My name is Joe Meserve. I am a student at the Christian Leaders Institute online to get their Chaplain endorsement and certification.
My Journey to Christ
I am the product of James 5:16: “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” My grandparents were constantly praying for my salvation. Every summer till I was 16, my brother and I would stay with my grandparents in Texas for two months. We loved it. My grandparents loved it, and my parents loved it. Therefore, everybody won. My summers at my grandparents were the only time I went to church. Unaware of it then, those summers with my grandparents laid the foundation for my saving faith and salvation in Christ alone.
Finally, in the seventh grade, it all clicked for me. My sin. The consequences of my sin. My inability to pay the price for my sin. Christ’s perfect life as a sacrifice for the sin of man. A just, holy, and righteous God. It all made sense. Thereafter, I became a lover and follower of Jesus Christ that year and have never turned back.
Service to My Church and Fire Department
Since I became a Christian, I have always been committed to a local church. It was, and is, essential to my faith, as it is for every believer’s faith and walk with God. One of God’s gifts is that I am a jack of all trades. I can do it if no one can teach the Youth Wednesday night. No one to play bass guitar with the worship band this Sunday; I’ll do it. No one to lead a group of men in doing a workday at the church next Saturday; I will make it happen. God uses me to plug holes and fill voids until a more suitable person comes in and does the job. Therefore, I do whatever needs to be done.
I was a bi-vocational Youth Minister at my church for ten years. For the past two years, I was the bi-vocational Young Adult leader. I have a master’s degree in Christian Theology. A firefighter by trade, I am currently on the PEER Support Team with my department. Our job is to support our PEERS in the department in their times of need. Those needs include listening, financial advice, family issues, deaths, and PTSD. We are not licensed counselors. We are friends in times of need, willing to listen and guide them to the proper help, professional counseling, legal advice, etc.
Chaplain Endorsement and Certification from CLI and CLA
Our department currently has a chaplain. Further, I have worked side-by-side with him on numerous occasions. Several people in our department asked me if I wanted to be a chaplain sometime in my career. I always answer, “I just want to serve wherever needed.”
Obtaining my Chaplain endorsement from Christian Leaders Institute and Alliance will get me started in obtaining the certification and experience I need to serve as a Chaplain someday if God opens those doors. I want to live my life for Jesus Christ and use my gifts, talents, and resources to further His Kingdom.
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, and Diplomas with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- College Degrees with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.
