My name is Cristobal Diego Williams, a father of seven born in Belfast. I am a servant of God, and my Lord and Saviour is Jesus Christ. I am thankful for the Christian education for free at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here).
My Younger Years
Since I was a young child, I always had a keen interest in Faith and Religion. Through this interest, I developed a strong and undeniable sense of faith and conviction. There is a spiritual essence to our world. The meaning of all life is, of course, found in the one and only true God.
The place I was born, Belfast, has historically been a troubled and conflicted island. Some would say that it is partly to do with religion mixed with politics. Due to this fact, it can be a sensitive subject to some people.
Personal Salvation and Ministry Calling
I received Catholic baptism as a baby. However, as I grew to more biblical knowledge in my adult years, I also grew to disagree with the Catholic Church and a lot of its doctrine. I preferred praying to God with my own thoughts. There was gratitude in me for studying the Bible myself under the Holy Spirit’s guidance and doing my own research on topics.
I extensively listened to hours of theological debates, sermons, and Christian theological knowledge that I could grasp to give me more knowledge of the truth. This study led me to join many congregations of different faiths and make new friends to learn from. I always wanted to find out God’s nature along with some evidence, and this desire led me down different paths in life.
As I got older, something changed inside me. As I read and studied the Word of God, I realized the Holy Bible was a testament of itself. I was touched by the Holy Spirit and washed in the Blood of The Lamb, for my clothes would not have been white in front of the presence of the Lord. I realized I was a sinner and needed a redeemer to pay the debt of sin, which is death. Christ did this through the cross and defeated death when he rose from the tomb (Romans 6:23; Romans 3:23; Revelation 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:17).
Spiritual Dream
2 Timothy 4:7 says, “I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” However, unlike the Apostle Paul, I have not finished my race. So I try my best each day to keep the faith. Yet, I know my Salvation is saved through no works of my own but by God’s Grace. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9. “It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land … it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess …” Deuteronomy 9:5-6.
This divine phraseology turned Jewish theology upside down. This was when I realized Jesus came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to change them. The old law was missing the Saviour, who freed them from the legalistic structure of laws. Faith fuelled by grace with an authentic and obedient seeking of Christ naturally produces good works.
I am proud and grateful to be a member of this institute to further my education and always a servant of Christ. Christian Leaders Institute has given me the chance to get an accredited Christian education for free. It is an opportunity to develop my call to ministry, and I am excited for what God has in store for me.
Thank you, and God Bless CLI, for this amazing opportunity!
Hi, my name is Suzanne Thibault, and I reside in beautiful Northern California with my husband of 35 years and adult daughter. After getting my scholarship for free ministry training, I am excited to be studying at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here).
As a child, I was not raised in a Christian home. I did not find God in church. As an adult, I was living with deep depression and anxiety. I found myself in a place of despair, feeling like I was dying inside. I cried out to God for help. Two days later, while walking in the Target parking lot, I noticed something shiny on the ground. I picked up a small medallion with a picture of Christ inside! I found Jesus in the Target parking lot! My life then began to change for the better as I realized God had answered my prayer.
My Childhood
I grew up in California’s Silicon Valley with highly dysfunctional and abusive parents. As a child, I knew I was not wanted and felt so alone. I was taken to Sunday School as a young child but always thought of Jesus as a cartoon character in a book. I never was taught or understood who God was until I became a teenager.
My spiritual journey began as a sophomore in high school, where I was a Young Life Christian Group member on campus. I was invited to this group by a friend, naturally drawn in by their kindness and caring, things I never received as a child growing up. Young Life had a weekend retreat I attended. There I accept Christ as my Savior, tears rolling down my cheeks. I was then baptized in the swimming pool, an experience I will always remember.
The Drifting Years
Once leaving high school, I fell away from knowing God as I had no spiritual base or church to turn to. I walked through life thinking I could handle everything myself. This belief stemmed from my childhood where I had to take care of myself. While this made me a strong person, my life was unbalanced and filled with stress. It felt as if I were drifting along a river of no end, with no real purpose or passion for living life. I developed anxiety and depression, which sent me into a raging river of despair. That is when my prayers were answered in the Target parking lot, and I knew I was saved!
Ministry Calling and Scholarship for Free Ministry Training
I began reading the Bible and searched for a church that felt comfortable. That was challenging. My co-worker’s brother was a pastor at a church near my home. So she invited me to attend one of the services. I attended the early morning service and sat by myself in an outer row. A woman noticed me sitting by myself, came over to me, and invited me to sit with her. I knew that was God in action, which gave me the confirmation I was in the right church. Thrive Church is an Assemblies of God church which makes my heart sing with joy!
I felt a calling to serve the Lord in my heart and became a Spiritual Life Coach. I enjoyed serving the Lord and supporting women to let go of pain from the past and forgive. Also, I did training with the HeartMath Institute® and Transformation Prayer Ministry with Ed Smith. But there was always something missing – a deeper biblical understanding. That is when God put it upon my heart to do ministry training. As a retired woman, I asked Jesus to please lead me to no-cost training since I am on a limited fixed budget. I did a google search, and the Lord led me to the Christian Leaders Institute! Their scholarship for free ministry training opportunity is making it possible for me to serve the Lord!
My Walk with God
Never in my life did I ever imagine that God would lead me to ministry training. I have no desire to work in a church. I do not feel qualified. Christian Leaders Institute has taught me there are many ways to minister to people. I began having some self-doubt about ministry training and where it might lead. However, God gave words of wisdom to me: “God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called.” I now remind myself of this as I continue on my ministry training path. Christian Leaders Institute is helping me become qualified to minister to others.
Reflections
I now look behind me and see all the places God was there with me when I thought I was alone. He has been with me my entire life, even though I did not know that as a child. He was with me as a child and during my drifting years, always faithful. God’s love is so big, bright, and inspiring! Today when I look at who I have become, I am truly amazed that He could take a lost, lonely soul like me and create a new life of possibilities in becoming a Life Coach through Christian Leaders Institute to serve. I am forever grateful to my Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, and Christian Leaders Institute!
My name is Tena Qualls, from Sparta, Tennessee, USA. Currently, I am receiving free ministry and ordination training at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). I was born and raised with one younger sister in rural middle Tennessee. We were brought up predominantly Pentecostal. My parents sang, ministered, and traveled with a gospel group for most of our lives. My father evangelized for many years and eventually Pastored for several years. I received Christ at a young age, yet I turned away from the Lord in my teen years.
A few days before my 21st birthday, my parents had an automobile accident. My mother tragically died at the young age of 39, and my father was very severely injured. Our lives changed from that day forward. My father was unable to deal with what happened. He turned away from the Lord, from ministry, and became someone unfamiliar to me.
Earlier, on the day of the accident, I had lunch with my mother. She asked me to run an errand for her after I got off work. I ran the errand as she asked and met the man who would become my future husband and ministry partner. Unbeknownst to me, at approximately the same time I ran the errand and met my future husband, was the same time that my parents were in this fatal car accident. After 35 years of marriage, we still reminisce about how my mother was the angel that introduced us.
Ministry Journey Begins
I met my husband in 1985, and we married in 1986. When expecting our first child, we decided to return to church. My husband and I gave our hearts and lives to the Lord in 1988. We faithfully attended this church. Soon, we began to work with teens, and, then eventually became youth leaders. Shortly after that, we accepted the youth pastor position. We served in that capacity for 17 years. After which, we were asked to take the Associate Pastor position. My husband and I worked together in every facet of ministry that God led us into.
After serving on staff as associate pastors for several years, our Lead Pastor retired. In this assembly, when the lead pastor retired, my husband and I would step down too. We were in Ministerial courses at Lee University at that time and realized that God was calling us into a Lead Pastor role. After what we would describe as wandering in the wilderness for almost 2 years, God led us to a 6-person church that was one week away from closing its doors.
Called to Lead Pastor Position
In May of 2016, my husband and I laid a fleece before the Lord as to whether or not this non-denominational church was what He was leading us to. God confirmed it, and we accepted the Lead Pastor role at what is now called Christpoint Church. After almost 8 years, Christpoint has two campuses with a third in the planning stages. To serve at Christpoint Church is a blessing! We have a great vision and excitement for what God has in store.
Ministry and Ordination Training at CLI
My husband is an Ordained Bishop in the church of God. I took many of the courses with my husband but did not go through the ordination program at that time. We are so very thankful to have found the Christian Leaders Institute. As a 501C3, Christpoint Church will require our ministers to enroll in the CLI ministry and ordination training courses in order to be ordained ministers within the Christpoint body.
One of our Campus Pastors already went through CLI’s deacon ordination training courses. He received ordination in our local assembly. We have another Campus Pastor currently taking the deacon ordination courses as well, whom we also plan to ordain at Christpoint.
Currently, I am also enrolled in the deacon ordination courses and plan to be ordained as well. Furthermore, I plan to continue forward with the Life Coach courses.
Serving Where God Leads Us
My husband and I are 57 years of age, with two children and seven grandchildren. We are truly blessed, humbled, and honored to have been called. The journey has been challenging at times, but our God never fails us. Our prayer is to remain useful vessels to the glory of God.
Thank you, Christian Leaders Institute, for the amazing ministry and ordination training resources you offer. Because of your vision and this accessibility, we feel we can now fulfill our vision to adequately equip and set forth ministers and servant leaders in our church.