Learning to Minister
CLI Student Leaha Brisbois is learning to minister by taking CLI classes. She wants to bring the peace of God as she learns to minister to others.
My name is Leaha Brisbois. I live in the United States; Pacific Northwest area- specifically Washington State. Religious expression is a freedom that Americans are very fortunate to have so ministry can be easily shared. Ministry is simply the act of sharing God’s truth in hopes of leading someone to make an important life change for the best. We can share with anyone pretty much anywhere. Some might welcome it; some may not… but that’s o.k. because a seed has been planted.
I came to know the Lord in 1994 when I met my Husband Richard. He was well in love with the Lord and made it known to me during our very first phone conversation. He told me about how wonderful God is and even shared his own testimony. He always ended our phone conversations with a prayer. He also told me that God changes lives. One day, I said “o.k. God, let’s see what you will do with my life.” Our first date was on a Saturday at the state fair with our children. Our second “date” was the next day; He took us to church. I was attentive to the Pastor even though I didn’t always understand everything that he was talking about. Richard assured me that this was an amazing thing about sermons. Not everyone gets everything every time, but we get what God has for us that day. Within weeks, I was baptized.
My ministry dream is to use music and conversation to tell people about God. I love to sing, and I want to learn to play the guitar and keyboard. I imagine myself in living rooms, behind the pulpits or even around a campfire playing a guitar and singing about the Lord. I guess that I identify with the Evangelist most because they are the ones that create a spark in me that just lights God’s fire in me and the words of God get it roaring. I feel refreshed and revived every time I hear an evangelist.
This past year, I was in bible camp feeling empty. I knew I needed something, but I didn’t know what. In hind sight, my light had gone out. I remember going up to the alter and feeling heavy about my family, mainly my dad and my children. My dad doesn’t believe in Jesus, and my children’s focus is elsewhere (but they all know Jesus). At camp, A lady came to pray with and for me. We talked for a long time, and she taught me how to pray for my family in a way I’ve never done before. She told me not to worry about them because God has them in his hands. I felt so much better. I also knew that perhaps it was me that was supposed to tell my dad the truth about God even though he lives with a devout Catholic. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it, but God assured me that I can do anything, all I have to do is just do it. He told me that I could NOT fail – that if He is with me, I could do anything and it would not fail. All I have to do is just open my mouth and tell what I know – that’s it. How EASY is that? Truly!! How much easier could God make it? I realized it was fear keeping my mouth closed.
Geographically, there are not many challenges for me. The only challenge I see is that I live in the mountains; neighbors are far, and few and winters can be rough to travel in. I currently do not attend church. The nearest church is about 10 miles away, but we don’t attend there anymore due to some belief conflicts and a lack of “spiritual food.” Since leaving, my husband and I were determined to find spiritual food somehow. Perhaps on an online course of some sort that would fill us with God’s word in a manner that gave us joy, peace, and understanding. We wanted something that could truly educate us and would allow us to properly minister to others. Perhaps even start something in our local area. But for now, we are content with just learning.
I believe my family’s role is to simply accept my prayers for them and to listen when I tell them something that I’ve learned; this also helps me learn to minister to others. My husband’s role includes helping me understand things that I have questions about and to make sure I have my learning time.
Out of the many online bible courses I found, many were costly and didn’t seem truly God-centered. When I found CLI, I was so happy that instead of a brick building on the home page, I saw people asking questions that I’ve been asking. I even saw a place to click that said Bible study tools. They even offered church and a way to tithe, and it was all free. Pastor Reyenga talked about how Jesus never charged anyone for his teachings. This made sense to me and then I could not understand why anyone would charge someone to listen to them teach about God’s love. I really want to be part of this program. I can’t see that another program could be as good as this one, so I don’t want to look elsewhere. I would really appreciate the opportunity to be part of CLI and this scholarship is my ticket in.
CLI prayer warriors can pray (for me) that I can find peace and joy outside of my comfort zone and that my comfort zone gets bigger over time. Please pray that I reach people the way God intends for me to do and that God’s light will shine brightly within me. I have a forgetful mind, so please pray that my memory will be strong so that I can better remember things I’ve read. Also, please pray that I can learn to sing without fear.
Join other CLI students learning to minister by liking the CLI Facebook page.
Answering God’s Call
CLI student Rebecca Glenn is highly motivated to serve God despite challenges of being legally blind in her right eye. She is answering God’s call in her life by getting formal ministry training at CLI.
Hi, my name is Rebecca Glenn. I live in a small city in Montgomery Alabama. I was born in New York. I am legally blind in the right eye. I have been married for 32-years. I do not have children. My mother is living and is 82-years old when I write this profile. She is still in her own house and does her own cooking and cleaning. She is a strong woman of God. I have three brothers and five sisters. Currently, I do work so I guess I am bi-vocational.
Being legally blind in the right eye, I had to adjust as a child because my right eye tends to deviate to the right pretty badly and the vision cannot be assessed. The Lord blessed me; however, as I have been able to continue my educational journey, obtaining a Doctorate Degree. I began my faith in Christ Jesus at an early age attending Sunday school, church and church activities. Church was a required activity. You knew that Monday-Friday was school, Saturday family activities/housework, and play time. But, on Sunday we were in church beginning with Sunday school, participating in choir, Easter programs, Christmas programs and other church activities.
During my childhood, my grandmother lived with our family. She was very wise, and she participated in many church functions. Often, I would be passing by her bedroom, and she would have the Bible. She would call me “Becky!” come in and read this passage. The first time I retorted “Gram you must not have your glasses on”’ she, then stated, “I did not say anything about my glasses, I told you to come in and read to me.” This became a habit; I do not know if she liked the way that I read or if she did not want to read it for herself or what. However, I do know that this planted a seed deep in me. I started to get to know our Lord and Savior in a deeper way. It was like He leaped off of the pages and was standing in my grandmother’s bedroom whenever I came in to read for her. My mother and grandmother did not believe in being baptized unless you knew Jesus for yourself. In other words, I had to have my own relationship. They gave us the ability to say that we believed in Christ and accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. I was baptized in a tiny creek with fish swimming around my feet at the age of 16; I will never forget it. At the age of 29, I began teaching Sunday school at children’s church. It was at this time that I received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! I thank God for His power and anointing. God’s calling continued strongly in my life. In work, I have always believed in service to others. Through me, I want others to see Christ in my life. I always tell people that the only inheritance and legacy that you leave is that of a heartfelt relationship with Jesus Christ. If someone else sees Christ through me, then I am fulfilling my call and my ministry.
I currently, teach Sunday school; however, I have felt the need to perform formal evangelistic ministry. I would like to work as a Christian Counselor. I find that someone is always calling on me for knowledge and advice. My training would begin the journey towards a goal of ministering to people who believe that they have no hope. My goal is to obtain either an Associate or Bachelor’s degree. This would not necessarily make me competent to spread the Gospel as God has called us all to His ministry; however, it would assist with obtaining leadership positions with a strong foundation. A foundation of support lends credibility with those that you are ministering to; it also equips me with knowledge of the Bible, church, congregants, the community, and growth for the Kingdom. I have always felt drawn by God’s Word, but, did not know how He would have me to apply it further. I have always believed in working if as unto God, so, I always worked in service related professional fields. Now, I want to focus my life on ministry with the passion God has given me. I feel like the chains have been broken and I must focus on His will for my life. The world is turned topsy-turvy; we must look to the Savior to bring change individually and collectively. I pray that I receive this scholarship and I ask that CLI pray for my endurance in the completion of this program so that I may show myself approved to His will.
Currently, I am working on-line as an educator. I am very familiar with distance learning and cyberspace classrooms and course work. When I first saw this program, I could not believe that God had answered my prayers, but knew that if I waited long enough, He would answer my prayers. I know that He is calling me to this ministry as I reviewed other colleges and universities and low and behold like five loaves and two fish, there was Christian Leaders Institute. This scholarship was God sent and was meant for me. A scholarship would enable me the ability to pursue this endeavor. I am determined to go all the way and completely submit myself to Christ, but, I know that it will not be easy, I have dealt with adversity, and through them, all God has strengthened me to be a powerful ambassador of His Word. One final word, ministering to others on a formal basis is something that I have done my entire career as a nurse educator. It requires more than knowing scripture; it requires a personal relationship with our ruler and maker. There is a call on my life, and I am answering God’s call on it.
Youthful Passion for Christ
CLI student, Sydney Simao, has been raised in the faith and at only 17 she is writing and public speaking about Christ. She has such youthful passion for Christ that you can feel by reading her testimony.
Read her story below:
My name is Sydney Simao and I’m a 17-year-old Christian writer and public speaker. I live in the United States in Washington with my Dad, who is a Pastor and Entrepreneur, Mom, who has home-schooled all of us kids, me and seven younger siblings.
I don’t remember the day that I came to know the Lord, but my Mom tells me that she remembers the first time I appeared to have a clear understanding of the Gospel. I was two years old, and running around the house carrying a small gift. When she asked what I was doing, I told her that I wanted to give a gift to Jesus. She knelt down and told me that Jesus wanted to give a gift to me and shared the Gospel. I prayed and asked Jesus to save me from my sins, and ever since then, I have been striving to grow in the knowledge of our Lord. I was baptized when I was 7 years old.
I desire to continue speaking and writing for God’s glory, and pointing others to the truth of His word by sharing the Gospel, defending the faith, and helping others learn about the central and sometimes difficult doctrines of the Christian faith.
I have always had a passion for understanding what I believe and why I believe it. When I was little, I desired to be a missionary in a foreign country. That desire to share and defend the Truth has not changed, but now I am planning to do this by helping those all around me through writing and speaking. That is why I am pursuing a degree in Biblical Studies, and I hope to get my Masters in Theology/Writing when I graduate.
My local Church, family, and friends have certainly supported my desires to minister to others and my Dad has the blessing of a large library, study tools, and resources which I have access to and have been enjoying using on a daily basis.
A scholarship to CLI is important to me because it seems an accessible and solid way to pursue gaining an education and foundation in Scripture so that I can share that truth with others.
Please pray that God would use me for His glory and that He would give me the compassion to see the need of others, the courage to help them, the wisdom to understand His truth and share it, and the strength that can only come from dependence on the constant grace of God.
If God is calling you into ministry it doesn’t matter your background, age or gender. Like Sydney, you can have youthful passion about the gospel whatever your circumstances.
Read other CLI student stories on the CLI Facebook page.