Can I Get a Witness?!
So there Carlos was, a young boy growing up in South Carolina, a stronghold of various types of faiths, especially Southern-born Protestant denominations that seemed to have an army of evangelists who were always eager to share their “testimony” or “witness” to Christ in some sort of way. They’d bombard him with questions like, “Have you received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” or “Are you saved?” If it wasn’t that, they’d just flat out tell him that he was going to hell for being Catholic.
Carlos didn’t really know what to say in response. It took him 25 years even to begin to think about having a testimony, let alone share one.
Baring One’s Humanity
If done in earnestness, and not in some sort of rehearsed performance, giving a testimony can be one of the most intensely personal experiences that a person can have. This is because giving a sincere witness to the faith means baring one’s humanity to someone else.
Sharing your testimony might sound something like this:
Example Dialogue
Evangelist stands near a street corner with rosaries in hand. He smiles & says hello to passerby.
Evangelist (E): Hello! Have you been told today that “You are loved?”
Passerby (P): Ummmm … no actually.
E: Well, you are loved!
P: That’s a little weird-sounding. Why are you telling me this?
E: Because it’s my way of trying to combat all the loneliness and negativity in the world and because I feel blessed beyond measure and want to share my blessings.
P: Wow. You’re a really nice person!
E: I just think that despite all the bad in the world, there’s also a lot of good in the world, and a lot of good that we can do for others. What about you? What’s your view on life? Is it worth living?
P: Yes, actually! I know that there’s a God, whoever He is, and so I know that I have purpose. I believe that nothing happens for a reason and that we’re all connected.
E: That’s beautiful! Tell me more!
[P & E have a conversation about P’s non-religious belief in God.]
P: … So I basically believe in God, but don’t see the use of religion.
E: Oh! The religion part of faith is so important! For example, this rosary in my hand–it’s a constant reminder to me that I belong to a family, and as the saying goes, “A family that prays together, stays together.” Religion, for Catholics, anyway, is about being together in the family of all those who know God.
P: But many people know God but aren’t part of your belief system or religion.
E: I see what you’re saying. But I am convinced that there’s more to know and experience about God than what many people realize. If it’s okay with you and if you have some time, I’d like to share with you one good reason why a relationship with God as the Catholic Church proposes it can make a great difference in your life like it has in mine.
P: Okay, I have a little bit of time.
E: So here’s my reason: What if the God that, as you say, so many people already know without religion, spoke to the world openly to tell it more deeply who He is, and what His beautiful plans are for us and the world? I discovered these things in my life, when, as an adult, I studied the Catholic faith deeply for the first time.
P: How did that happen?
E: [Shares testimony then continues] I believe that not only will this world be a better place if we truly knew how to love but also if we were all working toward a common goal, which, for us Catholics, is Heaven.
P: I see. I don’t really know what to say right now. I’ve never really thought about the prospect of God revealing himself to us in the way you describe.
E: I don’t want to take up too much more of your time. Would you like some reading material to help you to think about what we’ve talked about?
P: Sure. Thank you. And thank you for reminding me that I’m loved! [E hands out material]
Concluding Thoughts
Nobody will care what you (as an evangelist) know unless he also knows that you care. People have to know that the evangelist cares not just about the faith, but also people. Caring about people often means committing to walk with them for as long as possible. In other words, one of the evangelist’s greatest abilities is his or her availability.