Hello Ted,

Fellowship needs Testimonies...VITALITY is the result

HEATHER’S testimony showcases our VITALITY CHALLENGE in the CHURCH

Years ago I was giving a weekend Witness Breakthrough seminar in New England and I was asked the last day of the 3 day session to give the sermon on Sunday night

Prior to the sermon an attractive young lady in her 20s named Heather came up to me and told me how much she got out of the weekend. I asked her what specifically blessed her. She said, “what you teach about effective witnessing..it isn't 'canned'.” I was blessed beyond words because my emphasis when I train is learning to be compelled by love when we testify so we are not canned!

I then asked her to share her brief testimony with me:

Heather's Testimony:

...she was married

...her husband was in the Army

...they were stationed overseas

...he went AWOL

...he was never found

...with little money she got back to the US

...she worked at a 7/11 store

...her manager introduced her to Christ

...she has been very active in her church

I asked her if anyone had ever heard her testimony. No one had heard it at her church even though she had been going there for over 2 years...and she knew her Bible

As I gave my last message at the church from the pulpit I asked Heather if she would briefly share with her church how she came to have faith in Christ. The church members were greatly blessed!!! The sad news is that the Pastor was puzzled why I sacrificed some of my preaching time so people could hear Heather’s testimony!?

Not everyone will have a dramatic Heather testimony- but I have found every testimony in Christ is encouraging.

It gives MORE LIFE and VITALITY to our faith.

Testimonies are NEEDED in the Body of Christ in a darkening WORLD...Believers who are reflecting Jesus the light of the world through their testimonies and reporting back their encounters are blessed and bless others too.

Do you think young people will be more attracted to our faith in Christ if we have authentic vitality about our Savior and His love ...driving us daily in what we say and do?

OBVIOUSLY, teaching and fellowship are essential, but if there is not application with people we encounter daily our teaching and fellowship can become very stale

HONESTLY, as an atheist when I went to church with Tudi I thought it was for old women and weak men. I thought, "HOW BORING."

If someone would have said to me, “Ted, can I tell you how I claimed Jesus as my Savior?” Searching my soul honestly I believe I would have said, “YES”

AND- if the church service would have included a brief well thought out testimony besides music, prayer and a message, I would have been 'all ears'.

LIKEWISE- Now, if someone in the congregation would REPORT BACK how God used them out in the their daily walk, to go along with music, prayer and a message..It would be great balance, and so edifying! 

PICTURE THIS ON A SUNDAY AT CHURCH:

Believers go to Worship which usually includes prayer, singing and a message

Then- they go to a good Bible class that includes teaching , fellowship and interaction 

WHAT’S MISSING?

THE FROSTING TO THE CAKE:

REPORTING BACK and TESTIMONIES! 

Church VITALITY would definitely be enhanced

WHAT WE NEED: Somehow, each of us need to desire to grow in doing the whole package- prayer, singing, message, fellowship, interaction, and reporting back our witness and testimonies. It’s the abundant life in Christ that produces VITALITY and much fruit

Pictured: Joe, Blake and Ted- a FRESH TESTIMONY

and REPORTING BACK

On December 15, 2020 Blake claimed Jesus as his Savior and Lord on the 18th tee box. After hearing my testimony, getting a wristband and going through some of Steps to Peace with God he decided out loud to claim Him before Joe and me

Blake, as you read the following testimonies I pray you will be greatly encouraged to grow in your faith. As discussed we will be getting together again very soon.



It was so beautiful how God answered Tudi and my prayers in putting us together

However IT IS SO IMPORTANT a good witness is not solely equated with someone praying to claim Jesus as their Savior. A good witness simply and clearly proclaims Jesus as Savior from all our personal sins as the wristband points out--THE HOLY SPIRIT CLOSES THE DEAL! We should never think it is our skill or personality that causes a person to receive salvation

HOW TO GET STARTED-



Below is a very good example of a man and woman giving their personal testimonies. As a result we know them better and how they came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord...

Isn’t that so much better than the team or Body simply existing with salvation assumptions and not expressed faith in our Savior?

Recently in our 6 week long Black and White meetings we would have 2 B/W people each week give their testimonies in answer to this question:

“HOW AND WHEN DID YOU CLAIM JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?”

Every answer was unique but the common outcome of each testimony: WE GREW IN OUR APPRECIATION OF EACH PERSON, and we could see how wonderful faith in Christ is for “all” people and their various backgrounds. Frankly this love of others experience would never have happened with a lecture and no interaction format. Could that be sobering insight for all of us when we see little fruit in our lives?

BLACK AND WHITE recap

We were so blessed the last 6 weeks of our Black and White Fellowship to weekly have 2 testimonies. Each person is asked to respond to the the statement, ”How I came to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.”

Purposely, I have tried to have a balance of B/W men and women testify of their faith in Jesus Christ.

Brod and Trinda gave their their testimonies. As always, they were refreshing and very different in content and blessed us all!

Please click on the Zoom Video below to watch our B/W session featuring Brod and Trinda- plus our study and discussion as a group

WEEKLY, BESIDES THE 2 TESTIMONIES-

We also study 2 chapters weekly in "If We are the Light, Why is America So Dark?" and discussed-

Chapter 4- "Praise, Prayer...What’s Missing?"

Chapter 5- "Be Careful who you share Christ with...they may become your boss"

As people grow in sharing their testimonies it leads to becoming a more effective “reporting back” witness of faith in Jesus Christ

PLEASE WATCH THE attached B/W ZOOM VIDEO of BROD and TRINDA-- plus the relaxed casual and meaningful GROUP DISCUSSION

YOU WILL BE BLESSED...

TESTIMONIES ARE FROSTING TO THE CAKE! They conclude a balanced meal of the Word, prayer, music and fellowship

Ted

Acts 4:13, 23 Ordinary believers amazing the world they live in with their testimonies of faith in Jesus Christ..and reporting back to the church Body

The FELLOWSHIP needs TESTIMONIES live presentation can be attended or seen Friday January 22 via Zoom 7am.....please go NGAFMMF.org for directions