The best videos from the first series all did the same thing: they opened with a verse and never let go of it. The verse set up the story, and the story paid off the verse. When that order flipped, or when a second theme crept in, the message wandered.
The 3-Act Structure
01
The Anchor
10 to 15 Seconds
Start with a specific Bible verse or topic and say it out loud, because everything after this moment should trace back to these words.
From the Series
"In all we do, let us do to others what we'd have them do to us, for this is the law and the prophets."
02
The Story
45 to 60 Seconds
Tell a real moment from your life that connects to that verse, focusing on the struggle and the version of you that hadn't figured it out yet. Keep it to one story.
From the Series
"Before I began my faith journey, I wasn't fully a servant... everything was about me. I wasn't really there for others."
03
The Turn
30 to 45 Seconds
Bring it back to the verse and show what changed, leaving the viewer with one clear thought they didn't have before they pressed play.
From the Series
"The more I dive into the word... the more I want to deny myself. Don't just be a hearer of the word. Be a doer."
Why This Works
- The verse does the framing for you. The audience already knows what to listen for before the personal stuff starts.
- Staying on one idea means nobody gets lost halfway through.
- A visible before-and-after gives people something to hold onto.
- Ending where you started makes the whole thing feel complete, not cut short.
Common Pitfalls
- Jumping into your story before the verse is established, which leaves the audience without a frame for what they're about to hear.
- Switching topics mid-video, because if you start on patience and end on salvation, neither one actually lands.
- Mentioning the verse once in passing instead of building around it.
- Trying to fit your whole testimony into 90 seconds when a single moment would hit harder.
Quick Prep: For the Person on Camera
Target: 1:30 to 2:00
1
Pick one verse that maps to something real in your life
2
Write one sentence about the struggle that verse speaks to
3
Write one sentence about what shifted because of that verse
4
Say the verse out loud a few times, since it's your opening line
See It In Action
Wrestling and Serving
FCA Wrestling Athlete Testimony