Local Ministry Training
Join today and receive free local ministry training. Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) offers free high-quality online ministry training. CLI accepts any individual anywhere in their life to learn about Christianity. Read a student’s testimony below who found CLI and is using the training to answer his call from God to become a local minister and reach out to the Lost:
Hello, my name is Robert (Robbie) Groover and I was born in 1965. I live in Sevierville Tennessee with my wife, Nancy. She was my high school sweetheart. We started dating in 1981 and have been married since 1986. We have a daughter that is married with two wonderful kids. Our son is not married and states that he is not looking because he doesn’t have time to devote to a wife.
I grew up in Canton, Georgia (40 miles north of Atlanta) in a Christian home. I attended church my entire life and accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior at a young age. My mother and father were both active in the church. My mother taught Sunday school for as long as I can remember. My wife and I began helping her early in our marriage. In life’s journey, we are all presented with choices to make. Instead of allowing events during different seasons in my life to draw me closer, I allowed separation in my relationship with God. Other choices brought further isolation and separation from family and friends. All of this because I would not heed the call into His service. When God has a plan, He has ways of making His service a priority. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far we run, He is already there. He closed many doors back home and gave us only one option, which we did follow. He will spit you out in whale vomit on the beach that He desires. In obedience to His call, restoration began in my relationship with God. Through daily studies and communion with God, I began writing devotions highlighting His power and Grace.
In 2015 God moved us to Sevierville Tennessee, God created a platform for me to work in His ministry. Our ministry is through an online radio and media ministry of teaching and encouraging others. My goal, or what God has laid on my heart is two-fold. First is to reach the lost in any way or opportunity that God allows. Secondly, to teach the truth that is in the word of God to new and mature Christians. I want to encourage and inspire believers at any levels.
In following God’s call and being obedient, my wife encouraged me to seek formal local ministry training. Because of the lack of funds, I was led to Christian Leaders Institute. The classes and training that I have received (to date) have been a blessing from the beginning. CLI has helped with my daily communion with God as well as strengthening my foundation. Every class is structured to bring a better understanding and knowledge of God in our daily lives. Each lesson builds off of each other. The foundation is strong in Biblical Doctrine and Theology. Many say “you get what you pay for.” I disagree with this statement. With CLI, I have been given a great gift that I did not pay for, except for the work of studying. Another reason I disagree with this statement is that of what God did for us. He has given a gift that we cannot pay for, cannot work for but can only accept. I love the free model of training that CLI has structured because it emulates what God has done and commanded. God’s command was to go out and make disciples. He did not say charge them an arm and a leg. We are to trust in Him to provide and that is only one of the models that I will be using from CLI. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to receive this local ministry training from CLI.
Given a platform from God to speak and represent Him as an Evangelist is truly an honor. God has placed a passion in my heart reach the lost, as well as encourage believers. The world is jacked up and screams very loud against God and His authority. People are seeking the truth, but the culture has programmed them to come at this search with a slanted opinion (anything but God). My calling is to reach out to those seeking and help them find the truth in God’s word. While busting and exposing the lies and myths that the culture has ingrained in their mind.
My local church and staff have been a tremendous support in my calling. My Pastor encourages the whole church to step outside the comfort zone to reach the community. The staff focus is in on God’s work. A favorite saying and something Pastor lives by is “God gets the glory, we do the work”. He stresses that we are the hands and feet and we follow the will of our Master.
My ministry may have started with the roots in radio and media. However, this does not mean that personal interaction is not our goal. God is great and I feel has great plans for this ministry to reach many on a personal level. I am working on starting small group studies during the week. How this will look is not determined yet, it could be in a restaurant or possibly in a home group setting.
I do ask for prayer that we stay faithful to the calling of God. That He gives us the ability and passion for staying bold in proclaiming His name and glory.
Check out more stories about CLI students receiving local ministry training and becoming leaders in Christian ministry the on the CLI Facebook page.
I am Marissa Evasco Japis and I live in the Philippines. Our country has been recognized as a Christian country wherein 82% were Catholic while the remaining 11% belongs to the different Christian denominations. However, though it may seem that preaching and sharing the Word of God should come easy, that is not the case. Christianity in our country has become more of tradition and rituals. One can quickly notice the shallowness of understanding the Word of God and living by it. Human principles and reasoning have been the basis for living excluding what the Bible says. Moreover, I came to witness more and more young people blindly following the way of the world, leading them to destruction and isolation from God. This has caused my heart to swell and feel much burden seeing more young people get trapped by the devil to commit deeds that are not pleasing unto God.
I was born in a Christian family. My father was an assistant pastor of the church we used to attend. He, later on, started pioneering a church as well. He decided to quit his job to become a full-time Pastor. Because both of my parents were serving the Lord, my two other siblings and I were raised in a Christian environment. I have loved the Lord even at a young age. I knew that though I was young, I wanted to serve him and honor Him in anyway I can. However, as I grew up circumstances changed and the situation got more complicated. We were financially tested, and we could hardly have three meals in a day. However, that didn’t stop our family from serving the Lord. We continue to serve and God we were amazed at how God made a way for us to survive each day. I believe that I totally surrendered my life to Christ back when I was 15 years old. This was the time that everything is becoming more serious when it comes to my relationship with the Lord.
When I was younger, I dreamed of being a teacher. It has gotten more specific and detailed as I grew up. I then thought I wanted to be a licensed public school teacher because it is one of the most stable jobs in the country. I dreamed of taking Master’s Degree and attaining higher education to be recognized in the field of Education, but the most important thing was, I wanted to earn money, so I won’t experience the hardship we experienced when I was younger. I want to be in a secure and comfortable status. However, this has all changed as God changed my heart. He has put a new dream in my heart. I started dreaming to serve the Lord in every way I can. My first ministry dream is to be equipped and trained for teaching and evangelizing people. I hope to see myself serving in the church as a missionary pastor. It is my dream to pioneer a church and teach young people. I hope to bring the good news of salvation that can transform the lives of the youth and make more disciples for the expansion of God’s Kingdom.
Having “Getting Started Class” lessons has given me the fresh revival in renewing my daily commitment to the Lord. It has fixed all the broken pieces of my foundation in my relationship with God. This was the very thing I needed the most. I have started pioneering a church now, and I felt like I was walking on a very thin cable. Watching and reading the lectures about creating a habit of daily walk with God through devotions have made my path wider as I felt more confidence and stronger in the Lord. I started applying all the principles I have learned here, and I am just amazed how God moves in my heart, in my life, in my marriage, and in the ministry, He has entrusted me.
I could identify myself as a Pastor and a church Planter. I love how God use the life He has given me to draw more people to Him through the power of His Holy Spirit. I love teaching them and nourishing their souls with the Word of God. I also see myself planting new churches in every place that needs to be restored by God through creating relationships with them.
Back in 2009, I was continuously attending the church where my father was a Pastor. Back at that time, I got my first job and I was focused on making my self-centered dream into a reality. I was working hard, and my focus was to earn and prove myself worthy to my family and the people around me. I loved my father very much, and I was so dependent on him. I believe God has been calling me that time, but I was too busy achieving my goals in life to respond to Him. After two years, my father died. It was sudden and unexpected. I asked God, “Why?” I couldn’t understand why he had to leave so soon. After going through the pain of losing someone so dear to my heart. God spoke to me and reminded me that all I need is Him. I shouldn’t rely on the strength and faith of no one else but Him. God has turned my mourning into dancing and my sorrow into joy. And one day I found myself seeking to do His will in my life.
Some of the unique challenges in my geographic area were the belief in Catholicism among the old people while the young people are suffering from moral decline. More and more teenagers are getting into premarital sex and suffering from early pregnancy.
My local church has been supporting me in my new place for church planting by sending young people to work with me on this new ministry. And having a scholarship is very important because what I will be learning from will be my ultimate tool to continue the work in ministering among the old the young and the children. It is also my hope to someday teach and train new workers and leaders for the Lord.
I hope that you will be praying for the church we are currently pioneering, the ministry to the kids, and the discipleship of the young people. May the Lord bring more and more soul to the church and may the Lord bring more workers to be trained for the harvest is ready!
Ordained Officiant Training
Join today and receive free ordained officiant training. Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) offers free high-quality online ministry training. CLI accepts any individual anywhere in their life to learn about Christianity. Read a student’s testimony below who found CLI and is using the free Ordained Officiant Training to answer his call from God.
I am God-fearing man who loves the Lord and the word of God. My mom raised me in the church. As a matter of fact, my entire household was spiritual as I was growing up. I was saved and baptized at 12 years. My mom had received a few prophetic proclamations on my life that I would become a preacher and pastor. As I was growing up, I also received confirmations of those very proclamations but did not know how to handle it and where to begin. In 1997, I re-dedicated my life to Christ and gave up everything that would hinder my walk with God. I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, a few months after re-dedicating my life. I was on fire for God many weeks afterward. It was an awesome experience. I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world to me of almost 13 years. We have been together for 16 years. Together we have 3 handsome, smart and intelligent boys (Jontrell -15, Jordan -14, and Joshua -12), who also love the Lord with all their heart. My oldest son loves to read and study the bible almost daily for long periods of times. They have all confessed Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior and have been baptized approximately 4 years ago. I am a Civil Draftsman/Designer and Inspector. I also currently am the President of F.A.I.T.H. L.I.O.N.S. (Fathers Alliance Inspiring Tomorrows Hopefuls to be Obedient through Necessary Sacrifices) Community Outreach which is a youth organization, I started along with 3 other fathers who wanted to coach and mentor kids with the philosophy and giving them spiritual guidance, mentoring, athletic training, academic help and standardized test preparation. Those 3 guys that helped me start this organization are no longer apart of the organization, but God has to give me the charge to continue on mentoring, ministering and coaching. We reach over 150-200 kids in the Baton Rouge area, by offering sports, tutoring, study-hall, Bible study, various outreach activities, etc. I am also founder and director of my ministry that God has given me, Kingdom Advancement Center, which is in its infant stages, however, I did begin a summer program this past summer which will continue this year.
In 1997, I re-dedicated my life to Christ and gave up everything that would hinder my walk with God. I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, a few months after re-dedicating my life. I was on fire for God many weeks afterward. It was an awesome experience. I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world to me of almost 13 years. We have been together for 16 years. Together we have 3 handsome, smart and intelligent boys (Jontrell -15, Jordan -14, and Joshua -12), who also love the Lord with all their heart. My oldest son loves to read and study the bible almost daily for long periods of times. They have all confessed Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior and have been baptized approximately 4 years ago. I am a Civil Draftsman/Designer and Inspector. I also currently am the President of F.A.I.T.H. L.I.O.N.S. (Fathers Alliance Inspiring Tomorrows Hopefuls to be Obedient through Necessary Sacrifices) Community Outreach which is a youth organization, I started along with 3 other fathers who wanted to coach and mentor kids with the philosophy and giving them spiritual guidance, mentoring, athletic training, academic help and standardized test preparation. Those 3 guys that helped me start this organization are no longer a part of the organization, but God has to give me the charge to continue on mentoring, ministering and coaching. We reach over 150-200 kids in the Baton Rouge area, by offering sports, tutoring, study hall, Bible study, various outreach activities, etc. I am also founder and director of my ministry that God has given me, Kingdom Advancement Center, which is in its infant stages, however, I did begin a summer program this past summer which will continue this year.
My ministry goal is to become the Pastor God has called me to be, to live out my purpose for being. God had called me to the ministry over 10 years ago. He poured into me daily. I use to be up countless hours at night studying and reading the Bible, cross-referencing scripture with Greek and Hebrew. I had bought different translations of the bible a couple of Strong’s concordance, and other text books. I wanted to attend Seminary but just could find the time to go. I had a burning desire to fulfill my call. Preached my first sermon in 2001. I had accumulated enough sermons in the span of 6 – 8 months to probably preach for a year and a half. But, things got slow for me and I didn’t know what to do next. Well in June of this year I sincerely answered my call and God has opened up several doors for me as He had been preparing me. I have a strong desire like never before to do His will. I believe this calling is to study Ordained Officiant Training. Since September, I have ministered 3 times locally and two weeks ago, I ministered at the Hearts of Fire Conference in Atlanta to a group of youth.
This Scholarship at CLI will help me to become more astute and profound in the word of God. It will give me a great opportunity to be taught by some elite instructors through this online course study so that I may elevate my knowledge of the word of God and biblical principles that I may be able to effectively and precisely preach the gospel of Jesus Christ without compromise or doubt, that by the word of God, those who I minister to will be drawn to God by the gospel, thus helping me not only achieve my goals but most importantly achieve the goal of the gospel. I am looking forward to my journey through Ordained Officiant Training.
On becoming an Ordained Officiant, I believe that it is a privilege and honor to be a representative of God carrying out God ordained mandates for kingdom purposes and for the glory of God. It is not just a duty, but I feel an obligation as one who is called of God to accept this specific calling of an Ordained Officiant who can carry forth kingdom principles on earth and to execute and exemplify through demonstration what God expects and commands of us to bring Him glory. I pride myself on trying to do everything decently and in order with excellence through the working and help of the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us into all truth. It is, therefore, with gratitude and appreciation to be chosen of God as a vessel whom He can use to set in order and execute the various ceremonies and services as needed. I truly believe through my humility, love for people and being faithful to the call, am able to uphold the office of an Ordained Officiant.
Check out more stories about CLI students becoming leaders in ministry the on the CLI Facebook page