My Journey to Free Training for Ministry
My name is Jerry Margiotta, and the following is my journey to free training for ministry at CLI. I was born and raised in the Bronx, New York (USA), in some of the toughest neighborhoods. I am presently living in Long Island, Suffolk County, New York. God had his hand on my life. Guiding and directing my path. Although I made some bad choices, His hand and His calling on my life were always there.
When He promises never to leave me nor forsake me, He never went back on His word. He never breaks his covenant. One of my favorite scripture verses is in Philippians 1:6 “be confident in this very thing that He who began a good work will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” I will stand on that promise and claim it over my life.
Early Life
I am the youngest of three children from both of my parents. Growing up as a child was extremely difficult. There was depression in my household. I was molested as a child and had my struggles with addictions. Cheated death more times than I can count on one hand, I give God all the glory! If it were not for His hand on my life, I would’ve died a long time ago.
At the age of eight years old, I had my first encounter with my Lord Jesus. Growing up as a Catholic, going to church on Sunday was just a ritual. I never understood what was going on due to the fact the mass was said in Latin. I remember as a child walking into the Catholic church when it was empty, I sat in the back of the church, asking, “God, where are you?” Then, I felt the overwhelming presence of God’s peace flooding over me, and tears filled my eyes. My desire, even at that young age, was to know more of the Lord.
Growing up as a teenager, I did not know why God was always on my mind. I remember hearing those taking the Lord’s name in vain. It offended me and made me defensive. I never knew or was involved with any Christians or that I needed to receive Christ as my Savior.
Marriage and Salvation in Christ
I remember dating my wife and having frequent conversations about the Lord. Then, when we got married, we planned to raise our family in a Godly home. My wife, Lori, had a similar experience as a child of three years old when the Lord revealed himself to Her. God certainly matched us together to serve as a team, and we have.
We both received Christ together. In January of 1977, my wife’s cousin, a born again Christian, was dying in the ICU unit in the hospital. As he was close to passing into eternity, the pastor of his church approached my wife and I. He shared the salvation and the redemption story of Jesus. I have never heard it explained to me that way. Quickly, I said yes and accepted Jesus into my heart. I realized it’s a relationship, not a religion.
My Spiritual Dreams and Free Training for Ministry at CLI
My spiritual dream and passion are to teach, start a home church, lead the lost to our Savior, and do men’s ministry, especially to those with addictions. The Lord also used me several times in healing. It is a desire of mine to be used for the hurting and those who need healing. God will use all of my failures in the past for those with similar struggles and circumstances. I am new, breaking through, and rising up for God’s call on my life. Here I am, Lord, send me!
Christian Leaders Institute will further my abilities, education, and growth in God’s word. At first, I was somewhat suspicious of this ministry because I had bad experiences with internet ministries. However, after taking the connection course at CLI, I saw that they have a firm foundation and a real love for serving in ministry. I hope to absorb as much as I can and to do more and more for God’s glory through CLI as I become more involved here.
Free training for ministry was a game-changer for me. Unable to pay expensive tuition fees, it was a confirmation of how I could advance and expand my knowledge of the word of God and not be unhindered by the cost. I will be one who gives back and not one who just takes. I support this ministry and help those who cannot afford legitimate Bible training. Blessings to you all! Thank you, CLI, for your obedience to our Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
My Call to Minister to Teen Mothers
My name is Amy Walker, and I minister to teen mothers. Currently, I live in Florida. Born in Pennsylvania, I have one older brother and one younger sister. I grew up in Pennsylvania and learned at a very young age about Jesus. I grew up in a Southern Baptist Church. When I was a young child, my whole family walked forward in church one Sunday to be saved, baptized, and become members of the church.
Early Years
We moved quite a bit during my childhood. Friends were hard to make and were very few in my life. My parents both worked, so my grandparents raised us. Once my mother stopped working, she tried to become the authority figure in my life. However, to me, that was a position my grandmother held. I fought with my mother my entire life.
When I was 11, I began hanging out with older kids. I talked and acted like them. I started smoking and cussing. People would call me a problem child. I always snuck around and went with the wrong kids. They were more fun to hang out with than kids my age.
Trauma and Rebellion
When I turned 13, I found myself in a situation. My brother’s best friend from the Army raped me. It was brutal, and my mother blamed me for what happened. I was 13. How could that have been my fault? She told me that God didn’t love children who acted this way. Throughout my childhood, I heard that God loves all His children. So how could He not love me now?
We moved to Colorado shortly after to start a new life where no one knew what I had done. However, that didn’t last long. When I was a few months from turning 15, I became pregnant. I was told how horrible I looked to God and to stay in the house so no one would ever know. That didn’t work either. Everyone knew, and guess what, everyone seemed to accept it: everyone but my mother. I was a total disappointment to her.
By this point, I turned my back on God. I blamed him for how my mother treated me, and for all that had happened to me. By the age of 16, married with two kids, my family moved to Florida without me. They told me to lay in the bed I had made.
Struggles
My husband and I and our two children lived with my mother-in-law. Then, I went back to school and got my High School diploma. I started nursing school next. My husband didn’t see the need to work. He wanted to play and have fun. So with the help of my mother-in-law, I worked two jobs while attending nursing school.
I had no idea that resentment was building in my husband towards me until one day when he came home and beat me. I was hospitalized for three months while I recovered. When I was released, my husband, of course, was sorry, and his mom got us our apartment. I came home to what I thought would be a blessing from God. I’m still unsure to this day. Within a few months of living on our own, the beatings started more frequently. He never beat the kids, only me.
The beatings went on for years, and my hatred toward God festered into an uncontrollable rage. I joined a satanic cult and quickly moved up through the ranks. I’m not proud of it, but I was an influential person for Satan at this point in my life. I became pregnant a couple of years later with my third child. Sixteen months later, I was found in an alley propped up against a building half dead. I had numerous broken bones, a collapsed lung, and brain swelling. I was far away from God at this point, and I thought for sure I was dead.
God Steps In
However, God walked in and brought my current husband, Ken. Ken found me in the alley and took me to the hospital. He came every day to check on me. He showed me kindness and love. That love was something I hadn’t seen or felt my entire life. We became friends through the months I spent in the hospital. The day came for me to be released, and sure enough, Ken was there. He took me home to his place, and we went after my kids. It took us 11 months to find them and get custody of them. A few months later, I was divorced and married to Ken. That was 27 years ago this year.
I rededicated my life to serve God and minister to teen mothers. My heart is for those that are locked away in pain and misery. I never turned to drugs, but I have seen many teenage moms that live for their next fix. I had to live the life I did to witness to those that are living that life now. Ken was sent by God to protect and love me. Together, we are fighting Satan daily. I know without a doubt that I am a child of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know first hand the power Satan has, but I also know God is bigger and more powerful.
Finding CLI for Knowledge and Insight
I’m taking these classes here at Christian Leaders Institute to continue to grow closer to God. I want to gain the knowledge required to witness more effectively and to go into the prisons to help those that think God left them. They need to know that God is waiting for them to come back to Him, not the other way around. God is gracious and kind!
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Called as a Restorative Justice Minister
My name is Michael Moss. My calling is as a restorative justice minister who shares the good news of Christ. I was an atheist pulled from the darkness by God’s supernatural love. Because of the love and forgiveness of Christ, I received a second chance and a purposeful focus.
My Struggles
I grew up in an unloving home with abusive parents. When I was 12 years old, I ran away for the first time. I spent the next 14 years in and out of young offenders’ institutions, correctional centers, and prisons. In maximum security, I met my uncle for the first time since I was a child. One week later, he committed suicide. At that moment, I realized I couldn’t live like that anymore. When released from prison, I built a life and eventually met a beautiful woman and started a family.
From the beginnings of my beautiful family, addiction and alcoholism were woven into every aspect of my life. Childhood trauma, depression, and anxiety held me back from letting people into my life. Those trust issues left me alone and bitter. Eventually, my lifestyle, addiction, and selfishness escalated and pushed the people closest to me away. I continued down that path until the thought of suicide was the only thing that gave me a sense of relief.
God Became Real to Me
Then one morning, I sat on the edge of the sofa. My eyesight left me and was replaced with a rolling drum spinning a thousand rpm. As quickly as it came, it went. I walked around the house, dazed and filled spiritually. In the following weeks, I tried pushing what I had seen out of my mind. However, God had a different plan. First, the coincidences started small and were easy to chalk up as randomness. But as two turned to twelve, and twelve tuned to dozens, and people came into my life, one after another, I realized that the God that I thought was superstition was alive. I realized that God wasn’t a billion miles away, he was here. God touched my life personally. He’s guided me, directed me, and loved me.
Called as a Restorative Justice Minister and to Study at CLI
Through the love of Christ, I am a forgiven man. I owe my life to Christ’s love. It is because of that love, that I know what love is. God has given me a dream of sharing the good news of Christ to people with addictions, released from prisons, and struggling in the streets. So I sought free ministry training online. I found the Christian Leaders Institute and started classes. 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.