Let’s settle the most important matter first. There are NO boring testimonies! Every salvation is miraculous.
At the same time, what if God didn’t save you out of a life of drugs and gambling? What if you weren’t an atheist who converted to faith in Jesus while reading ancient philosophy? What if you didn’t live a fake religious life for years before receiving the true gift of Christ’s salvation?
If you were, for example, saved at a young age or the circumstances of your salvation seem very normal, it can be intimidating when asked to share your testimony.
“Um…I attended Sunday School, learned the Gospel, experienced conviction of sin, trusted in Jesus, and I was baptized. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.”
Here are three suggestions for sharing your early-life conversion story:
Celebrate Childlike Faith. While we never want to cause confusion for children who are asking questions about salvation, we believe children can be saved! Children are able to recognize a need for salvation (including the realities of sin and the impact of death and brokenness in the world), even if they lack certain life experiences. Every person on the planet has two problems they can’t fix on their own: sin and death. Only Jesus—through His death and resurrection—is the answer, and this is Good News for everyone, no matter their background or life experiences.
Don’t Apologize or Exaggerate. Tell YOUR story, not the story you wish you had. Christianity is marked by the same Gospel message (repentance and faith) and the same confession (“Jesus is Lord”) for every person, but our stories are unique. Witnessing is directly tied to the concept of telling the truth. Exaggerating your testimony to make it sound more compelling actually undermines the very idea of sharing the Truth of Christ.
Show How Faith in Christ Has Guided Your Life. As we age, we often catch glimpses (through temptations, doubts, experiences, etc.) of what life might’ve been like without Christ. When sharing with others, we can say, “This is what my life easily could’ve looked like without Jesus.” Plus, we can share how God’s wisdom and grace have guided us around sinful pitfalls and through dark valleys.
*Those converted at an older age or out of difficult circumstances are able to testify especially to God’s radical forgiveness; a longtime Christian is able to testify in a unique way to God’s radical faithfulness. Both realities bring God glory!
One caution about sharing your early-life conversion story:
You know the person. They tell stories from 25 years ago, but these are the only stories they have. This scenario is funny and harmless when a “has-been” athlete tells stories from high school. It’s dangerous, though, when this scenario describes how a person talks \about salvation.
When the ONLY thing we can say is, “I prayed a prayer as a child” or “I went to church with my grandparents,” this should be a serious caution flag. In Scripture, key markers of salvation are enduring faith, wise obedience, loving relationships, and growth in spiritual fruit and spiritual gifts.
Don’t be embarrassed to speak about your simple faith and conversion as a child. However, take a close look at your soul, if the only thing you can talk about is what happened when you were younger. If your faith hasn’t endured, grown, or produced fruit, you might be in a perfect position to have one of those “cool” testimonies!
