Christian Leaders Institute even brings quality free online ministry training to residents in destitute Nigerian areas. Emmanuel Odok is grateful for finding CLI and the free Bible based courses offered. The following is his story that ultimately brought him to seek training at Christian Leaders Institute.
My name is Emmanuel Odok and I live in the Nigerian city of Calabar, Cross River State. Located in West Africa this is one of many impoverished areas in this country. In this Nigerian area God has been helping us to propagate the Good news of the Kingdom. We are faced with many difficult challenges. Poor road networks and lack of maintenance make travel difficult. We are also hindered by an inadequate supply of electricity for the community. Many residents have no electricity at all. There is a severe lack of funding to build and equip worship centers and organize outreach programs.
God has blessed Nigeria with a fertile land for Ministry to thrive but recently, … ‘the “Gates of Hell” have opened into our areas and they are known as “Boko Haram”. Their aim is to hinder the advancement of God’s Kingdom in Northern Nigeria using nearly any way possible.
*****
This excerpt is from Wikipedia.org: The Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad[2][3] which is better known by its Hausa name “Boko Haram” is an Islamic group and takfiri militant and terrorist organization based in the northeast of Nigeria,[6] north Cameroon and Niger.[7][8][9][10]Founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002,[11] the organization seeks to establish a “pure” Islamic state ruled by sharia law,[12] putting a stop to what it calls “Westernization”.[13][14] The group is known for attacking Christians and government targets,[13] bombing churches, schools and police stations,[15][16] and kidnapping western tourists, but has also assassinated members of the Islamic establishment.[17] Violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency has resulted in an estimated 10,000 deaths between 2002 and 2013.[18][19][20][21][22][23] The group exerts influence in the northeastern Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe and Kano. In this region, a state of emergency has been declared… You can only imagine the conditions this Christian Leaders Institute student has to survive every day. It is people like Emmanuel and others living in fearful situations who can certainly benefit from free ministry training online through CLI.*****
I knew the Lord through my mother; now deceased; as a child in the early eighties. When my mother experienced the hand of God upon her life in which she was healed of physical issues she made sure we all converted from the Catholic Church to The Pentecostal of Nigeria Inc. I backslid when I was in high school and stopped going to Church. Sundays were seen as conducive for playing football and fishing.
I left the village and moved to Calabar, the state Capital, after high school. The Lord saw me restored to his sheepfold in December, 1996. In February of 1997 I presented myself for baptism, having resolved to serve Jesus in Spirit and truth.
I desire to empower God’s children to discover who they are in Christ; to appreciate and appropriate their God-given potentials and to live for him daily. I identify most with the word Evangelist firstly, because as Christians we should evangelize the world for Christ. Secondly, one of the things I have enjoyed doing since I was in school is to evangelize. I order tracts from the USA and distribute them as I witness.
God has been faithful to me and my family; both local and extended. We have enjoyed His providence, guidance and protection. I wouldn’t say there is a particular experience that prompted me to pursue Ministry training here in Nigeria. However, what I do know is that I have the calling. I enjoy ministering and having experienced spiritual rebirth. This gave me a yearning to bring the lost to God.
My local Church has really encouraged my ministering. They have given me the platform to operate as a Sunday school teacher since 1998. I also teach Bible Study classes and preach on Sunday services.
My wife, Rosemary is God-sent and indeed a bundle of encouragement. Whether there is enough or not, she doesn’t complain. She’s learned to survive in abundance as well as in lack. Several times I have had to leave her alone with our young son and little or no money for days, so I could attend to the needs of the General Overseer of my church. Bishop Effiong Efiom ministers outside our town of Calabar often and I assist him. This I do trusting God to supply my family as I seek Him first in my service. My mother, of blessed memory, and my siblings have always given me encouragement as well as advice to keep pressing on. They often call me Pastor, Evangelist and other titles. This challenges as well as encourages me to do more for the Lord.
Discovering Christian Leaders Institute is indeed a turning point in my life. I have longed for leadership training in the same way the deer pants for the water in a brook. In 2001, God enabled me to satisfy one of my dreams which was to acquire myself a “better” Bible. I stumbled on an NIV study Bible at the rate of ₦2,500. (₦ is the symbol for the Nigerian currency Naira. ₦2,500 is approximately equal to $15.53 USD.) This amount was 83.33% of my two months allowances as an industrial attaché at PPMC. PPMC is a subsidiary of NNPC, located at Calabar depot. (PPMC is Pipelines And Products Marketing Company, Ltd. of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.)
In 2003, God brought Pastor David Feddes my way via “The Back to God Hour”. Through his radio program he was able to answer many of my Bible related questions. He remains one of the best Pastors I have ever met. I have read most of his publications which have been great benefit to me. Through Pastor David Feddes, I was also able to pursue a correspondence bible course called “Great truths of the Bible”. This was through Cross Roads Bible Institute, Chicago IL.
Christian Leaders Institute will no doubt help me with my dream of becoming an adequately furnished Christian Leader. I desire to bring others the truth of The Gospel Of Jesus Christ in the right ways.
Just as Apollos, who had zeal but knew only the baptism of John, was adequately furnished by Aquila and Priscilla; there are many areas in my Ministry that CLI will help equip me for.
Pray that God, who has called me into Ministry, may do everything in His power to make me faithful and fruitful.
*****
We at Christian Leaders Institute work hard to provide the free online Bible based Christian ministry training and courses for these kind of situations. Many Nigerians have no access to churches or education. The fact that we can help those who have access learn and receive this quality training so they can bring Jesus to their families and communities brings us great joy. If you want to help us help others or to sign up for your free scholarship to receive free online Bible training CLICK HERE to learn more!
Thank you for this help God bless u.