Medical Missionary Journey
I am currently living in the United States of America. I am called to be a medical missionary. I came to know the Lord when I was eight years old. I grew up in a Christian home. My parents are some of my biggest role models when it comes to living a Christ-like life. I accepted God’s free gift of salvation at church one Sunday morning, but it didn’t actually mean much to me until I was in seventh grade. In seventh grade, I had the opportunity to attend a weekend retreat with my youth ministry program. At this retreat, the lessons were centered around the difference between knowing about God and truly having a relationship with God. I felt God speaking to my heart that night. I made the decision to dedicate my life to Him.
My ministry dream is to create disciples that will advance the Kingdom of God in foreign countries. I am planning to attend pharmacy school once I finish undergraduate school. My long-term goal is to become a medical missionary. This class has strengthened my walk with God. It has taught me how to truly practice my faith through a daily devotional time spent in prayer and studying the Word of God. I most identify with the term small group leader. I have often been placed in leadership positions in which I have been responsible for leading small groups. My desire to pursue ministry has been prompted by my mission trip experience to Guatemala. It was on this trip that God revealed my calling to be a medical missionary in the future.
I believe that ministry training is a great way to prepare my heart and mind for this journey. One unique challenge that I face in my geographic area is the pull towards worldliness. I live in an area in which many people are rich in possessions. I have both witnessed and experienced how easy it is to store up earthly treasures rather than heavenly treasures. Connecting to the Bible has brought transformation to my life by teaching me how to live a life that both honors Christ and blesses others. If we strive to live like Christ, we will bring glory to our Father and spread His name among the nations.
My local church has supported me in my ministry calling by providing me with the resources, support, and discipleship that I need to be able to fully pursue my calling. My family has always been one of my biggest support systems throughout my walk with God. They support my ministry calling by praying for and encouraging me continuously. A scholarship at Christian Leaders Institute is important to my ministry dream. It will allow me to receive the proper education and training needed to make my dream of becoming a medical missionary a reality. I would love prayer that I would be willing to respond to God’s call and make disciples wherever He commands me to go.
Learn about ordination options at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Mentor Call
My name is Gail Reilly-Palmese and I have a mentor call on my life. I am from the USA. I was born in Brooklyn and raised as an only child to a single mother. My mother met and married my stepfather when I was 14. I hated him for coming into our lives and messing everything up (Teen Genius). Today I adore my dad. I couldn’t ask for better.
I was raised Catholic and did all the Catholic things (rituals) expected of you as a child. Even went to Catholic school for a few years and still didn’t know who Jesus was. I had my first child at 19 (out of wedlock) shortly followed by two more children (also out of wedlock) by a different man. So by this time I am tainted goods and a sinner. I tried doing the good Catholic thing and brought my children to church on Sunday but always left angrier than when I went in. It wasn’t until my step-daughter Rita passed away unexpectedly that I decided to go back to church and “tell God off”. I was mad and I wanted an explanation about Rita, about life, about everything. So I went to the church that I had watched for the past few months being built around the corner from my home. I hadn’t been in church in almost 17 years. Would they kick me out? Could they tell I was a sinner?
I remember the first service. It was “forgiving yourself and forgiving others”. What a concept! Could you really do that? I stayed for two services. I cried my eyes out. A weight had been lifted off of me. The pastor was so nice and held me as I wept. I couldn’t wait for the following Sunday. I wanted more! That Sunday I gave my life to Christ.
That was 9 years ago but still feels like yesterday. About a year into my walk, I started praying for a Christian man. God sent me Joe. Joe and I had dated as kids (19 and 20) He was definitely NOT a Christian. I was like, “Excuse me, God, but did you not hear the part about a ‘Christian’ man?” He said, “I know I didn’t send you a Christian man. I sent you a man who will become a Christian.” Joe came into my life in December of 2009. He gave his life to Christ in January 2010. We were baptized together in June 2010 and married in July 2010. Joe and I have served in several ministries. He ushers, I drive the van. He does Royal Rangers, I teach girl’s ministry. He does Hospitality, I do mission work. We both do VBS in the summer.
There are many other things we do and have done in our church, but now, I wanted to get ready for retirement. Because I was teaching these young girls about Christ, I wanted to discipline myself to study (not simply read) the Bible. Wherever I decide to retire to, I felt the mentor call from God. I want to be able to teach or mentor in some way with youth. I felt if I had some credentials under my belt it would hold more weight than just “some old lady at church”. I looked up “Christian leaders” and saw websites where you could buy a certificate. I didn’t want to buy it. I wanted to earn it. I enrolled in Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) because you hold yourselves and your students to a higher standard. It’s free and I can go at my own pace. I feel I googled myself down the right path on my mentor call journey. I’ve just started the course and I feel that CLI is exactly what I need to make me the mentor, teacher, and perhaps the minister that the youth today need.
A mom once told me that her daughter and the other girls in my class ‘Will remember you forever’. I said, “I hope not.” She looked at me stunned. I said, “I don’t want them to remember me. I want them to remember the message.” My children have not given their lives to Christ yet, but I pray diligently every day that one day they will as well as my grandchildren. They say I’ve changed a lot since the first day I walked through the doors of the church around the corner. Praise God! and I pray that they too will walk through those doors one day.
Learn about local “ecuministry” ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Proclaiming Good News
My name is Gary Marvin Johnson and I am proclaiming good news to my world. Currently, I work as a caregiver for a company called Indiana Mentor. I reside in the United States of America in Selma, Indiana. I am married to Laura Johnson and we have one child. Living in America is one of the many blessings that have been bestowed upon me. In this country, you can worship God anywhere without harm from the government. Many Americans, including myself, hold our first amendment right very close to our heart.
At the age of 18, I gave my life to Christ and my salvation was followed by water baptism. In my teenage years, I was surrounded by an ungodly company within the walls of my school and within the walls of my home. I chose to follow the ways of the world. Shortly after my 18th birthday, I realized that I desperately needed the Lord in my life. I needed my sins forgiven and because of my mother, I knew that Jesus was the only One that could deliver. Therefore, I called upon His name and He answered. He broke every chain of sin in my life. I am proof that the Lord does forgive! He is just as alive today as He was 2,000 years ago! Ever since my salvation, it has been the desire and dream of my heart to know Jesus more on a personal level and to be a mouthpiece and an example to the world for His cause.
Ever since my salvation, it has been the desire and dream of my heart to know Jesus more on a personal level and to be proclaiming good news about salvation in Him. My ministry dream is to build up the congregation in sound doctrine. My desire is to be a full-time minister to the church in every way. I believe that it is God’s desire for me to help, encourage, and build up the church in some way every day.
When I came to the Christian Leaders Institute website, I was eager to start! I was surprised to find out that this was an organization that actually offered FREE college level ministry classes to anyone! I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I was ready to jump right in. Now that I’ve taken the Christian Leaders Connection Class, I am glad that I did not jump right into the programs offered by Christian Leaders Institute. The Connections class taught me many things that I did not know beforehand and now that I have taken it I can understand why it is a necessity to take before you’re given your free tuition.
I believe that I identify with the title “Evangelist” more than I do any other title. I am often on social media proclaiming something about the Lord. I am often talking to someone about the Lord. I was first prompted to really consider following the call of ministry when more than one of the fellow Christians who I gathered to meet with told me they believed that I was good at preaching God’s Word. After preaching two lessons in front of a congregation, I felt the call to continue down this path.
Even though I live in the United States of America, there are still some challenges to preaching the Word here and proclaiming good news to the lost. It is believed by many that you can be a Christian without obeying God. It is clear that the Scriptures teach otherwise (Romans 6, Heb 5:9). Many people here in the United States of America believe that all religions lead to the kingdom of God even though Scripture teaches otherwise (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). Many people choose to follow their “cultural Jesus” rather than to follow the true One revealed within the Scriptures.
Connecting to the Bible has brought transformation to my life in so many ways. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). It is the Word of God and the faith in Jesus Christ that God placed in my heart that completely transformed my life. It is His Word that convicted me and continues to convict me of my sins. His Word brings me joy and hope in times of discouragement.
The church which I was a part of gave me opportunities to preach, and I am grateful for that blessing to this day. Their kind words encouraged me to pursue this calling of proclaiming good news. My wife is very encouraging and loving when it comes to what I believe God is calling me to do. She has shown great support in my calling. Obtaining a scholarship from CLI will help me tremendously. It will help me further my education in God’s Word and it will help me obtain a credible certificate, diploma, and degree. Obtaining a scholarship from CLI is a strong desire of mine. I am praying that God will lead me to the type of ministry that He desires. Please pray that God’s purpose will be accomplished in my life through this ministry journey of mine. May the Lord always give us grace in our time of need.
Learn about ordained minister study programs at Christian Leaders Alliance.