My name is Jerry O’Brian. I was born in 1981 in the small town of Paintsville, KY in the United States of America to a holy preacher and a stay at home Mom. I was the second birth of a set of identical twins. From the beginning of our lives it seemed we were destined to go on to do great works for God.
The church has always been a big part of my life. I was raised in a home with four others siblings, and we were taught from our youth the importance of giving our lives for the Lord and abstaining from the world and the evils it contains.
As time went on each of us kids starting contributing to the church. Each of us either started playing a musical instrument in church or singing or both. God’s hand was always on us. Looking back on it now, I didn’t realize as a kid how much that would play into the men and women that we turned out to be.
A significant turning point in our lives occurred when I and my twin brother were freshmen in high school. One night while traveling home, we were involved in a car accident when we were struck head-on by a drunk driver. The impact was devastating. But even through it all, we knew to call on the name of Jesus. After everything cleared, my mother, father, and sister almost died, and my twin brother was left paralyzed from the chest down. The individual that hit us died instantly leaving behind a young child back at home. I still feel for her soul to this day.
As we grew up, the scriptures and worship of God made more sense. The Spirit of God had over time revealed more and more of himself to us, making us stronger in our walk with God. We more openly testified in church and carried Bibles with us at the high school. Our musical talents increased. My twin brother was blessed with the ability to play a splendid lead guitar by the grace of God (God used his arms for his Glory). I was blessed to be able to play the drums for our gospel group.
It was during this time that I felt a strong calling for the ministry. I would be outside by myself, and I could hear the Spirit preaching a message to me. It flowed so freely! It felt so good, but I was afraid. Instead of embracing the calling, I ran from it. I had fears such as “What if I mess up?” or “I’m so young, am I sure that God is calling me?” Because of my upbringing I was never one to say that God did this or that without knowing for sure. And at this time of my life I wasn’t sure of myself.
Fast forward to 2014. I was now married to a wife that only God could give, and we had three beautiful children. I was still in church, playing drums, with my Dad and twin brother. All of my brothers are ordained ministers, and I was the only one that hadn’t stepped out into the calling. But then I again felt the calling to the ministry. The only difference was that I was older, more mature, and understood more about the Bible. I was filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, and best of all, I knew God was the one calling me.
I knew that seminary school wasn’t for me. How could I even afford it with a wife and three children? But I wanted to be ordained, and I wanted knowledge. That’s when I looked online for Bible schools that offer ordination. Now I didn’t want some place that said send me money, and we’ll make you a minister. I wanted a school that cared about training people and wanted them to earn it, not just be given it like the ministry was something the world could give. Ministry isn’t defined by a certificate anyway. It’s defined by the revelation from God upon those whom he chooses to “preach the gospel to every nation”.
That’s when I stumbled onto Christian Leaders Institute. Something about the organization spoke to me. They had a clear objective to train people in the ministry, but only if they were serious. And they weren’t concerned about your background or how much money you had. They were only concerned with your relationship with God and helping you to achieve what God wanted for you. They didn’t judge, they only expounded on the Word of God and taught what it taught. They didn’t try to change you, but only help you understand and follow God’s word.
This ministry training has meant so much to me. All of the hours spent in front of the computer, and all of the time spent listening to lectures and flipping through pages of the Bible has all been an incredible experience. It was taken something that God started long ago in a young man in Kentucky and helped it to flourish into the man God has always wanted me to be. I am eternally grateful to Christian Leaders Institute for their hard work and dedication to training people like myself to be leaders that God can use to reach the lost.
Since I started at Christian Leaders Institute in September of 2014 I have preached about six sermons and the knowledge that I gained here has helped me in my messages. It has been a little challenge as far as preaching in front of other ministers that have been doing it far longer than I have. But my mentor (my Dad) has helped me to see that it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been preaching because real preaching comes from above.
My plans as an ordained minister are to go on and one day start a church with my twin brother to help reach even more lost souls in our community. I also plan on extending my studies with the Christian Leaders Institute to at minimum achieve a Diploma in Ministry.
My request in prayer is that you would pray that I always abide by the will of God throughout my ministry and always look to him for wisdom, comfort and refuge in times of trouble. As sure as I am that God’s hand has been with me throughout my life to serve and do his will, I am equally as sure that he will help me continue my journey. And God has used Christian Leaders Institute as part of that help.
My name is Kevin Bloss, a forty-two-year-old husband, and business owner, living in Round Lake, Illinois, USA. My wife, Laura, and I have owned and operated a dog care facility (daycare, boarding, grooming, training and retail) for over eight years. We are blessed to be able to partner together in ministry, in life and as business owners. People often marvel how we can work so closely together every day, but for us it is a blessing. The Lord brought us together and made us a team, not only in marriage but in all aspects of our life. Granted there is tension at times, but we help each other remain focused on Jesus. We also try to be a light to people that we come into contact with every day, whether that is employees, customers or random strangers.
My wife and I haven’t always been Christ followers. As a matter of fact, I spent the better part of forty years living in the flesh; seeking only to satisfy the temptations of this world. At the time that I am writing this, I have only been a follower of Christ for a little over two years. However, in that [short] time, Jesus has grabbed hold of me and began a work in me that I can only describe as “fast, intense Holy Spirit transformation!” I did not grow up in a Christian home, nor did I have any exposure to a church of any sort. Following a safe and loving, middle-class upbringing and a subsequent college degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I found myself satisfying every temptation and carnal desire with no regard for myself or others.
I left a failed marriage in my wake along with countless run-ins with the law. In 2003, I found myself in rehab for an addiction primarily to crystal meth and alcohol. Following my time in rehab and living in a half-way house, I seemed to be “back on track.” I was able to salvage a career in banking and met my beautiful bride Laura. A few years went by, and we seemed to be doing a good job of managing our life. In 2006, we made the collective decision to leave our careers and take on our dream of opening a dog daycare. Unbeknownst to us, the Lord was getting ready to rock our world in a way to draw Laura to Him first, and myself six months later.
In January 2012, my secret double life as a sex-addict was exposed. To convey the depth of my addiction, I confessed to decades of sexual impurity from porn to prostitutes. This revelation was about to change both of our lives in a way we could never have imagined. By God’s grace and mercy, Laura did not leave me; He used her to help me. Initially, I sought secular treatment and my previous experience in twelve step meetings seemed a natural remedy.
After a few months, Laura was still struggling and sought the comfort that only Jesus could provide. She, with a similar “non-religious” background, sought out the Church. Laura gave her life to Christ, and He immediately began to transform her. As the “good” husband I now was, I encouraged her new found faith, but I maintained my distance. In the meantime, her new church family started to pray for me, and people began to be intentional with me. There were other subtleties at work, but I mostly noticed the change in Laura. I can still remember the day when she looked me in the eyes and told me she forgave me. Granted, she had said this to me earlier in the year, but this time it was different, and I knew that it was. Jesus was working in her life in immeasurable ways.
Christmas Eve 2012 I agreed to attend a Christmas Eve service to make her happy. I had no idea what was to come and certainly didn’t know that a partial raising of my hand, in response to a powerful and emotional altar call, would be all that it would take. I cracked open the door of invitation and Jesus kicked it in the rest of the way! In a few short weeks following that service, I was meeting with the pastors, listening to what they were telling me and found that I had an unquenchable fire for the Word of God. I was a new creation; the old life was gone, and a new life had surely begun!
Since giving my life to Christ on Christmas Eve 2012, I seek to know Him more and more every day, and I can’t get enough of His Word. I have since immersed myself in His church, and the leadership has invested more and more time in me and my growth. Christian Leaders Institute is helping to foster and advance that growth. Additionally, I have been tasked with putting together an internal seminary track for my leaders and pastors of our church. I am being groomed for a future executive pastor role, and CLI is helping to sharpen my spiritual gifts!
A scholarship from Christian Leaders Institute will help me pursue God’s plans for my life. I seek to raise up other leaders in the body of Christ and desire to share the gospel with unbelievers and young believers. I feel that God might be preparing me to help other people struggling with addictions that are seeking to interfere with a God honoring walk. I hope people can look at me, hear my story, and want what I now have: a life filled with contentment and joy that can only be found in Christ.
I ask for prayer for being a good steward of the fruit the Lord has blessed me with. I ask for prayer that I do not fall prey to my pride and arrogance that has dominated most of my life. I pray that I can help to raise up other disciples and leaders for Christ and continue to point to Him for all glory and praise
ARE YOU CALLED TO BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER?
Are you feeling a divine calling towards ministry, as a licensed or ordained minister, or another significant role? The Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) and the Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA) stand ready to accompany you on this sacred journey. Let’s dive deeper into the diverse avenues of service you can explore:
Becoming an ordained minister begins with accessing donation-supported free ministry training. Each ordination role requires specific courses. The good news is that more advanced training builds on previous training. You start your ministry training program, and as you take more classes, additional ordained minister roles become available.
CLA'S PRIMARY MINISTER ROLES
1. Licensed Wedding Officiant: Step into the sacred space of uniting couples in matrimony. By becoming an ordained minister with the Christian Leaders Alliance, you’ll be equipped to officiate weddings, celebrating love in its purest form across various locations.
Learn how this role is your gateway to becoming an ordained minister in more advanced roles – Click Here.
2. Licensed Field Minister: For those with constrained study schedules yet a heart full of commitment, the Field Minister path is tailor-made for you. CLI offers foundational courses, paving the way for lay ministers, deacons, and church elders to extend the ministry’s hand everywhere.
3. Licensed Minister: Explore the expansive world of ministry roles with the Licensed Minister program. With an amalgamation of theoretical and hands-on training, you’re primed to serve in diverse ministerial capacities anywhere your calling takes you.
4. Licensed Coaching Minister: Marrying the art of coaching with ministry? The Coaching Minister role is your niche. Dedicated coaching modules paired with ministry courses ensure you lead with purpose, effectiveness, and heart.
5. Licensed Ministry Chaplain: Embody the essence of spiritual caregiving. As a Licensed Ministry Chaplain, you’re trained to be a beacon of hope, offering solace and support in varied settings, shining brightly in moments of darkness and despair.
6. Ordained Minister: Aim for the zenith of ministerial roles. An ordained minister is a testament to one’s unwavering commitment and passion to serve, transcending boundaries, and touching souls globally.
And that’s just the beginning! The Christian Leaders Alliance has over thirty specialized roles awaiting your discovery.
The Christian Leaders Alliance abides by an “ecuminister” model of dual ordinations. This means you can be ordained solely with the Christian Leaders Alliance, or you can be ordained with the Christian Leaders Alliance and still remain a member of another denomination. You can even be ordained as an office bearer of another church, denomination, or fellowship while also being ordained with the Christian Leaders Alliance.
Embark on your spiritual odyssey, equipped and mentored by the Christian Leaders Institute and Alliance. Whether it’s stepping into the shoes of an ordained minister or any other ministry role, you’re provided with robust resources to navigate the ministry terrain.
As you begin, remember the uplifting verse from Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Rooted in God’s guidance and enriched by CLI and CLA’s teachings, you’re poised to make a profound difference wherever your journey takes you.
ORDAINED MINISTER TESTIMONY
I was born on April 16, 1981, and the only child in the family due to my father’s early death when I was only eight months old. Despite my chronic illness, the good Lord has gifted me with many skills like carpentry, electrical-related works, masonry, plumbing, cooking, driving, animal raising, and arts and crafts. I love playing basketball and going out with different types of people. My friends usually described me as resourceful, creative, and long-suffering.
I am a physically sick person, and I have suffered painful experiences throughout my life. But God is faithful and merciful to me, which keeps my life going as a Christian. I am empowered by Him every day to do things beyond my ability. My wife, Shim Rose, and I have two lovely children, Shiloah and Jephthah.
I learned the Lord through the faithful witnessing of the Rubrico Family and their Christian friends. I am a working student in that family, and they keep showing me the love of Jesus from the Bible, their daily living, their priorities, and how they react to a particular situation. My conversion is a slow one. I have difficulty accepting the new faith due to pressure from my family and my personality. But by the grace of God, I was converted at age 18 and started serving the Lord as a witness to my peer groups in an informal way.
I received the call of God when I was 21 and enrolled in a Bible School for equipping. I do church planting work as a student, and God blessed it. Right after I graduated from Bible School, I got an illness that took so long to be identified by the Doctor. It is a chronic allergic pharyngitis. I was forced to rest from my ministry for one year, not knowing when I could recover. But God has a purpose for me and my family. He is preparing us for more excellent ministry than I have now.
Doing the ministry in my country is both an honor and a challenge! I live in the Western Visayas Region of the Philippines, and people living here are usually religious but polytheistic. Whenever we bring good news to the people, they are generally receptive and show interest but retain their former traditions and lifestyle. Despite these situations, however, the power of the gospel is far more potent than our inherent loyalty to our traditions so that God’s work keeps growing and transforming our culture into a God-glorifying lifestyle.