I grew up in a church where Sunday nights often found us in Fellowship Hall listening to the testimony of one of the many missionaries supported by our congregation. Each missionary’s testimony was different yet held the same fascination and foundation of faith.
A never-ending list of stories.
Most of the missionaries weren’t great preachers or formally trained teachers, but when they shared their stories of being on the mission field, there was always a boldness about their presentation. It was subject matter that they knew by heart and almost never needed to refer to their notes. There was no need to embellish the story because the testimony was always unique to them.
It took me years as a copywriter in advertising to realize that if you’re a Christian organization, you are communicating the single most important message in the world. And that message can be told a million ways by a million different people and never be the same. Personal encounters with Christ are as unique as we are.
Tell it like it is.
If you’re responsible for communicating the mission of your ministry or church, you’re probably working too hard to make your sermon, appeal, or program better this Christmas. The truth is . . . all you have to do is tell like it is. Literally, record the testimony of someone who has had their life changed through your ministry this year. Then transcribe it.
I promise you; you can’t make up any story that’s better because it’s true, and unique, and a testimony to saving grace.
‘Tis the season.
And yet, it’s far too easy to have your enthusiasm diluted by the deluge of communication activities associated with the holiday season. We spend hours trying to make everything “pop” and stand out from all the other nonprofit organizations and ministries.
Now, I am an ambassador for the premise that we should do our very best creative and work when presenting the Gospel, but you don’t need to hunt for good creative content. All you need to do is pay attention throughout the year and listen well to the stories of those your organization serves.
Capturing captivating stories.
Create a formal process for capturing these stories, which includes getting permission to use and publish each story. As an agency, we generally suggest to our clients that we use a pseudonym for the storyteller rather than the person’s actual name or likeness. This eliminates all sorts of issues that come with life’s circumstances. Here’s the point. A true testimony will always be true and that’s something to be celebrated with others who support your ministry or church.
The Christmas story.
Perhaps the best demonstration of the power of testimony, is that of the birth of the Christ child. Think about it. It’s been told and retold and it never gets old.