Bible Study Courses Online
Hello my name is Robert Crews. I am 39 years young, married to a wonderful woman, and a father of two daughters. I am a heavy lift operator for a container depot in Jacksonville Florida. I have gone to Church off and on since I was very young. I was 15 when I first really knew that I needed to be saved and had asked Jesus to come into my heart.
At that age, I was like most other teenagers around me, and I gave into the worldly things. From that point in my life till 2005; I was still all about me and only being with God, I would say maybe 10% of the time. In ’97 I got married to my high-school girlfriend, we had two beautiful daughters then divorced in 2002. I took it hard and fell into some very hard times. I went to jail for drugs; I was at an all time low. It wasn’t until then that I knew that I needed real change; change that only God could do to me. So in 2005 I asked God for forgiveness and have turned away from my old self and have turned to God. Now I am married to the best woman that God could have ever placed in my life.
Now that God has been chiseling on me for the past few years, I feel that He is telling me it is time to help others. I have been searching for different Bible Study Courses Online and courses on learning the Bible more fluently and things that will help me to be able to talk to others about God; then CLI popped up on my google search. I read the welcome page, and now here I am. Hungry to learn how to speak to others about God. I want to learn more about the Bible so that I can help people that are in the same place that I was. Also, I feel led to help the next generation, such as my daughters and others.
Being able to take these classes I feel will help me understand the Bible. It will also help me to be able to speak to others feeling confident in what I’m talking about. I have been asked about my faith and what the Bible says about this and that, and not knowing what to say or where to go I did not answer. This is how I know that God has intervened and led me to this institute so that I can learn more and be able to respond those questions asked.
Teach Children about God
Julie Renee’ Johnston, United States of America
I was born and raised in the United States of America where one might believe that ministry is easy and open. However, I have seen and heard so much negativity toward Christians and our beliefs among neighbors and even some claiming to be Christians. There are a lot of differences on who and what God is and if we need him. Responses to news headlines daily mock prayer and those who ask for us to pray for our leaders. While many have heard God’s word here, it does not penetrate their hearts.
I first came to know the Lord as a young child. My parents took my sister, and I took the Baptist Church each Sunday when we were very small. Then when we were old enough to decide if we wanted to go my mother would take us, or we would ride the church van to attend. Jesus moved my heart when I was seven years old. I accepted him as my Lord and Savior and was baptized.
Throughout my life, I have always had plenty of questions about Christianity, the Bible, and God. There have been those who were able to answer some of my questions and others that dismissed them. I have not always been confident about asking questions as I felt if might seem as if I were questioning God himself, rather than trying to learn and understand. Working with both toddlers and elementary age children in my church, I want to be able to answer their questions, guide them in the scripture to help them better understand God’s word and help them to develop their personal walk with God.
I want to be able to answer their questions, guide them in the scripture to help them better understand God’s word and help them to develop their personal walk with God.
Having been through my share of crises both worldly and spiritually, I believe that I could also help women who have struggled and strayed from God at times. To let them know that they are not alone and God does accept them back when they return to him. There were times that I felt very judged when I returned to God’s calling and already had one child and one on the way with my now husband. I want to help ensure that anyone God brings into our church or my life feels accepted and that they have a place and a person to confide in.
Small Group Leader would be a title I would identify with most since I teach children about God in small classes, and I am most comfortable in a small group or one-on-one with people. Large crowds have never been exciting for me. In fact, when doing various activities growing up, I was always so anxious about having people look at me, even if I wasn’t speaking. God has often tried to move me in these uncomfortable situations, but I never felt confident enough to answer. Having grown in experience and my personal walk with God, today I am more confident in my ability to stand and speak. Now, expanding my knowledge thanks to Christian Leaders Institute will help me be more confident in speaking confidently about God’s word.
While I have always been drawn to a calling in ministry, my heart was moved to fully pursue it after my children were born. I knew that aside from trying to raise my children with love for God and His word, I wanted to help other children to learn of God’s greatness and mercy. The innocence and inquisitiveness of children’s minds make teaching them about the gospel so wonderful and rewarding. I love to see as they ask questions and sing about God’s love for them.
There is a church on practically every street corner here and that allows people the opportunity to find the church that is best for them. Every denomination and non-denomination are represented throughout the region, and of course, each believes it is the best and only way to find Jesus Christ and Heaven. People have been known to scoff at others because they do not share their specific, individual belief system. When people should be rejoicing for one another in finding their path to accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they are judging because it was not done ‘their way’ and is, therefore, wrong. We should be able to gather together as Christians and children of God and share in the delight of His grace instead of trying to pit each denomination against the next in attempts to get all the non-believers in our camp. I have found that often people who have an interest in learning about Jesus Christ and God are turned off of the pursuit because the ‘Christians’ they encountered were so negative toward others.
My church has been so supportive of my ministry calling by not only giving me a place to pursue it but giving me resources to expand my knowledge and mentors to answer questions or simply encourage me when I am unsure of myself or my ability. Even though I came into the church apart from God’s commandments, they saw in me the opportunity to grow myself and my family in Christ and the ability for me to share him with others. My mentors had encouraged me to participate and volunteer when I thought to have two young kids would make it impossible. They have loved me and prayed for me, that I might grow in Christ and do his work.
My family has been so impactful in my ministry calling since I didn’t now answer God’s call until after my children were born. My husband had never been to church until he started attending with me, and I want to be a good example to him of what a good Christian should be. Helping him to find God in his life is another reason I wanted to pursue ministry. Simply exposing him to God’s word each Sunday and Wednesday, and praying for him daily, I hope that through my calling I can help him to answer God’s call in his life as I gain knowledge and grow in my faith and walk with God.
Being an oilfield dependent household has strained our family financially, and we currently are just trying to survive paycheck to paycheck. A scholarship at Christian Leaders Institute would allow me the opportunity to pursue my calling to ministry and gain the knowledge necessary to adequately share God’s word with others. Without CLI I would have to continue trying to discern God’s word through my endeavors and understanding. Something that is possible to do, but would take much longer and leaves room for more mistakes and misunderstanding. A scholarship allows me the opportunity to get the necessary training and knowledge to adequately teach and minister to those who are in need of God’s word, His mercy, and grace.
We all need prayer, and prayer for my ministry calling is needed to help me stay the right path, listen to God always, and answer His calls. Prayer for God’s mercy and grace to help light my path and keep it straight is needed as I continue this journey to my calling and preparing myself to be the light for others to find Jesus Christ. Though there will be struggles along the way, as every person must encounter to grow, pray that I will be steadfast in God’s word and trust in Him always to provide me all I need to minister to others and bring them to God’s word so that they too may trust in Him.
Disaster Relief Chaplain
I am a mother of four children, whom I educate at home in the United States. I am privileged to be free to practice my religion, teach my children my faith, and pursue ministry as a woman.
Over twenty years ago, I was unsure about my future. After graduating high school, I began attending community college with the intention of determining a degree path. However, at that time in my life, I was experiencing a deep personal crisis and struggled with my courses. I decided to set higher education on hold for a time and reached a place where I was completely lost, wandering in the wilderness of the world. I found myself in many dysfunctional and painful situations as a result of sin. I put myself in positions to be seriously hurt by some individuals. I suffered the devastating effects of promiscuity, abandonment, adultery, divorce, drugs, abuse, suicide, crime, and mental breakdown. After reaching my lowest point, Christian counseling inspired me to seek the Lord. When I began to seek God, I slowly rose above the fog and started attending a loving church where I was led to Jesus Christ. I called Him Lord and Savior in the year 2000 and received such freedom and healing that I have never looked back.
Early in my Christian walk, it became clear that I was intended to be a wife, a mother, and a home educator–and that serving my husband and children are my most important ministries. As I grew in the Lord, I discovered a passion for worship, and have been blessed to serve in worship ministry in two churches. I also discovered a hunger for studying and researching the things of God–I developed a burning desire to understand the Scriptures more deeply and have spent much personal time educating myself through the Bible and other resources. As my knowledge has increased, a desire to share the Gospel with the lost more effectively and help others grow in Christ has blossomed in my heart and I have served as an online missionary with a global ministry. I have an ever-increasing love for God’s people and a deep compassion for those that are in the wilderness. I have an overwhelming desire to minister to those that are suffering, in crisis, or have experienced trauma. I have had opportunities come across the path of my daily life to support, counsel, and advocate for those that are confused, afraid, vulnerable, hurting and broken. After ministering to an elderly brother in Christ who was in an abusive living situation, and working with many authorities on his behalf, then walking through the end of life with my mother-in-law in hospice, I began to discern a ministry dream of chaplaincy. I have had this dream confirmed by God twice recently.
I have desired a Bible and ministry education for some time and have longed to go back to school. Two years ago, the Lord gave me permission to take online classes through a Bible college. Although I excelled, the pace was too intense for me while raising my children and the cost was too much for our one-income budget. God told me to set classes aside again for a time. I was initially grieved but obeyed in faith that He would use what I learned and further direct my steps. I believe that the Lord has told me I will need to be educated for the future ministry, so I have been praying for an affordable avenue to continue my education at my pace, in His timing.
A scholarship to study the Bible and ministry through Christian Leader’s Institute is an answer to this prayer. I have no other way to pursue an education at this time, so I am very excited and hopeful about this opportunity. I have the support of my pastors, one of whom serves as a disaster relief chaplain in our denomination. Since asking for their sponsorship, I have been given a leadership role at my church which I hope might lead to chaplaincy in my denomination. Please pray for me as I move forward, that I walk in God’s will for myself and my family, and that the Lord will eventually open the doors for me to minister with credibility in the world as He sees fit, to help others find freedom in Jesus!