Family Ministry Journey

Family Ministry Journey

My name is Craig Zahniser and I am on a family ministry journey. My ministry is to share my belief in Christ Jesus with my family as it was shared with me. I came to know the Lord through the faith and example of my parents and grandparents and I feel led to pass that faith to my children and grandchildren. My grandfathers were very different men. One was a Methodist minister and one was a steel worker. Both men had a deep love and understanding of Jesus Christ and taught me about Him all through my childhood. My grandmothers were examples of Godly women who loved and served the Lord with all their hearts. My father is a very talented musician who at 83 years old still serves in the music ministry of his church and my mother up until her death was a relentless witness for Christ in word and deed to everyone she encountered.

Recently my oldest grandson Justin asked me to officiate at his upcoming wedding and I happily agreed. I began researching how to become ordained and it quickly became apparent to me that most of the organizations that provided online ordination had nothing to do with faith in Jesus Christ. For a fee, you can become a legally ordained minister of this or that and be able to perform a wedding ceremony but I would have to agree to be part of a group that did not believe in the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to do so. I absolutely could not and would not do that.

Even though I have believed in Jesus Christ since I was a child, I have not always set the best example for my family as was done for me. I believe the Lord is calling me to correct that on this family ministry journey of mine. I have 6 children, 19 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren most of whom will be present when I officiate at Justin and Allie’s wedding. I need them all to know how important faith in Jesus Christ is for their lives. I pray that they see through my actions in not taking the easy way of just paying for ordination but studying to become a Christian minister how much Jesus Christ means to me and how much I want the same for them. I don’t know what else the Lord would have me do once the wedding is over but I am open to doing His will whatever it may be.

Christian Leaders Institute has been very helpful in making me focus on what it means to minister to others and not focus solely on myself. I have for some time had a habit of daily Bible reading but I’m praying that through this ministry I will have the courage, compassion, and wisdom to share more about Jesus Christ with family and others around me. Please pray for me that my family understands the difference between being “spiritual” and the saving grace that comes from belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Thank you for this opportunity and may God bless you and this ministry.

Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.