

 

3. Build your story around a theme—a poor self-image, a broken family, a loving family, dashed dreams, the need for love, or any other need that led you to the point of conversion. My story included, “When I made a D in history my first semester, I felt like I was so dumb and a total failure. Though I knew about Jesus, that negative experience led me to a head-to-heart encounter with Him.” 

 

4. Don’t embellish. It’s fine if you’ve never taken drugs or committed a crime. You don’t need a dramatic testimony, just a genuine one. Your experience with God’s love communicated in the power of the Holy Spirit will make your story powerful.

 

5. Be honest about your problems and difficulties. Real-life experiences will help non-Christian students identify with you.

 

6. Be positive. Negative statements about the church, organizations, or people are not compelling. Neither is preaching at people, speaking in vague generalities, or using words that non-Christians are unfamiliar with (like “saved,” being “filled with the Spirit,” etc.). 

 

7. Remember your story well enough that you can express it naturally. It should not sound scripted, but it also shouldn’t sound like you’re winging it. Practice, practice, practice saying it out loud. Tell it within three minutes so that it’s focused and flows easily. 

 

8. Trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to speak through you. Ask God to give you enthusiasm and energy as you describe your experiences with Him. Believe that He will use your story to impact students’ lives.

 

9. Conclude in a way that makes people want to know more, like telling one or more specific ways Jesus changed your life.  

 

Vital Ingredients 

Not every “Jesus story” needs to be comprehensive, but most of the time you will want students to get a full picture of how Jesus changes someone’s life, whether through you telling your story or you teaching your students how to tell their story. Be sure to include these vital ingredients as often as you can.

 

1. Your life before Christ. What problems or needs illustrated the sinfulness or brokenness in your life? Feelings of anxiety, emptiness, hopelessness, unhappiness, or futility, and/or experiences like destructive habits or dysfunctional relationships are common and relatable. Focus on one or two, relate one experience that communicates how you felt during that time, and describe the sequence of events that brought you to a point of knowing you needed God.

 

2. How you came to know Christ. Describe the specific circumstances surrounding your experience of asking Jesus into your life—how you did it and what that experience was like.

 

3. How Jesus changed your life. Tell some kind of before-and-after story—at least one specific way your life has changed and how it relates to that problem you communicated before. Give some clear and simple illustrations of how your life has been different since giving your life to Christ. 

 

Preparing your story will take some time and effort, but it will be worth it. It will give you a powerful tool you can use again and again to lead students to Christ. Because your journey with God is meaningful and relatable, they will begin to envision how the Lord can change their lives too, and many will begin a life-changing and eternal relationship with Him. 

 

Your Next Steps

We encourage you to keep a notebook or journal of ideas, action steps, and resources that will help you advance your youth ministry. You can use the following questions and suggestions for brainstorming and developing your goals and plans. 

 

• Recall a couple of testimonies you have heard that most impacted your life. Think about why what that person said affected you the way it did. Then think about your own story and how your story can affect others.

 

• Write out your story following the guidelines in this chapter. Prepare it so you can present it in three minutes. If you have done this before, do it again to refresh what you want to communicate and refine your presentation. Use the outline above: your life before Christ, how you came to know Christ, and how Christ changed your life.

 

• And remember: Later on you will show your students how to do what you just did!

 

Resources

• Go to barrystclair.com to download free:

–      An Awesome Way to Pray Student’s Guide. See “Tell Your Story” on pp. 65-68 for more on learning how to share your testimony effectively.

–      Giving Away Your Faith, an entire book for you and your students on preparing and practicing sharing Jesus with others.

 

• Dare to Share "Before-Then-After" Digital Curriculum - In one lesson, Before-Then-After helps your students understand the value of their salvation story and then tell it.