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"What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."   –Jesus
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"...to hold guard over Truth, Life, and Love"   –Mary Baker Eddy

Testimony Guidelines

Submission guidelines | Testimony guidelines | Photo guidelines
Model releases | Sending your submissions

We're so glad you're interested in writing a testimony. As you think about your healing, Article VIII, Section 24, of the Manual of The Mother Church can be invaluable. Many of those who read your testimony may just be beginning to consider the power of God to heal. So you'll want to explain as clearly as possible how you were healed.

Here are some tips that will help bring God's power to light for readers.

  • Firsthand account
    Tell about your healing in your own words, even though someone else may also have been praying about the situation.
  • Time frame
    Experiences should be fairly recent but solidly established before they are published.
  • Subject matter
    There is always a need for strong examples of physical healing, and many of the testimonies we publish include one, no matter how small.

Style

  • Speak as if you were talking to someone brand new to Christian Science
  • Try to balance human details with metaphysical truths
  • Tell how you prayed
  • Share spiritual insights you gained and how they led to your healing
  • Feel free to share a particular passage from the Bible, Science and Health or another of Mrs. Eddy's writings, but don't depend on quotes to make your points
  • Indicate clearly that the healing did come and that it has been permanent
  • Keep language simple

Testimonies should be approximately 500 words long. We are able to publish up to two testimonies per person per year in the periodicals, including The Herald of Christian Science.

Verification

  • Include names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three people who would be willing to verify your testimony.
  • Verifiers should be people who know you well and have either witnessed the healing or can vouch for its accuracy based on their knowledge of you.
  • At least one of the verifiers should be a member of The Mother Church. (Once the testimony has been edited, we’ll send them a verification form, which we need to have completed for our files.)

The email address for testimonies is: jshwrite@csps.com

Or you may mail your testimonies to:
Testimonies
Christian Science Sentinel, P03-30
The Christian Science Publishing Society
210 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115 USA

Upcoming Features

February 13, 2012 issue:
Life—my cup is running over

'My cup runneth over.' These joyous words have provided reassurance over centuries to so many who have read them as part of the inspiring 23rd Psalm. The Bible teaches that our source of goodness is, in fact, God, who is Love—infinite, inexhaustible Love, that is always available to everyone. The Psalmist understood this when he sang in another psalm, "In thy presence is fulness of joy" (Psalms 16:11). Not only a little happiness, but full, complete, 100 percent (and more!).
The more each one of us can embrace this deep spiritual realism and accept God's reality as our own, the more we find it gives our lives purpose, fullness, and joy, even in the most trying circumstances. Our cup truly runs over with Love.