Kentucky Free Biblical Training
CLI Student, Carla Knowlton, is a talented writer who has a passion for men, women, and child ministry she is receiving Kentucky free biblical training at Christian Leaders Institute.
Read about how she is receiving Kentucky free biblical training at CLI below:
My name is Carla Knowlton. I live in Kentucky in the United States. I have been married for 22 years, and we have two adult children. My husband has been ordained as a minister, and we prayerfully wait for the Lord to open doors of opportunity for him.
I was raised in an environment where Christianity was the right thing to do, although it was only occasionally practiced. As a young adult, I followed the same pattern – I believed in God and wanted to live for Him. I would attend church for a time and strive to do good, then fall away and end up in the “world”, living only for myself. In time I began to believe that Christianity wasn’t for me – that I couldn’t do it. I always failed. I always disappointed God. I then determined to never have anything to do with Him again. It wasn’t worth it. After a couple of years, I had an experience in which God absolutely invaded my heart. He broke down in a moment every wall I had built and filled me with such a love that I had never thought possible. In time, as I grew in the Lord, I came to understand that my past “failures” was because I had been trying to live according to “works”. When I messed up, I allowed myself to believe that I was failing God and that He couldn’t/wouldn’t love me anymore, because I was too messed up.
It has been 10 years since that day that the Spirit of God invaded my life, and although I am far from perfect and sometimes still struggle to see myself as He does rather than by my “merit”, He has been faithful to keep me all these years. He has never let go, even when I have been too weak to hold onto Him.
During the years, I have been used in many varied ways. I do not know exactly where the Lord will lead me, or what “title” one could give to the ministry that He has called me to. He speaks to me of so many things – writing books (I do have one published); writing songs; praise & worship service; I hear sermons in my mind; I have so many ideas for men’s ministries, women’s ministries, youth ministries… My former pastor said that the Lord speaks to me as He does a pastor’s wife, as the pastors must have a hand in every part of the church. I have laid up his council in my heart, while I wait for the Lord to confirm or deny and to lead as He desires. I only know that the greatest passions of my heart are (1) being a pillar – a strong, upholding support – for pastors, for they are the servants of the entire congregation and are often without encouragement or support, and (2) writing for the glory of God.
For many years, I have desired a higher education in my spiritual walk. I have researched colleges, seminaries, etc. too many times to count. My husband is on disability due to a back injury, my adult son has autism and lives at home, and I am a homemaker. We could not afford the cost of a quality education when my husband and I both worked; now with one small income, it is completely impossible. But with God, all things are possible! While doing yet another internet search, I came across Christian Leaders Institute. I am pleasantly surprised with the quality of education provided by CLI, and the availability to those who cannot afford it but who still feel the call of God on their lives astounds me. I am so thrilled and thankful to God for providing this opportunity to me, and to all involved with CLI for allowing God to use them in this manner and for following this call on their own lives. I believe that my education at Christian Leaders Institute will strengthen my own walk with the Lord, enable me to effectively speak to others about Christ and His Gospel, and equip me to be a viable leader in whatever capacity He chooses to place me in.
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Free Online Christian Training
Become a strong and authentic leader today. 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’s free online Christian training as a tool to renew his the walk with Christ:
I hail from Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Although a ‘first-world’ country, it is becoming increasingly challenging to practice ministry due to increasing self-reliance and ‘enlightenment’ of the population through the focus on higher education. I know this sounds a bit counter-intuitive, but my experience and popular culture has shown me that the more degrees a person has, and the higher education achieved, the more a person believes they can do and figure everything out for themselves with little or no dependence on others, let alone God.
I’ve always been familiar with God, being brought up in a Christian home, but I began my personal relationship with God more in my adult years after becoming a parent and losing a number of close family members. I believe it took those experiences for me to realize I really didn’t have all the answers, nor the power to control every aspect of my life. I also had the benefit of learning some hard lessons through some experiences that quite frankly made me angry at God. However; only as time passed did I realize that God had a direct hand in all the struggles with a plan to build me up and create new, better opportunities for me and my family.
This introductory class with the Christian Leaders Institute has renewed my Bible walk with God, reinforcing the different connections necessary, especially around devotions and studying the Bible while reminding me of my role and responsibility as the spiritual leader of my household.
Of all the options, I would say I identify most with the title “Small Group Leader”, as my passion is focused on building other leaders and mentors that will lead others using Christ’s example, showing believers and non-believers alike the benefits of seeking to be a disciple of Christ. This is something I want to pursue as I see far too many leaders that are too selfish and focused on protecting themselves at the cost of others.
A unique challenge here in Canada is the cultural popularity to promote everything that is not related to the Christian faith and treat Christian believers as an oppressive force that must be shut down and penalized all in the name of pluralism of all except for the Christian Church.
My local church is actually a church plant itself, focused on reaching the unchurched and de-churched in the community. I have been regularly encouraged to explore ministry as a bi-vocational leader and have been given opportunities to take a leadership role within the Church itself.
A scholarship at CLI would assist me in exploring more focused biblical studies without putting undo pressure on my family’s limited resources as well as allow me to study at my own pace while working full-time.
The prayers I would ask for are not necessarily for me, but for all those in Canada, and the world, that has not seen the light of Christ, or have been mistreated by those calling themselves Christian, and that they see what Christ has done and is doing for those that seek to be disciples, not just Christians.
Check out more stories about students using CLI’s free online Christian training to become strong and authentic leaders in Christ on the CLI facebook page
Online Free Bible College
Jean Pierre Rheau has come from nearly dying to studying ministry at Christian Leaders Institute – an online free Bible college where Jean has deepened his knowledge of the Gospel.
Read about Jean’s story of discovering CLI – an online free Bible college below:
My name is Jean Pierre Rheau of Kissimmee, Florida. I’ve been married to my wife Sonia for thirty-eight years and raised our four children Samuel, Marvin, Sophia and Sabine. They are all grown up and we have four grandchildren – Jamel and Asia from Samuel, Jordyn and Jenesis from Sophia.
I started traveling as a crew member on a cruise ship. I visited the Caribbean, West Indies, North America, South America, Central America, and Alaska. I immigrated to the USA in 1980, to Providence, Rhode Island. I joined the Church of God and served as Deacon, Pastor, Council and Lay coordinator. My brother, Bishop Jean Gerard and I, co-signed for the building of Anthony Avenue Church of God, now Elmwood Avenue Church of God. I moved to Florida in 1997 and served on the same level under the leadership of Bishop Jean Denis of Kissimmee Church of God for fifteen years.
I originated from Haiti. I was born and brought up in a Christian home and I did not experience anything in the world because my parents who raised eleven of us taught us to know just the Lord; we only had one option, it was to go to Catholic school. Therefore, it was mandatory to participate in their Mass, sing in their choir, and thereafter go to Church with our parents.
At a very young age, knowing my Bible, with the help of my mother who went to Bible Seminary and my uncle who was the Senior Pastor of the Pentecostal Church of God, always put me in a heated argument with my fellow pupils when gathering with the Priest in Catechism class.
At the age of twelve, I had the chickenpox. My mother forced me to take a shower after school and as a remedy, she mixed yucca starch with alcohol and blew it on my skin on a cold December evening; I caught a very severe cold and when I got to school, they took me to the clinic and I was diagnosed with pneumonia. I was transported the next day to the closest General Hospital in town. The doctor said it was not even necessary to put me on an antibiotic because I had fluid in my lung and he told my father that I was going to die. They discharged me late in that same evening from the hospital with a pair of white pants and a white long sleeve shirt for my burial.
My father who is now one hundred and two years old was so disturbed by that very bad news. He could not find any ground transportation, so he embarked on a sailboat from the city to cross the bay to the village where we lived. I arrived home, almost at midnight, on my father’s back. He gave the news to my mother and bad news travels fast; it was desolation in the whole village.
Early in the morning, the elders of the church gathered and started praying, with the laying on of hands. I was fed every day with watercress, goat meat, and coffee with cream of dry coconut. God gave me a vision showing that He puts oil in my lamp to preach. In a matter of weeks, I started to gain weight and did not feel any cold symptoms. My father was working as a steward with the school department and the Nuns inquired all the time about when I was going to die. One day my father said that he is going to take me to the clinic and they will see for themselves if I am going to live or die. He did so, and then when I got there, they were overjoyed to see that I was alive and well. All tests were negative…
At the age of thirteen, I committed my life to the Lord and was baptized. I was serving in many different church ministries and different levels, but being brought up in a Pentecostal Church of God, I never choose to go to Bible School, because if you don’t speak in other tongues you are not going to get ordained. I was delighted to meet my friend Rony Samson who introduce me to Christian Leaders Institute and who is also a student. I enjoy the genuine Bible-based Christian instructions they offer, the open door opportunity for even third world countries.
For me especially, it was a package with a precious gift from heaven. The Lord has entrusted me with a fiduciary position and sent me to make disciples for His kingdom. I ask God for a double portion for all donors and sponsors. With your prayers and the help of the Holy Spirit, I have committed myself to remain loyal in His service.
God has placed me in a new area for the past four years, working under the leadership of Bishop Rene Pierrot, where I preach, teach in Sunday School and Bible Study and play the organ. I have many challenges time-wise because I also work full-time to support my family. But as the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9: 16: “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.”
May the Lord bless you all and keeps you always.
Join like Jean this online free Bible college today.