Neighboring Well
Hello, my name is Dave Fuller and I am neighboring well in my local community. I currently live in a relatively large metropolitan area of western Washington, Seattle, U.S.A. I was told once that this part of the state is one of the most irreligious areas of the country, especially when it comes to Christianity. To serve others in the community is good, but to mention that it was done in the name of Jesus is indifferent to our culture. What most of our culture does not know, however, is that doing good for others is the Christian call. So this is where I find myself today, with help from my local church and Pastor, to love my neighbor and do it well.
I came to the Lord a bit more than ten years ago. I knew from the beginning that I was being called to share my faith. My calling was to evangelize as the Lord leads. In those days, He did in so many ways. My dream is still the same today but in a different way. With my first calling, I traveled in my job and preached the gospel whenever I had a chance, which was often. Today, I am learning to share my faith through good works in my local community by neighboring well. As I demonstrate the love of Christ to my neighbor, I share my faith by giving a reason for the hope that is within me. When asked why I volunteer to help when so many others don’t, I have an opportunity to share about Jesus.
Christian Leaders Institute offers a structure for me as a point of discipline. I am not pursuing pastoral ministry or ordination, but rather a place that I might learn to become a stronger leader in my community as I am neighboring well. The church I belong to has a different form of worship and gathering than the traditional style. We meet in our homes two or three times a month and gather as a whole body once a month in what we call our “Celebration Service.” This style is what we call a missional community (house church), where we eat a meal, worship, participate in the preaching and teaching of God’s word and fellowship together on a frequent basis. The benefit is that those that meet in homes are with not more than 30 people, men, women, and children. They fellowship with one another and are encouraged to utilize their gifts more often. In contrast, whenever I have personally gathered with larger groups, it has been much easier to hide, fit in with the crowd and not have to participate.
I am hopeful, that with my studies here at CLI, I will learn what it takes to be a leader, learn how to utilize my gifts the way God has called me and to make disciples in my community by neighboring well.
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Nicole Has a Heart for Mission Work
My name is Nicole and I have a heart for mission work. I am a married mother of four, three daughters and a son. We are living in the state of Florida in the United States of America. I have two amazing grandchildren, and I am just amazed every day that God has blessed our family so richly! My husband is a wonderful hardworking man. He works at one of the Veteran’s hospitals here in Florida (no, he’s not a doctor). He works long hard hours to provide for our family and I am grateful.
I have grown up in the church one way or another most of my life, but I was quite rambunctious in my teen years. I married young, had children and got divorced. My first husband was not a good man. I was lost and scared for a long while. Then one day it hit me, it was like God Himself tapped me on my shoulder and it all came pouring out. I asked Him for help, I asked Jesus for a worthy man, a partner, a husband, truly a friend. He answered those prayers and reminded me that ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH HIM.
I have a heart for mission work. My dream is to become a Pastor and spend my years in mission work helping and spreading His word. I feel my calling to be a Pastor was not a choice made by me, I feel as though the Holy Spirit spoke those words into my heart. Christian Leaders Institute is giving me the opportunity to fulfill my dream. Christian Leaders Institute is a gift from God. This first class has reminded me that our daily walk with God needs to be just that, daily. It is to be a habit more crucially important than brushing your teeth or showering.
I don’t have any challenges in my geographical area for attending school. I actually drop my daughter off at college 2 days a week and I still school my youngest at home. I am blessed to be in a part of the world where educational opportunities surround us. The major obstacle for me is financial. Now CLI has made the impossible, possible.
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Life Testimony
Hello, my name is Kelley and this is my life testimony. I am thirty – six years old. I grew up in the United States of America in South Jersey. I was raised Roman Catholic with two loving parents and I am the baby of five children. While growing up, my life was great. I was never in want or need for anything. In my adolescent years, I was sexually assaulted by six guys on the way home from school one day. This caused me to be rebellious. I was doing all the things that kids at that age shouldn’t have been doing. I graduated high school and did some college.
I moved to California and began a new life there for myself. I was self-sufficient in an amazing job. I had a car and my own place. All was good until I got a call stating that my father was diagnosed with lung cancer and had less than a year to live. I made a choice to go back to New Jersey to spend his last moments with him and the family. Upon coming back, it was very hard to see my father in such bad shape, and I didn’t know how to cope with it. I began using drugs to numb the pain. My father’s passing was extremely difficult for me and this began a downward spiral that became so unmanageable I eventually had to seek help for it.
I left the state and moved to New York. There, I sought help from a Christian counseling facility for a year and rebuilt my relationship with God and Jesus. I now stand firm in my faith in my life. I enjoy helping people and am a big encourager. I plan to travel the world to help the lost and spread the good news. Finding Christian Leaders Institute is a blessing for me. I look forward to seeing how and where God will use me in and for His Kingdom.
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