My name is Keith Moore. I am a citizen of, and currently reside in the United States of America. This is my story of how I went from Atheist to Christian.
For most of my childhood (from the age of five until about 16), I attended church fairly regularly. I did this without my parents, riding a church bus to Sunday school until I was old enough to drive myself. During that period of time, I never really grasped what it meant to completely give my life to Christ. I saw it as more of a social club.
My adult life found me struggling with the concept of religion, much less the teachings of Christianity. I had read, researched, and interviewed believers and non-believers alike, then read and researched some more. With over 20 years in the fire and rescue field as a Firefighter/Paramedic, I have seen and experienced horrible things that seriously made me doubt that there could possibly be a loving and merciful God. My faith was no longer and I spoke out often against Jesus Christ.
In the late night hours of June 28th, 2014, I found myself sitting on my bed in the bunkroom at the firehouse, reading The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell. I was about three-quarters of the way through (maybe a little more) and I began feeling something that I cannot put into words. It wasn’t joy, pain, anger, or any other emotion that I feel I could properly label; I just kept feeling like weeping. It actually scared me at first. I wasn’t sad or mad, and I wouldn’t even say that I felt like “crying” (although some would think them synonymous); I just kept feeling “choked up”. I would take a deep breath, relax, and it would subside, but the feeling kept coming back.
Hours later, I was nearing the end of the book. I came to page 759 and a heading that read, “You Can Receive Christ Right Now Through Prayer”. All of a sudden, I began feeling warm and, quite honestly, scared; oh, and there was that choked-up feeling again. I took a deep breath and actually whispered out loud, “Even if this is true, I don’t deserve to be saved.” Then, a voice in my head said, “You can do it. Go ahead.”
I took a deep breath and began reading the following words, “Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”
Now, I have heard people say that they were saved, born again, accepted the Lord, however you want to put it, and that right afterward, they felt nothing; no different, whatsoever. I promise you this, immediately after reading those words, I felt driven to close my eyes and speak from the heart. As I sat alone in silence beneath my reading lamp, tears began rolling down my face and I just PRAYED. I wept. I begged forgiveness. I thanked Jesus again. I asked for guidance. I wept some more. I honestly felt spiritually renewed. I must have prayed for 30+ minutes and then laughed at myself for the next hour, or so, about how I could not stop weeping from the joy I was feeling and about how awkward it would be if we got a call right then.
After finally regaining my composure, I went and sat in the dayroom and reflected on a number of things; the biggest being this:
I had finally come to the conclusion that, not only is God real, but so is Jesus and the Word of God. I realized that it didn’t matter how many books I had read or how many Christians I had tell me that they “just believed”. I realized that for all the time I spent looking for Jesus with my eyes, I had been refusing to look with my heart. Once I opened my heart to Him, it all became clear; He was with me all along. He knew my heart and was patient with me. God is great. He is omniscient, omnipresent, and completely Holy. He is the Father that made, the Son that saved me, and the Spirit that lives within me. Yes, He judges; He does so perfectly, righteously, and fairly, but He also forgives, loves, blesses, and shows mercy. I cannot effectively articulate the power I felt in HIM that night. God is definitely NOT dead! He is alive, well, and reigns on high!
Since I surrendered my life to Christ, I have felt called to the ministry for men’s leadership and the first responder community. I also have a strong desire to do God’s work through medical missions both here in the United States and abroad. I am committed to live my life for Christ and spreading the Gospel!
My name is Saviour Brain Tetteh. I was born in Ghana, in 1975, to Mr. Joseph Tetteh and Edith Norngor, both of blessed memory. I have five other siblings, two brothers and three sisters, two of which are younger than me.
I completed my basic education in 1991, and then proceeded to pursue my secondary education, which I completed in 1995. I had a difficult childhood. While in school at the primary level, I had to live with extended family members at various times. During those years I also worked to raise money for my school fees and to support my mother in her business. Looking back, I believe God was preparing me for a greater work in the future. After my secondary education I pursued a career in teaching at one of the national colleges. In my quest for knowledge, I also pursued a program in public relations, legal studies, educational psychology and operations management. Since then, I have served in various capacities including headmaster, supervisor, counselor, school chaplain, scripture union president and many others.
How I came to know the Lord was a divine arrangement. After my basic education in the village, my mother sent me to the city to live with my late uncle’s wife. During those years I had a lot a of difficulties, which affected my academic work. Then in 1993, my elder brother returned from Zambia, and he took a keen interest in my personal development. He was a strong Christian and led me to the Lord that same year. It was a wonderful experience and a great moment in my life.
The Lord started using me for His purposes and I began to affect other young people. I became the Bible study leader for the scripture union and eventually became the president, as well as the senior prefect, in my school. The Lord opened doors for me to preach His word in many secondary schools with great power and manifestations of His presence. Looking back, I am grateful to God for using my older brother as a channel to save me. Since then I have also received the gift of the Holy Spirit and often the Lord manifests Himself to me in various ways.
My dream is to pursue missions work around the world, starting with my own country, and to serve God’s Kingdom however He sees fit. This is a challenge because most churches here do not commit resources to missionary work and sometimes they even suppress one’s initiatives. I have, however, received ministry training from my church over the years, which has greatly contributed to my growth in ministry, and I am thankful to my senior pastor for his support. In the meantime, I have also started a ministry for young couples in Ghana called, “Young Couples Net World,” and have began a prayer initiative for international missionaries.
A scholarship at this time would greatly impact my missionary work in this nation and around the world. I would appreciate prayer that the Lord would enable me to finish the work He has given me to do. I am also praying for the entire Christian Leaders Institute staff, may God richly bless you.
Hi, my name is Justice. I live in the United States in St. Albans, WV. I began my journey with the Lord in the fifth grade. My Sunday school teacher led me to the Lord. I faithfully attended church and when I was in the youth group I attended youth camps. At the first youth camp I attended I knew that I was called to ministry. I also knew that I would someday marry a Pastor. I heard all of this from God so clearly.
After graduating high school I was ready to begin, to do what I was called to do. God has called me to the missions field to help those who have similar testimonies as mine. God has called me to eventually go to Haiti and work with orphans. I went to International House of Prayer University for a semester and then recently moved back home because I felt led to. I wasn’t sure what to do when I did return home, but that is when I discovered CLI. CLI has truly changed my life. I feel that it is giving me all the right training, I just love it! My church has helped me by their support as well.
I ask that you pray for my faithfulness in pursuing God! I praay that God will bless CLI for everything that they are doing. Thank you.
– Justice
CLI Note: We are so excited for every student both our older and younger, men and women. We are honored and excited to be the place where a young woman called to ministry can pursue her ministry calling. We know that the young will evangelize the next generations for Christ.