Free Ministry Training Journey
I am on a free ministry training journey at Christian Leaders Institute. I was born in Barranquilla, Colombia and am the oldest of four children. I grew up in a Catholic home. My great grand uncle was monsignor Carlos Valiente who was the builder and founder of the first cathedral in my city, the first school for poor children, and also a hospital. I always went to Catholic school and learned from the priest. It was at the end of my teenage years that I went to a Christian event in my city with Pastor Yiye Ávila from Puerto Rico. It was the first time I witnessed a complete stadium full of people praying so devoted and happy. That to me was a very exciting moment and also to hear the Bible for the first time openly preached that my heart never forgot the experience. (Personal note: Until 1999, the Catholic priest would not teach you 100% based on the Bible, and in fact, I will never forget the two times a priest told my whole class, and I quote, “If you read the Bible you go crazy.”)
In 2005, I was hired to work with a company called Eternal Pictures, to produce and distribute Christian movies, documentaries, and animations. Soon I was invited to go to a service at Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and I just remember I was overwhelmed with love for Jesus. As soon as I was asked if I wanted to give my life to Him, I said, “Yes without a doubt.” I started going to church more often, got baptized and participated in many Bible study groups and also started with another Christian brother an addiction study group.
I sensed God calling me into ministry in 2014 and I was avoiding the call. Everything went down the drain in my life (just like Jonah) to the point I was asked for a divorce (for no reason), my business started to go bad, I started drinking, and I struggled with my desire to go back into a business versus God calling me into ministry. I reasoned with myself that as a believer in Jesus at the end of my days He would not condemn me for continuing my path in business. And in my heart, I promised to be faithful in tithing when the good job came. Then when finally I gave up the alcohol and my weaknesses, the Lord started turning everything back to me. A good job came and I joined Christian Leaders Institute on my free ministry training journey.
The call to serve in ministry was still upon my heart. Eventually, I moved on from working in various jobs but with feelings of not belonging, being very unhappy and my life stagnant.
When I finally started to study at CLI, it was like all the crying, all the wailing, and all the begging to our Jesus to forgive me for not listening was finally heard and the blessings started to come little by little.
I stopped drinking for good (the Lord showed me the worst of the addiction), joined a gym and started to work in Real Estate again. My eyes have been open wide, my heart is loaded with happiness, and my mind is guided by the Word all day long. I feel like Jesus made me a brand new creature and with all my senses, my heart, and my mind waiting for his order to serve wherever he wants me to.
I really appreciate with all my heart, the fact that the Lord used CLI to show me my path and my spiritual freedom again. I will never forget it. These are the best days of my life.
Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Ministry Evangelism Training
My name is Twana Mack and I am receiving ministry evangelism training at Christian Leaders Institute. I currently live in the USA, but I have also lived in Germany and Canada and in five different states in the USA. I have traveled to many countries including Israel with the most recent mission trip to Uruguay last March. He has truly blessed me with my heart’s desire to travel the world.
Being raised in a Christian home, I found the Lord at a young age, but understanding and having a true relationship with him came many years later. I found myself away from God living in sin and one night He called me out saying, “Chose this day whom you will serve.” From that moment, I cried out and asked him to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me. He saved me and I felt the wonderful grace, mercy, and love of my Savior. My life was changed, it was amazing. I desired to share what God did in my life and to tell others of Jesus Christ and His love. I desired to evangelize. As the Bible says in 2 Peter 1:10 KJV “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”
When I was called into ministry, I had a lot of fear if it was the right path to follow. But I began to pray and really search His word. I attended a Bible institute to prepare for the ministry. My husband is a minister in our denomination and we have found our ministries compliment each other and we are a team. God uses us together. So, I’m living my dream in that I desire to please the Lord with my whole life. Ecclesiastes 9:10 KJV “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
We are currently serving as overseers, pastors, and we also take mission trips. I found I desired more knowledge in the word. This life is a battle and when you have gaps in your knowledge it is a weakness. My husband studies his word very diligently. Since I had suffered from a coma, I found I needed more structured learning which Christian Leaders Institute provides me.
I feel my calling as an evangelist most clearly in my ministry evangelism training journey. I feel the anointing as I tell others about Jesus Christ and how he can change them through salvation, sanctification, and the Holy Ghost. I feel a burning in my soul to reach out to those who may have never heard of him. I ask the Lord every day to let me meet someone to share the love of Christ to and God has never failed that prayer.
Nineteen years ago, Satan had convinced me that God did not love me, would never love me and others would never love me. I had a very simple surgery shortly after I was saved. Well, it went horrifically wrong. The doctors gave my family the news that I only had a five percent chance to live. I’m thankful that they loved and prayed for me. It was four months of being in a coma and then waking to find myself in such a horrific situation. Unable to talk, walk, feed myself, and more. I felt God’s love and peace. I felt this mercy I had never felt before. It was like God knew my very secret parts and he said I wasn’t done until I knew his great love. I sat in that bed as he repaired my body, and I also felt him repairing my soul. The breathing ventilator soon came out and I took my first breath knowing I was his child loved beyond measure. I thank God for what he did for me. I have completely healed in my body and my soul. And I never felt unloved again.
Last September, my husband and I were living in another state and he was called back to my home state to minister. We found that hurricane Harvey left devastation. Our local church had five feet of water and had been gutted to the studs. Every house in that community was destroyed. Everywhere you look there is the loss of things and when you look at their faces, you see the hopelessness of people trying to survive without God. There is great need for the message of hope in Christ. I found I can live without a lot of things. We lost our retirement home in the hurricane and we currently live in a house without carpet, doors, and cabinets. But I can not live without Christ. So the struggle in my location is to reach out to the broken hearted. It is more than just helping to rebuild a house. My area needs a Savior!
My local church is amazing and very supportive of my ministry. They encourage and pray for me. I am able to preach regularly and minister to the members as needed. I work very closely with the pastor. I serve as co-pastor.
I had a wonderful grandfather who was a Bishop who mentored me in the ministry until the day he died. I didn’t realize how much this impacted me until I became a minister myself. I did not even realize what mentorship involved. I look back and always smile and say he was a great man of God. My parents served as deacons and called teachers. They gave me wisdom, direction, and many payers. My husband has supported me in so many ways for the last 33 years. And my children pray for me as I continue in my ministry evangelism training. I would not be the woman I am today without my family.
A scholarship at Christian Leaders Institute is important to my ministry evangelism training to increase my knowledge of the word of God and to be able to apply that knowledge to make my ministry more productive and effective.
Learn about local ecuministry ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
