We all relate to story. Shared human experience connects with us on a deep level and has the ability to spur us to action. That’s why testimonies can be powerful tools to encourage group sign-ups. They can be used to supplement a message on small groups, or they can stand alone.

Testimonies are particularly effective. When someone stands up to share a personal, passionate testimony, people will lock into what is being said. Make it a goal to have at least one or two testimonies on the power of groups during your promotion months. You can either work these testimonies in as part of the message or use them at a different point in the worship experience.

As I write this, we are two weeks away from the start of our next semester at the journey. I’m excited to have a wonderful couple in our church schedule to give a testimony. They’ll talk about how being in a group to strengthen their relationship with God and with each other. Will also tell everyone how being in a group led to meeting a developing friendships with other couples in our church. I know what they are going to say because anyone who shares a testimony from the stage of the journey is required to submit their notes a few days in advance. This allows us to give some feedback, and it helps us prepare the best way to introduce them. In this case, the husband and wife will be on stage together. Their presence and testimony will be powerful. Since they are both group leaders, I’m certain their group will fill up, and since they are a couple, their testimony will benefit all of the couples group schedule for the coming semester. They are a real life demonstration to everyone in our church that what we say about groups is true.

This testimony will be live. The couples speak in all of our services. But sometimes it’s better to do a video testimony, especially if the video was emotional I would be difficult to share multiple services. Video testimonies have a lot of benefits. You can record the well in advance, you know exactly what is going to be sad, and you know how long it will take. Once we had a guy in our church share how he almost committed suicide, but it was the support of his group that kept him from following through. We felt him talking for more than 20 minutes and then edited the video to the most powerful five minutes. This would’ve been an impossible task money to give live in every service, but it was incredibly influential and needed to be shared. People still talk about the impact that testimony had on them.

Not all of our testimonies are so dramatic. Most of the time, we simply asked someone who has had a great, normal group experience to share about it they talk about the discipline of going to group each week, the fun they’ve had, the French as they’ve experienced, and how they grow closer to God. Those who share don’t have to be well trained public speakers. Even if someone is clearly reading from notes, the story can still have a tremendous impact on the congregation. The more normal the people giving a testimony are, the more relatable they will be to the masses.

You have many great stories in your church. Find them. Seek out people who experience the power of groups and asked them to share their story at a service.

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.