Tell It Like It Is

And Another Thing . . . Testimonies

John David Webster spoke about how he became a Christ follower at last night’s Gathering. As I watched JD share his story, I looked around the room and saw several people wiping away tears. I saw others smiling and nodding in agreement. As he shared some of the painful parts of his story, I saw several empathetic looks; I did not see anyone sneering or judging.  His story was familiar—not in the details, necessarily, but in the journey. We have all started in or found our way to lost places.  We have all discovered that the lost places were painful and scary and damaging to our life.  Any person who has found their way to a faith relationship with Jesus will feel a crescendo in their spirit when someone like John David begins to talk about how he cried out to God. Tears come when he describes how God hears and saves.  People who have not found their way to faith are presented with a dilemma, because the story resonates.  The testimony sounds credible and seems to be existentially true. 

I think that testimonies are a great argument for faith. When I was young, apologetics were the thing. The rational argument and objective proof were seen as incredibly important tools for defending the faith. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” When I was a teenager this verse was used to establish the need for a well articulated apologetic, or defense of faith. Through most of church history, however, this verse meant tell me the story of how you discovered God. Tell me about your journey to faith. Our “hope” was born out of an encounter with the person of Christ, not out of a set of propositions.

Apologetics are less compelling today because most people do not really believe in objective truth.  They believe in personal truth. Apologetics are a wonderful study for new believers because they offer a strong support for the faith that they have recently found, but many men and women who have been termed “seekers” by the church culture, view rational arguments as spin. They believe that every group can make a rational argument for anything, and ask, “Are those facts the ‘real’ facts?” Our culture has heard “point and counterpoint” so often that they doubt everything and believe that all such activities are mostly a commercial for your cause. In our culture, the reason is less compelling than the person. The personal story of a journey to faith, a testimony, is compelling, even if all of the reasons are not. People believe the truth of a changed life much more than they believe arguments.

Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Doctrine is a church word that means the principles and truths of faith. What we believe is very important. In fact, according to John 8:32, truth is what sets us free.  But truth statements are a less compelling starting point in our culture. Changed lives are always compelling. Matt 5: 14-16 says, “You are the light of the world.  . . . let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

St. Francis of Assisi is commonly attributed with saying, “Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”

And that is all I have to SAY about that . . . for now.