Family Ministry
My name is Amanda Williams. I currently live in The United States of America. I am the mother of 10 children, and the wife of a loving supportive God Fearing Husband.
I grew up in a very dysfunctional home life. My mother and my father were very abusive. I was beaten and raped by my parents at a very young age. I knew from early on in life that there was something more, Someone more! My parents weren’t religious, and they never spoke the word of God.
However, at the age of 7, I was blessed with the ability to live with my grandparents, my grandfather who was a pastor who practiced loving family ministry in the home. He taught me the word of God, and how God will use my life, and my testimony to bring others to Him. I was baptized when I was eight years old and have been active in the church and ministry since.
I associate with the word “Pastor.” A Pastor, is accountable to God, for your soul. A Pastor is much like a Shepard over a flock of sheep. Corralling them if they stray, protecting them from harm and caring for them when they are weak. Much like I’ve done my entire life.
The key experience over my life, that prompted me to start family ministry or community ministry work, was the more I would tell God, that I didn’t want to do serve, that I didn’t want to be that person, the more it was evident, His plan is going to win regardless of what I wanted. Reaching out, and helping other women that were in abusive situations, and helping them come to the Lord was the iceberg that showed me, who I was.. Who I was supposed to be!
There are several unique challenges in my area. First, we live in a very poverty mind set city. People have grown accustomed to the drugs, the gangs, the general lack of finances, housing, food. Crime rates are high as people are allowing Satan to bait them instead of allowing God to guide and direct them.
My home church is very supportive in my ministry work. My Pastor, whom I sit under three times a week, is not only very intelligent but also very compassionate about the world outside the church walls.
My family is actively involved in many areas of ministry work. My husband is a Deacon, my son’s are Jr. Deacons and my daughters assist me with hospitality and ministry outreach. We daily attempt to go above and beyond to show everyone we come in contact with the love of Jesus.
This scholarship is very important to my calling of the ministry. Not only does it give me the opportunity to grow in knowledge but also to be able to share this family ministry with my children. That is not all I can share ministry with others that I come in contact with!
I ask that prayers be said, for my spiritual heads. My pastors. May they never give up the zeal and the desire to serve, that they never grow weary, tired or downhearted as they complete their ministry, that they are blessed abundantly above and beyond our minds can think of.
Ministry in Philippines
Ministry in Philippines – I was born in 1990 in Manila, Philippines. It was a good beginning when I was studying in grade school years. I was an accelerated student. My family is expecting me to do more. But that pressure consumed me; I began to rebel due to pride and shame. We were poor at the time. The following years, my mother got sick. She has a mental illness. It was a tough trial in the family, but we’ve overcome it.
My relative came to our house and introduced me about Jesus. Before he left, he asked me to go to the church near our house – a Christian church I’ve never been to before. I was hesitant. It took me a week before I decided to go. I went home and did research on the scripture until I found the word of God, “Very truly I say unto you, no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.” When I attended that Church, it was March 15, 2015. I decided to be baptized on April 3, 2015.
Right now, I do photography in our local church. Evangelism once a week in the community, and conducting Bible studies in community officials. Christian Leaders Institute truly helped me a lot; equipping me and teaching me techniques whilst sharing the experiences of the mentors. I want to study more, to know God and to fulfill my spiritual dreams.
Thank you so much for this Free Ministry Training. God bless your ministry, and may the grace, peace, mercy and love of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us. Glory be unto Him.
Hawaii Bible School
My name is Derek Fletcher, and I currently live with my family in Honolulu, Hawaii. I’ve been married to my wife for nine years, and together we have three children. I first came to the Lord when I was in college. I was living in a life of sin that revolved around alcohol and self-motives. People that knew me back then would say that they are surprised I didn’t end up dead or in jail. One morning my senior year of college after waking up from a particularly bad night the Lord said that this is not what he has planned for me; I am meant for more. That morning I asked for forgiveness of my sins and gave my life to Jesus. That is when my life started to change.
It has now been twelve years since I first came to Jesus Christ. While driving into work, I listen to the Daily Audio Bible Podcast and one morning as the podcast finished the Holy Spirit laid on my heart that I should become a pastor.
Hawaii Bible School
To pursue the calling to ministry, I chose to attend classes through CLI because it affords me the opportunity to take classes on my time, which is usually early in the morning before I head into work or later at night once the kids are all in bed. I do not know where the Lord will guide me to use the knowledge I gain from CLI, but I will pray and follow his direction.
My local church is supporting my pursuit by the pastors and elders mentoring and assisting me Additionally I have been in contact with my previous pastor since my family, and I recently moved to Honolulu, and he is also mentoring me. My former pastor’s family and my family are close, so his wife is also mentoring my wife.