Vision For The Youth – CLI Raising Up Christian Leaders
CLI Graduate, Samone Johnson has a vision for the youth to be mighty warriors for Christ. Samone has had challenges that have strengthened her vision for the youth for God.
I currently live in the United States of America, in the very liberal state of California. There was a time when you could openly evangelize and spread hope in through the Gospel, but now it is harder to say the name, Jesus, without someone condemning you or giving you negative feedback.
I came to know the Lord for myself in my early twenties, after living a life filled with sin. I was involved in drinking, smoking marijuana, and premarital relations. I knew of God as a child, but I didn’t grow up in a home with Christ at the center. I grew tired of living in a state of despair because of the sin filled decisions I was making, and surrendered my life and began pursuing discipleship and then a Biblical education.
Samone is starting to achieve her vision for the youth through being a mentor and author.
I currently mentor, and I have written curriculum for young people coming to know the Lord. It would be my ministry dream to work alongside my husband evangelizing to young people through conferences and concerts for the Kingdom. I also am an author, so I pray that I can continue to reach people through my books. I write Christian Fiction novels, with real life situations. I’d like to see one of those books reach the broken and make a difference in their life, the way that Christ has made an enormous difference in mine.
I identify the most with evangelist, small group leader, and youth leader. These are all roles that I have been in before and currently exercise my gifts in those capacities. I get the most fulfillment mentoring young women and even some mature women that are young in their faith and walk with God.
Samone’s vision for the youth has come from her growing up without anyone ministering to her.
After God got a hold of my heart and I stopped running from my calling, I knew right off the back that I wanted to work with young people. I wished that there had been someone that invested in me at a young age. I had tons of people around, but no took the time to invest truly in me and bring Christ and hope to my life. I love having the opportunity to sow into my kids at this time.
The challenges that I see in my geographical area are those that come with a purpose and identity crisis. Many young and mature people don’t know their true identity in the Lord, and by that, they do not have a clear vision for their purpose in life. So many fall prey to gang violence, prostitution, drugs, and alcohol, to soothe their broken spirits. Those are the ones that my husband and I so desperately try to reach through our ministry.
Samone’s local church as been encouraging her in her vision for the youth and giving her opportunities for her to grow.
My local church has supported my ministry by first grooming me to be a leader. I’ve gone through leadership training but never an ordination. I was able to work with young people, inside the walls of the church and also outside. I have been entrusted with a degree of authority within the leadership chain.
My family is my first ministry. Before any title is given, I am a wife and mother to three amazing kids. My husband and I share a ministry together, and we support one another on every level possible. Our children are very much a part of that, and in the home we introduce them to the love, knowledge, and Word of God. We pray together and also play together in ways that instill Christian values. Christ is center, in our home.
CLI, has given Samone the ability to get an education that will give her more knowledge as her vision for the youth progress.
Finding CLI is a blessing to me on many levels. I started pursuing a ministerial degree at one point, but I was hit within many years of sickness that lead me to step away from the Bible College I was attending. I acquire a lot of debt with student loans, for an education that I was never able to complete. Now that I walk in my total healing and a new season, I was aching to find the right opportunity to fit the lifestyle for my family and myself. I want others in the secular realm to know that I am certified in my studies. Also, I have the validation to back up what has been given through His Word and Spirit, and all that has been poured into me by others.
Please pray for support. My husband and I have labored for many years together and at times we get discouraged. Others use the resources, but never fully support the vision that God has given us to steward. We love to network and support other ministries, and we have yet to make lasting relationships to build from for the Kingdom.
Local Christian Leader Get Free Bible School Training
I was born into a so-called Christian family on the 1st of February in 1968 in Ado – Ekiti State, Nigeria. (Name withheld)
I gave my life to Christ in October 1988 and for the first time bought a HOLY BIBLE. I was taught the importance of walking with God, learned about being born again, being filled with the Holy Spirit, the importance of living a holy life and about SANCTIFICATION.
There in the university, I walked with the children of God. The urge was on me to become more significant in the things of God and to become a local Christian Leader in my community. Since then, God has worked in my life greatly. New messages, new dreams, and new visions of the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness started flowing into my life in a new dimension I had never experienced with my parents and our old church.
I came to the Gambia, West Africa in 1996. I thank God that the urge to go in the ways of God increased and the urge to progress in showing the light of the Gospel to the lost souls has been my greatest dream and mission all the time.
This has led me into personal evangelism to unbelievers and a caring ministry to the children of God and my church. This is a testimony to glorify the name of the Lord. In all, the gifts of God called salvation and peace in the Holy Spirit should not be covered up.
Given this and what our LORD JESUS commanded that we should let our light shine, we should preach the words of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. I saw the need for more seminary course instructions and acquiring more knowledge on how to be more effective and efficient as a local Christian leader for the LORD! I desire to become more versatile in ‘’HIS WORDS‘’ and move more into the business of winning souls unto our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
This urged me to search and discovered the CHRISTIAN LEADERS INSTITUTE in the year 2012 where I was significantly exposed to the Lord’s words and powerful Christian leadership training and sound Christian education that has changed and shaped my entire work as a teacher in my church. This year marks my 3rd year at the Institute, and I completed 69 credit hours with ten awards – the last one – ADVANCE DIPLOMA IN MINISTRY. All these awards were awarded to me free of charge. I did not pay one cent.
By the Grace of God, the CHRISTIAN LEADERS INSTITUTE has done great and marvelous things in my life as a local Christian Leader in this country. I knew nothing about the ministry when I started. I have been trained and taught many things. I have been exposed to life and eternity through Jesus Christ. I Have been taught the rudiments of salvation, evangelism, the meaning of doctrine, how to construct and prepare a good sermon, the meaning of marriage, pastoral care, Christian counseling, holiness, sanctification and the importance of the Holy Spirit in a Christian life.
I thank God and CLI for the three years of training which ends with ordination as a Pastor/Evangelist. The Christian education and leadership education I have acquired from this noble institute has been helping me greatly as a teacher in my church. I am also having new visions and dreams on where God is leading me. The training has increased my ability and confidence in teaching and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to my Muslim friends in the Gambia.
I am expected to be ordained my local church.. All to the glory of God and the grace God has given to me through my wonderful, marvelous and the best FREE SEMINARY WITH SOUND CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP EDUCATION in the world, CLI.
The Gambia is dominated by Muslims. We Christians have a lot of challenges here. Before my training from CLI, I did not have any urge to evangelize. This seminary has been an eye opener and has enabled me to see the great opportunity God has given us to win souls for him. I am praying every day that the Lord would give me strength and more ability to lead more Muslims to Christ.
My local church has been very cooperative. The pastors and mentors gave me the opportunity to practice what I learned in CLI. Every Sunday, I am given the opportunity to teach. I have been given chances to teach the whole church in our Bible studies several times.
My church and these local Christian leaders have made the church a great preparation ground. With them, I have gained the confidence and boldness to talk to large crowds. I have gained the ability to lead prayers. I thank God for the great opportunity this church has given me to develop my spiritual competence and capabilities.
Please pray for us that God should raise a great revival in the Gambia. We need revival. Christians need to wake up and tell these unbelievers that Jesus is the Saviour and our Lord. There is the need to save souls from hell.
I am grateful to all my professors, especially Professor Henry Reyenga, our able President, Professor David Feddes – my never tired Provost, and Professor Steve Elzinga and wife who personally visited me and other students with prayers and book gifts in the Gambia in 2014 .
Search for Advanced Ministry Training – CLI Providing Opportunity
CLI graduate Lily Frazier was on a search for advanced ministry training for her passion and calling to be a Christian leader.
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I am Rev. Lily Frazier, and it probably sounds strange to hear the Reverend title from someone who is looking for ordination. Let me clear it up.
I am a stay at home caregiver, wife, mother, grandmother and felt the calling of the Lord to ministry -SO STRONG- and ground shaking that I was moved to act upon it.
Lily was earnestly on a search for advanced ministry training for the calling in her life. She hadn’t found what she was looking for right away.
I searched online for Christian ordination and training, but to my dismay, I only found mail order credentials. These, although being legally binding, did not give me the training and education to go along with it. Reluctantly, I sent off for my credentials, knowing full well that God does not call the equipped; he equips the called. It was less than a month later when I was called to officiate a funeral and, because of these credentials, I was able to do just that (with the help of our local church pastor’s guidance).
Lily had some obstacles in her life that made her search for advanced ministry training online.
Still there was so much more to learn. How would I ever be able to find schooling without leaving my disabled spouse alone? I was troubled, and I prayed and prayed that God would open the door, and I would find the learning I need to continue according to his plan for my life.
Just as quickly as Lily’s search for advanced ministry training had come, her search ended as God opened the door for Lily at CLI.
And, just as suddenly as my calling came to me, I found CLI. I know it was a “God thing”. It could be nothing else. Accredited schooling, knowledgeable professors and experienced ministers all coming together to share the gospel and TRAIN me! Praise God!
I am now enrolled in the Associates degree program and have completed the academic requirements for Ordained Officiant. I am humbled and blessed to know that my mentor, my spouse, and my friends will be instrumental in my walk of faith. They will be helping me to see what I don’t see and holding me accountable to this calling.
I don’t know what this will lead to, but as long as God is in it, I will trust Him to lead the way. Yes, he has made my joy full.
In His Amazing Love,
Rev. Lily Frazier
Justifying Grace Christian Ministries