Hello, my name is Sebastian Baxter, and I am getting more educated about faith in Christ at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). I grew up in the state of Nebraska in the USA. Currently, I live here with my wife, our daughter, and my father-in-law. My wife and I married in December of 2018, and the Lord blessed us with our first child in October of 2019. I love my family very much, and apart from Jesus, who is my priority, they are the next most important in my life.
As a licensed plumber and work for a small family-owned company based out of Omaha, I appreciate the opportunity to minister to people through my labor and conversation. So, I’m blessed when I have the chance to do that in my work. I’m also blessed to have a job that allows my wife to stay home with our daughter. I thank God for that and wouldn’t want it any other way.
My Youth
My brother and I grew up with a single Mom and a Dad who wasn’t around much. He got in touch every once in a while. Then, we would connect and spend time together, but the struggles in his life kept him away more often than not. He died in 2008, while I was still pretty young, which affected me more than I realized.
At the age of 13, I started into drugs and alcohol. I quickly became addicted, and in a short time, I was completely consumed by that lifestyle. Around the age of 15, I became addicted to crystal meth. My life spiraled down so quickly that I didn’t think there was any hope of a future for me. I hated God and myself and was utterly hopeless. I was also just a terrible person living a terrible life. Actually, I started to lose my mind and see and hear things that weren’t really there.
My Salvation in Christ
In the winter of 2015, the Lord led me to a homeless shelter in Omaha called the Open Door Mission. There they presented the gospel of Jesus Christ to me. When I accepted the gospel for salvation, the transformation was so incredible that I can’t even describe it. I was born again, and God truly made me a new creation in Christ. My Mom said that I turned into a different person practically overnight. I got sober and have stayed sober. Nothing but the Lord could have done that for me. I also grew to love reading the Bible and studying it.
At this point, I’ve come to find that the two most important things in this world are knowing and loving Jesus and learning how to love others. I’ve been on that journey since salvation and will continue to be for the rest of my life. I thank God through Jesus Christ for saving the horrible wretch of a person that I am. And I thank Him that through Christ, I am made clean. Left on my own, I am so unworthy of God’s love and salvation, but He is just so good to me.
Wanting to Be More Educated About Faith
Since I’ve become a Christian, I have been diving into the Bible, reading it, praying, and trying to learn about God and how to serve Him in my life. I am far from perfect, but I know that He calls me deeper and deeper as I continue to walk with Him. My good friend Dustin and I lead a Bible study at our church, which is awesome. I love studying the Bible and teaching others how to do the same. I also feel like God may call me into some form of vocational ministry down the road. However, at this time, God has left the future somewhat of a mystery. I have felt a strong calling to become more educated about the faith, which led me to Christian Leaders Institute.
As a husband and a parent, with a demanding job, along with being responsible for a Bible study, I didn’t really know what options there would be for Christian education with my time and financial restraints. I hope and pray that CLI is right for me and that as I continue through these classes, God will begin to give me some clarity in His desires for me in the future. Even if that is just plumbing for the rest of my life, I want to be equipped to be a servant for His kingdom as best I can be.
Using CLI Ministry Training to Reach Women with Life Coaching
My name is Dori Sandstrom, and I am studying Life Coaching Ministry training at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). I have been married to my husband, Jeff, for 25 years. Together, we have five children and one grandchild. We currently live in West Virginia after living all our lives on the West coast (Washington and Idaho). Some of my hobbies are hospitality/entertaining, crafting, decorating, writing, and cooking.
I was raised in the church and can’t remember a time that I didn’t have faith. However, it wasn’t until I was in High school that my faith started becoming my own. Over the last six years, God has used some difficult situations to draw me closer to Him. These situations also flushed out my quiet sins of pride, control, envy, and judgment. I praise God for the current pandemic, which has given me time to dive into His word like I never have before! I have learned so much!
Call to Ministry
I love to serve and have volunteered in my local church ever since I can remember. Helping run children’s programs, women’s ministries, and singing with praise teams were all part of my service over the years. I was the Executive Director of a Pregnancy Crisis Center for three years. As a teenage mom myself, I have a passion for women facing unexpected pregnancies.
In the past, the need to do things perfectly held me back from trying many new things. It also led to a legalistic religious view. While I still struggle in both those areas, I am growing in grace every day by the grace of God. My goal is to help other women who feel alone and “not good enough” to see how loved they are by their heavenly Father. Then, I want to help them overcome their personal walls and hurdles and take practical steps to live a life full of God’s grace and freedom.
Ministry Training
For the last six or so years, the idea of becoming a Life Coach has been floating around in my head. Money has been very tight for our family. I’ve also been homeschooling my children, so I put that dream on the back burner. The idea has been pressing more and more lately, and I have been praying about an affordable way to become a Life Coach.
The Lord brought me to the Christian Leaders Institute, and I’m leaping in faith. As a stay-at-home mom who homeschools, the fact that these classes are online and free is the only thing enabling me to move forward toward the goal of becoming a Life Coach. Hospitality and exhortation are my passions. I love to encourage women to use their talents to serve their families and the Lord. The CLI training for Life Coaching will give me the tools I lack to serve women in my church and community. I’m not yet sure how it will all flesh out, but I am taking steps of faith, one at a time.
Current Journey
Currently, God is developing a love of His word in my life and impressing on me His gift of Sabbath. I am learning to incorporate the habit of rest and renewal in my daily life.
Not Hiding the Glorious Deed of the Lord
Hello, my name is Tyler VanCampen, and I am getting educated for ministering at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). My wife Kaylee and I are houseparents/primary care providers at the Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children.
Early Life and Salvation Story
Born in 1992, I am the firstborn of two. I grew up in rural eastern Colorado on a cattle ranch and wheat farm. My mom is a believer, but my dad was not. So from an early age, I remember attending church with my grandma and my step-grandpa.
As I got into my teenage years, I lost my step-grandpa and grandpa. Along with that loss and my parents going through a divorce, in my teenage years, I felt lost. I was trying to find my own way in the world. It wasn’t until late high school that I started attending church and youth groups again. At that time, I had some seeds of truth planted.
I went off to college to pursue an Agriculture degree. During this part of my life, I really fell into the “Worlds View” of a normal college kid. During my second year, I was no longer happy and became depressed. That’s when I moved in with my mom again and started attending church regularly, and a few months later got saved!
Calling to Ministry and Marriage
After I became a Christian, my best friend was the Children’s Pastor. He plugged me into the Children’s ministry. During that time, the Lord impressed upon me the truth found in Psalm 78:4 that says, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” From that point on, the Lord led me towards ministering to children and youth.
While serving, I met my future wife, Kaylee, in our church. We enjoyed serving together and courted each other for seven months. We married on January 3, 2015. From that point on, we served as Sunday school teachers and also kids event ministers in our church. In June 2016, we welcomed our first son, Kanon. My wife and I felt called to do more with kids than we already were. We were further blessed with our second son, Kylan. As a family, we love to go camping, fishing, mountain biking, and just about anything outdoors!
Ministry Journey Continues
One of my wife’s friends called us and told us about a ministry opportunity with Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children(OBHC). At the time, we weren’t sure we were ready to move from our family there. However, the Lord had other plans! The job I was working at had to reorganize my contract with them. Kaylee and I weren’t going to be able to make ends meet with my new contract. We decided that was a sign we were supposed to apply with OBHC. In November 2016, we accepted the position of houseparents.
We moved across Oklahoma to be live-in parents to up to 8 children/teenagers in need. We taught and lived out the gospel every day with them! God placed us here. For almost five years, we have been serving and have served close to 50 different children in our time. Glory be to God!
Getting Educated for Ministering at CLI
So now I am seeking to do more training through the Christian Leaders Institute to be more educated for ministering. Then I can minister to the children I serve and also better serve in my church and community.