Free Ministry Training Dream
I am Bonnie Fluellen from Columbus, Georgia in the United States of America. I have a free ministry training dream and desire to serve the Lord in ministry. I’m the third of four children. I was born in 1980 in Columbus, Georgia. My parents were not involved in taking us to church. My father had knowledge of who God was. He became a minister while being incarcerated. But after being released, he denied his calling. We grew up in a home without my father so my mother had to support us on her own. That was not easy especially with four children.
When I was a young girl, I would find my way to different churches on my own and I would take my sister with me. I’ve always had a passion for Jesus. I can remember the times that I would ride 35 minutes to a small country town to attend service on Sundays and Wednesdays. The deacon would pick us up with the church van and drop us back off. My mother never learned how to drive so we never had transportation. On the way to church, I would often pray that the Sunday school teacher wouldn’t be able to make it so that I would be able to teach the class.
Once I started to acknowledge who God was and get more understanding I was amazed, and at that time something started happening in my life that I knew wasn’t normal. The Lord was calling me. For many years, I tried to run from the voice of God. But then I started to realize that I was shackled to the gospel. I couldn’t get away if I wanted to.
I started to attend different denominational churches. I recall that I was attending a Pentecostal church with my aunt, and when the Pastor would preach it would do something to me. Then I started witnessing miracles and people being filled with the Holy Spirit. That’s when I realized the spiritual gifts and the power of God. Jesus changed my life forever. I knew this is where I belonged. I was being called to be a servant of God in his house. I began to develop a relationship with God putting him in control of my life. Following the Holy Spirit as he led me in the path of righteousness.
The pastor of my church began to let me do devotions and exhortations, and this is when my gift of ministering the gospel was born. The Lord let me go through different trials and tribulations to have the testimonies in my life to be able to relate to many different people. The Lord blessed me with the gift of prophecy to be able to speak to the people and bring them closer to God to edify the body of Christ. All the honor and all the praise go to the God Most High. The Lord changed my life and for that I am grateful. This has given me the strength to help others on their journey with Christ.
This scholarship with Christian Leaders Institute would be a blessing for me in my free ministry training dream. In this world, credentials are needed along with being educated in the word and wisdom of God. This will be a testimony of my faith in knowing that God is a provider and will do what is needed to equip the saints. Thank you, and I will continue to pray for Christian Leaders Institute’s founders, instructors, donors, and students on this path to being successful in the ministry.
Learn about local ecuministry ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Chaplain Minister Training
My name is Steve Mercado and I am receiving chaplain minister training at Christian Leaders Institute. For the longest time, there has always been an itch in the back of my head needing to be scratched. I come from a large family and we were raised at an irrigation farm where my father tended the crops for the owner. We were never lacking necessities, but we were poor. Eventually, we moved into town when the owner sold the land.
After high school, my brothers and sisters and I went our separate ways. After my dad passed, I moved home to watch over my mom. She was having a hard time after my dad died with depression and my family didn’t know how to help her. Eventually, she became ill and I became her caregiver. It was at this time that the itch started to go away. At the hospital and hospice, I saw a lot of lonely people. Some were even waiting to die alone. I wanted to help, but how?
It wasn’t until a few months ago that I started to hunger and ache to feed that empty feeling. I don’t why God chose this time to call me on His team this late in my life. But I’m signing up and going as long as I can and wherever He tells me. I want to minister to the sick and lonely such at hospitals and hospice. I volunteer at the hospital but I don’t have the training to really help. I just lend a shoulder. That’s why I’m here at Christian Leaders Institute. I feel called to fill a needful purpose. With free ministry training at CLI, I will be able to be used by God to minister to the lonely and sick as a chaplain minister.
Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Youth Minister Training Dream
I am Lacey Sauvageau and I am following my youth minister training dream. I was born in the United States and currently live in the Pacific Northwest. I live where church attendance is relatively low, however, people are open to hearing about God. There are a lot of churches near where I live and they all strive to reach people and share about the loving and healing nature of God.
I came to know the Lord at a young age. I went to Sunday school and learned about the Bible. I spent my middle school years and the beginning of high school active in church volunteering in the children’s ministry and helping in church events. I walked away from the Lord for a couple years as I thought I could direct my own life. At the age of twenty-two, I realized the Lord needs to be the sole director in my life and I came back to the church.
Through my youth minister training dream, I would like to serve the youth and help lead them. I would like to make a difference in the youth and share the love of God and biblical truth. I am also interested in women’s ministry. My desire is for God to lead me and show me where I can best be used.
I have learned a lot in this first class at Christian Leaders Institute. I learned more about who God is. I learned more scriptural truths and reaffirmed the decision that I want to serve in the church in a substantial and tangible way directed by God.
Youth leader or small group leader is where I identify most. I feel a calling to minister to youth and help lead them. I want to be a mentor to youth, grounded in sharing biblical truths and scripture with them. In my work as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, I see the broken and hurting world and I want to help minister to the real needs of our youth, which is a spiritual connection to God.
I want to pursue ministry since returning to church after I was gone for two years. This time, I have a real and personal relationship with God. It is no longer selfish and one-sided. I understand the urgency and importance of a deep connection and personal relationship with God. If I can show other youth the reason(s) to avoid walking away from the church and to stay involved, I would feel accomplished in my ministry.
The challenges in the Pacific Northwest for ministering to youth is keeping them involved and interested in church. It is important to have an engaging, relevant ministry. Too many outside activities and interests have our youth’s attention.
The Bible is the important tool and resource for hearing from God. Scripture is where you learn the true nature of God. Through the Connection course, I read scripture I have never read. It showed me about God and how to connect to God in ways I have never thought of. Through reading the Bible, prayer, and taking this course, I am forming a closer relationship with God.
My local church actively helps to flourish member’s ministry gifts and calling. If you like helping and serving, there is community service work and events to serve in. We are always learning more about ourselves through small groups. There are opportunities to lead small groups. The pastors are here to talk with, encourage, and build up members to reach all the dreams God has placed in their heart.
My boyfriend is very supportive of my dreams and attends church with me. My sister and mother see my dreams and encourage me to go after them. My grandmother is an active and involved church member and offers spiritual advice and we talk about the Bible frequently.
Attending CLI is important as I work full-time and cannot attend traditional seminary school. I want to continue to work full-time and serve in the church part-time. I would like prayer for God’s will in my life and how I can best use my gifts to serve Him. Also that I will find ways to reach the youth in a relevant and engaging way through my youth minister training dream.
Learn about local ecuministry ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.