I have been a Christian for a long time and I consider myself to be a matured believer. I know who I am in Christ and what his death and resurrection wrought for me, however, I am always hesitant to rate my relationship with God like I was asked to when I faced an interview panel prior to joining a department at my then local church, nor am I eager to introduce myself as a Christian to people I meet. I prefer that my behaviour, actions, speech and manner tell of what stock I am made of rather than shout about what should be evident. Afterall, the disciples of Jesus were identified because of their mien and actions not really by what they said.
In the years that I have been a Christian, I have attended several meetings and heard loads of testimonies, I have also been the beneficiary of many miracles that defy human explanation. Of all the testimonies I have heard, one of them has stood out not because of the facts or nature of the miracle but the manner in which it was given.
I remember clearly that it was a lady and although I cannot recall the details-it had to do with healing from some kind of intestinal issue and it was really bad, what struck me at the time and served as an example of what a testimony should be, was that in her rendering of what happened and how she got healed, she did NOT draw attention to herself or any other person. She must have prayed and even fasted but she was silent as to what prayers she prayed, how many times she prayed, the pastors that prayed for her or laid hands on her, the dream or vision she had, the church she attended during that period, the confessions or affirmations she made that brought about the healing. All she said was that God healed her and her testimony was true-there was pictorial evidence showing the before and after to back up her story. I remember marveling at that time, of how Christ and Christ alone was the centerpiece of the testimony and how that due to that singular fact, all glory and praise went to him alone and not to the lady or the church or her pastors or prayer partners. I must confess that I did wonder why she didn’t share the details of what she did, so other people could follow her example but with the benefit of hindsight, my knowledge of God’s infiniteness and the abuse of shared stories, I see the wisdom in how she shared her testimony and how it drew people to God for theirs.
In a world where stories of personal triumph and miraculous intervention often take centrestage, testimonies have become a powerful tool for sharing the message of faith and God’s work in people’s lives. However, in many instances, the line between genuine testimonies and exaggerated storytelling can blur, raising important questions about their impact on Christianity as a whole. While it is crucial to share the goodness of God, the practice of exaggerating testimonies, either to inspire or attract followers, is detrimental to the cause of Christ.
It is my belief that the main purpose of giving a testimony should be to glorify God the hand behind the testimony and as a tool of evangelism to draw people to God. However nowadays, what seems to be the focal point of testimonies is the attempt to draw attention to the measure of the power of the pastor, the superiority of the church brand, the efficacy of the prayers of the testifier and the levels of grace bestowed upon everyone involved in the testimony, setting them apart from the lesser mortals in the congregation . It is now a competition amongst church members and ministries as to who has the most outlandish testimonies but it ought not to be so.
The foundation of Christianity is TRUTH. At its core, is a message of love, redemption, and hope, grounded in the reality of human experiences and God’s grace. When testimonies are exaggerated or embellished, it erodes the credibility of the person sharing the testimony, the platform on which it is shared and the message of Christianity.When people hear claims that seem far-fetched or too sensational to believe, skepticism arises. If people suspect that a testimony is exaggerated, it casts doubt on all other testimonies, no matter how genuine they may be and instead of inspiring faith, they scare people away, leading them to question the integrity of those sharing their experiences.
Testimonies are also shared to inspire hope, motivate others, or demonstrate God’s power in action. Exaggerated testimonies can prey on the emotions of those listening, creating unrealistic expectations of what the Christian journey looks like. Some may come to faith expecting constant miraculous interventions or dramatic life changes, only to be disappointed when their own experiences do not match the exaggerated accounts they have heard. This can lead to feelings of disillusionment or even abandonment of the faith, as they may believe they have been misled or that they do not qualify in some way for God’s grace. True faith is built on steady, daily trust in God, not sensationalism, and it is important that testimonies reflect the reality of both the highs and lows of the Christian Walk.
Exaggerated testimonies create a distorted image of Christianity. By highlighting only the miraculous, the dramatic, or the extraordinary, such testimonies may give the impression that Christianity is solely about supernatural interventions, and it is not. While miracles and divine intervention are integral to the Christian faith, the beauty of Christianity also lies in the ordinary—the quiet moments of grace, the gradual transformation of hearts, and the steady growth in character and the miracles happening every second that we take for granted such as our breath and life. When we rely on sensational testimonies to attract people to the faith, we risk sidelining the everyday aspects of Christianity that often bring the most profound spiritual growth.
In a time when many people are already wary of religious manipulation or emotional appeals, where they fact-check every statement to know whether it is true, where people have been hurt by the church and the high handiness of its leaders, the authenticity of Christian testimonies becomes even more critical. God does not need embellishment to demonstrate His power and love. Genuine testimonies—no matter how small they may seem—are enough to reveal His work in our lives. In fact, the more authentic the testimony, the more relatable and powerful it becomes. People are moved by vulnerability, honesty and real-life struggles. These are the stories that resonate with others, encouraging them in their own faith journey.
It behooves us as Christians to be cautious when sharing testimonies. There is a need to be mindful of the context and the audience and before you come for my head, sharing with caution does not mean diluting the truth but ensuring that the truth is presented in a way that honours both God and the listener. Media departments of churches should be mindful that the public will have access to their productions and should edit with that in mind.
I believe in miracles, in the miraculous and that the truth of God’s work in our lives is powerful enough without embellishment. I believe that testimonies shared in humility, with the intention of pointing others to God rather than self, will naturally have a more profound impact on the hearers. I believe that by committing to honesty and avoiding exaggeration, we honour God, respect the listener, and uphold the integrity of the Christian faith.
God works in mysterious ways, but he is often found in the simple paths and not in the exaggeration. 1 kings 19 :11-12.