When you share your Christ story, you want to do it in a compelling way. It’s possible that you’ll only have a couple of minutes to say what you want to say, so taking some time to think through it ahead of time will set you up to make the greatest impact when you share your story.
In Acts 26.1-29 ESV, the Apostle Paul was on trial for his life. During the trial, Paul demonstrated an effective way to craft your Christ story.
He shared his story in three distinct stages.
Stage 1: Share about what your life was like BEFORE you met Christ.
Paul explained that he had been a religious man who strictly followed the laws of Moses. He didn’t gloss over his past hatred of Christians or his efforts to put them in prison Acts 26.4-11 ESV. Your testimony should begin with what your life was like before you met Jesus. Did you grow up in a religious family? How did that shape your choices? Were you searching for God or living for yourself? The goal isn’t to brag about how bad you were; the goal is to show how badly you
needed Jesus.
Stage 2: Share about HOW you met Christ.
As Paul continued talking, he told the audience about his plan to go to Damascus and persecute the Christians there. But that’s where everything changed. Along the way, Paul had an encounter with Jesus that knocked him to ground and left him blind for several days. Jesus addressed Paul in a personal way and commissioned him to announce the gospel around the world Acts 26.12-18 ESV. Your story should include a few details about how you heard about the gospel. Who shared it with you? Was there a particular problem you were facing at the time? Why did you believe the message you heard?
Stage 3: Share about the difference in your life AFTER you met Christ.
Paul gave concrete examples of how his life changed after he started following Jesus. He went from persecutor to preacher, and he planted churches everywhere he went. In an ironic twist, Paul actually learned what it was like to be on the receiving end of persecution because of his newfound faith Acts 26.19-23 ESV.
You should round off your story with a few details about the difference that Jesus has made in your life.
Maybe you felt alone and He gave you a sense of belonging. Perhaps you felt guilty, and He brought forgiveness. Maybe you felt empty, and He provided fulfillment. Make it clear that the power to change didn’t come from you, it came from Jesus working in you.
As you craft your Christ story, keep these last two things in mind. First, keep it short and simple. Work on being able to tell your story in two minutes or less. Second, be honest about your present struggles. Just because you know Jesus doesn’t mean that everything is automatically perfect in your life. Acknowledging that Jesus is still helping you grow will add credibility to your story.
This blog features an excerpt from the Grow Series for Students, which is coming soon! Click here for more info!
