Answering The Call
My name is Mark Knaak and I live in San Carlos, Sonora. I am a student at the Christian Leaders Institute to get my ordained minister credential.
My Journey
I grew up in Southern California. My parents, two sisters, and I attended church regularly. We also participated in church activities. However, when I was 13, my parents decided they were unhappy with our church. Therefore, they sought another. We bounced around from church to church but never found one they liked. So, we stopped going altogether.
After high school, I joined the military, did my four years, and entered the world. The world consumed me, and I was involved heavily in drugs and alcohol. I ended up divorced. In my second marriage, I felt that there was more to my life. I felt a call in my life. However, at that time, I didn’t know what it was. This went on for several years. I knew that there was more to life.
Salvation and Purpose
One day, I came home from a trip and found that my wife had died from a drug overdose. I cried out to the Lord to take my life, and He did. He gave me a new one! It was free of drug and alcohol addiction. It was a new life with purpose and direction filled with His presence.
Then God sent me out. He gave me a vision of needy children and a life of love and compassion. Within a year of being born again, I started a non-profit and worked with the children of Mexico. I became an Emergency Services Chaplain as God directed me. In this journey, God sent me a helper, my wife. Having a Christian relationship and marriage is the most beautiful thing.
I plan to open a full-time school in one of the farming communities. We presently work with a group of children in the area. We live at the school, so my wife and I can always be available. Further, soon, we hope to open another school. Recently, God showed me that many people work with younger kids but forget the teenagers. They are turned loose into the world to fend for themselves. Therefore, a youth program is crucial and heavy on my heart.
Ordained Minister Credentials with CLI
The free minister training at the Christian Leaders Institute is a blessing. After retiring, I could not afford training or even relocation to a new town to attend a school. Being able to do this in my free time, between ministry work and daily things to do, is just the thing I needed. This training to be an Ordained Minister and getting the required credentials will help significantly in starting and running the schools in the future. I also hope to take more courses as the Lord leads me. Many people asked if I had credentials in the past, but now I can say that I do. Thank you, CLI!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.
Journey and Calling Experience
I am Ivelisse McBride from the United States of America. I am a student at the Christian Leaders Institute for deeper Bible knowledge and to discern my true calling.
My Early Years
From the age of 9, my upbringing centered around the church. My father, a respected pastor in our community, guided my spiritual path. Further. as the pastor’s daughter, I loved our family’s commitment to embodying the ideals of a Christian household. Fond memories of my youth include our church community, youthful adventures, summer camp experiences, and active involvement in various services.
A Period of Struggle
As I transitioned into my teenage years, I grappled with rebellion. Eventually, I became pregnant at 18. Recognizing the wrongdoing, I sought forgiveness and attempted to return to the church. However, I felt a lack of acceptance and experienced shame despite seeking divine forgiveness. Despite my efforts, I distanced myself from the church again. The subsequent five years were marked by actions that separated me from God. I indulged in nightlife, alcohol, promiscuity, and the company of individuals who didn’t prioritize my well-being.
Discovering the Path Back
In 2010, I met my husband—a remarkable man who embraced my daughter as his own. Together, we built a loving family and welcomed a son. Slowly but surely, I embarked on a journey back to God. Gradually, I set aside the pain of the past and focused on integrating God into my life. My father remains deeply engaged in his ministry. Further, I often assist in translating his messages from Spanish to English.
My Vision: Deeper Bible Knowledge at CLI
Through the guidance of the Christian Leaders Institute, I want deeper Bible knowledge and to uncover my true ministry. Presently, a calling to write stirs within me. I started a blog where I share my odyssey and aspire to publish books. Whether this is my ultimate calling remains uncertain. However, what’s undeniable is my innate drive to write—an inclination I daily gound in God’s purpose. Eagerly, I anticipate the course this journey will chart. I hope it might inspire others to take strides toward their callings.
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.
God Is My Rock
I am Samantha Janes, from the United States. I am studying at the Christian Leaders Institute to become a First Responder Chaplain.
My Journey
God has been my rock since I accepted him as my Lord and Savior at the age of seven. I experienced a multitude of physical and sexual trauma in my childhood. The lack of a solid foundation at home polluted much of my adult life. I was ill-equipped to make many of the decisions that life requires. I learned from a young age to accept the physical and mental pain I experienced and leaned on the Lord to bring me comfort.
All my life, I have always enjoyed helping others. Further, I was never shy when it came to asking someone if I could lend a hand or if they would like me to pray with them. Despite feeling crummy for a large portion of my years, I have always known God had a plan for me. The suffering I experienced was part of His divine plan. Of course, I didn’t like the suffering, but the idea that it was for a greater purpose gave me hope.
Time for Healing
Over a decade ago, I had the opportunity to be mentored by a woman who was a third-generation family farmer. I did not know at the time that the Lord would use this education as a vehicle for the healing that my heart and soul were so desperately seeking.
Since that time, I have spent countless hours in the garden. A safe space to explore the pains of my past was long overdue. As I cultivated the land to sow seeds and reap the rewards of harvest, God tended to the garden in my heart. He tended to my broken heart as he opened my heart to forgive those who broke it. He sowed the seeds of love every time I donated vegetables and flowers to those who needed food or a smile. His grace, like a ripple in a pond, had a long-reaching effect. Having been shown grace, I was able to give grace to people who crossed my path.
Further Healing and Peace
One of my deepest pains in life came from when my father left my mother when I was a very young child. For years, I asked the Lord to give me forgiveness for my dad. I didn’t want to keep carrying the burden that had cut so deep into my heart. In the spring of 2022, my dad invited me to come to live closer to him. He was aging and needed support to navigate his aging body within the healthcare system. I joyfully made the 500-mile move, saying goodbye to longtime friends and the farmland that God used in my healing.
My dad and I went to church together. We held hands and prayed. We laughed and cried and talked about the past. God ushered in a new phase of our relationship. The Lord healed both of our hearts from the past. My dad passed away four months after my move. I gave him his last hug on earth and watched as he took his last breath on his way to our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful God gave us that time to reunite and to heal.
CLI: First Responder Chaplain Training
The Lord led me to the Christian Leaders Institute training. Now, I can continue to grow and share the love of the Lord with my local community and begin my journey to become a First Responder Chaplain. My heart longs to share the love and grace of the Lord with those who are experiencing moments that feel unbearable. Phillippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.