Ordination Journey
My name is Charles Wiegand, and I am on an ordination journey at CLI. I was born in 1971 and raised in Eureka, Illinois, the USA, which is a small farm town in central Illinois. That community had a strong Christian presence and still does today. So, I grew up around a lot of very ethical and good to the core people. My parents took me to church every Sunday. I turned to Christ around age 13 but did not give my life to Him until I was 21 years old.
My Calling in My Ordination Journey
About a year later, I heard the Holy Spirit vividly tell me to quit my job doing concrete work, which I enjoyed. I was to trust Him for my next step in life. I assumed I would become a full-time missionary somewhere, but ended up in Greeley, Colorado, working at a floor covering company. The verses of Isaiah 55:12-13 were my sending verses from God: “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
My Marriage and Ministry
I met my wife, Naomi, in Greeley, and we married in 1995. She received her elementary education teaching degree the same year. We moved to northeast Indiana in 1997 and worked at a children’s home for 3.5 years before moving back to Colorado. At that time, we moved to Aurora, which is a Denver, Colorado, suburb of around 375,000 people.
We have done a lot of informal ministry work over the years with young kids, struggling adults, homeless, etc. In 2012, we started a non-profit ministry to teach teenagers how to work by applying biblical principles. It is still operating during summer breaks from school. I’m a bi-vocational minister and have a small irrigation/landscaping company to help keep our bills paid. Also, a year and a half ago, my wife took a teaching position at the elementary school. It made sense since over half of our kids are grown.
Finding CLI and CLA on My Ordination Journey
I still desire to share the Good News of Jesus with our community. There are so many who do not know Jesus and biblical ignorance seems to be increasing every year. I found the Christian Leaders Institute on the internet. I was looking for a way to get ordained to marry my brother-in-law and was impressed with the sound teaching of Rev. Reyenga.
Hopefully, getting further ministry training and ordained through CLI and with the Christian Leaders Alliance will open up other opportunities to minister here in our community. We have a great opportunity here as there are around 130 different languages spoken in the Aurora Public School system that our younger kids attend, and where my wife teaches.
Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Children’s and Youth Ministry Call from God
My name is Hope Lovisone, and I have a children’s and youth ministry call on my life. I live in Grand Junction, Colorado, in the United States of America. I grew up in a Christian household. We attended the Lutheran church, and I attended the private school at the church. My family was very involved in the ministry work at the church. Often, we were there more than we were at home. My mom worked in the children’s ministry department, and my dad had us in the front row every Sunday.
However, all of this changed very quickly. When my father was offered an opportunity for a promotion, our family relocated to a small mountain town. After this, our lives changed drastically. In the first few months, we made attempts at finding a new church home but never really connected anywhere. This fact caused us to fall away from the church altogether. Sadly, it was during very formative years for me. Therefore, I lost a lot of my faith in God.
Back to God and Getting a Children’s and Youth Ministry Call
It wasn’t until we moved again that I found my way back into God’s loving arms that were always waiting for me. During a battle with depression and anxiety, a new friend invited me to church. I quickly connected and fell back in love with Jesus. I began serving in multiple areas in the church. God has given me a children’s and youth ministry call. So, I have been volunteering in these areas for roughly seven years.
Free Ministry Education for My Children’s and Youth Ministry Call
It is now time to pursue God’s calling for me in a new way. I have known that I wanted to expand my education in ministry so that I can continue to grow as a servant of God. However, as a full-time employee at a retirement home and a full-time wife and animal mom, time and finances are both limited. The resources that the Christian Leaders Institute provides are perfect for my lifestyle. Traditional education can’t provide those.
I am excited to continue to follow God’s plan for me. I am so thankful that He has opened up doors for me to follow my children’s and youth ministry call through training at CLI.
Interested in ordination? Check out the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a college degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
High-Quality Bible Education Free at CLI
My name is Roy Paul Koola, and I am receiving a Bible education free at CLI. I was born in 1964 to a Syrian Catholic family and brought up in that faith. My schooling started at Nirmala Convent School, Ayyanthol, Thrissur, Kerala, India. I went there until fourth grade. After that, we moved to the capital city, Thiruvananthapuram, where my father got a job transfer. I studied at St. Mary’s School in Pattom. While I was studying, I wished to become a Catholic priest. So, I completed the required form and sent it to the seminary. I waited for a reply, but I did not receive a call or any response.
Wanderings
Then I went to study at the Government Arts College. However, I was not interested in my studies, disobeyed my father, and did not submit to anybody. I went on my way through worldly lust and pleasures and lived a life without fear of God. Also, I became an atheist and lived in a communist way of thinking. I was defeated by failure but was stubborn and rebellious.
Then I got an opportunity to work in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the age of 21. My marriage was made at the age of 24 by the parent’s suggestion and arrangement. However, I could not take my wife abroad after our wedding. Therefore, I quit the job and returned home to live in Cochin. At that time, my struggles began. I had neither money nor a job. By the time my wife was pregnant, I was thinking about how to live and go ahead. Everyone had forsaken me, and I was sad with a heavy burden. I lost my peace and hope.
Renewed Faith
It was then that I wanted to escape from the situation. Somehow I went to Potta Catholic charismatic Ashram for prayer and to meditate on the word of God. There, Father Panakal’s speeches inspired me, and God visited me by His kindness. With a broken heart, I made my first call upon God. I submitted myself a little before God and got some relief. Soon, I got a visit Visa to go to Dubai, U.A.E., where I got a job. Immediately, my family joined me.
There, we had an opportunity to go to the Pentecostal meeting (I.P.C.) There we found a good spiritual experience. I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. At the age of 30, I received water baptism and dedicated and consecrated myself to God. I began to read the Word of God and studied the Bible through a correspondence course. Furthermore, I spent time listening to the Word of God and Bible commentary while driving the car.
Growing in God
To know God and a desire to be like my Master Jesus was my zeal. The Holy Spirit filled me. God taught me to understand the deeper truths and revealed His Word. Later, I started to send word to people through Facebook/Website. I am Jesus’ disciple, a partner of the gospel, and a witness for Jesus Christ.
God helped me to arrange a marriage for my daughter. The next year, I lost my job and returned to India with my family, and our son born there. We prayed to God to show us which church we should attend. God brought us to a New Testament Church with Pentecostal doctrines in 2000. God cared for us and met our spiritual and physical needs, gave us counsel, and led us in victory. By the grace of God, we are doing God’s work with joy.
Praise, glory, thanks be to the Holy God, who has done great things to me with all goodness, mercy, and kindness. Hallelujah! I have tasted that the Lord is good. Knowing God and getting closer to Him is the greatest thing we can do in this life. We cannot waste our lives and time since we have to lay hold of God’s kingdom in leading people to heaven! We are also waiting for the Lord’s return soon.
A New Beginning and Bible Education Free at CLI
Currently, we are in Dallas, Texas, in the U.S.A., at my daughter’s house. One day, I was searching for further Bible study. I found the Christian Leaders Institute in January 2020. However, I was not convinced since it is not of a Pentecostal or Baptist background and continued searching.
But, by the Holy Spirit’s guidance, I know I am to study a CLI. I also want to become an ordained minister with the Christian Leader Alliance. Now, I am convinced that it is a better place for my requirements. Furthermore, I understand that the professors are all Spirit-filled teachers anointed by the Holy Spirit. They are very generous people conducting all by the belief, “The just shall live by faith.” The Bible education free at CLI is a great blessing! I pray that God continues to bless CLI to equip believers to become Christ’s faithful disciples.
Learn about degrees at the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.