“And they overcame him (Satan) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
Revelations 12:11
When’s the last time you shared your story with someone? I know what you’re thinking… “I don’t have a story.” Not true, my friend! We all have a story and every story is different from the next. So I’ll ask again, when’s the last time you shared your story?
Why is it that we’re so hesitant to use what Revelations 12:11 calls one of the most effective tools we have? Our testimony! Notice it doesn’t say they overcame the enemy with the Bible. The Bible is a wonderful weapon, but in many cases your testimony is more helpful. Why? Because people can’t argue with your testimony. They may not believe what the Bible says or that it is the Word of God, but they can’t deny what you have been through.
One of the biggest reasons we don’t tell people our story is lack of preparation. You’re probably going to hate me for this, but I’m giving you a homework assignment. I’m going to go over a few “guidelines” for your testimony and then I want you to write down your story.
- Write it down and memorize it – There’s nothing wrong with being prepared. Some people feel that this is being manipulative. It’s actually being strategic. By writing it down, memorizing it and practicing beforehand you lessen the risk of freezing up when the opportunity comes or leaving out an important element of your testimony.
- You should be able to tell your story in three to five minutes - People’s time is valuable. If they wanted to hear a 30 minute sermon they would come to church. This is another reason why it’s important to write out your story. You’ve got a very small window of opportunity so you need to make the most of it.
- There needs to be a before, during, and after – There’s an expression used in the sales world… WIIFM. What’s In It For Me? People need to know what your life was like before you met Jesus. What happened that brought you to the point of deciding to follow Him? How has your relationship with Christ changed your life?
- Avoid “churchy” terminology - Johnny Nochurch has no idea what sanctification or conviction is. When Jesus taught, He broke things down so that everyone in the crowd could understand what He was saying. We need to do the same.
- Pray for the Spirit’s leading - All the preparation in the world is no substitute for prayer and being led by the Spirit. Prepare as if it’s up to you but pray as if it’s up to God (because it is!).
Now comes the fun part. After you’ve written out your story… SHARE IT! Your testimony is an amazing tool, but it does absolutely no good until you open your mouth and speak. Let me know how it goes.
“This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed His life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love.”
I John 3:16-18
This past Tuesday, January 12, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale ripped apart the tiny country of Haiti. Today, two days later, the people of Haiti are dealing with the aftermath. Some are still trapped in the rubble. Others are awaiting news of family members. Even those who may not have been injured or lost loved ones didn’t make it through unscathed.
Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere with a population of a little more than 9 million in a country smaller than the state of Maryland (whose population is 5.6 million). When I heard of the earthquake I wanted to do something. I wanted to be able to make a difference and I immediately thought of my friend, Jerrod Murr (or just Murr).
He and his wife, Jenn, recently started a ministry called Believing in a Better Way. I contacted Jerrod to see if he would be willing to have a conversation about Haiti, and being the awesome person that he is, he obliged.
ME: Jerrod, tell us a little about yourself and the ministry that you’ve started.
MURR: Jerrod Murr, 28, I live in Wagoner with my wife, baby Murr on the way, and cat Lucy.
We started Believing in a Better Way about a year and a half ago to create awareness for missions projects and encourage creative giving. We work with churches, schools, and civic groups to host events and have an ongoing “100,000 T-shirt project for Haiti.”
ME: Your “100,000 T-shirt project for Haiti” is to raise money to build an orphanage in Haiti called The Village of Hope. Why Haiti?
MURR: I visited Haiti in 2006 on a short term missions trip. Through that, God opened my eyes to the need for missions giving and how utterly spoiled I am and oblivious to the needs of people around the globe. Haiti is in extreme poverty. I don’t use that word lightly. The country has been dedicated to Satan twice by its government and is a place where you feel the hopelessness.
ME: It’s easy to be disconnected from a tragedy that takes place hundreds or thousands of miles away, especially if it’s not affecting us. It’s a lot harder to do that if we can put a face to the people that are struggling. We’re going to talk about the earthquake in a minute, but first tell me what the people of Haiti are like?
MURR: Do you have a neighbor? A grandma? A son? They are like them. I don’t say that to be sarcastic. I just mean they are real people, like us. Some are mean as a snake and others are as sweet as can be. They laugh. They cry. They get hungry.
People are people, some just live in Haiti.
ME: We’re talking about the poorest country in the western hemisphere. What kind of struggles did they face before the earthquake?
MURR: The major problem is a lack of infrastructure and opportunity. So, living conditions are completely below our standards of poverty. Many are without adequate housing, regular food supply, and steady employment.
ME: We’re hearing reports of anywhere between 100,000 to 500,000 people that have died. Tell us about the obstacles that the people of Haiti will face over the coming months and years because of this tragedy.
MURR: Wow, I will try to keep this answer short. The best way I know to describe it is by analogy. If this tragedy would have occurred in Oklahoma City, we would move people to Tulsa and care for their needs. When Katrina hit New Orleans, the government transplanted people to meet immediate needs and assess the situation. When this tragedy strikes Haiti, people sleep in the streets and carry the injured to… nowhere.
ME: What do you feel that our responsibility as Christians is to Haiti?
MURR: The same as everywhere else. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and house the homeless. Specifically, we are called to look after the widow and orphan. Haiti is a country of roughly 9 million and have over 1.2 million orphans. If ever there were a place designed for Christian intervention, it is Haiti.
ME: If I had a time machine that would take me into the future to see what Jerrod Murr’s vision for Haiti is, what would I find?
MURR: Education, opportunity, empowerment. My personal vision for Haiti is not to forever enable Haitians to receive charity, but to build systems in which Haitians can equip themselves.
ME: My wife and I already know what we’re going to do to raise money for Haiti. For those that are reading this that want to get involved, how do they do it?
MURR: Right now, 2 major ways:
1) Check out www.100000tshirts.com. We have a Haiti Earthquake shirt to raise funds and support. Buy the shirt, tell your friends, and, when you wear it, say a prayer.
2) January 30th is a unity night for Haiti. Local churches and groups across the state/region are holding concerts/prayer vigils/services with an emphasis on Haiti.
ME: People can also go to www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=241806042005&ref=mf to join your facebook group “Haiti earthquake 2010 – I want to help somehow!” This is a tremendous opportunity to show the love of Christ. For us to sit by and do nothing would void God’s love of its power. Thank you so much for taking time to conversate with me.
