Ministry preparation with CLI’s free online classes will help me immensely to be equipped in the area of bible knowledge, Christian history, evangelism, and all the things that are essential as a church leader. Taking these free training courses online allows me to allot my time between studying, working, and ministry preparation. I can focus on working towards paying off student loans without having to worry about school fees. CLI is providing a wonderful opportunity and is a huge blessing to me. I am also very blessed to have the prayer support and encouragement of my local church as well as brothers and sisters from all over the world.
My name is Ana Chen and I am currently living in Pennsylvania, USA. My family is originally from FuJian, China. We all made our way to America at different times: Dad left China in 1989 (three months after I was born). Mom left in 1993 when I was four years old. And finally my sister and I joined my parents in 1995. In an attempt to help us transition better, my parents enrolled my sister and I into an all Chinese Catholic school where we were taught the basics of Catholicism. The idea of religion never peaked my interest, especially since my parents were Buddhists. Throughout the years many people tried to tell me and my sister about God, who was saved during a trip to Greece. I was apathetic to any faith and considered myself a “spiritual atheist.” Honestly, I didn’t even know what that meant.
My walk with the Lord began three years ago in South Korea where I was studying as an exchange student. Out of curiosity I attended church service at a really well-known church in Kangnam, Seoul. It was during an invitation to prayer that I spoke the words of repentance and received the truth of Jesus. I began to seek out answers to my millions of questions and was looking for the next steps in this walk with God. When I returned home to the US, I immediately joined a church. I was baptized and began to serve on a team in church. Soon I became dissatisfied and yearned for more (though I wasn’t quite sure what that “more” was). My search led me to China, then to Africa where I got baptized in the Holy Spirit and really learned about who God is and how alive He is, and then to California to a school of ministry preparation and discipleship training. It was at this school that the Lord truly began to work in me. He broke me down, redefined me, showed me His nature, and made my already insatiable appetite for Him even more so.
It was during this past summer that God called me to finally come home after years of traveling. And it is here at home that I believe He is wanting me to equip myself for ministry preparation and a life completely surrendered to Him. One of the things that frustrates and pains me to see is the lack of passion and zeal for the Lord in the Church. How can we sing about the God of Wonders who is worthy of all our worship and praise and yet be bored and unexcited? There’s no passion, no fire in the church because we don’t truly know the love of Christ. There lacks a deep revelation of God’s love for the world and for the individual. I believe the Lord is calling me to wake up and encourage the church to be the disciples Jesus intended for us to be. We are called to be the children of God not merely churchgoers!
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CLI Is A Zimbabwe Seminary Option
The Political and economic strife in Zimbabwe has created a need for ministry training. Christian Leaders Institute functions as a Zimbabwe Seminary option for many because it is free and available online. Here is the story of one graduate who found this free Zimbabwe Seminary opportunity.
Lawton Hikwa, Finding a Zimbabwe Seminary Through Chapel Doors
My name is Lawton Hikwa and am 52 years old. I am married to Di and together we have three daughters, Michelle 29, Vanessa 25 and Melanie 13. We live in the City of Bulawayo in the south western end of Zimbabwe. Bulawayo is the second largest city in the country after Harare, the capital.
Zimbabwe gained its independence from Britain on April 18, 1980 after a protracted armed struggle against the minority white settler regime. Prior to independence, the country was divided along racial lines – white, black, coloured (mixed race) and Indian. The whites were on the first scale of racial segregation, followed by coloureds and Indians, with blacks falling on the last scale.
At independence, the new government preached about national integration and reconciliation. There was new hope for a united country endowed with a lot of natural resources that include minerals such as coal, gold, copper, diamonds and many others. Agriculture thrived and was the back bone of the economy. The service sector also worked well and its labour force was disciplined and professional. The education and health systems were good for a developing nation.
In 1982, just two years after independence, there was a political rift between the two major political parties that had fought the war. The government went on an onslaught and killed more than 20 000 people in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces. My father, a local school teacher was a victim of this onslaught in November 1983. Matabeleland provinces (Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Bulawayo Metropolitan) lie in the western end of the country while the Midlands Province is in the centre of the country.
The above indicate a country that is largely spiritually broken, needing lots of healing and affirmation in Kingdom values. In the last fifteen years the economy took a plunge following a harrowingly violent land ‘reform’ programme, serious abuse of human rights and an endemic disregard for the rule of law. This was almost redeemed by the formation of an inclusive government from 2009 to 2013. The country is now under a single party rule since July 2013. People still worship freely and the country’s population is believed to be largely of Christian persuasion.
I was born and baptized into a Christian (London Missionary Society, now the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa) family of six children, three brothers and three sisters. My father occasionally preached in church and my mother was a Sunday school teacher. Most of my primary schooling was in schools run by UCCSA missionaries. I attended an Anglican run secondary school, where I then joined the Anglican Church to which I still belong.
I am serving as a sub-deacon (lay ministry) is the Anglican Church, in addition to editing a monthly parish newsletter. I have also served as church warden before and sit on the Diocesan Standing Committee. My dream is to continue serving fellow citizens within the spiritual healing and reconciliation ministry. I most identify myself with the word Pastor because I am involved in leading fellow Christians in spiritual healing and reconciliation.
Being a survivor of an unfortunate historical and political past triggered my desire to pursue ministry and my desire to find a Zimbabwe Seminary for my training.
Some of the unique challenges in my area include:
• Working and worshiping with people that feel excluded in many ways;
• A spiritually broken community;
• A community need reaffirmation in Kingdom values;
• Stewardship of our environment and each other; and,
• Involving the youth in church and community life.
My church has been very supportive in my ministry calling. The Rector has always seconded me for training by the Diocesan Training Committee in various skills needed by the church. Similarly, my wife and daughters have been supportive through mutual prayer and engagement in church activities.
The scholarship at CLI will enable me to pursue a Zimbabwe Seminary that will give me more confidence in carrying out my ministry calling in healing and reconciliation and reaffirming fellow citizens in Kingdom values. I feel that my community and larger society has potential in being healed of the unfortunate past experiences and to reconcile with itself and God.
My name is Matthew Saunders and I am from the United States. God is calling me in to the ministry field to serve his kingdom. I was raised in the church but at age 17 I walked away from it.
Many in the church I was attending were hypocrites. As many in the churches today are. They are what I like to call Sunday christians. I believe that God is calling me to the ministry to promote a true revival in my area. I came back to the Lord after I suffered a tragic accident.
I then became very active in my church. Several of the leading men there asked me if I hsd thought about going in to the ministry field. I replied no not really. God opens doors that no one can shut and shuts doors no one can open.
God opened the door for me especially when I found Christian Leaders Institute. I had looked in to the local bible college but was unable to afford to go there. With CLI I am able to recieve the same high quality learning as any other college without he expence of a traditional college. Praise God for CLI and the work they do so everyone who is called may further the kingdom of God. My hope is that there will be a great revival that leads the world back to God. I am excited to do my part in it. I will follow where ever God leads me.