The Most Unlikely! Answering His Call!
Hello, my name is Tina Louise Williams. I live in Southern California, about an hour outside Los Angeles. I am the wife of my loving husband, a mom of five beautiful children, and a grandmother of six grandchildren. Furthermore, the biblical ministry schooling I am receiving from the Christian Leaders Institute is equipping me to answer God’s calling. Our spiritual awakening and walk came to us as a family six years ago.
My Childhood
I grew up in a home that made no mention of God in it. I am the second of four children. We grew up in Los Angeles, moved often, and attended several different schools. My dad and mom were products of their upbringings, which ultimately led them to be unfulfilled with things of this world. Those worldly things made our childhood one that was undesirable. At a very young age, I went in the same direction as my parents. Which eventually led me to where I am today.
The Moment Jesus Saved Me
My husband and I married one year after we met. I brought two beautiful children into the marriage, and later, we added three more babies to our family. Our marriage not starting well was a consequence of not knowing the Lord. Things lept from bad to worse.
However, when our youngest daughter was nine, she attended an after-school program called the Good News Club. After three weeks of following this club, she came home and told me I needed to find a church for our family. She was highly persistent for the following weeks, asking if we had a church to attend yet. I continued to tell her I was looking.
One day, God asked me, “How often will you tell her you are seeking me when you know you are not?” At that moment, I started finding a church for our family. One day, while driving down a street, God asked me, “How much more do I have to show you?” Therefore, I turned into a parking lot at a church. Our children and I started attending church the next day, while my husband followed a few months later. We were all saved and baptized as a family! God used our nine-year-old baby girl to rescue our family ultimately.
Preparation For His Call
Since being saved, God has used me in many ways in the church body. From church janitorial work, working with children, security, and women’s ministry to greeting, I was joyful in every moment. God will not call us without first preparing us. All of this was preparation for what was to come. Four years ago, I was attending a women’s retreat. It is where God called me to where I am today.
However, I heard and wasn’t obedient at first. Four years later, God brought me to another ministry where I serve women at a women’s walk to Emmaus. At the same time, guiding me to fulfill His calling, God sent so much confirmation for me. His assurances led me to the Christian Leaders Institute to start my biblical ministry schooling for what He has next.
Answering His Call with Biblical Ministry Schooling at CLI
I could no longer run from God’s calling. The Christian Leaders Institute is an answer to my prayers. I work a full-time job while caring for our children and home. CLI makes it easy to continue our daily lives and fit classes into my schedule. I am forever grateful to those who poured into CLI so people can answer their call to ministry at little to no cost.
Excited for the unknown, I don’t know where God will take me next. However, answering His calling is vital. I pray that my understanding of God’s Word surges in my life. With a humble heart, I seek to obey God’s call. I fear not being used as a vessel for the kingdom of God to bring him glory, praise, and honor more than the uncertainty of being used as a vessel for his kingdom.
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 name is Vivian Anderson of the United States. I lived in many places, which all impacted my life. I currently reside in Columbia, SC. In 2005, I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. This was after over ten years of being out of school. I am new at the Christian Leaders Institute for minister training for a strong foundation. The online courses are a blessing.
My Story
Born in Chicago, I grew up in Detroit, MI. I am one of 10 children. I grew up in a single-parent household. My father left home when I was about 5. However, he was a part of my life. Most of my aunts and uncles and my mom were or are pastors, ministers, evangelists, or closely connected to the church. My mom worked a lot, which took her away from home. However, she was still present in my life. Financially poor, a lot of trauma happened in our house. During my childhood, I was abused. I didn’t tell anyone until I was 13.
When I was ten, I heard the pastor at church say something about God dwelling where Satan is most. Then I watched a movie with a billboard saying Welcome to Satan’s Den. The movie was filmed in New York City. At ten years old, I said I was going to New York. Because if that was Satan’s Den, then God must be there. I wanted to find God. I experienced so much abuse, and I felt so alone and unhappy. My mom, aunts, and uncles seemed joyful, although we endured so much trauma. I wanted what they had. Therefore, I concluded to have joy, I needed to know the God they knew.
My Spiritual Dream
My spiritual dream is to share God’s love through my work with youth and community. I run a not-for-profit that works directly with youth and the community. It also does advocacy around policies that impact the lives of the people I serve. My work involves restorative justice practices. I want to ensure God is the center of this crucial work needed to heal our world.
Growing into an adult, there were many obstacles I faced. Many were normal going from childhood to teenager to adult. College was the first time I was away from home. In college, I lost myself to fit in, which made for hard times. I suffered from anxiety attacks and attempted suicide. Losing my best friend’s sister, who was like my big sister, to a motorcycle accident and then losing my dad, grandmother, and mother was too much. Therefore, substances became my comfort and discomfort. Because of God, none of this took me out or caused me to hate God. God has always been real to me. However, I didn’t know how to stay close to Him.
CLI: Ministry Training for a Strong Foundation
I hope to use the Christian Leaders Institute training to heal my community. More than anything, I want to use the training to keep me close to God by understanding how to read the Bible. I want to use the training to set a strong foundation so I can help others build a strong foundation in Christ.
The free training was an answered prayer. I prayed to God that if ministry were where He called me, it would need to pay for itself. My finances don’t allow me to attend a traditional Seminary or Bible College. Until now, when God made a way through CLI. The tuition-free training is crucial because I know many people are searching. CLI provides an answer!
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.
PSY 210 – Mental Health Integration (3 Credits)
Discover the transformative insights of this course as it explores the intersections between mental health concepts, biblical teachings, ministry, and the church. Delve into various modalities of wellness, biblical teaching on well-being, identity, self-care, vulnerability, and effective giving and receiving of help. Join Brandon Appelhans as he shares his personal mental health journey its broader implications, and how the church can adeptly contribute to addressing the pressing challenges of the mental health crisis.
Persuasion unto Consensus (Church Polity)
Consensus church government by pastoral persuasion gives many advantages: maturity for the saints, knowing the mind of Christ, church unity, and an edifying decision-making process. This scriptural form of church government will also enable church leaders to lead more like Jesus.
The Advantages of Smaller Churches
Did Jesus intend for churches to have thousands of members? Is bigger better? Did you know that for the first two hundred years of the Christian church, believers met almost exclusively in private homes? Did you know that smaller churches have many advantages over larger churches? Did you know that every NT letter written to a church was written to a church that met in someone’s home? Did you know that most activities prescribed for churches can only function in a small church?