Understanding Scriptures
My name is Steve Chrispine Banda; I am currently in Cape Town, South Africa. I came down here some few years ago to further my education; my plans did not go as planned due to lack of support, I did what I could do to at least have something to be proud of. Here to say the truth, when it comes to ministry work is impossible to operate to our capability because of many false prophets which make the government of the country come hard on people of God and impose rules that favor only unbelievers. Nevertheless, all are not lost because we serve God who is El Shaddai (God Almighty). We do all thing through Him (Jesus Christ) who strengthens us.
It was in the year of 2000 when I first came to South Africa; I was born from a Christian family by virtue, I am the first born of the living children. I was born after my mom had had two kids dying after just two years after birth. I was born as Kondwani (given name that means Happiness), but later my name was changed when I went to High School. So one day when I was busy doing normal work, something clicked into my life and reminded me to visit a local church, the following Sunday I went to church, choruses, hymns were sung and the moment I sang along could hear my voice being repeated somewhere else and got confused. I did ask my fellow attendees if they were confronted by this sound from heaven, I was told that was just imagining things. The pastor called for altar call I went in front and confessed Jesus as my Lord and personal Saviour according to Romans 10:9-11. I confirmed with 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Cor 3:16. Since that time I could see visions and dream prophetic dreams.
I am already a Pastor after acquiring a Diploma in Ministry Studies. I have a small community fellowship Ministry called Divine Power Of God Ministries. My dream is to take this ministry to the world, especially home country Malawi, I have ministered there before, but people lack deep, profound knowledge of God. They call themselves Christians and claiming knowing God but with their work they crucify Him. They are involved in witchcrafts, illuminant, demonic killing – the Bibles teaches us that we cant serve two masters at once otherwise one of them will not be happy, and Jesus said “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
The courses dished by CLI are not just free but very helpful in Understanding Scriptures for minisry, profound and penetrate where just sermons on pulpit can not reach. Its a go deep type of teachings that seminars, universities can not teach within the period of Six months or so. What a privilege we have at CLI. The course has given me a new approach to the Bible and how to read with understanding or repeatedly – my walk with God has climbed from one dimension to another within a short period.
I want to use the knowledge I got from CLI to evangelize and change people’s lives and open the eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf.
In my life many things have happened such as I lost a job with an international company and was left with nothing no food on the table being a married man with two lovely kids was tough out there. God was only my hope for more than one year and that time God used me mightily and many people gave there lives to Jesus, and I have never been so close to God like that moment. I prayed without ceasing until heavenly showers were upon me again. My heart was filled with His love to serve him only, and I did it through local churches and ministries. I became committed man of God ever.
There are a lot of challenges in this area; people are interested in social activities rather than God activities. Connecting to the Bible has brought transformation to my life in the sense that Bible has become inspirational to my life and ministry.
Many local churches have supported me, and I locally serve with many people from different ministries.
My family very supports, my wife is a woman of God, she is a prophetess who is used by God mightily. So we are a big team, though at the moment she is back home doing the ministry work, soon I will follow her hence studying here.
This scholarship is very vital to me because it will equip me with a lot of studies which is not easy to get elsewhere without coughing out thousand of Dollars in tuition fees but here is free hence I am working extra harder so I can achieve what I have registered for. I understand that after finishing this course my life will never be the same again and the past will be indeed over.
Please pray for me that God may release me from every bondage am in and please keep me in pray for this ministry so that one day I can be able to launch it in my home country Malawi as the Bible says: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future – Jeremiah 29:11. Amen!!!
Training for Officiant Ordination
I am Benjamin Alexander, 71 years old, born and reared in the state of Texas, United States. I was married to Peggy Alexander for 41 years until her death in June of this year after an extended illness. We had four children, one of whom died in 2001. The others live in New Mexico, Texas, and Rhode Island.
We have four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. I served three years in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving two tours in Vietnam with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. I spent 24 years in the U.S. Department of Justice as a Special Agent, retiring in 2002. In between I worked for AT&T, the Post Office, and on a cattle ranch driving cattle between Texas and California.
I grew up in a Christian family in Texas and was baptized at about age 14. When I graduated from high school I pretty much became the prodigal son until I married Peggy in 1975. It was then that I believe the Lord began the process of bringing me back to Him through Peggy and my mother. In 1997 we returned to the Church in California, where Peggy and I became seriously involved in caring ministries. We served as Stephen Ministers and Stephen Leaders for ten years in both California and Colorado. I commissioned as a Deacon, and then was ordained and served as a “Ruling” Elder for three years in our Presbyterian church in California. I now attend an Evangelical Free Church in Austin, Texas, although, because of my wife’s illness which struck shortly after we moved here, I have not been much involved other than worship, Bible study, and small groups.
My initial desire for seeking ministry training is to be able to unite my grandson (and his fiancée) in a Christian marriage this coming October. I looked at various offers for on-line ordination and discussed them with several pastors, but felt that such ordination would not allow me to legitimately serve my Lord. When I looked at CLI I realized that this might actually be a means to a “legitimate” ordination. I signed up for Training for Officiant Ordination at CLI! As I looked further into it, I began to feel a true calling from my Lord to pursue it, so I am. Where it leads, if anywhere, after marrying my grandson and his fiancée remains to be seen, but I feel that God is leading me somewhere with it beyond the marriage ceremony.
Although some of the courses leading to Officiant were, for me, a review of Christian principles, most of them offered a very interesting, informative, and challenging study into Christian leadership concepts. I am extremely grateful for the staff of CLI to have put their hearts into a project that provides instruction in matters that pertain to real-life Christian issues. The resources provided during this course, and the ability to refresh myself on issues that may arise, should prove to be very useful not only in any Officiant duties I may be called on to perform but for other Christian leadership duties. I do wish I had had this focused training previously.
So far, I intend to perform the marriage ceremony for my grandson and his fiancée this October. Beyond that, I have no other such plans. Small group and caring ministries will be my focus in the near future for which this course has given me much guidance.
Revival Leaders In India
I am Sayantan Mukherjee. I currently stay in West Bengal province of India, and I am born in a Hindu family. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Technology in the discipline of Computer Engineering and serving the Lord in my city named Durgapur.
I came to faith by knowing the Lord about six months ago, wherein, I was visiting a shopping mall, and a woman from America invited me to attend a personal development training through which I came to know about Jesus, as the training was mostly Purpose of Life. So, from then on I was traveling with my ministry group in various places where we evangelize people by sharing the Word of God, and through that, the habit of reading Bible developed in me.
My ministry dream is to serve the youth of my country, specially the women, to come out of their worldly addictions and support those women who face atrocities as this is common in India, by spreading the word of God, so that these people who are in darkness can see the Great Light, as said in Isaiah 9:2.
I am thankful to Christian Leader’s Institute and the beginner’s course they have provided, as this has helped me to have a distinctive understanding of my calling for ministry, and also gave me a good teaching on devotion life, which was required for me.
I dream of becoming a Pastor and serve my ministry, and share the word of God, specially among youth. I wish to become a service leader in my community, which is in the grasp of Satan. I wish to bring them in light, as Jesus is the light(John 8:12).
I have always looked for a platform to serve people, help those who are in need, and specially help women who face atrocities in this harsh male chauvinistic society of India. Through Word of God and the ministry life, I got that platform, where I can serve people and help those women who face hardships in life.
In my place, people are worshiping the Satan in the form of idols, and they have that dark cover around their eyes, so they cannot see the real God. They think Christians to be religious transformers, and they don’t entertain the Christians, they preach against Christianity, and my motive is to change their thought process in this regard, and these are the challenges I find in my society.
Bible, I believe will be the instrument to bring change in my society, as it brought change in me. Bible has given me a purpose driven life and provided me a way to attain salvation, and to preach the good news of salvation brought by the Messianic King, Jesus Christ, by seeking His kingdom. “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son”( Col 1:13).
My local Church has been supportive, as they are the ones who developed the habit of reading scriptures in me. Through various training and preaching experience, I have gone in depth with the word of God and developed a base to my ministry life.
My scholarship will help me build my knowledge for the gospel and also be more confident when sharing the word. It will also enable me to be recognized as a trained Christian leader through my certificates and diplomas eventually in ministry, which is necessary to preach the gospel in a country like India.
Please pray that I grow more in the Word of God, and set an example as Christian leader, so I can say like Paul did, “Follow me, as I follow Christ” (1 Cor 1:11).