Spirit-filled Mind Renewal
My name is Ryno van Heerden and I have been on a journey of Spirit-filled mind renewal in Christ. I was born in Gauteng, South Africa on the 10th of October 1992. I have lived in Gauteng all my life. I grew up in a “religious” setting, where I went to church on Sundays and did the Christian thing but I never really knew God.
After school, I went to the University of Pretoria where my lack of intimacy with the Father took its toll. I engaged in a typical student life of drinking, partying, etc. I grew into that lifestyle to a point where I had ruined every relationship I had and was on the verge of being kicked out of university. I hit rock bottom when my high school sweetheart finally couldn’t put up with me anymore. I was down and out, depressed and completely alone, or so I thought.
Not long after hitting my all-time low, a friend invited me to attend a six-week conference on learning to hear God’s voice. With much skepticism and expecting a “God” that would condemn all my mistakes, I had the shock of my life when He supernaturally revealed His heart to me. I experienced the goodness of God that drove me to repentance. Jesus became real to me. After this conference that radically changed my life, The Spirit started patching up my broken life. He restored my broken relationships, gave me the resilience to finish my degree and even gave me a second chance with my girlfriend.
I once was moved by “religion” into church activities, now it was this new relationship that got me involved in church and ministry. After about 2 years of ministering where I taught on the prophetic and hearing God’s voice, I came across a certain Professor who taught on Biblical psychology and counseling. At first, I thought that the topic of the “soul” and Spirit-filled mind renewal was automatic and up to God. I started a 3-year course that soon made me realize how broken I still was on the inside and that mind renewal was my part as Jesus already did His part on the cross.
Although I still have many flaws and areas that need transformation, God has really helped me heal in the dimensions of the soul and renewed my mind to the reality of the finished work of Christ.
My vision is to be used by God wherever He requires. I have seen the lack of intimacy in the body of Christ and also the necessity of Spirit-filled mind renewal and healing in the soul of man. Therefore, I would like to enrich myself with as much knowledge as possible so that through His Spirit I can touch as many lives as possible and reciprocate the grace that I have received. The courses here at Christian Leaders Institute can help me do this.
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New Zealand Ministry Call
Read how Albert Psaros is finally able to fulfill his New Zealand Ministry Call
My name is Albert Psaros. I live in Pukekohe, a small town on the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand. I am an active member of my local church congregation, St. James Presbyterian. I enjoy serving in any way I can. Currently, this entails worship leading, youth mentoring, Sunday school programmes and in hospitality initiatives.
I was blessed to be raised in a Christian home where the word was elevated and esteemed and where we as children were actively encouraged in developing our own relationship with God. I was only 6 when I put my faith in Jesus for my salvation. Shortly afterward, I was baptized.
These treasured events remain in my memory and I still reference them as the start of my walk with the Lord. I soon grew intimate with the Lord and very early on I came to hear the call of the Lord on my life. This New Zealand ministry call remained with me throughout my entire life, and it would be something I would yearn to fulfill but would only feel released to pursue many years later.
As a way of preparation for this New Zealand ministry call to service, the Lord has allowed my wife and me to endure severe testing which has spanned the last ten years. We felt led to start a business that would ultimately become a 24-hour cycle operation, 6 out of 7 days per week, with weak economic performance despite every possible effort and sacrifice. We did all this while still trying to raise 5 young children. It became a walk that only by God-given grace we were able to endure. Stripped of all confidence in my own abilities, the Lord used this time to rid me of my pride (I realize this may not be in its entirety and that His work in me continues throughout my life). Simultaneously, He was showing me what it means to trust in Him and to worship Him in the worst of situations. If it were not for His grace, I know we would not have made it through. But we have and at the end of this season, I felt released to close the business and to start pursuing the call on my life.
This free training at Christian Leaders Institute is the only way that I can get myself equipped for ministry through study. We were left in a poor financial state when the business was closed. I thank God for this opportunity. My prayer is that through this study I will be taught by Him and that I will be able to show myself approved and ready for service.
Learn about ordained minister study programs at Christian Leaders Alliance.