Educational Opportunity for Free at Christian Leaders Institute
Hello, my name is Denna, and I am blessed to have this educational opportunity for free at CLI. I am from Virginia (USA). I am the youngest of three children born to Cecil and Rosella Garretson. My parents were church planters until my father made his move up to Glory on November 15, 2006. My daddy’s father was a Church of God pastor and a coal miner until he passed away in 1956 when my father was a teenager.
Papaw Garretson started churches in WV, VA, and NY. His last church was the Marlinton Church of God in Marlinton, WV. My parents were involved in starting several churches in VA, including the Spotsylvania Church of God and Stafford Church of God. My brother, Troy, attended Lee University to become a pastor and was over Christian Education at the Stafford Church of God. I was born and raised Church of God.
Marriage and Church Homes
I was born in Stafford County, VA, in 1982. I met my husband in 2000 after graduating high school, and we married February 14th, 2002. We had our first daughter in 2003, our second in 2005, and our surprise in 2009. My husband is a Marine, so we have traveled and experienced places and things many do not get to experience. We have lived in North Carolina, Hawaii, Rwanda, Denmark, North Carolina, and now we are home in VA.
In North Carolina, I attended a Church of God. In Hawaii, I found a Four Square that I loved. We participated in a missionary church in Rwanda. Back in North Carolina, we attended the protestant service at the Base Chapel. However, I am Pentecostal to the bone.
Called to Serve in Youth Ministry and Praise and Worship
Seventy-three percent of Virginians claim to be Christian, according to https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/virginia/. Our church is located in Falmouth and close to drug-infested neighborhoods. We are a small church with an average of 70/80 regular attendees. The church I attend and work in now is non-denominational. I started at Grace Chapel in 2017, singing on the Praise and Worship Team. Later, I became more active teaching Sunday School, Junior Church, and now, I am the Youth Minister and Worship Leader.
My heart is for Praise and Worship and also the teens. Praise and worship are in my bones. I can’t hear music without moving and singing. I have had a call on my life to sing. Finally, I stepped into the anointing, so God can use me to bring others into His presence. I give God the glory for all He does through me.
January of this year was the first anniversary of our youth group. I had a burden for the teens in our church in 2018. Therefore, I was given the opportunity in 2019 to start a youth group for middle and high school students. We have 5/6 teens regularly, and we are growing! I am excited to see God move!
Educational Opportunity for Free at CLI
The Christian Leaders Institute and the many courses they offer free of charge are a blessing. Currently, I work full time, have three children, and have had several health challenges over the past year. God is faithful and provides us the desires of our hearts. I desire to grow as much as possible and be a better teacher and worship leader. To have CLI that offers the educational opportunity for free to grow and learn is fantastic! I could not afford to go to university, and our church does not have the funds to send me to training. I pray that God blesses CLI much for the excellent work they do to train and send out disciples to make more disciples.
Learn about ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Enroll in Free Ministry Schooling at CLI
My name is Jamin Bush, and I am glad to enroll in free ministry schooling at CLI. I grew up in the small farm town of Wapakoneta, Ohio. At the age of two, my parents got a divorce, and I lived with my mom. She ended up marrying the mailman, and my dad married the divorce lawyer (it was a small town).
My Early Years
My mother raised me in the church. At the age of eight, I remember one Sunday morning at church. It was when I went down to the altar to give my life to Christ. I was more of a wallflower at church, never really getting involved. I didn’t have a relationship with Christ. It was more knowledge of Christ, not knowing Christ personally.
I had my first asthma attack when I was six months old. On average, I was in the hospital once a month and missed a lot of school time as I got older. The doctor said I was not allowed out in weather under 40 degrees because of my breathing difficulties. Also, living on a farm didn’t help my breathing issues either. I was mainly in my room. That is where I discovered my love for art.
According to the courts, my father had visitation rights every second weekend. In all honesty, I remember years that I would go from one Christmas to the next without seeing him. He was an absent father.
Grown-Up Struggles
I went away to art school when I was 18. It was my first experience away from home, and soon I was joining the party life. I got involved with drugs and alcohol. Depression was also setting in. While I was away, my Mom and stepfather got a divorce. Soon after, my mom got a rare disease called RSD, with which her muscles were slowly atrophying. I left school to care for her. She could do very little physical activity. My mom saw how my life was spiraling out of control.
I started dating a girl and fell in love. Soon we got engaged, bought a house, and moved in together. My mom was upset that we were living together and not married. We had been together for around three years when she left me for my best friend. Their relationship had been going on for a while without my knowledge. Through this loss, my friends sided with her. They told me I should accept it.
So, I decided to move on, and thus, I lost all my friends. At the age of 24, my only friend was my mom. My depression got worse. Besides work, I spent all my time either at my mom’s or in an art studio I had in my basement. Mom always encouraged me to go to church, but I did not listen.
Reconnecting with God and the Church
Then, one Saturday night, I drove around looking for a church that was having Saturday night service. There is a road in my hometown with 15 churches on it. So, I drove down that road. It seemed all of them were closed until I reached the last church. People were going into the church, so I did too. I loved it. It was a very warm and welcoming place.
The senior pastor reminded me of my college professors. I learned a lot from the service and continued to go every Saturday night from then on. A couple of months after going back to church, I was sitting in my basement one night crying. I prayed and surrendered to God’s will as I asked God to use me and make my life worth living. I rededicated my life to Christ.
Marriage and Ministry Service
Two years later, at the age of 28, I met Lindsey. She was the children’s pastor at the church I was attending. I wasn’t sure at first if she was just a pastor reaching out because she felt bad for me or if she liked me. It turns out she liked me! We married on December 28th, 2012. She’s fantastic and a true blessing from God.
In 2015, we moved to Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where we both came on staff at a large church. She was the children’s ministry coordinator, and I was an events supervisor. It was an amazing adventure. Colorado is beautiful, but we were working anywhere from 50 – 75 hours a week. The work and life balance was a struggle.
Then, we discovered an excellent opportunity in Virginia Beach for Lindsey that would fit her skillset, so we moved. We found a new church there. Currently, I assist my wife, who is the children’s ministry director.
God Adventures and Enroll in Free Ministry Schooling at CLI
I have seen God completely flip my life from so much darkness and despair to joy and adventure. The adventure is continuing as I enroll in free ministry schooling at the Christian Leaders Institute. I want to change the world for Christ, and I’m so excited to see what God has in store!
Learn about low-cost college degrees at CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Getting Free Ministry Training at CLI
My name is Zivanayi Mafuta, and I am getting free ministry training at Christian Leaders Institute. I live in South Africa but originated in Zimbabwe. I am the second born of six children of my father and mother.
Early Church Experiences
I started going to the Baptist Church with my parents. Later on, I attended a Catholic School, where I began serving in the church. Later on, I joined the Pentecostal Church. However, by this time, I was wary and without an understanding of the Bible and the gospel message. Yet, the Bible became the best book for my growth and knowledge of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Soon, I was baptized and became a new man in the Lord Christ Jesus.
Ministry Dreams and Getting Free Ministry Training at CLI
When I was a young man, my dream was to consider mission work though being a full-time missionary. My ministry goal is for God’s people to be saved and taught in the faith. My spiritual dream is Christ living in me so that I may proclaim Him to everyone.
And now, getting the opportunity to study with Christian Leaders Institute will help me so tremendously. I am currently serving at my local church as a sound engineer. I believe there is a ministry service for me to do. CLI will equip me spiritually and strengthen me for the task. Thank you, Christian Leaders Institute, for this fantastic opportunity of getting free ministry training!
Learn about ordination opportunities with the Christian Leaders Alliance.