My name is Denise R. Jones, from Maryland, USA. I have a B.S. in Business Administration. Having a Chaplain ministry dream, I found a free education opportunity online at the Christian Leaders Institute.
My Story
I grew up in a Christian home, and my father was a minister. He was adamant about Christian education in the home, and formal schooling for his seven children. We learned early to participate in church and school programs by reciting Bible verses, singing, and sharing what we learned through Bible stories. Growing up, I have always served a role in the church including teaching youth and adult Bible study classes, assisting in youth programs, and serving as church secretary/clerk.
My parents separated and then divorced when I was 12 years old. I was the oldest of seven children. The family split and moved to my father’s hometown in Louisiana for a year, and then we moved to Texas. It was not easy. I did not have a pleasant childhood because I had to help raise four younger sisters. I returned to Maryland in my early twenties. My purpose was to reconnect with my mother with whom I had no contact for eight years. That also was a major challenge.
Marriage and Divorce
I married and had a son by the age of twenty-six. My husband was a Christian. However, we were both naïve about how to make the relationship work. We did not know how to get productive, practical marriage counseling, nor did we have any good role models to rely on. So, our marriage ended in divorce ten years later.
After the divorce, I prayed and leaned on God for support. Devastated, I felt like a failure because I could not succeed where my parents failed in keeping a family together. I also needed support to raise my son and move on with life.
Learning the True Character of God
In my early church experience, I learned about a God of discipline and judgment, not a God of love. However, I attended a Christian University in Texas where I studied in a class that taught the Gospels. The professor was so passionate about Jesus Christ – His wisdom, teachings, and empathy for the oppressed. I hung onto every text in my lessons and found myself drawn to Jesus. It was through the study of Jesus that I learned the true character of God.
Therefore, in my challenges with relationships, employment, financial difficulties, and depression, I called on the Lord. I learned that He was dependable and could give me peace in a way that no human could. He revealed in the Bible that He was with other people like me and provided me with resources and confirmations that He was indeed with me. My personal time with the Lord was amazing. I felt the Holy Spirit letting me know that it would be all right.
I desire to share my story and passion for the Word of God. The Bible is exciting to me. It can be a true means of freedom for the confused and downtrodden. People need to learn about Jesus and ask Him for wisdom and understanding.
Chaplain Ministry Dream
I have a Chaplain ministry dream. My desire is to use my training in organizations that need positive, ethical resources for employees. I have worked in institutions that seemed clueless about working out personal and cultural difficulties. God is calling me for such a purpose. My environment among personal and church peers encourages spiritual growth and personal development. They applaud my ambition to train for Chaplain ministry leadership according to God’s calling.
Paying for my college tuition was an uphill battle. Therefore, I left it in God’s hands. He rewarded my faith by forgiving the debt. Even while waiting for God’s answer, I boldly asked for a free education opportunity. John 16:24 says, “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” The blessing was granted to find the Christian Leaders Institute because the free ministry training will be used to glorify God!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.
From Confusion to Faith and Hope
Hi. My name is Ramon Everd. I am a student at the Christian Leaders Institute for free ministry and biblical study online. I live in the north of the Netherlands, in a small village called, De Rijp, with my wife and our three-year-old daughter. The village is well known for its beauty and authenticity with the small streets, monument houses, and little tourist shops. Especially in wintertime, it is truly a delight to the eye.
My Wrestlings
When I was little, my sister and I grew up with the Christian faith for some time. But after a while, the religion changed to a kind of Hinduïsm. And there were also occult happenings going on in the house. It was confusing, but as a child, I did not know any better than to follow along. Our mother died at a very young age. I was only nine years old then. Later my step-dad placed me out of the house. After that, it was not long until I lost my faith. Until my twenty-fourth year, I searched for meaning and wrestled with questions about life.
Life Changed
Then, I came to such a deep point in life that I really didn’t know what to do anymore. Then, I remembered the Christian faith of my youth after someone handed a little tract to me. That is when I asked Christ to help me, and He really turned my life around. From then on, I wanted to serve Him and please Him. Therefore, I sought to make a real difference in the lives of the people around me. I wanted to leave a holy spiritual fingerprint behind that would last forever.
However, my journey was not without obstacles. I had to learn to face some control issues that I had. Also, becoming a husband and a dad made me realize that there is more to life than just me. It made me come to the understanding that my journey of faith is not only for me. The things that I learn along the way are to be passed on to others, such as our little daughter.
My Hope Now: Ministry and Biblical Study at CLI
By learning as a student at the Christian Leaders Institute with its ministry training, I hope to fulfill my true purpose in Christian leadership by reaching many souls and teaching them to serve the Lord Jesus.
Christian Leaders Institute is a great blessing for me. Our income is not great. Therefore, being able to study at CLI for free is what I need. It is a great opportunity for me to get into some serious ministry and biblical study. It is really a blessing for me to have found such a ministry online as CLI. Thank you!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.
My Spiritual Journey
Blessings! My name is Aimée Molien. I testify of the goodness of God in my life. I am originally from Puerto Rico but have lived in the United States for several years. Furthermore, I am a student at the Christian Leaders Institute studying for my credentials as a minister.
My journey began as a child. I am the product of a broken home. The enemy made sure to begin planting seeds of abandonment and rejection in my heart. I did not realize this until way into my adult years. However, God used it to prepare me for the calling He had for my life.
My Childhood
I grew up going to church as a kid. My family attended the Lutheran Church. Later, as a result of my grandfather being supernaturally healed, we attended a Pentecostal Church. I learned some of the foundations of the faith and miracles, signs, and wonders fascinated me. However, one event marked my life forever. That same grandfather had a tragic car accident which unfortunately took his life and left my grandmother in critical condition. I became angry with God as I did not understand the reason He had to take my grandfather so early and in that horrible way. At the tender age of 12 years old, the seeds I mentioned earlier mixed with the trauma of this experience. Furthermore, they made their way into my heart.
My Rebellious Years
After my grandfather passed, I became rebellious, defiant, and uncontrollable. Due to the absence of a continuous male figure in my life, I looked for comfort and validation in men. I began “dating” at the age of twelve and lived a promiscuous life. There was an emptiness inside of me, but I didn’t know what it was. I stopped listening to my mom, began fighting constantly, and was kicked out of school. Therefore, I wasn’t honoring God, my parents, or my body.
After my grandfather died, everyone was so busy and involved in my grandmother’s recovery that the family also stopped attending church. For about five years, everything spiraled out of control in my life. Furthermore, I experienced the passing of both my father’s parents within those five years.
When God Drew Me In
In college at 17 years old, I lived my life without God in it. I learned all kinds of nonsense theories at school about evolution and other things that went against what I learned as a child. My best friend at that time was an atheist! But one day, while sitting in my mother’s room in front of the computer while my mom watched a church service on TV, I felt the clear conviction of the Holy Spirit. Something was drawing me to hear what the preacher was saying. He was an evangelist. All I remember is that I felt convicted and afraid by the end of his message. So, I asked my mom to take me to church the next day. My mom took me to church. That night, I made a public declaration of my faith in Jesus and invited Him to come live in my heart!
The Early Struggle
I wish I could tell you that after accepting Jesus everything was peaches and cream. However, it was not. I struggled to live a holy life. I had one foot in and one foot out. Yet, at this time, I felt convicted right away and repented constantly. I married young at 23. Even though I began to minister in the worship team without credentials as a minister, I continued to struggle.
Furthermore, major events happened in my life, and I decided to move to the United States a week after marrying. My husband and I struggled a lot. We didn’t look for a local church immediately and began living our married life without the correct foundation in Christ. We separated after five months and divorced within the year. It was rough. I backslid in my faith and lived an unholy life of partying, drinking, etc. However, in all this, I still felt the Holy Spirit convicting me and drawing me back to Jesus. Eventually, I ended up pregnant and married my current husband.
The Ministry Call
There was a time when I was living between Puerto Rico and the United States. During the struggling years, right after my divorce, while living in Puerto Rico, God publicly called me to ministry. God called me to be a pastor. It was in church that a prophet of God gave me a word that God was calling me to be a Pastor to His sheep in the future. He spoke to me so many things that I couldn’t wrap my head around because of the state I was living in at that moment.
The years passed. I continued digging a bigger hole away from God. I was at the bottom of the pit the way I was living my life. Further, I put my family and my daughter at risk. However, God once again took me back to His foundations, back to Puerto Rico and the church where I began my journey. There, finally, I fully gave my life to Christ. Afterward, my life began to conform to what God had already spoken over my life.
My Growth in the Faith and Getting Credentials as a Minister
I served in church and discovered the gifts God deposited in me. I had a passion for serving, worshiping, and most of all, teaching. I’ve served for many years in different ministries as a teacher and a worship leader. There is nothing that brings me more pleasure than sharing the word of God. I began to study and dive deep into the Bible. I always had the desire to pursue formal ministry studies. However, it was never the right time, or I didn’t have the finances for it.
Finally, one day, I searched the web and took some classes and courses here and there but nothing formal or structured. That’s when, by the grace of God, I stumbled upon the Christian Leaders Institute! I couldn’t believe the quality of the courses and the best part is that it is free! Further, I am also studying to get credentials as a minister!
Where I Am Now
God has been so good! My husband and I have now been married for over 15 years. We have two daughters. My entire family serves the Lord! God continues to mold us to His image and conform us to the ministry call that my husband and I have. The last couple of years have been key in my spiritual growth. I’ve experienced more and learned more in the last three years than in my entire Christian life! God is impossible to miss in this season! He’s so near to us.
Remember those seeds I spoke about in the beginning? God dealt with those and delivered me from the bitterness, rejection, abandonment, pride, and many other things dormant in me. Now, with a bigger testimony to share, I press into what God called me to do. I teach, preach, lead, coach, and do many other things all for His glory and to bring the harvest into Him. I am a revivalist, on fire for God, living in holiness, for His glory and to spread the gospel.
Getting Credentials as a Minister at CLI and CLA
Furthermore, I am in the process of obtaining credentials as a minister through CLI and CLA to continue the work of the Lord. I know there is so much more to experience because God is not done with me. The Lord is good! He’s so intentional and His grace and mercy always follow us wherever we go. I cannot wait to see the fulfillment of all His promises in my life and the life of my family!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.