You Don’t Need a Diploma—You Have a Testimony

One of the greatest fears many Christians have isn’t sharing their faith—it’s being asked a question they can’t answer.

“What if they ask me something about the Bible that I don’t know?”

“What if they challenge my beliefs?”

“What if I say the wrong thing?”

Questions like these have silenced countless believers who genuinely love Christ but feel unqualified to talk about Him. Somewhere along the way, many Christians began believing that sharing the gospel belongs to pastors, theologians, Bible college graduates, or people who have every answer memorized. As a result, they quietly assume someone else is better equipped to speak about Jesus.

This week, while Pastor David and Cathy Sellstrom enjoyed a well-deserved time of rest, Assistant Pastor Kendal Keating continued The Remnant Church’s Activation series with an encouraging message that challenged that misconception. Drawing from both Scripture and her own journey of faith, Kendal reminded the church that God has never required a diploma before using someone for His kingdom. He delights in using ordinary people whose lives have been transformed by His extraordinary grace.

Jesus never placed those requirements on His followers.

One of the most encouraging themes throughout the New Testament is that God repeatedly chooses ordinary people to tell an extraordinary story. Long before they understood deep theology, they had experienced the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

Their greatest qualification wasn’t what they knew—it was what God had done.

Peter encourages believers to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15, NKJV). Notice what Peter emphasizes. He doesn’t tell us to master every difficult doctrine before speaking about our faith. Instead, he reminds us to explain the hope that lives within us. That hope has a story, and every believer has one.

For some, that story includes freedom from addiction. Others have experienced restored marriages, healing after deep loss, peace in the midst of anxiety, or forgiveness after years of guilt. Some testimonies unfold dramatically, while others are written through decades of quiet faithfulness. Regardless of how they begin, every testimony points to the same Savior and declares the same truth: Jesus Christ still changes lives.

Perhaps that’s why Jesus so often sent people away with one clear assignment—to tell others what God had done.

The woman at the well illustrates this beautifully. She wasn’t a religious scholar, nor would anyone have expected her to become God’s messenger. Yet after meeting Jesus, she returned to her village with an invitation that changed countless lives:

“Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:29, NKJV)

She didn’t try to impress anyone with theological knowledge or persuasive arguments. She invited people to meet the One who had changed her life, and that invitation was enough to bring an entire town to Jesus.

The same pattern appears in Mark 5. After Jesus delivered the man possessed by many demons, the man begged to travel with Him. Instead, Jesus gave him an assignment that still applies today:

“Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” (Mark 5:19, NKJV)

Think about what that man lacked. He hadn’t attended Bible school, spent years studying Scripture, or served in ministry. Only hours earlier, his life had been in complete chaos. Yet Jesus considered him ready because his life had become living evidence of God’s power and compassion.

That truth should encourage every believer. Growing in biblical knowledge is important, and every Christian should spend a lifetime learning God’s Word. But spiritual growth should never become an excuse for spiritual silence. Many believers postpone sharing their faith because they believe they’ll be ready after one more Bible study, one more book, or one more class. Meanwhile, God has already entrusted every Christian with something no one else possesses—a personal story of His grace.

There is something uniquely compelling about genuine testimony because it isn’t theoretical. People may disagree with your interpretation of Scripture or challenge your beliefs, but they cannot deny the reality of a transformed life. They cannot explain away a restored marriage, freedom from bitterness, peace in suffering, or hope that endures through hardship. Those changes become visible evidence of the work Christ continues to do in the lives of His people.

That is exactly what happened in John 9 after Jesus healed the man who had been born blind. Religious leaders questioned him relentlessly, attempting to trap him in theological arguments. His response remains one of the most memorable statements in the Gospels:

“One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25, NKJV)

He didn’t claim to know everything, nor did he pretend to have answers for every question. He spoke with confidence about what he knew with certainty. His experience became evidence that no argument could erase.

Perhaps we’ve made evangelism more complicated than Jesus intended. We often imagine that changing someone’s life depends on presenting a flawless explanation of the gospel or answering every difficult question. Yet throughout Scripture, people were drawn to Christ because someone was willing to say, “Let me tell you what Jesus has done in my life.” That kind of authenticity still speaks powerfully today.

Our culture is saturated with opinions, debates, and carefully crafted public images. What many people long for is authenticity. They want to know whether faith actually changes lives, whether Jesus still heals brokenness, restores hope, and gives purpose to ordinary people. Your testimony answers those questions in ways an argument never can because it places the transforming power of Christ on display.

One practical challenge worth considering is to spend some time preparing your testimony. Could you share it in one minute if an unexpected conversation opened the door? Could you tell it over coffee in three or five minutes? Thinking through your story ahead of time doesn’t make it less authentic. It helps you communicate clearly when God provides the opportunity.

Most opportunities to share Christ won’t happen behind a pulpit. They’ll happen across a kitchen table, during a lunch break, while waiting in line at the grocery store, or in a conversation with a neighbor. Those ordinary moments often become divine appointments because God has already been working in the other person’s heart before you ever arrive.

Revelation 12:11 reminds us that believers overcome “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (NKJV). The power has never been found in our ability to tell a story. The power belongs to Christ, whose grace transformed our lives. Our testimony becomes evidence of His mercy and an invitation for others to discover that same grace for themselves.

You don’t have to know everything before God can use you. You only need the willingness to tell someone what Jesus has done in your life. You may never know how God will use that conversation, but throughout history He has used ordinary believers with honest testimonies to accomplish extraordinary things.

Continue the Journey

If this week’s message encouraged you, continue growing in your faith with Pastor David Sellstrom’s books, Weapons of Mass Distraction and The Authentic Gospel, now available on Amazon. Both books expand on many of the biblical themes explored each week at The Remnant Church, offering practical, Scripture-centered teaching to help believers stand firm in a distracted world and remain anchored in the unchanging truth of God’s Word. Whether you’re reading for personal growth, using them for a small group, or sharing them with a friend, these resources are designed to strengthen your walk with Christ.

Weapons of Mass Distraction

The Authentic Gospel