Christian testimony guardrails | How to keep your story safe & honoring
Sharing your faith is a powerful way to connect, but knowing where the boundaries lie is essential. That is why we developed Christian testimony guardrails to show you how to keep your story safe and honoring to you, the people in your story, and the people receiving your story.
First-person stories act as a bridge between opposing sides, especially when you are intentional about what to include and what to leave unsaid.
By checking your narrative against these specific boundaries, you protect yourself, the people in your story, and your audience.
Faith Story Guardrails for testimonies
These guardrails ensure your testimony remains focused on God’s light rather than dwelling on the darkness of the past. Read through them before you share your story!
I feel peace about how my story has unfolded so far. I can share my story with composure and compassion.
I am willing to share my story with courage and vulnerability. I am an imperfect person in a relationship with imperfect people. I have a perfect God.
I can share my story in a “PG” or “PG-13” way. It may include the darkness, but it doesn’t dwell on it. Instead, it focuses on how God worked in the situation or the light he brought.
My story is safe for me and the people in my story. It does not allege wrongdoing by another or criticize or condemn others. It aligns with my church values and beliefs.
If needed, I am comfortable using a metaphor instead of dwelling on the dark details or how I was wronged. Instead, I may focus on how I felt and name the emotions I was experiencing at the time.
I am the keeper of my story. Because of this, my story is in the first person throughout. It uses “me,” “my,” “mine,” and “I.”
My story avoids teaching or telling others what to do or what to believe (“you” or “your”). I’ve framed these, instead, as my approach to living or my personal belief or conviction.
My story avoids preaching, which explains common beliefs or spiritual truths that universally apply (“our” or “we”). I’ve framed these, instead, as my personal belief about how God works in the world.
My story focuses on my relationship with God, not other people. My Story Anchor, or main point, is grounded in my relationship with God and how he revealed himself to me.
I have only one main point in my story, which is in my resolution. I acknowledge that I have many stories to share, but I am focusing on only one.
My story brings resolution to the beginning. My story’s ending may be the opposite of my story’s beginning. It concludes in the first person and answers the question: What do I know to be true about God that I didn’t before?
I have agency over how long or short it is. I have decided to share a short story that is 700 to 1,200 words when written or 6 to 8 minutes when spoken.
I am ready to give my story away as a gift. My story’s value is not based on the number of people who read or hear it, nor is its value based on how people react after I share it. God already values my story.
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Mackenzie Ryan Walters is the author of “Faith Storytellers: Unleash the Power of Your Story,” which shares Christian testimonies and stories, as well as curated lists about Christian books, gifts, and more. A national award-winning former journalist who’s covered a presidential campaign, been inside NASA, and reported on education and schools, Mackenzie now edits the Faith Storytellers website and is passionate about lifting up and sharing the story God is writing in the world.