What's your story?

28 November 2021

Photo Brett Jordan@Unsplash

If you have a tale of faith, then you need to tell it.

Words Dean Simpson

I sat down feeling quite deflated. How could anyone possibly be impacted by the story of my life I had just shared? 

It was a Sunday morning church service, and I was one of two people who had been asked to share my testimony, my faith story. 

The fellow who went before me had the congregation transfixed with his ‘gutter to glory’ account of his life. At 42, he seemed to have had several lifetimes of experience to share, relating how he had come from a dysfunctional family, was abused as a teenager, turned to heavy drugs and alcohol, spent a lot of time in prison, and had tried to take his own life several times. 

He was dramatically converted while undergoing rehab at a Salvos recovery centre and was now a case worker at the same centre assisting vulnerable people who were going through the same thing he had. Phenomenal story. The congregation actually clapped at the end. 

Then it was my turn. I was in my late teens and hadn’t experienced anything that remotely resembled the story that went before me. In the end, I decided honesty was the best policy and related what I perceived was the most boring testimony in the universe. 

I said I felt like I had been born a Christian. Definitely born into The Salvation Army anyway. I had a very stable upbringing with two loving parents, had attended Sunday school, asked Jesus into my heart, went to church every Sunday, tried not to swear, read my Bible daily, and aimed to be the best young Christian I could be. Full-stop. That was it. 

A sea of blank faces greeted me as I finished. Lead balloon.  

 Simple but powerful 

 After the service, I tried to slink away out a side door, but my testimony partner intercepted me and grabbed me by the shoulders. He had tears in his eyes. He looked at me, and through a cracking voice, said how much my story had affected him. I’ll never forget his words: “I wish I had your story Dean. I really do. I’m so envious of you.”  

Really? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He went on to say something like: “Your upbringing, your church life, your faith ... all from an early age ... I’m so jealous. I’ve wasted most of my life, it was hell, but I’ve now got a second chance. My story is so complex. Yours is so simple but powerful. Keep telling it.” 

Several of my friends also stopped me and said they had a similar story to mine but thought it wasn’t exciting enough. They had now been encouraged to share their story boldly. 

The lesson I learnt that morning was that everyone who finds faith in God has a story. And that story is powerful. 

In the Bible, in 1 Peter chapter three, verse 15, we are instructed: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 

In other words, if you have found faith in God, you have a story to tell. And God is relying on it. 

Our role is to tell our story of spiritual transformation; God’s role is to enact the process of transformation in the lives of people who hear our story. Look for opportunities to do this and be part of building God’s kingdom. 

So, what’s your story? 

Dean Simpson is part of the Communications team for The Salvation Army Australia.