Here is a comment that was posted in response to elderj's article "Things I miss about the Black pentecostal church" whose link was given in the preceding post:

"Thinking a lot about testifying these days… And being out of my element for far too long. It seems to me that many majority churches are craving the connection that sharing testimony provided in black church communities. These churches are beginning to incorporate testimony as a way of building community while at the same time, black Pentecostal churches are leaving the tradition behind. Would love feedback on this.
-Angel; February 23, 2008

-snip-

See this excerpt of an online article about church "testifying":

"I Just Want to Testify

Many churches (including Pentecostalists, African-American Churches, many African churches, some Methodists, and some Latin American base communities) have found that the practice of sharing testimony has been helpful in discovering how God works in daily life. As Christians live, and find out how God works in their own lives, they share it with each other in worship, in prayer meetings, or in other churchly meetings. Anyone can testify, and thus anyone can take part in the process of discovery. The testimonies are sorted out over time, as those who hear the testimony try out these things in their own life through the 'Bible eyes' that the Spirit gives them, and find the truth or untruth in them.

Since anyone can testify and anyone's testimony can have an effect, the practice of sharing testimony can break down the walls of race, age, gender, or socio-economic class. It can be an eye-opener for visitors who have no idea of how good the Good News can be. It can help people to be less afraid of God and more aware that God is near and at hand rather than at a far distance. Money, illness, conflict, fidelity, young love, addiction, attitude, work, daily encounters with evil -isms, new awareness, sadness, fear : all kinds of matters of who they are and what happens to them are all brought to the Body when testifying. But they're not brought up as matters to discuss or as a laundry list of failings or successes. They're brought up as a place in life where God is at work, where the struggle is bared, where the victories are celebrated and the Source of all true victory is given praise.

There are dangers, though. One danger is that people might think that God is giving them teachings that have authority of their own. Testimony is for learning to live a Christian life, not for defining what a Christian life is. Scripture does that. Another danger is that a testifying church can get caught up in sensational or dramatic testimony. Those who hear it can easily forget that sometimes people are liars, testifying to justify their deeds before others, or (even worse) to draw attention or praise or (worst of all) power to themselves. Everything that the Christian and the church does has to be subject to the weighing, testing, and sorting work of the Spirit through the processes and gifts of discernment. If the church which receives testimony cannot uphold the duty to discern, it may be wiser not to let anyone testify, for such testimony would be out of context and thus be rendered unable to build up the fellowship".

http://www.spirithome.com/parpract.html