I am an African-American born and raised in the United States.I gave my life to the Lord in October 1999, and I was Baptized November 1999. I had an almost fatal car accident in 2002. I fractured C-1 vertebrae in my neck, had a punctured lung from a broken rib, and other broken bones. God healed me. Also, I was an injured, ill combat veteran, who was medically evacuated back to the United States. This is where I went through the Wounded Warrior Program at Fort Gordon for two years. I was then medically discharged at 100% disabled in April 2013. After all this, I still was actively participating in my church choir, even though it was harder for me now. I knew God had more for me. After spending time with God and asking Him for what is it that He would have me do; I had a dream. In the dream, He told me to Preach His Word. So when I woke, I was a bit puzzled. How can I preach His Word and I have aches and pains, insomnia, traumatic brain injury, a cognitive disorder, anxiety, depression, chronic migraines, memory problems, and taking all this medication that keeps me sleeping half the day. And the Holy Spirit said, “but you remember My Word, even if you don’t remember world stuff.” He also later told me, ” If I called you, I’m going to equip you.” What’ll you know, the Holy Spirit brought the scripture back to my remembrance. So long story short, ” I became a licensed minister at my local church on November 13, 2016. By His stripes, I am healed. I know there is so much more that God has for me to do for The Kingdom. Thank you, Jesus!!!!!!!
Ministry Chaplain Training
More and more Christians need Ministry Chaplain Training for their callings. A local chaplain minister may help local police departments or fire departments. These chaplains make a big difference! Michael Wulczyn serves at his local Catholic church but also seeks to serve the community in an ordination that will be recognized in his community. CLI offers this kind of dual ordination. He can remain in his Catholic church but ordained in our alliance for becoming a local chaplain minister. CLI is soon launching a Ministry Chaplain Training certificate and ordination.
Here is his story:
My name is Michael Wulczyn and am fortunate to be married to a special and wonderful woman, Rose Wulczyn, for over twenty-five years. We have two children, Lorie and Matthew, and two grandchildren, Randy and Samantha. We all live in San Antonio, TX
Originally from Chicago, I grew up the product of Catholic school. I became an altar boy at St. Eugene’s Catholic Church and served for a good number of years. My family moved to San Antonio when I was thirteen. I completed High School and joined the US Navy. Injured in the Persian Gulf I was medically discharged and returned to Texas where I met Rose. We fell in love and set out on a truly challenging journey together.
My relationship with God has always been what I would consider strong — when it was in effect. As with a good deal of relationships, there are always ups and downs; tests that truly push the envelope in order to reveal the essence and character of those involved. When my relationship with God swung to the low points, my faith was challenged and doubt entered my heart. I’ve always been able to overcome that doubt and swing back on course. When my relationship swung to the high point, it was unshakeable and renewed. Both the lowest and highest point occurred on 09/12/2012.
While riding my motorcycle to work I was struck by a pickup truck and crashed into another car on the Interstate. Both vehicles took off leaving me with twelve broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a fractured scapula, and a huge gash in my head. The ER doctors worked on me for nine hours before admitting me into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Two physicians told me straight out they didn’t know how I survived — I should have died on that road.
As I lay in that hospital I faced a long and painful recovery. I had the chance to think about a good number of things. The one that I kept coming back to was why did I survive such a terrible accident?
After being transferred from ICU to a hospital bed a Chaplain dropped by and we discussed the accident. I voiced my question to him to which he replied, “God isn’t finished with you yet. He has plans for you which must still be fulfilled.” That started me thinking even more. What could God possibly want of me?
Lying in that hospital room I did something I rarely do. I gave up on seeking an answer to a problem. I stopped trying to surmise God’s plan for me. Instead, I succumbed to His will and placed myself unquestioningly into God’s hands. Within a week after that, I was discharged so as to continue the healing process at home. I knew then that this was the Lord calling me into service.
There have been numerous tests since I lost my job. Found a new one and lost that after the company folded. God has managed to always deliver with one form of aid or another at times when all appeared to be approaching upon the worst. I no longer worry too much. God is steering my life and I have new hope and faith.
There isn’t much opportunity for Catholics to serve God in the traditional sense if one is married.
As I search my heart I find that I take note of more and more opportunities for a chaplaincy — with the local police department as well as with several hospitals. As circumstances have it, all these positions require formal training and ordination. Perhaps it is not so much a coincidence that I have come across CLI and this wonderful opportunity for training!
My current situation has forced my budget to be severely restricted to absolutely necessary items. Then one day I came across the Christian Leader Institute’s (CLI’s)site. The more I studied and researched the more intrigued I became convinced. Surely God had removed the sole obstacle preventing me from fulfilling His plan!
It is my sincere hope to make use of the scholarship offered by CLI, complete my studies, and find a position as a chaplain. I can’t say I know it for a fact, but I know in my heart that this is where I need to be. Only time will tell if this truly is the plan God has in store. Until that revelation, I move forward one little step at a time, steadfast and determined, knowing that as I struggle and move ahead towards a certain goal, God walks beside me should I stumble.
Christian Leaders Resource
A Christian Leaders Resource like a scholarship-driven free ministry training is rare. Christian Leaders Institute is a generosity-driven school that give this Christian Leaders Resource to eveyone who complete the getting started connection class. Here is a story from Lance Fisher:
My name is Lance Fisher and I am 52 years old. I have 6 children (3 boys from my first marriage, 3 boys from my wife’s first marriage), and 3 grandchildren. I am married to my best friend Lisa. I grew up in a good home with wonderful parents, and a basic knowledge of God. We were Catholic but only attended church on holidays. I was baptized Catholic when I was 18 years old. I went to college for a year in Pennsylvania, but dropped out and joined the Marines. I served 8 years in the Marines. I married young (20 yrs old), and had children immediately. Life was difficult, mainly because I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. After the Marines, I was tired of being poor and decided to start my own business – DayStar Corporation. DayStar was started in my basement during the days, while I worked nights as a Maintenance Mechanic at Frito-Lay. DayStar Corp was a high-tech manufacturing business where I designed and built custom vision and laser inspection systems for manufacturing companies. The business grew fast and was highly successful. It was also very difficult and become extremely stressful. During my time in the Marines and afterwards, I used alcohol as a means to cope. This grew and intensified as my business grew. It eventually came to a head, when my business was at it’s peak, but my marriage was ending. I ended up divorcing and shutting down my business. I realized the problem I had with alcohol, so I quit. This was a very hard thing to do, but it saved my life. I have not had a drink since that day, over 20 years ago. I met my current wife Lisa and got married. Lisa was an Episcopalian.
I got my Life & Health Insurance license and started a new business. I decided to help Senior Citizens since they were easily and often preyed upon victims. We moved to Florida and were in the process of buying a house. We stayed at my brothers house for about a month while we searched and purchased a home. During this time, I would often stay up late and read from my brother’s large volume of Christian books. One night, all alone at around 2am, I came to realize that I never knew God and that I needed a Savior and forgiveness of sin. I was born again in that moment when I surrendered my life to Christ. From the moment of my rebirth, the world came alive and my heart felt joy like never before. God instantly and daily worked on me inside, which was noticed outwardly. I devoured the Bible and we joined a local church (New Life Assemblies of God), where I was mentored by pastor Randy Burt. I started working with young children in the Royal Rangers program. Within a very short period of time, my wife and I began a home Bible study, which eventually led to a home church that had regular attendance of over 50 people. Over the next few years, I served as an itinerant pastor, associate pastor at The Center of Hope, senior pastor of Independent Pentecostal Church, and missionary to Guatemala, Haiti, and Africa. We have since moved from Florida and lived in several states due to my wife’s job. Because of my lack of “formal” training, I was never accepted as a local leader in any of the churches after we moved. It was humbling and difficult for me to accept, but I decided that was where God wanted me and I was to submit and learn from it. And that is what I did. We were a part of a number of churches that we truly loved.
I have always had an insatiable hunger for the Word of God and a desire to continually grow closer to God. I am so excited about Christian Leaders Institute! What a blessing for this world!! My desire is to become a sponge and soak up as much learning as I can from CLI. And because I believe highly in a giver’s model of life, I plan to do so with CLI. It is such a great opportunity to give to this cause of raising up Revival Leaders. After I finish my training I will go wherever God calls me. I am leaving that in God’s wonderful hands and trusting His plan for the rest of my life. I do plan on getting the Bachelors Degree of Divinity and with this “formal” training, other doors of ministry opportunities will surely open.
Ministering in the US is quite a bit different than ministering in the third world countries that I went to. In the US, I have found that people have a hard time acknowledging their need for God or a Savior because there is so much wealth in this country. People have god’s and idols all around them. There is the god of the refrigerator, the god of the hospital, the god of fast food, the god of TV & internet, etc….. People do not see through these vanities, to the wonder of the God who created it all. It is quite different when ministering in a third world country. The people generally do not have this wealth, these idols and gods. Their life is quite simplistic and they can readily accept a God that heals and forgives. They NEED God and desperately want Him when He is shown to them. The memories of my visits to these countries will stay with me forever.
My ministry dream is to become one with God as Jesus was one with God. I believe the closer we can become like Jesus, the more God can use it to share the light of His love in a hurting world. I greatly desire that this world comes to the knowledge of the Way, the Truth, & the Life only found in Jesus. I am not much on titles, except slave to my Master – Jesus Christ. I love it when people come to a higher truth found in Him, when new churches are planted and the love of God is spread in a community. My passion is to preach and proclaim the gospel.
I am so excited to be a part of CLI and intend to take full advantage of the wonderful Christian Leaders resource available to me. I believe that Mentor Centers are an incredible opportunity to promote growth within a region. We are fighting a spiritual battle each and every day, and when Christians come together in a setting like a Mentor Center, the enemy does not stand a chance. The light will spread in this area and the darkness will flee…..
The Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12…… This is one of my favorite passages in scripture. Mainly because it touches me so deeply. The Word of God has completely changed me. I am a different person. Not the same man I was before Christ. And the Word of God did this. It transformed me from the inside – out. The passage says the Word can divide the soul from the spirit. I believe that! Our soul is convicted when the spirit is fed the Word of God. We are shown the ugliness of our nature and sin. This is a godly sorrow which brings about repentance and transformation. It is such a beautiful thing!
The scholarship that is available through CLI is such an amazing Christian Leaders Resource for our world! I truly believe this will change my life in ways I cannot imagine. I am looking forward to the amazing things that this wonderful opportunity shall bring.
Blessings in Christ,
Lance