Calling Later in Life Leads to Study at CLI
My name is Brenda Iverson, and I received a calling later in life from God. I live in the USA and have lived here all of my life. I am 47 years old, with three children (23, 20, and 15). Until the age of around 11, I attended a Baptist church with my grandmother. Then we moved, and I began going to a local Methodist church, which was within walking distance from my home. I enjoyed church and still have the first Bible I received. It was given to me by my Sunday school teacher in 1985. As the years progressed, I began focusing on “life” and being a teenager. I graduated high school in 1991 and attended a two-year community college where I graduated in 1993. After I obtained my first full-time job, I thought I had it all.
Struggles
I married my high school sweetheart in 1995, but the marriage didn’t end very sweetly. I left that marriage in 2012, after many years of abuse. My husband was a deputy sheriff for our local department, which didn’t make my life any easier. During that time of turmoil, I was attending a local Baptist church where I thought the children and I were welcomed and respected. I even began the Children’s Church there and was in charge of the annual Vacation Bible School. The congregation consisted of much older parishioners who did not like change. I was the youngest adult, and my children were usually the only ones on most Sunday’s.
When my husband finally moved out, there were a few members of that church who assisted him in taking almost all of our things from our home, including the car. I felt betrayed and abandoned. Let me make a note that my husband NEVER attended church. I later found out that one of the women who came to help him was actually with whom he was unfaithful to me. To make this long story short, that experience kind of jaded me as far as churches go.
New Direction
I met my current husband in August of 2012, and we began a relationship. He was by no means an every Sunday attender, but he did go to a Christian High School and knew a lot about scripture. We dated for a few years and married in 2017. Roundabout late 2014, I met a local pastor at a cookout, and she invited us to her church. I hesitated for weeks, even months, and then finally went. I went alone for several weeks, and then my husband began attending with me. We have been attending this same church ever since. I am on the Praise Team and put together our music. I am also the Treasurer at our church. My husband is the “sound guy” and Bible Study teacher.
Calling Later in Life
I have had many things happen in my life that can only be explained by the grace of God. My life was saved on more than one occasion. I know that is was my Lord and Savior doing the saving. My call to ministry began about a year ago when we experienced an immense tragedy. One among several in our lives, I know that these events were not caused by God but were there as tests to our faith. I genuinely believe that our youth of today need guidance, and they need it now. Although I love to sing, I want to give back to God by providing teaching and counsel to teenagers and adolescents who need hearing God’s Word.
With the tragedies that my husband and I experienced over the past two years, we suffered mentally, physically, and financially. With that said, we have ALWAYS had what we NEEDED. How is that possible? By the grace of GOD. The free classes at the Christian Leaders Institute will help me to continue on this calling later in life journey and walk the path put before by my Lord. I know that He will never leave me nor forsake me. Life and breath belong to Him.
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 John Deng Deng Kuol in South Sudan, Juba. I am an undergraduate in University in the college of economics and social studies. The free Bible college education opportunity at the Christian Leaders Institute is a Godsend.
In my childhood, I was nurtured and grew in the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, my dad died while I was seven years old. His death caused my family to be in critical condition, and there was no help from my relatives. We were an isolated family.
In 1999, I decided to go to school, but my relatives opposed me. They said that I don’t deserve to go to school because they said I am an elder son. This dilemma usually happens to orphans.
However, I didn’t accept their decision until I sponsored my study. I had to drop out two times, but all glory to God that I reached the level I did.
Salvation
On August 28, 2006, my sister fell unconscious, and she spent one day without talking. They took her to the hospital for medication. She spent three days in the hospital until she recovered. Moreover, the same day she came back from the hospital and became conscious again; she was like a devil.
A group of Catholic church members and I prayed for her, but she wasn’t delivered. So, I took her to a Pentecostal church, where they prayed for her, and she was free. That made me remain in the church and serve the Lord Jesus as my Savior.
Ministry Calling and Spiritual Dream
I desire to share what Jesus has done for me with other people. To tell of the goodness of God and the power of Jesus Christ is my call to ministry. I have been struggling and looking for an opportunity to get a Bible College education. One of the obstacles hindering my spiritual growth was insufficient knowledge of the Bible. I want to share the gospel with the community. The free Bible college education opportunity at the Christian Leaders Institute is a blessing. I am thankful to God and ask God to bless the Christian Leaders Institute richly.
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
“My time at CLI’s Leadership Excellence School has been amazing! I have learned and grown so much, been challenged beyond belief, and encouraged to continue in the calling God has placed on my life” – Kim Ragan
In Need of a Degree
By profession, I am an event planner who works in higher education. My supervisor encouraged me to get a degree during my annual review a couple years ago. Her statement to me was, “you have so much potential here but you need a degree: just get it in anything”. I left her office in a snit. Really, I am at the top level in my profession, but that is not good enough? So, I began looking at all the degree possibilities offered for free at my university. I did not want to pursue any of them. My thought was, “if I have to spend all this time and effort to get a degree, I definitely want it to challenge and encourage me”. Thus, my search turned to the internet and the possible opportunities to get a degree in ministry. That is when I discovered Christian Leaders Institute!
Continue in the Calling
Although Kim was unsure what pursuing a degree would mean for her, she trusted that Christian Leaders Institute was a step forward to continue in the calling God had placed on her life.
I tiptoed into the program – just taking the orientation class and one other course. I am a perpetual student with a love of learning. Also, I find I learn best when I am held accountable by a timeline. However, not too rigorous of a timeline that throws my life out of balance. CLI was perfect for me. After several courses, I decided to send in my transcript and began pursuing my Bachelor of Divinity degree. While I learned so much from all of my classes, some of my favorites include Sermon Construction & Presentation and Missions & Revival.
Spirit-Filled Sermons
In order to continue in the calling God had for her, Kim had to step outside of her comfort zone and into unknown territory.
For the past three decades, I have been in a professional capacity that requires me to research and produce various writing pieces. From technical reports, to grant applications, instructional pieces and communications with customers. Additionally, I have done my fair share of presentations. Going into the Sermon Construction & Presentation class, my thought was, “how hard can this be?”; “I’ll be able to whip right through this.” Well, not exactly. Of all the writing I have done, writing a sermon was an entirely different process – one with enormous weight.
Although I am not called to be a pastor, I now have a different perspective on the weight they carry. Not just in being a shepherd, but for the responsibility they have to preach God’s Word accurately. I realized the gravity of what a pastor undertakes every time he or she shares the Word of God to their congregation. The burden and responsibility in preparing and presenting the sermon, in addition to all the responsibilities that come with the calling is somewhat overwhelming. I was taken aback by the enormity of the calling, and had to spend a little time adjusting my expectations. We need to be in serious prayer for our pastors!
A principle that struck me was “don’t preach ‘try harder’ sermons. Preach ‘believe in Jesus’ and ‘do the work of faith by the power of the Spirit’ sermons”. I love this statement. For me, this gave me a “purpose” for every sermon – a signature of sorts to put in every one. Of all the lessons I learned from this class, I did not learn the most important one until almost the end. Bathe everything, and I mean every word, thought and intention in prayer. Can I write a great manuscript with all the right elements and produce a nearly flawless presentation? Most likely, yes. BUT, does it say what God wants it to say? Does it point people to Jesus? Without the Holy Spirit in the sermon – no matter how thoughtfully written or presented – it might very well be wasted. God deserves my very best!
Discipline of Prayer
Kim also learned that to continue in the calling, God was teaching her more about the discipline of prayer.
The Missions and Revival class was another one my favorites. The key lesson I have learned from this course is the need for an intentional and consistent prayer life. Not one that just lifts up a few prayer requests each day so that I can check it off my spiritual “to-do” list, but fervent, on-my-knees, intercessory prayer. For some time, the LORD has impressed upon me, through several different avenues, the need for me to overhaul my prayer life. To develop a life that is centered on prayer and a relentless reliance upon Him.
I have spent a lot of time talking about starting the discipline of prayer and joined many prayer groups on social media to find encouragement. I have created a prayer journal and read a ton of books on prayer theology and strategies. The one thing that I have not done is actually pray fervently. So, what is a girl to do? Pray!
Thank You CLI
I thank God for the opportunity to be a student at Christian Leaders Institute. Also, I thank Him for all the wonderful people who work behind the scenes to make these programs a reality for anyone wishing to enter ministry or deepen their walk with the Lord. As a professional in higher education, I know that it is so much more than professors teaching the classes. It is the administrative staff that manage all the details behind the scenes. It is the volunteers who help make all the pieces come together and the donors who provide funding to make instruction possible. In the case of CLI, it is the prayer warriors who began praying years ago and continue to pray today for the ministry and for those taking the classes worldwide.