One of our main ministries here is door-to-door evangelism. I am still learning Spanish, so my role in going to each house is to tell my testimony and insert comments where needed and applicable. Before I came here, I thought there was nothing much to my testimony. I knew how it was the amazing story about how God saved me, but I didn’t think it was very exciting or significant compared to others. I’ve always believed in God, and I grew up in a Christian home. Now I can see this is exactly why my testimony is so useful to God and so applicable to people.
Most people believe that there is a God, but they never make a decision to follow him. They think they are safe because they believe in God, or they said a prayer. But John 14:15 says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Then John 15:8 says, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” You can do neither of these things unless you first decide to follow Christ—and not just because you believe in him when it is convenient.
My testimony supports the fact that believing is nothing unless you love God, become a disciple, and follow him. I had always believed in God since I was taught that growing up. I even said a prayer when I was 6 years old, but it was for nothing because I didn’t decide to follow Christ out of my realization that I am a dirty human separated from God through my own actions. I didn’t understand then that God created me and loved me enough that he sent his Son to earth to bridge the gap between us and pay the price for my disobedience. At 6, I said a prayer in order to make my mom happy and get out of trouble from my disobedience to her. My decision was insincere—really, it was no decision at all. I faked the Christian life for years working in the church and doing everything a Christian should. I even was faking it to myself. But I could never trick God. I knew something was missing in my life.
It’s like what Kyle Idleman wrote about in his book, Not a Fan. At that point, I was just a fan of God like so many other people. I knew a lot about him. I went to church, I prayed, and I read my Bible. But I was just like a sports fan who knows all the stats and information of a favorite player. It was like I went to all of the games, but I could never take part myself.
This all changed when I was 13 years old and went to youth camp. There, I made a true and sincere decision not just to believe in God, but also to follow him. This is why my testimony is so applicable. There are millions of people who are fans of God. Stadiums are full of people cheering who know all of the stats but never take part in the team. Many people grow up in church and in a Christian family but never decide to follow Christ.
I have been very surprised when we go door-to-door here in Venezuela. People not only understand my Spanish, through the Holy Spirit I am sure, but also they relate to my story. Many people sit focusing intently when I tell my story. They nod their head in agreement and are engaged because they relate. Why I had to travel across the world to learn that my testimony is so precious and applicable, God only knows. He has a plan for my life and is powerful enough to use a simple person like me.
Kaitlyn Roberts, a student at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, is serving in Venezuela with Go Now Missions.
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