My name is Jason King, and I live in Long Beach, California, USA. I currently work in a homeless shelter as a case manager. I help men off the streets or out of jail get back on their feet to become productive citizens of society. Actually, I was a graduate of the one-year program here back in June 2016. So, I am studying discipleship ministry training at the Christian Leaders Institute to be equipped to lead others (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here).
My Youth
I was born in L.A. County in 1970. For the first five years, my parents did not get along very well. So, my father was forced to leave for Oklahoma with his parents to avoid jail time. For the next 6 years, it was my mother, sister, and me. We lived on welfare and under the table jobs that mom could get. My sister ended up in foster care due to our mother not being able to handle her. Eventually, she moved to Oklahoma with our dad.
For the next few years with my mom, she worked in a bar most days. I would be there with her almost daily. Around this time, I started getting into trouble. I ended up in juvenile detention on numerous occasions. At age 15, I ended up in a boy’s home program. For the next year and a half, I worked to catch up on school that I was failing out of.
Rock Bottom and Surrender to Jesus
At age 16 and a half, my father came back to California. My mother told my father that it was his turn to try to raise me. At this point, I moved to the desert with him. The first thing he did was introduce me to drugs and alcohol. From this point, I became addicted to drugs and alcohol. It got to the point that I was into and out of prison and homeless for the next 20 years.
I hit rock bottom and overdosed on alcohol that sent me to the hospital. A friend told me about a program to help me if I was willing. I did not know what to expect from the program. However, I knew that I was missing something in my life. It is a faith-based program. Even though I heard about Jesus before, I never accepted Him into my life. As I began learning who Jesus is, I started learning who I am to Jesus. I needed change in my life. So I started reading my Bible and paying attention in the classes to help me build a relationship with Jesus. I got baptized in 2016 through a church I was attending. My life has changed in Christ.
Studying Discipleship Ministry Training at CLI
Currently, I am working toward learning more about how God can impact people’s lives. With God’s help, I want to disciple and help guide others in their new walk with Christ. I am taking the courses here at the Christian Leaders Institute to further my knowledge of the Bible and being a Christian leader. With CLI’s discipleship ministry training, I can better impact the men I help. I am thankful for these courses!
