Goals for Testimonies                                                        Rev, 11/26/08

ü       Effort to maximize God's magnificent character.

ü       Model 700 Club testimonies, and realize we can always improve.

ü       Narrow the scope of the story to produce effectiveness of testimony.

ü       Where possible, personalize the taping for a local Santa Cruz audience.

ü       Include the word of our testimony where many churches avoid testimonies.

 

Tips for Testimonee and moderator.

            The testimonee is the one whose personal story is being talked about.

 

1. Work on programming in advance. Try to arrange the person and the planning sessions one to two months in advance. Get the testimony approved and added to the production calendar. Also schedule a practice session.
2. Share plans with core team via email. Let the team know the type of healing/deliverance so the taping can have unity. This allows the team to have regular input and a theme for the taping can emerge.
3. Plan a joint prayer time. During this time both parities can realize the significance of the testimony and pin point God's purpose for the story at this particular time. It may be that the general consensus is the story won't work. We see through a glass darkly and are gently led by the Holy Spirit. Maybe it will be apparent that a close friend or family member needs to work with the testimonee or that person to actually do the story for the testimonee.
4. Plan a time for field video clips. For example: Barry's testimony could have been enhanced by showing a clip of what God does on the street when he ministers. A home or business shot gives more credibility to the story. Perhaps old snap shots or x-rays would help.
5. Summarize God's goodness. The moderator should introduce the testimonee with a clear one sentence statement of what the testimony is about and a similar statement for a conclusion. The moderator tells the audience what they are going to hear. The testimonee tells the story and the moderator tells the audience what they heard. These are general speaking principles.
6. Divide testimony into parts. Many times it is difficult for the testimonee to look at his/her whole life and pick out 20 minutes worth of story. Together the moderator and the testimonee can agree on four or five major points. Each point would receive approximately three minutes which is easier to manage. The moderator will use these as guide posts to keep the testimony on track. They can be posed as questions to get a fuller answer or as a comment to emphasize something that would be easy for the audience to miss.
7. Do what it takes to tend to the needs of the testimonee. Always remember that guests are not acquainted with our stage, studio, or practices. They may need water or a bathroom. They need to know # of fingers is signal for # of minutes.