My name is Dennis R. Sumner, Jr., and I live in Union, South Carolina, USA. The tuition-free online minister and Bible training at the Christian Leaders Institute are preparing me for ministry (Learn more about studying the Bible online, Click Here).
My Beginnings
I was born into a low-income family situation. The way that many very close members of my family chose to deal with that was to become criminals and drug addicts. Some of the closest members of my family spent many years in prison. Therefore, I spent most of my childhood being transported from one detention facility to another to visit my relatives.
I had a good experience with school and did very well with academics as well as extra-curricular activities. I spent a lot of time with my friends. So, I filled my days from the time the sun rose until sunset busying myself with many of these things. However, I always knew that something was missing.
My Spiritual Journey
I did not grow up in a church setting, but I knew of the principles and teachings. I knew who Christ was, but I didn’t know Christ. One day, two ladies came to my door and told me that their church was beginning a bus ministry. So, they were going door-to-door along the route to find people interested in a ride to church in case they did not have transportation. I took these saints up on their offer and prepared myself for what I thought would simply be a new experience.
However, God opened my eyes to a family that I needed. They introduced me to a Savior that I quickly learned I needed even more. At 17, I gave my life to the Lord and vowed to be committed to Him with my life and my love.
He has been with me through those early family struggles, six difficult years in the United States Navy, a divorce, a long period of loneliness, a new love, a loving marriage, children, and grandchildren. There have been many struggles along the way. I’ve fallen many times. Many of those times, I was doubtful that I could rise up again. However, God was always faithful in lifting me up, encouraging me to move forward, and giving me peace.
Minister and Bible Training at CLI
God has given me a heart of love and compassion for my neighbor. My earnest desire is to please Him and to encourage others to come to know the love that I have found in surrendering to and serving Him. I want to move forward in a ministerial mode and learn how to help others in their walk with God. So I looked online and found the Christian Leaders Institute for ministry and Bible training. What a blessed opportunity!
I pray to use my knowledge and skill as a minister to glorify Him and lift up His Holy name.
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, and Diplomas with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- College Degrees with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here
I’m Caushika Fernando from Colombo, Sri Lanka. I am a student at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about studying the Bible online, Click Here). I wanted to follow a course in Theology after my graduation. However, I’m not earning since marriage, so it was not financially feasible. Spending time and money on traveling for lectures would have inconvenienced my family. The Christian Leaders minister training being free, online, and flexible to do at my own pace was unbelievable!
Although a stay-at-home mom at present, I’m a teacher of Music and English and served as a visiting Instructor of English at a university before marriage. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and a Diploma in Technology(Civil). Also, I have excelled in music as well. In addition, I am an Anglican and a Sunday School teacher.
Being a Christian Leaders Ministry Student in a multi-religious and multi-cultural society is challenging. Many people are money minded, selfish, and competitive. Even those who are financially stable seem to lack something. As a result, they have a sense of insecurity and no peace of mind. There are many trials and daily struggles for me, too. However, the difference is that, as a Christian, I have hope.
My Youth
I’m the first child of three born to Anglican parents from generational Christians. I drew closer to the Lord through a great tragedy in our family. It was when we lost the elder of my two younger brothers, who was just 11 years old. His death was so sudden that we were not even given a chance to pray. This puzzle led us to a mighty man of God. The Holy Spirit revealed through that my brother was resting in Jesus and that God intended to use us all for His service.
Later on, during one of his fasting and prayer services, I was convicted of my sins and experienced inexpressible joy! Before, my world used to revolve around my family. Still, since that experience, everyone seemed to be a part of my family. I also felt more sensitive to other people’s concerns and prayed for them with a burden. God changed me.
We continued to serve the Lord in our Anglican church. I played the organ, taught in the Sunday School, and joined the Youth Fellowship and choir. My father served as a lay preacher and warden, while my mother was an active member of the Mothers’ Union. Later on, my youngest brother completed a Diploma in Theology and started serving as a lay preacher. But, by then, we all realized that God’s plans were superior to ours.
My Marriage and Family
Later, our family shifted to the Capital city, where I completed my higher studies. During this time, I married an Anglican, and we’ve been blessed with a wonderful daughter, now 17 years old. Since marriage, I have been a stay-at-home mom and continue to serve as a Sunday school teacher and in the online prayer ministry of our church.
Christian Leaders Minister Training at CLI
My spiritual dream is to be able to reach out to many, especially children, through music as well as various other talents. The Christian Leaders minister training will help me better equip the children in our Sunday school, serve in the Prayer Ministry of our Church more effectively, and reach out to society through my talents more confidently.
May God bless Christian Leaders Institute more and more!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, and Diplomas with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- College Degrees with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here
My name is Gregory Clarke. I currently reside in Kitchener, Ontario, but was born and raised in Hamilton and remained there until early 2020. Someone told me about the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about studying the Bible online, Click Here). Thus far, being a CLI student has been very rewarding. One of my greatest desires was to get to know Christ on a deeper level. Studying who He is, during the times He lived in and throughout Biblical redemptive history, and learning about God more, allows me to fellowship, understand and love Him on a deeper level. The youth pastor training at CLI is my next step in ministry training.
My Journey
Born in the mid-’70s, I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s. Ronald Regan, the Cold War, BMX bikes, the birth of hip-hop and rap, Televangelists, Transformers, and the like are what I grew up on. My family had a strong Christian upbringing in Jamaica, so going to church was normal for me.
My parents divorced in the mid-’80s, which was a very taboo thing in the church those days. For me, it was a very different experience. I didn’t even know what a “divorce’ entailed. I didn’t talk much as a child and kept to myself. Kids teased and bullied me quite a bit. However, in 1986, I was saved at my family church. I had doubts about my salvation, but a few years later, while attending People’s Church in Hamilton, a few good brothers in Christ prayed for me and reassured me.
Spiritual Wake Up
Things were “quiet on the Western Front,” as it were, in my spiritual walk with Christ. However, in 1995, God woke me up to Who He really is! Some call it “the infilling of the Holy Ghost” or “being baptized in the Holy Spirit.” The bottom line, God got my attention for keeps. From that time on, in every area of my life, God has been working in me.
People’s Church had a bus ministry at the time. There, I was a bus captain to some of the roughest kids for the Sunday school that we picked up from the North end district of Hamilton. Wow, they really pushed my limits.
However, one particular day my patience ran very thin. Before the day even started, I thought to myself, “Oh great, not those kids again.” No sooner had that statement come out, than God sternly spoke to me. He said, “Those are My kids you’re talking about.” It may have been a “small, still voice,” but it was stern and firm. I’ll never forget it! Not only did I humble myself and ask for forgiveness, but He also gave me a heart for the youth. I ended up loving those kids the way God intended.
Heart for Youth
That heart for the Youth has never died, and it’s still there. Throughout my years, through bad relationships, bad decisions, tragedies beyond my control, trials, and triumphs, God has kept me, continually molded me, and is still working inside of me.
In early 2022, my hunger for God grew deeper. I knew that if I were to be used by God in any way, apart from God’s favor and blessing, I needed to be equipped. I had heard of the Christian Leaders Institute a while ago and took some classes. However, I never finished… now it’s a different story.
I desire to allow God to use the gifts of writing, storytelling, and drawing to reach, preach and teach to the youth of this generation. There were doubts that I struggled with, on many levels, because of all the things that I have been through in the past. My thinking has been, “God?…. How in the WORLD can you use me, when my past sucks!”
Yet, in His loving wisdom and grace, God spoke, “Because someone needs a father figure to have my love pour through to receive.” God always has the last say.
Youth Pastor Training
Friends and family, as of late, God has planted the seed in me to become an official youth pastor. I don’t have ten years, or more, to do a lot of training, with all due respect. However, CLI does have the youth pastor training tools that I need to take the next step.
For me, free youth ministry training is essential, because it’s important to be equipped. And not just for the obvious reason of education, but for everyday life. We are all called “…be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks us to account for the hope and confident assurance, elicited by faith, that is within us, yet to do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15 paraphrased). It’s important to be equipped, on every level.
As God continues to lead me down this amazing path, I not only know He has a lot in store for me regarding Youth Ministry, but that my latter years are becoming greater than my former years! Praise God!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, and Diplomas with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- College Degrees with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here