Experiencing revival is something that all of us wish for. But how often do we stop to think that before a true revival, a time of darkness must take place?
Matt Stuemky had to go through his dark times before experiencing revival in his soul. Though he was raised in the church, his ideas of Jesus were more about fear than love. More about forced obedience than loving submission. This fear-based understanding of God resulted in plummeting into sin when he was a teenager.
But God’s grace is always enough. He knew where Matt was the whole time, and when he was ready, God brought him back into His grace. After experiencing revival in his soul, Matt was even given a ministry calling to fulfill! Now, Matt serves with his wife as a Care Pastor in his church.
Knowing Light, Pain of Darkness, and Experiencing Revival to Love and Light… If I could summarize my life, this first sentence would be the overview.
Hello to my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ. My name is Matt Stuemky and I live in Weatherford, OK, United States. I grew up in church and accepted Christ as my personal Savior at the young age of 7 years old.
Growing up in a very strict, and highly ‘religious’ environment (legalistic), my understanding of God’s love was less about relationship and more so based on fear of hell. I grew up in an environment where I fully understood how the slightest sin separated me from God, but I didn’t truly know God’s grace, mercy, and life-altering love for me. As I grew older and made mistakes many other teens made, I dealt with separation from God due to an immense amount of guilt. Although God never moved, I moved away from him due to a growing sense of being unworthy of His love.
Over an 8-year period, I dove head first into a sinful lifestyle. “If you can’t beat them, join them”, seemed to be a standard for me in that dark time of my life. I tried to fill the void left by a lack of relationship with God with meaningless physical encounters, alcohol and other recreational drugs common to late teens and young adults. Nothing helped.
Finally, a year after marrying the one bright spot in my life (Annie), I relented and begged God for a relationship. Through all of the bad times, I developed a new understanding of just how important a relationship with God was, and just how valuable grace and mercy were to a sinner like me.
That rough patch in my life made me less judgmental of others and their shortcomings and encouraged me to love people right where they are in life. My wife and I eventually were invited into a small group leader role at a local church and God used that environment to groom us into the pastoral role we hold today. 13 years later we operate as Care Pastors at our local church. We love to love people. Good people, bad people, messy people…we love them all. Our dream is to see every Christ follower engaged in meaningful community together (small groups / “LIFEgroups”). I love to raise up, mentor, and train small group pastors that can provide intimate and safe environments for people to be real and vulnerable. Environments where real change can take place, real accountability is embraced, and where the Holy Spirit is free to move.
Another area of ministry heavy on my heart is men’s ministry. We live in Western Oklahoma where men take pride in a hard day’s work from sun up to sun down. We live in oilfield country where money is readily available to a hard worker. There’s no need for a college education to earn six figures here. These elements create a culture of spiritual apathy among men due to a combination of ‘wealth’ and exhaustion. They are often exhausted when they get home and it’s easier to disengage than to engage with their own wife and kids. I want them to experience a call to action to re-engage and to reprioritize where they spend their time, money, and energy. We need men to be leaders in their own homes again.
The Bible says people perish for a lack of knowledge. CLI will help me increase my knowledge and understanding. Combining that knowledge with the school of hard knocks I’ve lived through will help me be a better pastor to people around me. It will allow me to impart that same wisdom and knowledge to the leaders I help mentor and, in turn, to the people they mentor. I also love the fact I gain a network of fellow leaders to help me with resources, encouragement, and accountability.
Having the ability to earn a scholarship and further my knowledge is an incredible blessing. With a young and active family, affordability has been a key obstacle preventing me from furthering my formal education in ministry. Having the ability to complete this type of training for free is an absolute answer to prayers.
If there is any prayer I could request, it would be for me to more fully understand the wholeness of God’s love through a deeper daily relationship with Him. As that relationship grows in depth, I will become a better vessel for God to operate through and He can be glorified more easily and more often as I interact with the people around me. I also ask to be lifted up in my ability to remain focused on sticking to a daily spiritual routine.
There are hundreds – maybe even thousands – who are experiencing revival in the world today! Many of them are finding that God has an urgent calling for their lives. They’re finding that they need quality ministry training. If you’re looking for quality ministry training, click here to learn more about Christian Leaders Institute’s certificates and diplomas. Or you can click here t0 enroll in our first class right away!
Christian Leaders Institute started small. Initially, it was just the determination of Henry Reyenga to provide quality ministry training to the world. But his determination was from God, and as time went on, more people joined his team.
Today, Christian Leaders Institute offers quality ministry training to students at no cost to them. These students come from all walks of life and all backgrounds. Even educated students come to CLI and see the quality ministry training that we provide.
Robert Fieldhouse is one such student. He came to Christian Leaders Institute with a doctorate. But Robert found that the quality ministry training at CLI still had a lot to offer him.
Robert found his way to ministry through immense personal strife. He went from an affluent home to a fizzled-out military career. From faith in his youth to tears of repentance before the altar in his later years. But when God called Robert to the mission field, he recognized his need for quality ministry training. When he found Christian Leaders Institute, he discovered that it was possible to get this quality ministry training without the tens of thousands that had to be spent on traditional schools.
My name is Robert Fieldhouse. I was born in Miami, Florida, in the United States of America. My family life, up to this point, was pretty average for an upper middle-class family of 5. I am the youngest of 3 siblings. My father had the money, time, connections, and the desire to enjoy, as well as share the material benefits. My mother all of that as well, plus strong convictions of our heavenly Father. We were all very active in our church as most of our neighborhood was. Well… maybe not so much my father. From him I learned skepticism and the mixed blessing of questioning and having reservations before committing. From my mother I learned faith and the love of God. I recall having and expressing the desire to become a minister.
Next, it appeared the world was being shaken up and all that I knew and depended on was eroding. Many years of walking around with a psychedelic gleam in my eyes searching for “truth” proved futile. The Viet Nam war was in full swing and my brother was there. He was hurt and my outlook on life changed. I joined the United States Marine Corps having full faith in my government and its leaders. Upon entering, I was outfitted with what I needed and to my surprise I was given a small pocket Bible! I began Sunday worship service (again). The point was made to me that there are no atheists in a foxhole! Unfortunately, I began to backslide again. I made some poor decisions, got hurt and was ultimately released from the Marine Corps. I continued to make poor choices and half-heartedly tried to find my way back to Christ Jesus.
Years later I found myself (again) in a rehab facility. Where are you God? You promised to never leave me nor forsake me! Where are you God? How can a loving God allow me to suffer this much physically and mentally for so long? Where are you? There was a small chapel at that facility, and for some reason, I was drawn to go in. I was the only person in the chapel so I walked to the front and again I asked the question… Where are you God? You promised to never leave me nor forsake me! I was prostrate on the floor at the foot of the chapel alter. “Where are you God?” I cried out. Crying out… God either kill me or help me! God either kill me or help me! At that point I recall frightening groaning and guttural sounds coming from my mouth. I have no idea how long I was there, but I can recall an odd peace washing over me in waves that created “goose bumps.” The crying out ceased, the moaning ceased, and my tears stopped. Am I dead? Did I finally succeed in killing myself? No! As it turns out…I had to calm down and quit feeling so wrapped up in myself so that I could “hear” the quiet, comforting, and loving Word of God. I never left you or forsook you…you decided to walk away from me – I heard (sensed). I have been waiting for you and your decision Robert.
I still wrestle with sin. I am still in physical pain and disabled. But the HUGE difference now is that my heart, soul, and mind are at peace with the Father. I discovered through intense unbiased study and reflection directed and aided by the Holy Spirit that I had never really accepted God because I never really understood grace, justification, salvation, and therefore had never truly repented of all my sins.
Somehow… heavenly Father brought my attention to the Christian Leaders Institute. The Institute immediately became yet another Blessing from the Father. Taking my time and finding myself completely engrossed in the courses and links to additional research, Father has helped me fill a deep dark void that was in my heart for MANY years! Because of my disabilities I minister from home and when I am able to, I visit our hospital, hospice, and senior rehab units. I minister publicly wherever the Holy Spirit directs me.
After struggling through the physical requirements placed on me while undertaking a doctorate degree – as well as spending over $100,000.00, I never fully understood why I wasn’t satisfied with that training and indoctrination. The quality ministry training I have gained – at no charge – from Christian Leaders Institute has grounded me in solid knowledge and now…slowly – wisdom! I tell everyone, when given the opportunity, about Christian Leaders Institute! Even if Father hasn’t moved you to public ministry – the opportunity afforded anyone, anywhere with a computer connection is truly a blessing worth taking advantage of!
This will be my secondary ordination! I am sooo excited about this. I plan on continuing on for the degree program. After I finish all that there is being offered…I’ll most likely start all the courses over again! Before closing I would like to mention 3 more things. 1.) I heard from a church leader once that one should tithe where one is fed. Though I cannot be employed and live on VA and a small disability check – I tithe to Christian Leaders Institute. It might be a small amount every month but I am “being fed” like never before. I pray that my offering, though small, will help others. 2.) Whether you aspire to the ministry or not…remember and live by what we are told in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (KJV). 3.) “Jesus said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40, KJV).
From me to you – whoever and wherever you are…I pray our heavenly Father will keep you strong and multiply your Blessings!
Do you need quality ministry training? Would you like to support quality ministry training? Christian Leaders Institute provides quality ministry training at no cost to people all over the world. You can enroll and check it out for yourself, or you can give to support the continued offering of quality ministry training at no cost to students. Click here to enroll, or if you feel so led, click here to give to Christian Leaders Institute.
There’s a movement happening all over the world. A movement not covered by the mainstream press. A movement often lost among the stories of death and destruction that bring in more views. But this is a movement that will ultimately succeed because it’s powered by the Holy Spirit. This is a movement of Christian leaders. Leaders called to revival ministry all over the world!
This is a story about one of these leaders. Irene Truno was a pagan, deep in the clutches of idolatry. Born in the Philippines in 1991, Irene tells how she attended, and even was active in, her church without realizing that she wasn’t actually worshiping God. But in the midst of that, God gave her an amazing revival ministry that started when she was only 15 years old!
I was a pure pagan who was very addicted to idolatry. I was so active in our church’s organizations before but never realised I was worshipping the false god. But God is sovereign, I received Jesus as my Lord and savior at the age of 15. Glory to God in the highest for choosing me to be His. At my very young age, God used me in the ministry to gather kids and teach them the word of God.
But God wasn’t done with Irene yet. When she went to college, her pastor spent time training her so that she could take her ministry to the next level. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, her revival ministry brought many college students to the Lord. This happened not only as a student but also teaching at the college later. As Irene said of her teaching years,
God really used me mightily in the spirit to minister to my colleagues and evangelize my students. I had discipled many of my students, and now they became ministers as well. To God be the glory!
But just last year God called her to make an even greater sacrifice. It was time for her to give up her steady, reliable source of income and go into full-time revival ministry! Now she was to continue ministering without the benefit of steady income.
With multiple leadership roles in a growing ministry, Irene soon realized she needed biblical training to be better equipped and more effective for Christ. But she’d just given up her job for her ministry career. And holding four leadership positions required a lot of time and effort. Where was she going to find the time, and money, for the ministry training she needed?
Since May 2015 up to present I am working full-time in the ministry assisting my Pastor (Antonietta Diao) in our Ministries as Missionary, youth Leader, children and adult minister and Radio Minister. Our church has four daughter churches. Because the ministries are growing, I felt the need to study more about God’s word to be more equipped and more effective in the ministry. I am really praying to God to study Bible school, a free bible school which I can work at my own time pace. I browsed the net searching for an online Bible school and God led me to this Bible school: Christian Leaders Institute. God is so great and faithful! He is a mighty God we serve! He hath blessed the lives of them that seek him in truth! I blessed the Lord for The CLI and all the staffs, pastors and all the ministers. I am grateful to God for all of you. Glory to God!
Now that she’s finished the Getting Started class, Irene is ready to dive deeper into the training that Christian Leaders Institute offers.
I am looking forward to being used by God more in the ministry by applying what I learn and will be learning at CLI. Please pray for me that the Lord will bless me more with His wisdom and make me more worthy to be his servant, minister in feeding the flock with his words as a desire to travel different places (Abroad and around the Philippines) and preaching the gospel on televisions.
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints (Eph. 1:17-18). Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever and ever! Amen.
Are you called to start a revival ministry for the Lord? Do you need training to make that happen? Are you in a position where you can’t make the time or monetary commitment for seminary? If so, Christian Leaders Institute could be for you. With high quality ministry training classes, Christian Leaders Institute is training up thousands of revival leaders across the globe. All you need to get started is an internet connection!
Click here to enroll in classes today, or click here to see the various programs offered at Christian Leaders Institute.