Christian Leaders Basic Certificate- The Beginning To So Much More

CHRISTIAN LEADERS BASIC CERTIFICATE FOR CHRISTIAN MINISTRY

My name is Larry Herald. I live in Ohio which is in the United States of America. Currently I experience great freedom to do ministry, although times are changing and the future doesn’t look as free as it once did.

I did not grow up in the church. However, right after I turned 15, some people came to visit us from the large church in town. My father worked with one of the men who went there and he had been witnessing to my father for about 8 years. He finally gave in and agreed to let someone come out and visit thinking that would get him off his back. But that night my mom, dad, brother and I all accepted Christ as our Savior.

I immediately became involved in the ministry. Two years later at a missions conference where Warren Wiersbe was the guest speaker, I went forward and committed my life to full time Christian Ministry. Later that year, I started school at Grand Rapids Baptist College. I wasn’t prepared to go to school with a bunch of missionary kids and preachers’ kids who didn’t have a deep passion for the Lord like I had. I let it get to me and I ended up leaving after a year. While I was there I met my future wife. She, too, was called into ministry work. Over the years we have been involved in all kinds of Christian ministry. From Christian radio to ministry leaders in church to finally planting a church. My vision from the Lord was to reach lost bikers. So we planted a church where bikers can come and hear about the gospel and grow in the Lord. I am currently serving as the senior pastor of Freedom in the Wind Church. I am also the planter and founder of this church along with my wife and another couple.

Although I have been involved in ministry ever since coming to know the Lord in October of 1997, the Lord called me to a new phase of ministry. I was working in Christian radio at the time and I was in Washington D.C. covering the Promise Keepers Million Man Conference. While I was there and interviewing people, the Lord brought several bikers into my path. They were from the Christian Motorcyclists Association and the Sons of God Motorcycle Club. Through the course of the interview God revealed to me that motorcycles were going to be a part of my next ministry calling, although I did not currently ride or own a motorcycle. Over the course of the next year the Lord opened all the doors and we transitioned into motorcycle ministry.

As we got involved in the ministry and people got saved, there weren’t a lot of church options to send folks to. So many churches in America only want people like themselves and these people were different. They had tattoos and beards and long hair and they wore leather coats and chaps. So I began to pray about it and the Lord said, make a church for them and welcome everyone.

At that time, I went and talked to my pastor and he began meeting with me and praying for God’s wisdom. A couple of years later, I met another couple who had done street ministry in California and they were very open to helping us start a church. Once we felt God’s blessing to move forward, my church licensed me and blessed me to move forward. They helped open the doors for us to become a church plant for the American Baptist Churches USA. They also support us with their prayers and about $5,000 a year.

My whole family has been involved in the life of this church. Currently, my wife is the worship leader along with my oldest son who plays guitar and sings. My youngest son also plays bass and sings and really does anything musically that we need. Our daughter also sings and oversees the children’s ministry. Our other son was a part of the music ministry until he moved to Texas to help plant a church there where he is the worship leader.

I have been looking for a way to finish my schooling and to get deeper into God’s word and ministry training. I am not able to relocate and I don’t have a lot of funds to pay for schooling. The church I pastor has about 70 members. I really feel like this could be just the opportunity that I have been looking for and I thank God for directing me to it.

We are really trying to reach the lost bikers in this community and we need some mature Christians to come along side us and help us with discipleship, mentoring etc. In general, we need more people who are willing to do ministry so that we can create a place for people to come and worship the Lord.

If you would like to enroll into CLI’s free online ministry training, click here to begin! Your first achievement will be receiving CLI’s Christian Leaders Basic Certificate. From there climb the ladder in receiving our other level of achievements in certificates and diplomas! Work your way up to ordination and much more.

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