My name is Olushola Kayode Davies Jerry (KDJ). I am a Nigerian currently temporarily residing in Arayat, Pampanga, the Philippines, with my wife Arlene, a worship leader in our local church.
I am a Gospel rapper and singer and a preacher of the Word of God. Currently, I am studying the Pastoral Care Ministry toward a Diploma in Ministry. This CLI training is a gift of God to me.
In 2008, after I rededicated my life to Christ, I attended Word Of Faith Bible Institute in my local church in Nigeria. There I obtained a Basic Certificate Course (BCC), and in 2014, I finished the Leadership Certificate course (LCC) and the Leadership Development Course (LDC) respectively.
My Journey of Faith
In 1998, after my father retired from the Nigerian Army, we moved away from Soldiers Barracks, where we had the best of an amazing social life. We moved to a neighboring province with a high population of aged people with poor social amenities. Life was unbearable without my friends and the fast-paced life I was accustomed to.
When we moved away from the barracks, I felt the heaviness and emptiness of trying to start a new life with people of different social ideologies from mine. At that point, I knew I needed “something” to help me move on with life, and realized, however, that it was not my friends, but it was Jesus.
My eldest sister discovered a Pentecostal church 1000 meters away from our home. We began to worship there as we could not afford to travel to the city every Sunday to attend church. It was in one of the services where I heard the undiluted word of God and became born again.
God Knew Me
In my fourth year in High School, I was alone in my local church under a mango tree studying the Book Of Jeremiah. When I got to verse 5 of chapter 1, I began to weep. The words, “before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee,” kept echoing inside of me. I wept for hours asking the Lord “so you knew me? You mean you knew me, and you allowed my dad to retire so early without a solid financial plan, thereby allowing us to struggle financially?” And the words kept coming “I knew thee.” After a few moments, I was called to come for prayers. That was my first and unforgettable encounter with God. I was 14 years old then.
Spiritual Dream and CLI Training
My spiritual dream is to be more like Jesus in word, deed, and conversation. Then I can touch the world positively with my calling of music and the preaching of the word of God.
The free training at Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) is a gift of God to me. I hope to use my CLI Training to be an effective servant minister of the Word of God. To win souls for Jesus through music and through the preaching of the Word is my goal.
At these challenging times, this free training is necessary to equip me. Meanwhile, we wait for the next phase of our ministry as we trust God to unveil it. The scholarship at CLI is the biggest blessing from God as it will help me direct my resources to sustain my family and the needy around me.
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
My name is Barbara Carr, and I study free Bible training at CLI. I live in the United States. I’m a child of God, a wife, and a mother. I also am a business owner, a friend, a leader, and much more. For a long time, I’ve had a hard time seeing the potential that God put inside of me. Most people around me could see it easily, some even saying things like, “You have The Lord’s favor.” I didn’t know what that meant at that time, but as I’ve continued on my walk with God, I’m starting to see it and feel it. I’m learning to appreciate and embrace the gifts God has given me. As someone with influence in my community as well as the online community, I see that God is calling me to use the position he has placed me in to bring more people to Him and His kingdom for His glory.
Learning to Trust God
I’ve struggled many times over the years with my spirituality, sometimes wondering if God did exist. Other times, I asked if He exists, why does He want me. I couldn’t see anything special about myself and didn’t feel qualified to do what God kept calling me to do. As I continued my walk and stepped out in faith, God showed me that He equips me with all the tools, knowledge, and support that I need for this mission. Everything seems to just fall into place, and I know that is God; there is no other explanation!
Following Where God Leads
Currently, I am fuel-filled with a longing to know Jesus fully and to allow God to use me to expand His kingdom. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. He has already placed me in positions that I thought I couldn’t accomplish the task, but then I did because He was the one doing it through me, through the Spirit.
It’s a fantastic feeling to have God lead me for His will instead of my own. I have no idea where He is leading me or what my ultimate mission is yet. However, I trust that God has the perfect plan for me and my life. He knows where I’m going. My life was a mess for a long time. However, I’m at a point that I feel completely at peace and abundantly blessed! I praise God in the good times and in bad times.
As I study the free Bible training at Christian Leaders Institute, I am excited about learning more about the Bible and ministry service. I look forward to growing closer to Him every day.
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
My name is Michael W. Furlonger, and the Bible training study opportunity at CLI is a Godsend. Where do I begin with my story? I was the first person in my family to come to faith at age five. Slowly, my family started going to church. My father’s favorite TV program was on Sunday, so it was hard to tear him away from that. But, in time, he also became a regular church attendee.
Miracles
I was hit by a car at age six. It was one of many huge miracles that God has done in my life. The doctors told my parents that I would likely not survive the night, but, as you can see, I did. The next miracle was that they did an X-ray and saw that my neck was broken, which was why I was in a medically induced coma for two weeks. However, when the day of the surgery came, the doctors found my neck unbroken and mended in some way. At least, that’s what my mother says is the cause of the bump on my neck. The real amazement was when the doctor told my mother that it was a miracle done by God!
The next big miracle was when the doctors said that I would never walk or talk again. God likes to show off. Through a lot of work, I did start walking and talking again. I still need to see a physiotherapist from time to time to re-align my hips with my walking. However, God deserves all the glory. And when I hear these “miracle” ministries say, “Going to the hospital is a sign of your lack of faith,” I think, “Going to the hospital is to show doctors what my God can do.” Can I get an amen? Praise the Lord!
Struggles and Triumphs
As my life continued, struggles and all, I fell into depression and sexual sins. This struggle is one of the areas that I want to share about in ministry, as pornography is like a catalyst for depression. Don’t get me wrong. You can have depression without ever watching pornography, but my depression led me into isolation, and pornography was the only “comfort.” What a perversion!
The greatest miracle is that God’s grace sustained me for many years. God’s love and mercy kept me alive and healthy. I gave up those old addictions years ago and wrestled with God for years following to find the grace He has given me on the cross.
Currently, I am in a happy, healthy marriage with my lovely wife, Jennifer.
Recently, I was looking for an online Bible school for preparation for ministry. That is when I found the Christian Leaders Institute. I am thankful for this Bible training study opportunity!
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.