Thank you very much for sending us your testimony, or inquiring about how your testimony can be used to help reach the lost and the hurting through this outreach ministry. Please allow us to share our ministry purpose before we provide tips and guidelines about how God can use your testimony for His glory and purposes.
PRECIOUS TESTIMONIES is a non-denominational, 501-C-3 non-profit outreach ministry, privileged to share the Good News of the Gospel through Video, Internet, and Audiocassette Tapes. In addition, we offer certain evangelistic books we have available to those who request them, as funds allow us to do so. We produce 2-hour and 30-minute testimonial video broadcasts that play seven days a week on Cable TV Public Access channels across the country. (Public Access TV is free television to anyone desiring to use it, providing certain requirements are met). Video and audiocassette copies of the broadcasts are made available to viewers on a freewill offering basis.
We have a testimonial website ministry that reaches into the homes of the unsaved as well. Our web address is http://www.jesus-jesuslove.blogspot.com. We have different categories of testimonies on our Website: Born Again testimonies; Hope and Encouragement testimonies (which includes deliverance and healing); Dynamic Answers to Prayer testimonies; and Their Testimony Lives On (testimonies of deceased loved ones). There also is a section titled: Exhortations. Under the Exhortations file, we have selected writings that help encourage the Christian believer and provide insights into God's Word, along with giving expanded tips on testimony topics.
In addition, we have a section for prisoners to submit poems and selected writings. We provide audiocassette testimonial tapes to prisoners, and selected written evangelistic literature as well. We write a special Prayer Newsletter for prisoners that accompany most tapes, primarily training them to be prayer warriors on behalf of outreach ministries such as this.
We also work with other Christians who desire to reach the lost by providing them with a free video of how they can get started in video and begin utilizing Cable TV Public Access for the glory and purposes of God. In addition, we write a quarterly Ministry Update Newsletter and make it available to those who desire to receive it.
My wife and I headquarter this outreach ministry out of our home, and trust the Lord to expand it as He wills. To date, no salaries have been paid to us or anyone else and all contributions that have come in have gone directly into the ministry to help cover expenses and expand it. As Director of this outreach ministry, I work a secular job that provides most of the funds to operate the ministry, and my precious wife, Kathleen, Co-Director, does most of the daily administration of it. We do NOT expect people submitting testimonies to feel obligated to support this ministry financially. God is our provider, and we trust Him to speak to the hearts of people about sowing seed into this outreach, whoever they may be.
We tell people this ministry is different than many others in the respect that we put NO time limit on people who share their testimonies on video. Neither do we put a number of word restrictions on people who write their testimonies. We want people to know this is one ministry where people can share their entire, expanded life story of what God has done in their lives.
We do reserve the right to edit testimonies as we feel led of the Lord to do so before they go out for the world to hear and/or read. We also reserve the right not to publish testimonies that do not meet certain requirements that God has placed on our hearts to make. We also reserve the right to have potential testifiers provide credible references to their character and integrity before we move forward with publishing their testimonies. Primarily we have only FOUR requirements for a person to share their testimony:
1) That a person be saved and born again as Holy Scripture mandates him/her to be in right standing with God.
2) That a person's testimony glorifies JESUS CHRIST.
3) That what a person shares is consistent with God's Word as we interpret its meaning and application.
4) That what a person shares does not give place for Satan to bring division and/or slander to current or former friends and acquaintances, family members, business and/or service institutions, churches, and/or denominations, political figures and/or governments and nations.
HELPFUL TIPS AND GUIDELINES FOR WRITING YOUR TESTIMONY
We primarily have been called to give Christians the opportunity and a platform to allow God to use their full-length, born again testimony for His purposes and glory. Some people have a lack of understanding in HOW to go about putting into words all of what God has done in their lives. We will provide a few key pointers in steering you in the right direction, if that happens to be you. However, these are only "pointers"; we always encourage people to share as the Holy Spirit leads THEM. After all, He is the ONLY one who knows who will be hearing or reading their testimony as it goes out across the world.
How then, has God become real and alive in your life? [NOTE: One of the most effective means of being used of the Holy Spirit (for God to draw others to Christ), is to tell others what Jesus Christ has done in your life]. It is easier for most people to receive from the Holy Spirit what you have to say to them once they know what God has delivered you out of and from. Here are some guidelines in how to go about doing that.
1. BEFORE: Consider giving details of your life before you turned your life over completely to Jesus Christ. What type of environment were you raised in? What were your beliefs about God? What was your knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Bible? If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior at a young age, but fell away, explain the reasons why you did not continue to follow Him in obedience, as you now know you should have. (Please be sensitive to the Holy Spirit about backing up your reasons with scripture).
2. THE BORN AGAIN CONVERSION: Describe how you came to hear that Jesus died for your sins. Describe the circumstances that caused you to ask Him to be your Savior. Describe the circumstances that caused you to turn your life over completely to Jesus Christ, if you did not do so soon after accepting Him as your personal Savior. As you know, many people's actions spring out of their unsatisfied, deep inner needs. What were some of your unsatisfied, deep inner needs that drew you initially to Christ, or back to Christ? Here are some examples: Lack of peace. Fear of death/hell. Something missing. Vacuum inside. No meaning to life. Loneliness. Lack of security. Lack of purpose. Longing to be loved. Longing to be unconditionally accepted. No real friends. No motivation. Alcohol or chemical dependencies. Eating disorders. Guilt from sin. Boredom with religion and/or religious activities. Hunger to know God better.
3. AFTER: Share how your personal relationship with Jesus Christ has changed you. What has happened in your life since turning your life over completely to Jesus Christ that you know only God could have brought about? Again, as you share, be sensitive to the Lord about interweaving scripture into your testimony. God's Word applied at the right moment has life changing power; especially scripture truths on Salvation. Either during, or after you share your testimony, there is great liberty for people to exhort, comfort, edify, warn, instruct, or give insight to the viewing or reading audience. We encourage testifiers to use this liberty and to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit about doing so when testifying.
HELPFUL TIPS AND GUIDELINES FOR SHARING YOUR TESTIMONY ON VIDEO
To date, my wife and I have videotaped most of the testifiers of the video broadcasts that play on Cable TV Public Access stations across the country. However, as God expands this outreach, we realize it is not feasible at this time for us to be able to travel outside of Western Michigan to videotape peoples' testimonies. However - that does not keep people from having God use their testimonies on video. People can send us videotape footage of their testimonies, and we will edit as needed to format their footage for our broadcasts. However, please contact us FIRST before sending us video footage so their are no misunderstandings.
If you sense the Lord leading you to videotape your YOUR born again testimony on video, then here are a few key things we want to make you aware of. Acceptable video footage needs two things: Good SOUND and bright LIGHTING. It is easy to obtain both.
To Get Good Sound: The testifier should be no further than about six feet from the camcorder if the camcorder has a built-in microphone. To "contain" the volume and clarity of the testifier's voice, filming in a smaller, enclosed room enhances recorded sound and helps eliminate outside noises that can easily pick up during the filming. Silencing cats, dogs, ringing telephones, active children, and any other noises other than the voice of the person testifying (unless of course you have a live audience) will greatly improve the watchability of one's video. [NOTE: This has nothing to do with good sound but please always use a tripod for the camera to rest on, when feasible].
To Get Good Lighting: Lamps can be placed closely to the person's face to light it up. One or more clamp-on reflector lights with high wattage bulbs do a very nice job to light a person's face. A key to remember: use approximately three times more light than what you think you need on a person's face. You can never get too much light, as long as the testifier is able to remain comfortable while speaking.
Other Things We Want You to be Aware of Regarding VIDEO Footage: We prefer to have video footage on either S-VHS format or VHS format. We can use VHS-C format footage if that is all that is available from you, but not 8mm format at this time, nor 3/4-inch format or Digital. We also ask that you do not expect us to return your video footage. We have no time restrictions on how LONG you have to testify. (Share your heart out!) Like I mentioned earlier, we expect you to give us the liberty to edit as we feel led of the Lord to do so.
The flow of our video testimonials is that when we have finished editing your 2-hour video broadcast, we will send you a free VHS copy to view and keep. A standard video release form will be included, and we ask that you read and sign it and send it back. The signing of release forms are standard in the video industry, and Cable TV Public Access stations are more likely to give a video outreach ministry such as this one favor if we ask people to sign this form. If you do NOT approve of the completed video copy we send you, simply let us know why, and you have our word that it will not play or be used in any way. In other words, we want you to be at peace with the final product.
A SPECIAL NOTE OF "delicate" WARNING HERE: We have learned from past experience that the devil will try to drive us NUTS and WASTE PRECIOUS TIME with a few well-meaning testifiers who say "I forgot to say," or, "I should have said or added this," after we have spent precious hours praying and editing their testimonies, both video and written. You pretty much have our assurance we will not spend a lot of time with these kind of people and their testimonies if we sense this happening, and chances are their testimonies will get shelved permanently.
We do NOT send testifiers copies of their edited-down version of their 30-minute videotape (which is made after they have sent us a signed release form and are at peace with their 2-hour edited version). It requires too much duplicating, handling and cost to do so. We expect testifiers to trust the Lord that He will lead us as to what should be edited out and/or retained off their full-length 2-hour version. (Note: a person does not have to testify for a whole two hours. We have filler footage to complete the entire 2-hour video if need be).
Most video testimonial tapes will play a minimum of three times on each Cable TV Public Access Station over a period of 1-3 years. Some will play more than that as time goes by. We consider one's full-length born again testimony to be timeless, and should be played indefinitely. Cable Access stations prefer that the same tape not play more than three times in a one-year time period, so we honor their wishes. We are currently playing in several Cable TV Public Access stations around the country, and more are being added as doors open and time allows us to keep up with it. (A TV schedule is on our website, or available for the asking).
We do a great degree of titling at the bottom of videotapes. We present the Good News of the Gospel through titling, and other thoughts we feel the Holy Spirit wants us to communicate. It is perfectly fine to send us testimonial footage of you (or someone else) testifying publicly. Put the person's name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address on the outside of the video itself if you would please.
Other Things You May Want to Know About WRITTEN Testimonies
Some people who inquire about submitting their written or video testimonies are requested to fill out a questionnaire form about their history, providing us with credible references we can check out, before moving forward with their testimonies. We try not to put roadblocks in the way of people getting their testimonies used, but we've also found that Satan will send us "wolves in sheep's clothing" to accomplish his purposes if we're not careful and wise.
We also reserve the right to not publish or play testimonies without testifiers signing a Precious Testimonies release form assigning Precious Testimonies ALL RIGHTS to the testimony.
We PREFER primarily that people e-mail us their written testimonies, but we understand they can only do so if they have the capability. If people write them, we prefer they be typed because typed ones can be scanned into our computer and worked on from there. If people have no way of providing typed testimonies, then we will accept hand-written ones as a last resort. However, retyping them for the computer requires a lot of time, so we ask that you be very patient with us in getting hand-written testimonies onto our website. Be sure your name and address (and telephone number, if you don't mind) is placed on the testimony, okay? ALWAYS let us know if we have your permission to include your full name with your testimony, and an address if you would like people to contact you. We do not for security reasons enter on the website peoples' telephone numbers. We also ask that you provide us with a title for your testimony that might draw an unsaved person to read it. If you cannot think of one, we will prayerfully give it one for you.
Some written testimonies people submit to us will be placed on our website exactly as they come to us. Others we will "tweak" to hopefully improve upon them. We probably will not spend much time asking people to "proofread" what we have "tweaked" before their testimonies go on our website, simply due to the time it requires to do so. Rather, once people's testimonies go onto our website, and they are not at peace with what is there, all they have to do is contact us and we'll remove their testimonies or make the necessary corrections. (We want no one to have hard feelings about what we are trying to do through this outreach ministry).
Please keep this in mind: We've found many people's testimonies are too short in length, detail, and compassion for the lost and the hurting when submitted to us the first time around. We would rather people say too much and allow us to decide what to edit down and shorten if we feel to do so.
We are delighted when people can e-mail or send us a photo of themselves to go with their testimonies. The unsaved prefer to "see" whom they are reading about - it is human nature. (Please try to send us a photo we can keep -- the best quality you can obtain -- professional is always best but if that is not available, then a good photo either black and white or in color will be fine).
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