Ordination Profile Submission

Archie Smith, USA

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God Bless,

“I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, the humble shall hear thereof and be glad. O Magnify the Lord with me Lets Us exhalt his name together!!”

I am Archie Smith, an Army veteran, a businessman, a minister of the Gospel, but most importantly a Child of the King. I accepted the gracious gift of Salvation at a tender age of 5 yrs. old and the call to preach the Gospel at the age of 12. I am married to my beautiful wife and am the parental steward to 3 beautiful children. My only desire is to fulfill Gods call on my life and to lead and love the family I have been placed in charge of as Christ Loved the Church.

My assignment is to be a yielded vessel used to pour into the many lives of individuals across this country. We believe in the inerrant word of God and that all scripture is God-Breathed.

The experience at CLI has been one of the simplest, enjoyable, truly God given experiences I have partaken in. CLI provided very sound biblical and doctrinal training for not only minsters, but also and other Christian leader seeking to deepen their understanding of God and his inerrant word. If I needed help on an assignment, did not understand a portion of the class, or simply wanted to provide feedback the Help Desk and leadership were most helpful and receptive. I stand by CLI as one of the best institutions in the nation.

This ordination will serve as a secondary ordination for me. I am in the process of attaining my primary credentials for ministry, but this enables and also validates the call that is on my life. I will also seek to accomplish the Church Planter ordination; so that whatever God has for me to do I have been enabled and well instructed to do through CLI.

I identify most with the title Minister/Pastor. God called us at a very young age to preach the gospel. Through times of struggle and poor decision-making, God has given me a chance to fulfill my call as HE had originally designed and destined me to. There has always been a call to preach on my life. I understood and could explain scripture at a very young age, have always been well spoken, and am more recently receiving a boldness from God to declare what thus saith the Lord. We are trusting God that if he desires for us to Pastor or plant a church, he will lead us to do that. We want to do and accomplish everything he has for us and we hope that means Pastoring/Shepherding a flock.
We trust and believe that anything God calls you to do, he also enables you to do. He has entrusted us with good speech etiquette, a strong biblical foundation, a sound biblical and systematic theological understanding, and a renewed passion to accomplish his will and preach his word. All things work together for those who love God and are called according to his purpose!

Living in America there are few challenges to freedom of religion, however with the society and cultural changes, we live in a country that has turned from God. The challenge now is getting people to simply believe and if they believe to trust. God is great and gracious enough to forgive anyone who wholeheartedly turns and seeks him. Our goal is to point as many people to Christ, not religion, not denomination, not church, not traditions, but Christ and Christ alone.

My local church utilizes me in ministry. At a young age, I taught children’s church and preached at worship services, I currently teach a weekly Men’s study class and preach the word when called upon. The local congregants are very receptive, encouraging, and prayerfully edified and exhorted by our laboring in the ministry.

Everyone has a calling, a gift, or a talent to be used as unto the lord. Despite how things play out in your life, be encouraged and take comfort in knowing that God is a forgiving God and that he still expects you to utilize what he has entrusted to you for the edification of the body. God CAN and WILL use you, if you are a willing vessel for him!

The fact that this training has been 100% financially free, is one of the most significant blessings I have ever received in my life. I know the call God had for me and wanted to further explore the timeless truths of his word. I sough Internet free programs that teach sound doctrine and biblical fundamentals. After I received my certificate in Christian Theology, I believe God led me here to CLI. This program is right up there with any distance-learning Seminary. Because this has been free, it changes the outlook on ministry. Often times people want to get paid to preach or minister, but Christ’s ministry and gift of Salvation is free, CLI training is free, and my laboring in the Gospel is as unto God not, man and should be free because in the end our goal is to point people to Christ!

We ask that you pray that God continues to develop us in Christian Ministry, pray for our local congregation, our City, State, and National governments, and then pray for the congregation that God will enable us to start or join in Pastoral ministry. That we be a blessing to them and every facet of that ministry. Pray that we continue in Gods will for our lives, that he enables us to give back to CLI, and that CLI can expand on the areas of ministry it can provide instruction in Amen.

We seek to be a blessing in any way we can. We love and stand by CLI. It has been an honor and a privilege to study here at CLI.

“To God be the Glory, for the things he has done!”