Free Bible School Training at CLI
My name is Ernesto Mojica-Álvarez, and I am receiving free Bible School training at CLI. I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a beautiful small island in the Caribbean. However, I am now living in the state of Indiana, USA.
I have held different hats throughout my professional life. Currently, I am a Human Resources Director for a Law enforcement department. I’m also a Mental Health Counselor and an Organizational Psychologist.
Most importantly, though, I am a husband of 25 years to Arlene Mojica, my high school sweetheart, and I am a father of two: Jonathan (24), and Paola (22). My wife and I are also active members of the New Creation Ministry Church in Highland, Indiana. We have taken the challenge to develop a lay counseling ministry for the kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Church.
Early Life and Conversion
Like many who were born in Puerto Rico, I was raised mostly with a Catholic background. In Puerto Rico, nearly 85% of the population is Catholic. The other 15% is divided among Protestantism, Islam, and Judaism. But for the most part, I was raised as a non-practicing catholic.
When I was around 22 years old, a friend of mine invited me to a protestant church. I did enjoy the service but never returned. Even though a seed was in me, I was lost in the world, living a secular life. I did not see anything wrong with it. I thought religious people were the ones who were kind of strange. When I think about it now, I believed in the existence of a Higher Power, but never considered one true God and Savior Jesus Christ. The good news is that God always finds a way. He left the 99 and found me.
It Took a Higher Power
On September 20th, 2017, a Higher Power showed up. A Category 5 hurricane named “Maria” with constants winds of over 155 mph devasted Puerto Rico. Maria was the strongest storm to impact the island in nearly 90 years. Over 3,000 people lost their lives. Some other statistics raise that number to over 4,000. It caused over $90 billion in damage to infrastructure and the economy.
In the struggle of the crisis, trying to keep myself at ease and to protect my family, I prayed — something I have not done, purposefully before. I prayed for God to show me the way, and He did!
A few months after living in a struggle, even for basic needs, we re-located to the state of Indiana. With the help of a long-time friend and his Christian family. On December 1st, 2017, we arrived. God was good to us all the time. My wife and I want to say thanks that our prayers were answered.
Through our friend’s invitation, we visited a Baptist Church called New Creation Ministry. We find peace, friendship, and a real Christian community. We felt welcome. As we matured in our faith in time, we both were baptized. I cannot say we found our Savior. It is the other way around. He found us in the middle of the storm.
Free Bible School Training
Now, I am here at Christian Leaders Institute to learn more about God and the Bible. The free Bible School training at CLI is a blessing. I look forward to what God has in store for me in ministry.
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Journey in Ministry Training
Hi! My name is Cynthia Rolon, and I am on a journey in ministry training at CLI. I am from the south side of Chicago. I grew up in a Christian home. Even though I was always in church, I did not have a closeness to God until the age of sixteen. At that time, I received a New Testament Bible that I carried with me. I recited Psalm 25 almost every single day. As I continued to read His Word more, I started to feel His presence in my life. I knew God was calling me, but I did not understand it.
When I was growing up, I would have severe leg pains. At times, it would be so bad that I couldn’t sleep. At the age of seventeen, I decided to go up for prayer after the service was over. I believed that God could heal me. When I was at the altar with my eyes closed, I felt something coming down from heaven. Then, it touched my head and went straight down to my feet. I felt God’s presence in such a powerful and beautiful way. That day I received healing in my legs. That’s when God became so real to me. I was different; I was changed. Something I will never forget is the joy and peace I felt after the healing.
Not too long after, I walked away to fulfill my selfish desires. But God was always with me and leading me back home. I would be lost without God in my life, and even though it took a while to come back, I am grateful to be home where I belong. Thankful for God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Called and on a Journey in Ministry Training at CLI
Now I desire to do God’s will and his calling for my life. So, I am here at Christian Leaders Institute to study for the ministry. The free ministry training at CLI is just what I need. I am eager to see where God leads me on this journey in ministry training.
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My Journey With God
Hello, my name is Mark Bacot, and here is my journey with God thus far. At this time, I am blessed to be getting free ministry training at Christian Leaders Institute. I know God is calling me to serve him in ministry as a Chaplain.
Born in the USA in Fayetteville, North Carolina, I lived there in that area until the army moved me to Texas in my early 20s. I now live in Irving, Texas.
My Journey With God: The Importance of the Church
Here is my story on how the church played a huge part in my life. There is so much to tell; sometimes, I think I could write a book. However, to keep it short, I have left many things out. What you read will give you a clear understanding of what the church means to me and how I came to know Jesus. Also, you will see the enormous part my Savior played in my life even to this day.
From very early on, the church was a big part of my life. In my earliest memories of the time I was at church, I get all these flashbacks to remember certain things that left an impression on me. In Vacation Bible School, for instance, I remember summers that I attended. Even though I participated in every summer, certain ones made more of an impact on my life.
I spent many days out of each week at church, and I can’t remember ever feeling like I had to go because I wanted to be there. It was my second home. Many times, it felt like my real home, surrounded by a large family that was my actual family. I am not sure how many children thought this way growing up in the church, and I imagine more did than ever confessed it.
My Journey With God: The Church Saved My Life
When I say that the church saved me, I mean it saved me. My parents separated when I was maybe two or three years old. My mother remained a single parent until I was seven or eight years old. It was hard for me having a new father as I thought things were good the way they were. My biological father was still a part of my life, and I saw him one weekend out of each month. My father became a minister and started a church where he served until he passed away from cancer when I was around 20 years old.
I didn’t like my new stepfather from the moment I met him. This dislike was not because he was there to take my birth father’s place, but because I saw things in him that I knew were not suitable for my mother, my sister, or myself. He was not a good person, and I saw that from early on. I will not go into detail about what I went through during the years to follow.
However, I will say that without the church, I would not have survived mentally or physically. In my early teen years, suicide was never far from my mind, and the church and the Lord kept me in a place that made it tolerable to live.
My Journey With God: And God Saved My Soul
When I was around 10-11 years old, I had a near-death experience of nearly drowning. This experience changed me, and strange things started happening to me. Not long after this experience, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I asked him to come into my heart, even though he always had been in me. I wanted to profess this to him in the church. Since I knew suicide was wrong, I needed Christ in my heart to continue to keep me secure. I loved Jesus, and after I almost died, I knew it was wrong for me to want to take my own life.
Also, I wanted to make Jesus proud of me and to be able to see him one day. I knew that God had a higher purpose for me at that point. I thought about my mother, sister, and church family that I would be hurting. My mother needed me to encourage her and to keep her strong. It was a lot of pressure on me, and I was close to breaking so many times. It all goes back to the church and my extended family and keeping Jesus close to my heart every day.
My Journey With God: Life Growth
I have long since forgiven my stepfather and moved on from everything that happened in my youth. My stepfather has changed, and I see that. Now, my stepbrother is a minister and works for the Southern Baptist Convention. My mother, sister, and her family are very much involved in the church as always. I have survived cancer twice now. The Lord, my God, is not finished with me.
I found out in 2014 that I had cancer, I kept my faith and remained strong and beat it. Then, in 2018, my cancer returned. I went through eight weeks of daily treatments, and that cancer, thanks to God, was cured as well.
As an ordained minister, I work as a chaplain with hospice patients and their families. I am there for them, offering them spiritual guidance and comfort. Also, I want to help other youth and adults that maybe need guidance or counseling. God has plans for me, and I am blessed to be in his service.
My Favorite Scripture
Psalm 100 1-5
*Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
*Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
*Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
*Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
And his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him, bless his name!
*For the Lord is good:
His steadfast love endures forever,
And his faithfulness to all generations.
Much love and peace to you from the Lord Jesus Christ!
Learn about ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.