Pastor Ministry Dream
My name is Michael Warren, I was raised in Orlando, Florida, and have never been outside the U.S. I remember clearly a story my pastor once told me about his preconversion days as a high school teacher. He had a foreign exchange student, a Christian missionary from a third world country, in one of his classes for over a semester. Towards the end of the young missionary’s visit, my pastor asked the young man what he was going to tell his folks back home about America, expecting him to say something great about our country. The young man told him, “I’m going to tell them that the people of America are persecuted with prosperity.” He thought, “Oh this kid, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” The missionary continued, “I’ve been with Christian families on Thanksgiving; meal on the table, and nobody asks a blessing before everyone starts eating. I’ve been in a Christian home on Christmas and watched kids fly down the stairs and tare into presents… where I come from, if we even get a gift, I promise you, there’ll be a prayer first.” This is a large part of America’s spiritual decline: material luxury to the point that we are living better than kings did in past centuries. With so much ease and comfort in life, harsh realities are not faced as often. This is compounded by false teachings about the origin of life and the belief that everything can be explained with science. There are still patches of blessed people and places, but much of America is stiff-necked and spiritually barren.
Being raised in a Christian home is no guarantee that one will grow up to be a settled Christian: “Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are AGED they will not depart from it.” The Proverb implies there may very well be a period in which the child does not follow the path they were taught. This was my case. Even though our church building was about 45 minutes away, it was almost considered a sin if we missed a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening service for any reason. Despite having confessed my faith in Christ and being baptized into the church at 11 years old, I was following the group or going through the motions instead of being genuine. Over the next few years, the emotionally tumultuous years known as “pre-teens” and early teens took a toll on me: we moved to a different part of Florida away from everything I knew, the church was much smaller, and I got my heart broken. After having been depressed for half a year and feeling no purpose in life, at the age of 15 I almost took my life. When no one was home, I slit my wrist with a steak knife: I do not remember any pain, only the crushing realization that I still had family, both blood and in Christ near and far, that loved me and had no idea what I was going through. I realized that life is not all about me. I quickly cleaned myself up as best I could. A few months later, I was at a church campground with a whole lot of church family. Long story short, one evening I was compelled to get alone with the Lord. I went down to an isolated pavilion, cried, and prayed for three hours begging for forgiveness, mercy, and grace. I felt the Lord’s presence at that time and in the following few days like never before; I felt assurance and peace. Since then, moments that I feel that close to the Lord are far and few even though I am pressing toward the goal as best I can, but He makes all the trials and pain worth the wait!
My pastor ministry dream is to lead a church that loves the Lord Jesus and seeks to please Him in all that they do. I also often feel compelled to write my lessons from the Bible, and hope someday to publish them in a book, or multiple books. Pastors, among other things, are tasked with guarding their flock, an occupation which I am taking seriously now before I am ordained. Pastors are also to do the work of an evangelist (2Ti. 4:5), which is also an occupation I take seriously at work with coworkers and among friends.
What started my desire to minister was the efforts of my former pastor, who nudged me in the right direction. He introduced me to theology as a discipline, and the effort it takes to preach on a regular basis. Though he is now pastoring another church right now, he and I still keep in touch.
Where I currently live and plan to stay, Lord willing, there are many churches in this area. In trying to evangelize to those who are not church-goers, finding reasons to share why people should attend/visit your church over others is difficult, especially when the church down the road has a bigger building, more people, and a coffee store inside the church building.
I have my parents to thank for “training me up in the way I should go.” I will never forget the times my mom led some simple Bible studies with my sister and I, or the time I was looking for my dad, he was in his closet praying, and I eavesdropped for a few moments to hear those most reverential and tearful words of prayer.
My denomination does not consider Bible degrees or seminary training to be necessary for ministry. All focus is on the apprenticeship model of ministry training (2Ti. 2:2), the student’s own efforts to walk with God and know His Word, and the congregation’s approval. However, I believe earning a CLI Diploma can only serve to pastor ministry dream and further my ministry and deepen my knowledge of God’s Word.
Lately I stand in much need of prayer to be strong and joyful. It seems like I have been doing far more sowing than I have reaping. Add to that my tendency to feel defeated and become discouraged, all of my strength and joy is gone. Lord knows I have studied and do know how to fend off Satan’s attacks on my mind and heart, but he tweaks his strategy just enough so that it feels like each attack is different when in reality they are not. I have recently started communication with a dear friend and brother in Christ to be accountability partners especially for being strong and letting God’s joy rule our hearts. Also, a very dear friend of mine who has been the source of much of my motivation to keep pressing toward the goal has been diagnosed with cancer, and is in need of prayer. I know the Glory awaiting her with the Lord is far greater, but her family needs the stability she brings. Please pray for Jody’s healing.
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Affordable Bible School Training
When leaders are called into ministry, they often do not pursue it because they cannot find an Affordable Bible School Training option. Christian Leaders Insitute has been supplying this option for over a decade. Here is another story…
Hello, my name is Micha Rider I am 38 years old married 10+ years and have one son. I was born and raised most my life in southern Louisiana. My father was a Baptist preacher for 30+ years and later became a missionary to the 10-40 window. I was raised in a Godly home, I attended and graduated from a Christian School and later went off to Bible college which sadly I did not complete.
As a preacher’s kid, of course, I was in Church every time the doors swung open, and I was saved at a younger age, so I was told by my parents. At the age of 19 years old sitting in a revival service the Lord begin to tug at my heart regarding salvation, it was at that point that I realised that my getting “saved” was just merely just going through the motions rather than a heart decision. I made my way down to the alter that night and with my heart accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior not because it was the thing to do but because I realized that I need Him and without Him, I was lost and on my way to hell. Later on, the Lord started dealing with me about the calling he had on my life, and I surrender my life to Him to preach.
Through the years I got off track got out of Church and like Jonah I began to run from God but nowhere I went no matter what I did I could never find true happiness or peace nor was I successful in anything I did at least not for long. Finally, I had enough of running and told God I was ready and willing to do His will for my life. His answer to me was still plain and simple, and that was to preach. I struggled with the unknown of how I’d get the training I needed, how I’d receive affordable Bible School training it etc and then somebody told me about Christian Leaders Institue, and it’s exactly what I was needing. There’s no way I could have gotten the training I needed without CLI. It’s my goal to get the training I need get ordained and go where the Lord sees fit to plant myself and my family and serve Him in all aspects of my life. I’m not sure if His will is for me to pastor a Church or to travel as an evangelist. I ask that you pray that God gives me the wisdom, knowledge, and discernment as I purpose His calling for my life.
Patrick D. Garlock – United States of America
My name is Patrick Garlock. I was born in southern California, USA, the youngest of an integrated family of 10 boys. I remained in SoCal until my mother passed away from cancer when I was 11. I moved to the Midwest state of Kansas to live with my father and step-mom. I adapted to the different lifestyle and environment pretty quickly. Soon after, however, I lost my father as a 12-year-old. Sadly, I would lose my closest brother, Dennis, right after my 13th birthday. My Step mother legally adopted me and I finished my primary schooling in a rough and tumble neighborhood, and a very challenging home life until I would graduate high school.
When I was 16 years of age, my friend invited my girlfriend Stacy and I to his church. I would go reluctantly, but then I heard the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for me. That, was the biggest decision of my life! I embraced it immediately and fell in love with my savior.
After high school I would forego college, jump right into the workforce and start a family. Stacy and I got married and had two children, a son and then a daughter. We found a home church and soon I would begin a ministry in volunteer radio. I began a youth-oriented radio program on Saturday nights in the northeast Kansas area and ran the helm for seven years. It was a wonderful outreach. We blended edgy Christian music with conversation and interviews. It was a phenomenal time of my life and it really held me accountable as a young believer.
As our kids were reaching the end of high school and the start of college, Stacy fell ill. Soon discovering that she had the blood cancer disease called Leukemia. It was a very rare form and the prognosis was fairly bleak. She would have a bone marrow transplant and live another year after that, eventually succumbing to the disease. I would be left a widower and for a period of time, I felt very lost. I had lost my high school sweetheart and wife of 22 years.
I wanted to keep her memory alive so I began to do speaking engagements for the American Cancer Society. Little did I know that I had a gift in public speaking. I continued to do engagements, once to twice per month for a while, all over the region. Each time with a great deal of positive feedback. But it was something I was doing for others. I needed to find my walk again. At this point my faith was strong, but my walk was weak.
I had stopped going to church a few years before this point, ironically. So upon an invitation, I would wander into this small bible church. The only way that I can describe it is that it felt like home. I had never felt so drawn to a place. Nothing flashy, just fellow believers who were solid in their faith and an extremely smart, veteran Pastor.
Soon I would rededicate my life to Jesus Christ. I was baptized for the first time in my life and not long after I was on the worship team. Then I would restart a youth program that was defunct at our church! In April of 2015, however, would come THE calling. I woke up at 2am and was told it was time. Something I felt twenty years earlier, was about to be realized. I was to a be a Pastor. I knew it like I’ve never known anything as intently before in my life. I did what was the only decision… I answered the call.
I was street smart, but now was the time to get some formal training and I had no idea where to go. On a single income I couldn’t afford to take on any more debt (I was still paying bills from Stacy’s long, expensive care). I would stumble upon Christian Leader’s Institute and enrolled immediately. Time would only tell if this was quality education, but from the reviews I read, how could it not be?
Fast forward to 18 months later and here I am. I have a Commissioned Pastoral Degree and I’m almost complete with my Ordination to be a Pastor!
CLI has been more than I could ever imagined. I could not fathom the quality of education I was going to receive when I began. The intelligence and experience of the Professor/Pastors is one thing that makes this incredible. They teach COMPLETELY from the Word of God. Their own life experience is obvious because when they communicate it’s from the heart of experience. The classes are intense, accurate, informative and thought-provoking.
All that I had when I began my formal training was life experience. I wasn’t Bible smart. Sure I could quote a handful of scriptures but I could not exegete the Living Word. But now I can. With this training, coupled with the support of my church, it has enabled me to grow in God more exponentially than I could have pictured 18 months ago. My Pastor is my mentor and has taken me under his wing. With 40 years of ministry experience, he is a wealth of knowledge.
Since beginning the classes at CLI, a lot has changed for me. I met a single, wonderful woman of God at my church. We recently married and combined families ourselves. I now have love for the second time in my life and a wonderful step son (who is part of our Youth Tribe)! We serve an amazing God that already knows what we are going to do before we realize it ourselves. And that’s such a crazy, awesome thought!
Please pray for my future with this church as they are considering adding me onto staff, for the Youth of our church and of the world and also for my family. My children lost their mother to a horrible form of cancer and it will take some time for them to heal. Thank you!