Dr. Chigemezi Nnadozie Wogu, pastor of the New Life Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Adventgemeinde in Spandau, Berlin, has written a faith-building piece on the powerful import of personal testimonies. In this concise book of just five chapters, Wogu documents soul-lifting accounts of answered prayers on the first anniversary of his pastoral ministry. Taking the title of his book from the biblical “ ‘because . . . of their testimony’ ” verse (Rev. 12:11, NASB), Wogu evinces the incredible power of personal stories. This is what God’s servant Ellen G. White meant when she wrote that a “Christlike life is the most powerful argument that can be advanced in favor of Christianity.”1
Because of Their Testimony begins by acknowledging the biblical importance of testimonies: “sharing our testimony of what God has done for us causes people to praise God and reflect on God’s righteousness” (2). Wogu further shows that sharing our testimonies acknowledges and proclaims Jesus, grows our faith, encourages others, and serves as a weapon for overcoming the enemy. These four cardinal reasons for testifying are built upon in the other chapters of the book.
Whether it is the personal testimony of Wogu’s transition from having a comfortable job as a social worker in a little town in Germany to accepting the call to pastor a multicultural and international congregation in Berlin; the powerful conversion story of Lakshmi from Hinduism to the Christian faith; Inger’s tremendous faith journey; the faith-building pregnancy experience of Wogu’s wife and the miraculous safe-delivery of his son, Chiedozie; or the healing experience of Favour’s new babies, in spite of bleak medical prognosis; one common element running through their testimonies is the power and reward of faith.
Wogu not only focuses on the testimonies of those who got favorable answers to their prayers but also draws powerful lessons from those who stayed faithful until death. “But one thing I need to mention is that while persecution fans the flame of Christian faith, martyrdom catalyses the faith of those who witness the death of the believers” (42).
Why is Because of Their Testimony a must-read for every pastor and laity? First, I think it will propel us to begin to ask the Lord for personal testimonies through answers to our prayers. Asking for testimonies means praying for them. So, in a way, Pastor Wogu’s book is a call to pray more, expect more, and testify more. Second, as a pastor myself, I know the indispensability of personal testimonies. Every pastor needs to have a testimony to share every time; this powerfully validates our calling.
This very book is a timely reminder to every pastor that if God has called you, He will give you testimonies. In essence, every Christian is a testifier, which is the reason this book is for everyone who wishes to boost their propensity for testimonies. Lastly, the easy-to-read nature and conciseness of this book make it a great read. Actually, it can be read on a 45-minute train ride!
- Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9 (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press 1948), 21.
