Study at CLI to be a Wedding Officiant
My name is Terri Krause, and I am studying at CLI to become a wedding officiant. I live in Elkhart, Indiana, USA. I grew up in poverty. However, my parents were Christians, so we grew up in the church. My view of God was skewed. I saw Him in heaven, holding a huge stick, waiting to beat me if I made a mistake. But, while I didn’t understand my Loving Father and His grace, as a small child, I memorized a lot of Scripture that later proved to help me grow in my faith.
During my senior year of high school, I received a scholarship to a private Catholic University in the Midwest (USA) and earned a BBA in marketing. I had no relationship with Jesus because I didn’t know you could have one.
Saved by God’s Grace
With an excuse not to attend church, I drew further away from God. I married and divorced, met another man, graduated, got pregnant, and married again. With a baby and a second marriage filled with pain, the Lord reached out to me. He spoke to me. I turned the television on one Sunday morning, and a Scripture was at the bottom of the screen. Jeremiah 29:11—”For I know the plans I have for you,” saith the Lord. “Plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Suddenly, I knew God was real. He reached out to me in my grief. I gave myself to Him, and He began to teach me, bringing up the scriptures buried deep in my heart. Now, however, I understood what they meant.
My Work and Study
Today, I have been a Christian for 40 years. I wish I could say I always made the right decisions. That is not the case though. But, God has never abandoned me or condemned me. Instead, He assures me of His love and is gracious to help me. I own a small web development company and have held several managerial positions over the years. Then, in 2009, I was asked to work with an organization helping first-generation students finish high school and go on to college. It was a fantastic experience, and I fell in love with my students and their families.
In 2013, I went back to school to get my Master’s in Education because I felt I needed a learning theory to help my students succeed. Then, I was offered funding to do my doctorate in Learning Design and Technology. My dissertation is on the viability of a fully remote apprenticeship delivery system. I desire to not only expand access to an apprenticeship for students such as mine; but, also to help provide authentic apprenticeship opportunities to pastors in remote areas of the world. I am finishing my dissertation this Spring. We are implementing our first fully remote apprenticeship system in Arkansas this year.
Studying at CLI to be a Wedding Officiant and More
I was directed to the Christian Leaders Institute by a friend because I was asked to officiate a wedding. I wanted to find a training program that legitimately credentialed me rather than merely buying a one-day license. Also, I have been contemplating becoming a Chaplain so that I could visit some of my incarcerated students. I have never been in a church that commissioned or ordained lay people to ministry, so I have not had the opportunity to experience that.
After going through a few of the CLI lessons, I am starting to see that God brought me to this place. I don’t know what He has in mind, just as I didn’t when He offered me the Ph.D. However, I do know He has a plan and is working it out in my life. To Him be the Glory!
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Free Seminary Training at CLI
My name is Luis Perez, and I am receiving free seminary training at CLI. I am from Cuba, but I have been living in the United States since 2015. I was born in a communist country, ruled by a totalitarian dictatorship. My father was born before the Revolution of Fidel Castro. He became a member of the Baptist Church before the dictator started ruling. Before the putsch established the communist government, there was religious freedom in Cuba. So, there was no problem for Christians regarding practicing their religion.
Then everything changed for Christians. Bibles were banned, the police searched houses to seize religious literature, Christians were sent to forced labor camps, and even the celebration of Christmas was prohibited. The Revolution wanted to raise a new generation of young communist men and women that blindly followed the diabolic system.
My Early Faith Journey
My father taught me about the Christian faith since I have memory. However, I did not see the Bible until I was eight years old. The government had to yield to international pressure and allow the celebration of Christian festivities. So, the possibility of buying and having a Bible opened. When I got that Bible, for the first time in my life, my hunger was huge. I could not stop reading the words of our Lord and about the lives of the believers and heroes of the faith.
I grew up and studied Dentistry. Also, I met good brothers of the Assemblies of God in Cuba and started attending their church. Experiencing church life was exciting, and I matured in my relationship with God.
The USA and Free Seminary Training at CLI
Finally, I managed to come to the USA as a refugee. Now I plan to get free proper seminary training and serve Him. While I was in Cuba, I saw many non-Christian practices making their way into the church as well as false doctrines. After arriving in the USA, I saw a lot more of the same. Many church’s beliefs are not biblically supported. Many people go astray by the many doctrines and teachings that seek more to please the world than God.
I do not want to offend anybody by telling them that their beliefs are wrong. However, I do want to be qualified to introduce others to the teachings of the Bible in a proper way. Now. I am starting my studies with Christian Leaders Institute, and I am willing to learn everything as fast as I can. CLI is an excellent opportunity to get free seminary training when you cannot afford to study at a Christian University. There you have to pay per credit hour the money you make working a whole week. It is tough to survive the month on a tight budget. Thank you, CLI!
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Free Church Teacher and Leader Training at CLI
Hello! My name is Leslie Thomas from Sacramento, California, where I have lived all my life. I serve in leadership at Abundant Life Church in South Sacramento. I am 34 years old and married to my husband, Brandon, for 15 years. We have four awesome children ages 13, 10, 6, and 5, who I homeschool. I am excited to study at CLI for free church teacher and leader training.
My Early Church Life
I came to know the Lord at age four, and I have attended Abundant Life my whole life. My knowledge of the Bible and God grew through my education at the Christian School. At age 14, I joined the worship team (at my grandmother’s insistence; she was the pianist). My journey with being a worship leader is thanks to my grandmother. I graduated from Capital Christian School in 2003. I attended one year of college at California State University Sacramento.
At 18, my experience teaching began small with two girls in a Wednesday night elementary Girls Club class. After my church started a bus ministry, the group grew to overflow. It was a significant growth experience teaching un-churched girls who had never heard of Jesus. I began working part-time at my church as the Pastor’s secretary in 2005, one month before I got married. By the next year, 2006, I was pregnant and underwent a harrowing experience in our church. It ended in a church split, including our Pastor leaving and taking many people with him.
Youth Leader
I took over as the Youth Leader for the few youths that were left. There was no one else to lead them. I was 19 years old and had no idea what I was doing. We had no Pastor to mentor me (my father was head of the search committee). For the first time, I felt the weight of leadership. I grew so much through that time. Also, I am thankful to God for sending our Pastor and his wife to our church. For the past 13 years, they have mentored me and helped me grow in my relationship with God exponentially!
I remained the Youth Leader for about five years. I have also been the worship leader at my church since 2006. In January of 2014, I began teaching the adult Sunday School class and have fallen in love with teaching. When my Pastor approached me with the idea for me to lead that class, I was terrified! I had only taught kids and youth. Saying, “Yes!” was one of the best decisions I ever made! The teacher learns far more than the students. God has also used my class to get me through some challenging and dark seasons of ministry, marriage, and life.
Servant of Christ
My life is not my own; I am Christ’s servant as a church teacher and leader. I have learned that it is possible to serve in church without spending much time serving God. The Lord has taught me to put others first and help wherever there is a need out of love for Him, not as an obligation. Because of this, I have taken on other roles over time. In addition to teaching the Adult Sunday School Class and leading worship, I also oversee our Connection Committee. It consists of our Usher Ministry and Guest Lunches held after Sunday Morning Services.
Furthermore, I chair a Pastoral Care Committee, which consists of four other dedicated church members who serve alongside me to care for our Pastor and his family. We meet monthly and talk about how to help, support, and care for them. I consider it one of the most important roles that I hold. I still work part-time at the church as the Secretary and handle all the weekly church office responsibilities. Also, I am the Secretary of the Church Board.
Two years ago, I felt God laying on my heart to volunteer my name for Vice President of the Church Board. The Board elected me, and I still serve in that capacity. I occasionally preach on Sunday nights on a rotation with the other Board Members to assist our Pastor. He was diagnosed with a rare spinal cord disease in 2012, and the Board has taken over preaching on Sunday nights to help. God has given me a passion for preaching that I have never desired or expected.
My Journey to the Christian Leaders Institute
My journey in church leadership explains why I finally decided to apply to the Christian Leaders Institute. I do not feel a call into pastoral ministry, but I do want to be the best church teacher and leader I can be. My spiritual dream is to know God better, to further God’s Kingdom in my life, my family, my church, and the world, to bring others closer to God and to teach others what God has revealed to me.
I have always considered myself to be a student and a learner. I love serving and loving the people that God has given to me. Now, it is time to further my education and have more resources to lead to the best of my ability. My husband and I don’t make a lot of money, and what we do have is quickly spent on our household and children. I have been urged to further my education and had a desire to go back to school for some time. However, I have not had the financial ability. I’m thankful for finding CLI and look forward to this opportunity.
My ministry roles, homeschooling my children, other family responsibilities have been my excuse not to apply. However, I feel God urging me to take this next step. I trust Him to help me find time to fit it all into my life. I’m grateful for what God has done through my life and give Him all the glory!
I’m looking forward to the next chapter.
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.