Hi, my name is Eveline Wiebe, and I am studying at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here) to be a minister to seniors. I live in Manitoba, Canada, with my husband, Feterly of 16 years, and four beautiful children. I’m a redeemed daughter of the King and forever thankful that he choose me to take part in building his kingdom.
I grew up in a Christian home and community in Paraguay, South America. There I went to Sunday school, church, and evangelistic events. When I was 12 years old, I decided to give my life to the Lord and follow Him for the rest of my life. Even though I didn’t really live in a close relationship with God in my teen years, the decision I made when I was 12 helped me conquer many temptations. I was baptized when I was 18, shortly before I got married.
Challenges and Growth
In 2008, I moved to Canada with my young family, leaving all parents and siblings behind in Paraguay.
In my early to mid-twenties, I was in a deep depression where I struggled with taking care of my growing family, let alone my marriage or myself. Because of this, we struggled in our marriage, with communication being the biggest struggle.
Through all these years, the Lord has been faithful and never given up on me. I’m glad I went through these years of depression since I can now relate to others on a similar journey. I can tell them to hang in there as it will get better.
In the last few years, I have been growing very close to the Lord. He has sent me amazing friends and mentors and has helped me be consistent in my devotions. Over the last few months, God has directly spoken to me through scripture quite often. He has shown me His plan for me. Part of this plan is to move back to Paraguay to be reunited with our extended family and serve the Lord there.
A Minister to Seniors
This plan also involves becoming a minister to seniors. It is my passionate calling to serve those who are on the last stretch of life. I can remind them of God’s never-ending love for them and bring joy to their days. I have had the awesome privilege to work in the recreation department of a senior home for the last three years. A couple of times, I even lead the Bible study there. So, it is my spiritual dream to continue serving older seniors.
I’m grateful that my coworker told me about Christian Leaders Institute. Now, I will be able to get great training for my own personal walk with God and serve others better. Thank you, CLI, for giving me and many others this great opportunity.
Scholarships for Free Courses
In 2020, Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here) granted 10,802 study scholarships. Each of these students got access to over 100 college and ministry training classes and low-cost programs that kept students out of debt!
So many Christians would love to study Biblical college-level courses. College costs continue to skyrocket. Read here about skyrocketing student debt.
Christian Leaders Institute Scholarships for Free Courses
Since 2006, Christian Leaders Institute has been offering scholarships for free courses online. Now over 100 study courses are offered to students who are granted scholarships. A limited amount of scholarships will be granted each year for free study. So far, we have been able to meet the demand. You apply for the scholarship by simply completing the Getting Started Scholarship Class. If scholarships are available, the Getting Started Scholarship class will allow you to enroll. You have one month to complete the scholarship class, or you may have to attempt to enroll again. Study scholarships are granting to any student that completes the Getting Started Scholarship Class. This activity-class takes less than two hours to complete.
After completing this scholarship course, which takes less than two hours to complete, you are welcome to study the following topics.
My name is Angela Bergmann. Born in Southern Manitoba, I have lived in Manitoba my entire life. I am a stay-at-home mom to five children, all teenagers.
I grew up going to church with my family. My parents were both Christians, and I read my Bible, went to Sunday School, and memorized scripture from a very early age. I gave my life to Christ several times as a child because I was scared to go to hell.
When I was 19, my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I prayed fervently for God to heal my mom. I watched her fade away over the next eight months. She held close to her faith until the angels came to take her home to heaven. Although her life and faith were a wonderful testimony, I struggled to understand why God hadn’t answered my prayer. As a result, I drifted away from a God I could no longer trust.
I met my husband on a blind date a year after my mom died. We got married less than a year later. Fortunately, he was a strong Christian, also born and raised in a God-fearing home. We’ve been through many struggles together including two miscarriages, house fire, several career changes, and a small business start-up. However, because of my trust issues, our relationship suffered as each of our children came along. We ended up getting help from a Christian marriage therapist five years ago. We put in the hard work of repairing our relationship, and we’ve continued to grow closer and closer since that time.
At around the same time, I was struggling as an in-home personal trainer for postpartum women. My physical health made it difficult for me to do the things I loved. My mental health was also affected due to chronic injuries that seemed to multiply. God had laid it on my heart two years earlier that He wanted me to study His Word. However, I continued to busy myself with many other things instead. It took a few other issues in my personal life for me to realize that I needed to stop running away from God and the calling He had put in my heart.
In 2019, I began to say “no” to what I wanted and “yes” to God. I was working as a freelance writer at the time. I quit my writing contracts one by one. God had to pry the last one out of my untrusting hands. We needed the money more than I needed to study my Bible, right?
I got into the Word only to realize I knew very little about the Bible. In my quest to study the Bible more effectively, I took several online courses here and there. When COVID hit and more online learning options arose, I figured that I might be able to find a reputable Bible school that would fit my schedule and budget. I started by taking an evening course at Millar College of the Bible. In December 2020, I stumbled upon CLI. The scholarships for free courses fit our family’s tight budget, and the flexible learning was perfect for my role as a busy mom and wife.
Studying the Bible has blown my mind wide open to who God truly is. I now see why my mom was able to trust God as she faced her inevitable death. My appetite for the Bible continues to grow, and I’ve found that same peace in God that she had. Praise God, He has been so good to me!
Are you interested in being trained and licensed to legally officiate weddings?
Christian Leaders Institute has a program that may fit you. Thousands have become clergy and have been posted on the Global Clergy Directory at the Christian Leaders Alliance.
Licensed Christian Wedding Officiant Program
Step One – Enroll at Christian Leaders Insititute – Complete the Getting started Scholarship Class/Activity at Christian Leaders Institute. This takes less than two hours and grants you a study scholarship.
Step Two -Complete the Licensed Christian Wedding Officiant Course (1 Credit)
This Licensed Christian Wedding Officiant class teaches you the best Christian wedding officiant practices. This course may take you 15-20 hours to complete.
Step Three – Complete the Licensed Christian Wedding Officiant Recognition Class (0 Credits)
You must receive one recommendation from someone in your life that you are a person of Christian character.
After you complete all the class activities, you will be licensed to officiate a wedding with the Christian Leaders Alliance. You will be considered a licensed clergy member and appear in the global clergy directory.
You may also purchase a clergy recognition kit.
Richard Doolan’s Story
My name is Richard Doolan, USA, and I am studying at the Christian Leaders Institute to become a licensed wedding officiant (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). I was raised in a religious family but had no relationship with Jesus Christ. When I left my boyhood home, I walked away from the church and wandered spiritually. I always had a belief in God, though I did not know the Bible. It was never anything anyone read in our home.
After my wife and I married, we waited 6 years to have kids. We both (miraculously) came together one day with the desire to go back to church. However, we did not just go back but wanted to learn, read, and study the Bible. Knowing no other church but what we grew up in, we searched for Bible studies in those churches. But, we could find none.
A year or so went by when, by God’s grace, my wife’s cousin came back home from the west coast for a short time. She began attending the church we have now attended for 27-28 years. Then, she invited my wife, who went with her several times before I began to attend. Feeling the power and love of God in that church for probably the first time in my life, I gave my life to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, in 1983. My wife followed shortly after that.
Study at CLI to Become a Licensed Wedding Officiant
As I said, I have been a Christian for 27-28 years. Over this time, my wife and I have walked with the Lord in various ministries at our local church. I am currently a Deacon there, teach Sunday school, a prison Bible study (which will continue when Covid-19 restrictions relax again), and currently lead a men’s virtual Bible study.
My niece, who we are very close to even though she lives 1100 miles away, has asked me to officiate her wedding in June. I believe God has led me to the Christian Leaders Institute to become a licensed wedding officiant. I don’t know where God will lead me regarding CLI after this, but as in all things, I am open to His leading and direction.