My name is Jerry Stringfield, a husband to a beautiful wife (Tracey) with four children and two grand daughters and two on the way. We live in the sub-area of Henrico County, Va I work from home as an adult caregiver where I take care of disabled veterans in my home. I was born in Suffolk Va, lived in Wakefield, Va until my adult years where I moved to Richmond, Va meet and married my lovely wife, Tracey. We’ve been together for 20 years but been married six of those years. I was born and raised as a Baptist but strayed away from my religion once I got older…started to doing my own thing finding my way…which I thought I was. Not only did I get involved in alcohol and drugs, but I also allowed them to cause me to get two DUI’s which put me in jail for about a year. I then started to asking myself what have I gotten myself into. See, at that same time, I had just gotten married, was about to move into my house. But the day I was to move in, four days before, I got locked up. It was then where I saw my life flash right before my eyes. That’s when I found out that I needed to give my life to Christ…started a church ministry in jail with a minister I met inside there that helped me get to know the calling God had upon my life. I began reading the Bible, studying and start having regular meeting with the other inmates, some even getting saved by what they experience and saw happening to me by the grace of God. In less that a year, I was released, found myself a church..my wife and me, got involved in the church, started working as an Usher until I became a deacon in the church. From then on, I found myself ministering at different events, Men’s Day Celebrations and Usher Anniversaries. I believe since the turn a round that has been placed on my life; I now see the calling on my life. That’s why I wanted to enroll myself into CLI…to get the leadership training needed to become more knowledgeable of God and His Word so that I can further myself in becoming an ordained minister. It’s is now when my wife and I go places, people come and ask me If I’m a minister. I’ve been ministering still at other churches, but I feel the need to be ordained…to me, it looks more appropriate for me to be out ministering with the proper credentials.
Leticia G. Dominguez, USA
My journey began several decades ago in a small Kentucky town in the United States. With a stormy start, I, Leticia, was born to a young mother, soon to be widowed due to cancer. At the time of my birth father’s death my mother was pregnant with my little sister. With two young toddlers and another on the way, adoption was her only choice during the early 60s.
I was adopted at the age of three along with my sister and brother to Dr. Calvin and Stella Jones. God blessed us with loving, well-educated individuals who choose to give their hearts and lives to their three children.
Pregnant out of wedlock at the age of 17 I was asked to leave the church that our family attended because they did not believe I was a positive example for the church youth. That was a pivotal point in life for me. At that time, I decided that if God didn’t want me (church) then I didn’t need him either. Then I became even more bitter and angry at God when at 23 I lost my mother and best friend. Life seemed to be one struggle after another.
Many years later I stepped into a church service. This time, I realized that it wasn’t God’s choice to excommunicate me from His presence. For the first time I heard a sermon on what grace was and that Jesus Christ died for ALL sin and that I was loved. That was when I rededicated my life to Christ.
I have had many other detours on this journey. My past is filled with both good and bad choices. However, each experience has helped me learn, grow and develop into the person I am today. Here is a writing after attending a Women’s Banquet Weekend:
As I took my daily stroll
Down the path of life,
I didn’t care to think about
What was wrong or right.
But on my way I saw a face
That glowed with beauty, kindness and grace.
He looked as though He could see right through
The pain and trouble my life knew.
I kept on waiting for Him to say
You’re not worth the time of day.
Ye,t He reached down and took my hand
He said, “Follow me to the promise land.”
I accepted His offer and begin to learn
Eternal life is “freely given”, not “earned”.
My path still has traps and snares to dodge
But, He is there when my feet get lodged.
I’ve learned through Him that life won’t end.
My LORD, my Jesus died for ALL sin.
Then through His grace I finally knew
I was forgiven and my life made new…
Currently, I still reside in Kentucky and regularly attend a local church. Sometimes I fill in for Sunday school, help with projects and events. Mostly, however, I fill my days as a rhyme writing, retired, homeschooling, babysitting Grandma who loves God and desires to lead by the example.
My ministry goal is to be the best Ambassador for Christ Jesus, as I can be, in this human body, and getting to God is only one step that I can choose towards that goal. I have desired to increase my education for several years, yet there have been road blocks each time. Roadblocks were things such as, times, classes, transportation, money, always something to prevent moving forward. Until now. I am not so much wanting a degree as I am desiring to learn. I don’t have a need to say, “hey see what I did”, but an education based on biblical truths and Christian doctrines that can be shared on a daily basis.
The more I learn and apply Cristian concepts into my life, the more I can share by example. I believe our brains are like computers, “garbage in/garbage out”, therefore I enjoy submerging myself in God’s Word. Knowledge and history are one of the aspects I can work on in developing and strengthening my relationship with God and those God places on my path.
I don’t know what God has planned for my future but I want to be usable vessel. If it is missions, let me be ready to go. If God wants me to teach, then I want to teach truth. God answers prayers and I pray for time to devote to the LORD and for education which has brought me here, right here, one more step towards my ultimate goal.
Christian Leaders Institute
Ministry Ordination Profile: Marthinus Pretorius
OBEDIENT TO HIS CALL IN MY LIFE, NOT MY CALL IN HIS LIFE!
I am Marthinus Pretorius, born 57 years ago and staying in Pretoria, South Africa. I am married to Martha Pretorius, and we have a son, Friedrich.
In 1974, at the age of 16, I gave my heart to Christ, was called by God to full-time ministry, but due to various factors, I never went to Seminary.
I was a regular “churchgoer”, and I worked myself up in the church, holding various “positions.”
I met my wife, and we were involved in youth ministry, doing what we thought was important to the church!
As a result of my religious background and the way in which I was raised, I had some relationship with the Father and Jesus, and I believed that I knew the Bible, but I did not realize that there was something profoundly important which to add and which would change my life. I had no idea of the working of the Holy Spirit – to the extent that I warned people to avoid churches where the Holy Spirit was allowed to flow and where people were welcomed to spontaneously worship.
Then, in 2000, at the age of 42, and 26 years after I was called into full-time ministry, I had a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit. I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, spoke in a strange language which I did not understand and was totally confused at what happened to me. Only later did I realize that I had been touched by the Holy Spirit and what it meant.
I had been in a comfort zone all my life, but from that day on I had hunger to know the truth about who God is, and I started to ask questions like:” What is God’s will in my life? Why am I here? Why must I struggle? What does God want from me?” One day I went to the Lord, saying: “Lord, here I am. Do what you want to get me in the place you planned for me”.
I repeatedly asked the question: “What now Lord?”. Then the working of the Holy Spirit started manifesting in my life. The Holy Spirit guided me towards the ministry, and I started preaching and teaching on the greatness of God, healing and the truth regarding the working of the Holy Spirit. By allowing the Holy Spirit to work in my life, I became part of God’s plan for the salvation of the lost. HE gave me the passion to minister HIS Word and to be part of healing so many people who seek their salvation in ways other than through the Lord.
Today I am in full-time ministry with my wife and son in an interdenominational ministry. Our vision is to equip individuals for works of service, encouraging spiritual growth and helping them to recognize and develop their God-given gifts through the teaching of the Bible, the ministry of the Holy Spirit and worship. We aim to function interdependently with churches within the body of Christ. I am grateful to the Lord for allowing me to walk with my spouse and son on this special road, as part of God;s work in His Kingdom.
In our walk with God, we experienced the supernatural presence of the Holy Spirit, the supernatural provision of God and the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Although I ministered for years with some informal training, my formal training through CLI is a Gift from God, allowing me to minister from a place of authority.
A great deal of my “getting to know God” came by way of my studies through CLI. It was a revelation from the start to where I am today. I have a totally new understanding of my relationship with God, and what my walk with Jesus should be.
I share the Christian Leaders Institute dream of free ministry training. We minister amongst some of the poorest communities in South Africa, and most of these communities and churches cannot afford formal ministry training
I believe that spiritual leaders should be equipped based on the truth of God’s Word, not on church doctrine or guidelines, or prescription by governments. Christian Leaders Institute provides high-quality tuition with very accurate and faithful representation of Biblical principles. All classes are geared to enable any person in ministry to walk in authority.
I see ministry ordination as the recognition of God’s calling on a person. This ordination at Christian Leaders Institute is a secondary ordination, as I am ordained to a local ministry (Breaking Fallow Ground Ministries INT), who acts as an umbrella organization for some ministry leaders with ministries affiliated to BFGM. I am responsible for the spiritual well-being of these leaders. As an ordained ministry member with CLI, I will be in a better position to promote the free ministry training that CLI provides. This ordination with CLI is also very special to me, as my wife completed the women’s ministry training and she is also now ordained through CLI. As a couple serving God, this is one of the highlights of our ministry career.
I see myself in the role of Pastor and Evangelist. I have a passion for people and in my ministry, I have the opportunity to pastor and evangelize.
I have been in a privileged position to informally and formally ministered for some years, bringing the Gospel wherever the Holy Spirit send us. I have been part of congregations during this time, but my wife and I have now been led to be involved in Church planting. The prophetic word over our lives and ministry is being fulfilled through our involvement with Christian Leaders Institute.
South Africa is a secular democracy with freedom of religion. Many religions are represented in the ethnic and regional diversity of the population, with Christianity overall being dominant.
Although a new political dispensation started in our country in 1994, we can still be regarded as in a transitional phase, as large parts of society are still in a state of neglect.
Specific problems relate to unemployment, substance abuse by youth and a growing extent among unemployed adults.
Membership of the number of Churches in the area is declining due to changes in denominational policies (i.e., same-sex marriages, allowing persons in same-sex relationship to be ordained in ministry, etc. )
Based on the South African statistical survey of 2013, 56,4% of all Christians (79.8 of the population claims Christian affiliation) attend a church service once a week.
A few years ago I was ordained in a church I attended and where I ministered. I am in a privileged situation that while I still attend services at that congregation, I now minister at various other churches, and I have been supported by family friends and church members.
When I made the decision to go into full-time ministry, a good friend of mine asked me whether I was willing to “pay the price.” I did not understand what he meant, as in my mind I always thought that when you work for God, everything would automatically be well.
I had to learn the hard way, which by accepting your calling and walking with Jesus, it is almost guaranteed that you will experience some form of rejection, false accusations, jealousy, hate and things not always associated with a “godly” person.
We have to hold on to God’s promises over our lives and live according to His will for us.
During my studies with CLI, I have spent a lot of time in the presence of God getting to know Him better. I realized that all it takes to get into our calling is to be in a special relationship with the Lord, focusing on doing His will. The Lord wants us to experience His love; He wants us to be changed by it so that we can be the light to the world. We can only achieve this with the help of the Holy Spirit and in total surrender to Him.
The calling which God has on my life can only be released through His grace. My ministry training and ordination will help me to live from God’s grace; live in all its fullness, and to bear fruit out of His Grace.
I have started a new journey, and I am starting to see God’s plan in my life – I will be obedient to His call in my life, not my call in His life!
CLI has made a deep and lasting effect on my life, and the outstanding, high-quality free training equipped me to make a difference in the world around me.
We are in the process of registering a NonProfit Church (Christian Leaders Community Church) and need prayers for favor and acceptance to minister interdenominational. Please pray for the favor to minister to all people groups in South Africa.
Marthinus Pretorius
Pretoria, South Africa