Your Testimony is Pre-Evangelism, Not the Gospel. Only the Gospel Saves

One of the greatest tools God has given us in evangelism is our personal testimony. When we share what Christ has done in our lives, how He saved us, changed us, and is still working in us, it can be powerful. People lean in when they hear real stories of brokenness, redemption, and hope. But as valuable as your testimony is, let me be clear: your testimony is not the gospel.

Your testimony is pre-evangelism. It is the open door, the icebreaker, the moment that grabs attention. It points to the work of God, but by itself it does not tell someone how to be saved. Paul said in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Notice that he did not say his story was the power of God, but the gospel.

The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived a perfect life we could not live, died the death we deserved on the cross, and rose again in victory over sin and death. It is the proclamation that forgiveness of sins and eternal life are offered by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. That is the message that saves. Nothing more. Nothing less. (1 Corinthians 15)

When we confuse our testimony with the gospel, we risk leaving people inspired but lost. They might admire our courage, appreciate our sincerity, or even long for the peace we describe, but unless they hear the message of Christ crucified and risen, they have not heard what saves. As Paul wrote in Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

Your testimony is a bridge. It shows the reality of God’s work in your life, making the gospel relatable and believable. But you must cross that bridge with the message of Christ. Think of it this way: your testimony can make someone thirsty, but only the gospel offers the living water.

So tell your story. Share what Jesus has done for you. Be bold about His mercy and grace in your life. But do not stop there. Point them to the cross. Tell them about His resurrection. Call them to repent and believe. Because in the end, it is not your testimony that saves—it is Jesus Christ, through the gospel, that saves.

Soli Del Gloria,

Pastor Jody