THEY HAVE ONE THING YOU HAVEN’T GOT—A TESTIMONIAL!

      My wife and I watched "The Wizard of Oz" last Friday evening. It was the first time it had been broadcast on any major TV channel in over 30 years. It brought back memories of when I was a young boy, and we had only had a black-and-white TV. The Wizard of Oz movie starts in black-and-white, but when Dorothy steps into the land of Oz, everything turns vivid color. So each year, we visited Uncle Eddie and his family, who had a color TV, to capture the full experience. And who can ever forget the flying monkeys? I had bad dreams of them.
      In the movie, the Wizard told the Tin Man, who was seeking a heart, “They have one thing you haven’t got—a testimonial.” Here's a short snippet of that part of the movie:

      The Wizard was trying to tell the Tin Man that the love people showed him in a testimonial came from their hearts as true friendship, and was as good as him having a real physical heart.
      I’m Arlen Yoder of the Soulwinnnersr.us website. Remember, the angels in heaven rejoice when a family member or friend gives their heart to Jesus. 

      The title of my post today is, “THEY HAVE ONE THING YOU HAVEN’T GOT—A TESTIMONIAL!” It’s a takeoff on “The Wizard of Oz,” about the potential good of giving time at church for verbal testimonials, or testimonies, if you will, about God's heart and what He is doing in our lives as we share His love with others.

      One time, many years ago, while I was still living in Holmes County, I went to an event in a local schoolhouse. I don’t remember the event's name or its exact purpose. Most attendees were from the Amish and Conservative Mennonite churches in the area. What struck me was how many people, especially young people, got up to give testimonies, or testimonials, about how God was working in their lives, mostly about how God had been moving them to share the love of Jesus with their families, friends, and others in the community.

      I’ve been thinking for some time about that event and its impact on me. I haven’t experienced anything quite like it since. For the most part, I think events and regular testimony-sharing have fallen by the wayside. I don’t think, however, that testimony-sharing has to happen only during formal events.

      I think Christians would benefit greatly from regular midweek or Sunday evening services where people share what God did in their lives during the week. Also, it might take bravery from leaders and church members, but even occasionally during Sunday morning services, a time for testimony-sharing could bless listeners and sharers alike, especially now in our digital age, when churches stream their church services.

      I looked up the benefits of testimony-sharing, and I found eight benefits from different websites. Here they are:

BENEFIT #1: Effective Evangelism

Testimony-sharing can serve as a personal, undeniable witness to Christ's transforming power for people outside the faith.

BENEFIT #2: Spiritual Warfare

Testimony-sharing can serve as a spiritual weapon that helps believers overcome trials and discouragement. Consider one biblical principle in Revelation 12:11.

“They conquered him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” Revelation 12:11

BENEFIT #3: Strengthened Faith

Testimony-sharing can reaffirm trust in God's promises and remind both the speaker and the listener of past divine provision.

BENEFIT #4: Community Building

Testimony-sharing can foster deep vulnerability, empathy, and unity among believers walking through similar struggles or seasons of life.

BENEFIT #5: Giving Glory to God

Testimony-sharing publicly acknowledges God's active role, mercy, and grace in daily life rather than attributing events to luck or chance.

BENEFIT #6: Establishing Generational Legacy

Testimony-sharing can preserve the memory of God's faithfulness so future descendants and younger believers can learn from it.

BENEFIT #7: The Prevention of Forgetfulness

Testimony-sharing can keep past answers to prayer and breakthroughs fresh in memory during new challenges.

and lastly,
BENEFIT #8: Holds Us Accountable to God’s Commands

God commanded us to go and make disciples. If we talk about it often through testimony-sharing, it holds us and others accountable. We shouldn’t see accountability as a way to shame others, but as a way to encourage each of us to share the delight of what God is doing in our lives with one another.

       So, in the end, let's all be encouraged as was the Tin Man, and let it NOT be said of us, ‘THEY HAVE ONE THING YOU HAVEN’T GOT—A TESTIMONIAL! 

      See you next time.