I am Ryan Wilson. Trista, my wife of thirteen years, and I live in Tennessee. I work in the manufacturing sector. Trista and I have six children, and she is pregnant with our 7th child, due in June. My hobbies include gardening and cooking. A born-again Christian for 12 years, I currently work in the children and youth programs at my local church. Furthermore, called to minister to children and youth, I am a student at the Christian Leaders Institute.
I grew up in the Catholic faith and attended a Catholic elementary school. I then went on to a secular high school. During high school, I continued to study at Sunday school. However, after high school, I discontinued going to church. I finished high school and stopped my pursuit of faith. Ten years later, when my daughter was born, I began asking myself questions about reality. So, I started to investigate other religions. Ultimately, I was led back to God.
My Salvation in Christ
Then, one night, during a very uncertain time in my life, I started to pray the rosary. It was the only thing I knew to do from my Catholic upbringing. Halfway through praying the rosary, I put it down. Fully aware of my own wickedness and sin and my deep desire for Christ as my Savior, the Holy Spirit convicted me. I broke into tears, and my prayers changed to a repeat of the words, “I need You.” I continued to cry out to Jesus in complete submission to Him while I repeated those words.
After what seemed like an hour of crying, which was probably only about ten minutes, I felt complete peace roll over my entire being. I no longer had the burden of my sin. The crying continued. However, the words changed from “I need You” to “Thank You, I love You.” That was a Friday night. I went to the church closest to my home the following Sunday morning. The Pastor immediately welcomed me and asked me to join a small group. The following Tuesday night, I attended my first small group Bible study. Ever since the night I was born again, my life has been different, and God is a major part of my life.
Called to Minister to Children and Youth
I am interested in learning more to equip myself as I am called to minister to children and youth. Further, I want to become more adept in my knowledge of the Bible. Having six kids, being middle-aged, and attending college and/or seminary is not an option. I look forward to studying at the Christian Leaders Institute. The tuition-free courses at CLI allow me to pursue my ministry calling and to support others for Christ. I aim to gain the knowledge to minister to the children and youth in my local church and to shepherd them into adulthood with a strong foundation in their relationship with Christ.
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.
I am Brenda Gonzales from Emmetsburg, Iowa, USA. A student at the Christian Leaders Institute, I am studying to be a chaplain in a hospital and hospice setting. I love the Christian Leaders Institute, and I am learning so much there.
My Story
I gave my life to Jesus 35 years ago. My husband and I were not on good terms, so I planned to leave him. The Lord spoke to me (I wasn’t even a Christian yet) and told me to go home. I was to tell my husband what I was doing and where I was taking our boys. I went home. When I got home, I found out my husband had come to know Jesus! A few days later, I, too, received Jesus as my Savior. We then received baptism and the Holy Spirit. We have never been the same. After that, we read our Bible and went to an Assembly of God church.
Called to be a Chaplain in Hospice and Hospital Settings
I went to college and got my AA, then my BA, then my MA, all in education. I taught special education, and then I retired. However, I am taking the Chaplaincy classes at CLI because Jesus is calling me to be a Chaplain in a hospice or hospital setting. I have been helping people get to heaven already, so I might as well make it official. God has called me to people who are close to death. Jesus has even allowed me to see glimpses of heaven when I minister to people in hospice!
I don’t think anyone is too old to learn. I am 70 years old and want to start a new career! Christian Leaders Institute is helping me to do that. Thank you!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, which will automatically enroll you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.
Tuition-Free Classes for Ministry at CLI
My name is Earnest Heard Jr., and I am from the United States of America. I’m a father of three and happily married to my dear wife. Furthermore, I am a student at the Christian Leaders Institute. The tuition-free classes for ministry and the Bible prepare me for ministry service.
Lead Me, God, I Want to Follow
Born and raised in a Christian household, I was part of the church for most of my life. I thank God that I live in the things taught me when I was young. However, I did many things that I’m not proud of. I ran from God and left the church because I was running. Sadly, I did what I did and was also wrong for doing it. As a backslider, I loved to party with women because I wanted to please myself.
However, there came a time when I had to stop running from God. My life went downhill, which led me to repent, ask for forgiveness, and come back to God. Thankfully, God never turned His back on me. Now, I’m a minister at church, testifying that even when you mess up, if you repent, the Lord will forgive you.
I want to take these tuition-free classes for ministry to grow more in my knowledge of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am thankful to have found the Christian Leaders Institute!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, which will automatically enroll you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.