Ministry Training Dream
Greetings from Baltimore “Charm City”, Maryland! My name is Lesley Thompson. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Paralegal Studies with a minor in Behavioral Studies from University of Maryland University College and I have a ministry training dream. I’m a single mother blessed with a son and two daughters, Kevin, Taylor, and Amira, respectively, each of whom is upstanding and God-fearing. They love the Lord. My initial introduction to Jesus was at the age of nine when my childhood family and I were living in the Philippines, my mother’s native country of origin, while my father, who was active duty in the United States Air Force, was stationed there. I was at home when I happened to come upon a tiny white book with shiny edges and some of the words in its content typed in red. It belonged to my mother. She told me that this book was called a Bible and she encouraged me to study, read and memorize from it The Lord’s Prayer. I was obedient, memorized it and made it a part of my daily devotion.
After my father retired from the United States Air Force in the early ‘70s we relocated to Baltimore, Maryland as our permanent state of residence. It was through my paternal grandmother that I was introduced to and entered an actual church building – Union Baptist Church. She took my brother, sister and me with her on Sundays to this place filled with elderly folk and the sound of hymn music I was not accustomed to hearing. She would sing and hum some of the hymns at home. The gospel songs that my grandmother sang resonated with me, following me during my early college years. This was at a time when I participated in a university gospel choir and enjoyed having “church” during each rehearsal and performance. It was through the opening and closing prayer and the praise and worship through song that the message of the songs eventually became very personal.
I visited different churches with family and friends. This allowed me to experience a diversity of cultures and denominations and their respective forms of fellowship and worship. What was common in all was, and still is, God. How amazing! I vividly recall one of the churches that I visited had a white female pastor who preached powerful messages. Her footprint also encouraged me to know that God supports women’s work in ministry. While a member of Celebration Church of Monroe Street in Baltimore, where Rev. Robert Washington is the pastor, I enjoyed serving in the Children’s Church ministry as an instructor.
The Lord eventually led me to my current church home, Salem Baptist Church in Baltimore, where Rev. Jimmie Robinson III is the pastor as well as my beloved friend of many years. Our church is a humble, small teaching church. It is huge in its love of God, the favor of God, and its service to the ministry and the community. I learned about Christian Leaders Institute while surfing the internet earlier this year as I follow my ministry training dream. I was excited to learn about the benefits of training under this program. It will help me:
• refresh and cultivate my ability and skills to lead in ministry, which will help me better serve my church and community;
• become better equipped to further advance God’s kingdom and His word;
• better and more fully understand the undertaking that my pastor has, so that I may be able to better support and encourage him along his spiritual walk with God;
• improve in all other areas of life and in ministry so that my walk with God is also refreshed, strengthened and encouraged. So that I may also be a blessing to others through God’s ministry.
Christian Leaders Institute has its own testimony. It serves as an effective means and affordable resource to support training for the ministry. It models Solomon’s advice to “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6). It demonstrates the same zeal in teaching that Moses had in leading his people. Finally, Christian Leaders Institute, at its own sacrifice and expense, through the efforts, dedication, and commitment of its founders, has made it possible to provide training at little to no cost to students. All of this in the desire to help equip others for God’s work. That is a testimony in and of itself! I am thankful that CLI will help me achieve my ministry training dream!
Learn about ordained minister study programs at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Small Group Leader Ordination
My name is Nancy Connell and I am excited to receive small group leader ordination at CLI. I live in Aliquippa, PA. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church regularly. When I started college, I stopped going to church. I had no real relationship with Christ. After my first child was born, I returned to church specifically to have her baptized. During my meeting with the pastor, he asked me, “What about you?” God was calling and I was ready to answer. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. I served the church as a teacher, mission leader, and elder.
Many years later, I went through some life changes. These changes included walking away from the church. It was a very dark time in my life. God kept track of me and didn’t allow me to slip too far away. He led me to Aliquippa where I found an amazing community of believers. Within this community, I heard the call to serve the Lord. I just didn’t know in what capacity. I prayed, read my Bible, and did devotions daily. I became involved in different ministries of the church. I looked forward to where God would lead me.
A gentleman from my church recently completed his coursework at Christian Leaders Institute. Because I was curious about CLI, he invited me to attend a meeting for graduates. There was so much joy in the testimonies. I knew then that this was the direction the Lord was taking me. CLI could provide the education that I need to build my confidence and to improve my understanding of the Bible and Christian leadership. The Getting Started Class was a good introduction to CLI. It also helped me to focus on what I believe to be my area of interest — small group leader ordination. A scholarship will allow me to further my education. I am retired and live on a small fixed income which would never cover the cost of seminary or Bible College. I am excited to begin my studies.
Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Female Youth Pastor
My name is Sarah Carpenter and I am called to be a female youth pastor. I am 36 years old and I live in the United States with my family.
I came to know the Lord when I was a young girl. My family was always active in the church until my parents divorced. After the divorce, however, there was no more active church life until I became an adult. I was honestly never very committed to a faith relationship until I got sober in 2007. Over the past ten years, that relationship has been built on an unstable foundation until my mom passed away in October of 2016. I knew then that I had to make some serious changes in my relationship with Christ.
There are so many different experiences throughout my life that have led me to chose this path in ministry specifically. I have dealt with several issues including teen pregnancy, mental and physical abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, and self-harm, among others. I felt as though God was either punishing me or didn’t care at all.
Yet, as I have grown in my relationship with God I have learned to let go and trust that God loves me and wants a relationship with me no matter what I’ve done in my past. Through building that relationship, I have been able to not only let God heal the brokenness and hurt but also to see that God is able to use my mess to help others. I hope to prevent others from following my path or help bring healing through God’s Word and His mercy, grace, and love.
This Getting Started class has really opened my eyes and heart to all I have yet to learn and how much more growing and building I get to enjoy. The Bible Connections and Developing Devotional Habits portions have given me so much amazing direction and information in regards to building my own personal and family walk with God, as well as simple and practical steps to be able to share it with others.
My ultimate goal with working towards a degree in ministry is to become a youth pastor, specifically teen and young women. I have chosen this path because had I had a relatable female youth pastor to teach me the love and grace of Christ at that critical age, my life may have been drastically different.
In our area, drug use and the sex industry rule the streets. The money, drugs and the street life can easily be appealing and glorified to a young woman or teen that is broken and lost. This is a lifestyle that once one is in it, can not only be very difficult to leave but can often be deadly.
We currently attend two home churches: Vineyard Church on Sundays and Rock City Church on Wednesdays. Starting this month at Rock City, I will be taking part in Leadership Training to be able to begin leading Freedom Small Groups. We are also involved with an outreach ministry through a small church in our area called Crossroads Church where I have a woman I mentor with named Marie. There is also another woman who has been a close family friend for many years who is the executive minister at First Community Church, Dr. Deborah Lindsay.
A scholarship is vital to my goals in ministry, as I am unable to attend and afford a traditional school. I was very excited and blessed to have come across Christian Leaders Institute and your program. I am looking forward to earning my degree and digging deeper into God’s word.
Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.