This minister is studying at Christian Leaders Institute to add to her education.
Patricia A. Harris started a non-profit ministry years ago and is now using
Christian Leaders Institute to help her further pursue her dreams…
My Personal Bio…
Hi my name is Patricia A. Harris, of the United States. I’m a divorced mother of six adult children, with twenty-seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. I currently live in Minnesota, in the twin-cities area… I am a Christian Leaders Institute student and enjoying the journey.
My family moved here from Chicago, in 1982, to create a better life for them. I spent the first four years of my life in Milwaukee and the remainder of my childhood in Chicago’s south side. There was no father in our home, but we had a great mom. She was always there for us. We never had to wonder where she was because she never worked outside the home. There was no one to provide for us or help raise us.
I have spent many years trying to help others in one way or another, but I felt that wasn’t the only thing I wanted or needed to do. I knew there was so much more to life than simply helping others with basic needs.
My Early Years…
I came to know the Lord when I was seven years of age. We had the opportunity to get a Bible with our name engraved on it for participating in Sunday School every Sunday. It was a wonderful time in my life when I gave everything I could just to go to Church; though our household was not involved in Church, nor did we pray. Some of my earliest memories are of helping children and making sure they had something to eat.
I remember when I was 12 years old I met a family of four that lived across the street. I noticed sad looks on their faces and went to talk with them. They asked if I could get them some food and they showed me the deplorable conditions they were living in. I cried for those children that day. I brought them home and asked my mother if we could give them some food. We were living in poverty ourselves, but my family always seemed to have enough food to help others. My aunt was visiting us that day and she and my mom decided to call the authorities about the living conditions and the four hungry children. Those children would come to be given a place to live with my aunt.
I’ve come to realize over the years that being the eldest carries great responsibility. I guess you could call me a caretaker/nurturing kind of person because I always enjoy helping others whether in Church or out in the community.
How My Ministry Passion Began…
My passion for ministry was birthed out of volunteering and working in the community in the nonprofit arena. I helped others achieve their goals, find shelter, locate resources and come to a place of stability in their lives. For five years I also worked faithfully in my home Church, starting new ministries, and helping with various others. Then in 2000, after my divorce, I left that Church and moved to Atlanta, Georgia.
In 2003, I moved to Beaufort, SC, to further pursue ministry and to answer the call of God on my life. I worked in the Broomfield United Methodist Church as a teacher and a minister of the Word of God. During that time I had an anointing to start the outreach ministry, “Sons & Daughters of Zion”… Church on the Move”, to bring the nations to the Lord. Currently, I am not involved in this ministry because of illness. God has been taking me through a healing process. Taking classes through Christian Leaders Institute at this time in my life is very good timing.
My Dream….
My dream is to have home bible study groups all over the United States and beyond. To me there is nothing more important or fulfilling. I love teaching and ministering the Word of God and I am truly grateful for the opportunity through Christian Leaders Institute to advance my knowledge. Although my ministry is dormant, it is a joy to be able to gain a Bible education through Christian Leaders Institute.
Please pray for my complete healing in every area of my life so that I can finish the work God is calling me to.
My training with Christian Leaders Institute is important to me because it will give me the opportunity to teach more effectively in the future. I believe that education which has been so freely given, will bring great rewards (Mt 10:8) and we will understand why Jesus said “the Kingdom of God is within you”. (Phil 2:13)
I was born and raised in Livingston Izabal, Guatemala. At the age of 19 I was converted to Christianity. Before then I had believed in Jesus through the teachings of the catholic church, but I had never experienced a personal relationship with Him nor understood the true meaning of His life and dead on the cross. Now I realize that Jesus’ death paid for my sins.
I’ve been struggling with a lot of things lately, especially with my families rejection to the real gospel. But all that has strengthened me to keep my faith and believe that one day I will see my entire family, and community, worshiping the one and only true God through Jesus Christ. I’m married to a beautiful woman and have a beautiful daughter 6 months old.
Worship Pastor in Thornton, Colorado
Advances His Walk By Learning At Christian Leaders Institute.
My name is Ryan Hopkins, a 34 year old husband, father of 4 (and 2 dogs), and lover of Christ. I’m a worship pastor at a church in Thornton, CO. God as put a special calling on my life to start a church focused on bringing people into a deeper worship relationship with Him.
“Growing up, I never experienced the love of Jesus in the home. My mom and dad were mostly separated until their divorce when I was 7 years old. All I knew from early childhood was pain and separation. It wasn’t until I was 20 that I realized how far I had fallen into despair and hopelessness. I was angry. I was addicted to drugs. I was alone. I praise God for my mom and sister, who at the time had come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and were praying for me constantly. Without them, I’m sure I would have died as a result of my sinful lifestyle.
Accepting Jesus and turning my life around was clearly the best decision I’ve ever made. Since that time, He has used me in amazing ways. I’ve been so blessed to see many come to know Him, to see many worship in Spirit and Truth, to see real life change. Christ receives all the glory and honor and recognition. I’m just humbled and blessed to be His vessel.”
God revealed to me in prayer that this movement He will start, will start with this attitude: You pour out Your Spirit, and I’ll provide the vessels. That’s what I want to be, His vessel to the vessels. But my fear is being an empty vessel. To be filled with His Spirit, to know His presence and power are with me is what motivates me to pursue His calling. I know I’m not alone. I know that God will never call us to something we can achieve on our own, but only to what we need to rely on Him to accomplish.
With the education I hope to obtain from Christian Leaders Institute, I will be further equipped to be God’s vessel.
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Worship Pastor Opportunity
Here at Christian Leaders Institute our courses provide sound development which anyone can benefit from. Whether you are a worship pastor or your pastor, CLI has something for you. We know how important pursuing your calling is and it is mentioned in many places throughout the Bible.
You are called to serve God and growing up you possibly thought being “called” by God was something only for missionaries, pastors, or “full-time” church workers, but the Bible says every Christian is called to service in so many scriptures. Here are some more: (Eph. 4:14; Rom. 1:6-7; 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:2,9,26; 7:17; Phil 3:14; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3).
Join Christian Leaders Institute and pursue your calling today! Click Here To Learn More!