How to Write Your Testimony

Author: Stan Guthrie
November 28, 2025

We’re not all gifted evangelists—I’m not—but we all should be ready to share what the Lord has done in our lives. As 1 Peter 3:15 says, “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

In our Gospel Conversations Sunday school class over the last three weeks, we learned what the gospel is, how to share it with friends and neighbors, and how to plant God’s flag in the places where we have been called. We also learned an interesting and simple way to tell others our testimony of His grace—in other words, to be prepared.

A testimony is not a gospel outline. Nor is it a densely packed theological treatise. There is a place for both of those things, but it is probably not in a testimony. Yes, we need both a clear understanding of the gospel and solid theology if we are to share a faithful and effective testimony. But these are not the heart of the matter.

In the class, Pastor Chris talked about the great drama of salvation that we see in Scripture and in God’s world, and he sketched it out in four grand themes: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. It’s a story of a good God creating us, our choice to rebel against Him and becoming slaves of sin, Christ coming to die for our sins and be raised again, and a future hope of a redeemed people and a redeemed creation for all eternity.

Then we pointed out that our testimonies should be stories in themselves. When you think of it, the word “testimony” in a courtroom setting points to a witness testifying to what he has seen and heard—in other words, telling the story of what happened.

The same is true in our Christian testimonies. What did God do for us? Once we have the answer clear in our minds, we can merge our stories into the larger story of God’s great drama of salvation—His story of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. 

Here’s a way we shared to do just that. It’s not the only way, but it is a good way. It is undergirded by four foundational gospel truths, which closely track the previously mentioned four pillars of the drama of salvation. I will include the Scripture verses that we used with them.

1. God loves us (1 John 4:8, John 3:16). 
2. We are estranged from God (Ephesians 2:1).
3. Jesus Christ is God’s provision for our sin—through him we are forgiven and reconciled to God (Rom. 5:1, 7-8).
4. We are called to put our trust in Christ (Rom. 1:16).

Now, as I said, a testimony is not a mere gospel outline. However, this does not mean we cannot use Bible verses to buttress or reinforce our stories. We can and must. A good way to do so is to ask questions of how your personal story of God’s grace intersects with these gospel foundations. 

Here are the four foundations again, this time with suggested questions in italics:

1. God loves us: How and when did God’s love become an issue for you?
2. We are estranged from God: What presenting issue in your heart or life brought home to you your lostness or inadequacy?
3. Jesus Christ is God’s provision for our sin—through him we are forgiven and reconciled to God: How did Jesus and His death and resurrection provide an answer to your issue?
4. We are called to put our trust in Christ: How have your life and plans changed since you met Jesus?

So as you think through your story, ask yourself these questions. Once your testimony is written, practice it before a mirror or a trusted friend until you have it down. Memorization is not necessary, but being comfortable in telling your story is. And when writing your testimony, think about creating a three-minute version and a thirty-second “elevator pitch” that hits just the highlights.

Then you will be ready, especially with the holidays upon us, to “make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”

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Stan Guthrie, coauthor with Jerry Root of The Sacrament of Evangelism, is NCC’s Director of Outreach and Mobilization. Go here for the Gospel Conversations notes.

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