Chapel at Western Theological Seminary
Testimony
Jesus sends us from the empty tomb to bear witness–to testify–to God’s work in the world. Through personal stories, the people of God celebrate and respond to how the Holy Spirit continues to move among us. A testimony may be a summary of a long faith journey or offer a snapshot of a specific formative event. This proclamation through personal stories may be supplemented with Scripture readings and songs of response.
Structure
Testimonies should focus on telling the truth of God’s work in your life. A service focused around testimony is likely to include:
-
Invitation: The people of God are invited to encounter the Trinity by both word and symbol.
-
Song/s of praise to center our hearts on God.
-
Call to Listen: a prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to work again in the lives of the people who have gathered to hear about the Holy Spirit’s work.
-
Testimony: The bulk of the service will be spent on the sharing of a story/stories. These stories may take inspiration from a Scripture passage (image, mood, theme), but should generally follow the arc of struggle, redemption, and hope.
-
Response: It is appropriate to respond to God’s faithfulness in our lives with prayers of thanksgiving and songs of praise.
-
Sending: Send the people of God out with benediction.
Example
Video
Coming soon!