Your story’s no good. Here’s a better one.

The Ergun Caner saga trudges along, like an Ernest Shackleton expedition into the cold, dark places no one wants to go; but, face it, we have to. Recently, Liberty University released their official statement following their investigation into the problematic, contradictory stories Dr. Caner has been telling (in the school, in various churches, during interviews, to different audiences) since he was first asked to speak as an ex-Muslim authority post-9/11.

Because Ergun Caner has not either (1) publicly reconciled the contradictions in his testimony, (2) repented of the lies told (not misstatements) and resigned of any leadership, authority position at Liberty, or (3) indicated how he will deal with these problems of his within the context of his local congregation, this story is not going away. Like it or lump it.

Analogy. Let’s say your pre-teen told you he (I only have boys, so I went with he) had been riding his bike with a neighborhood buddy this afternoon. In reality, he had taken the bus with Johnny down to the strip mall and spent his $10 at an internet cafe and a Tall Mocha. You know what he was doing; you work at the Starbucks across the street from the strip mall with the rival Starbucks. You watched the story unfold. You say to him, “Boy. You told your mother you were riding your bike with Johnny. But I saw you go in that place by the Piggly Wiggly. What’s the deal?” He says to you, “I’m sorry. I misspoke to mother dearest.”

Misspoke? It was a lie. To misspeak would be to say you sat on the right side of the bus when you were actually on the left and you just forgot. But to tell a different story altogether? That’s a lie. Politicians know it, which is why they keep pushing the words misstatements and misspoke; the more those words are used, the more people forget about the quite condemning word lie. Christians, in the spot light or not, are far from immune.

But, what about Dr. Caner? His story post-9/11 was not embellished for the sake of keeping himself from discipline. He didn’t create a new story about himself in order to hide some sordid, troubled past. On the contrary, he created this former Jihadist Muslim persona in order to either get in the spot light, or grab more attention, or be placed in positions where he could have some influence in the discussion (whatever discussion that might be). He lied about his testimony in order to look like more of an extremist Muslim—or at least going down that road—than he ever was. So, we need to adjust the analogy a bit.

Your teenager, with his buddy Johnny, went up to Jenny and started chatting. He was into her and wanted to ask her out, but thought she wouldn’t be excited about him if she found out he was cooking and Chinese Chess. So he told her how his dad always let him take the new Harley to his rugby matches; that is, when the mayor wasn’t calling him for advice. She bought it, agreed to a date, and went on about her day. Johnny pulled your lying lad aside and called him on it: “Are you nuts? You don’t do any of that stuff. You just lied to her. And, you know what? You didn’t have to. Heck, she was going to ask you out yesterday.” And how does Loose Lips Lenny respond? “Oh. Well I misspoke. There are some factual contradictory statements in what I said, but, it’ll be okay. We’ll move on. I’ve got to. I have to get ready for a date.”

While there is so much to say about this shameful situation—and there is much being said about Dr. Caner himself, and constant calls for his repentance—I wanted to focus a little on one of the consequences I’ve noticed so far. People who are whole heartedly supporting Dr. Caner (like Norman Geisler, for example) are knowingly or not supporting the idea that in order to be an effective witness to non-Christians, especially to Muslims, you need a good, exciting testimony.

“Sorry, your story’s no good. Here’s a better one.”

All disciples of Jesus bear a testimony. Our testimony is focused on Christ. Some of us have a background that is filled with major twists and turns, highs and lows. Some of us, like me, had a not so rough past. I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church, but left for the Protestant world with my mother and brothers when I was about 14. I wasn’t on my way to becoming a priest. I wasn’t an alter boy. I wasn’t the troublesome one that got the ruler to the wrist during CCD. I didn’t spit on the priest during my confessions. When I entered the Protestant arena, I started down a new path, but still Jesus was a part of my life. Maybe in a different, new, refreshing way, but it’s not like he was all new to me. There were a couple of bumps in the Protestant road (e.g. a stint within a word-faith sort of congregation, with all of the Benny Hinn, Ken Copeland sort of trappings), but they happened during the teen years when I was having trouble grasping a lot of life. We moved on to a more conservative church and I went to a conservative Christian college, and things moved along as I grew in the Lord. Around the time my then future wife and I met is when I started to head down the road of drastic change, leading to where we are today: no longer Protestants, embracing more and more the Anabaptist legacy we’ve embarked on, caring about community and seeking authentic Church and Kingdom, etc.

It’s nothing like the story that Dr. Caner has been telling these past 9 years. I wasn’t trained to strap a bomb to my chest in a madrasa. Does that mean that I am not qualified to either witness to Muslims or to share with and teach other Christians about how to dialogue with Muslims? I never did drugs, tasted a drop of alcohol, or was the wild and promiscuous ladies man? Does that mean I have no place to go talking with folks in the middle of that or who have had struggles in those areas?

Do I need to change who I was and who I am for the sake of Jesus? Can I not be an effective part of the community of disciples unless my testimony is up to New York Times Best Seller snuff? The ends justify the means?

My testimony is personal, unique, and special. And, you know what? It’s an effective witness for the Kingdom of God because it’s focused on Jesus. It’s about Him, not me. It is all of grace; it is all of his mighty work in the life of a sinner. Sound familiar? I’m pretty sure every disciple of Jesus can say something similar.

And I can only say that so long as I keep my integrity, not try to make myself out to be someone I am not and never was. I will not disrespect or disregard the work that Jesus has done in me for what I believe is the better story to be told for the sake of Christ.

I recently updated my resume as I’ve been looking into some possible positions. What’s the end I’m looking for? A new job or role where I can continue to be effective, learn more, and earn a higher income to help take care of my family and my community. What are the means? Well, I need to present a resume/CV and portfolio of work I have done (I am a graphic designer). Did I embellish my resume? Did I lie on there? Have I indicated more work than I actually did? No. Here; download it and look for yourself. I stand by everything I said in there with confidence and integrity. And when asked if I have any experience with such and such program I’ve never heard of, I say as much. (You’d be surprised how often in a situation like that the interviewer actually doesn’t care if you know the program or not; the experience doesn’t help you get the job. So just be honest.) If I was hired because of the false me who had all of this false experience and knowledge, it wouldn’t be too long into the position when everyone would know I wasn’t all that honest. My testimony then? A liar, a con whose real skills, which would likely have been good enough to get the job in the first place, are now irrelevant.

We screw up. We make bad choices. We must confess and repent when we do so. Both are difficult, but both are full of integrity and bear a witness to what the Kingdom is about: imperfect people loving each other, lifting each other up, helping each other along the road, and becoming stronger as a community by the help of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Ergun Caner needs to confess and repent. He did not need to lie and embellish his story to get an audience, to be able to teach Christians about Islam, or apologetics. Let’s hear his true testimony, his real story.

There is absolutely no shame in that. Because, remember, it’s not about you and it’s not about me. This is one time the standard Sunday School answer is in fact correct. What’s your testimony about? Jesus.