The Little Church Is Led By CLI Student Jim Pounder
The Little Church World seeks to help small groups of Christians worship God and have church anywhere in the world in small groups. This is especially relevant in places where the public meeting of Christians is frowned on or forbidden. Jim Pounder of The Little Church is seeking more ministry training at Christian Leaders Institute so his leadership at The Little Church World is strengthened even more. Check out The Little Church World and contact Jim directly if interested (Here is the link to the website of The Little Church World). Here is Jim Pounder’s story:
My name is Jim Pounder and I am pastoring at The Little Church online. I am currently living in Hong Kong. I was born in Sheffield in the county of Yorkshire in the UK. My father worked in the UK steel industry which, at the time, was centered in Sheffield. He was a union man and both parents were to the far left in politics with religion considered to be the ‘opium of the masses’. In view of this background, I was squarely a non-believer although when I look back to my early school days, I recall that I was taught famous Bible stories in school such as the story of Samson and Delilah and David and Goliath. To me, at the time, these were just adventure stories but, nevertheless, were part of a foundation on which the Lord could build in my later years.
In the early 1980’s I relocated with my wife and young family to Hong Kong and shortly after arriving and settling there, my wife had a call to tell her that her father had passed away suddenly and she returned back to the UK to attend his funeral. She was understandably upset given that she was close to him and during that time she experienced what can only be called the presence of the Holy Spirit although neither of us recognized it at the time. Also shortly after our arrival in Hong Kong, she had been taken ill and had a near death experience where she experienced the peace of the Lord.
Both these events led us, as a couple, to explore the spiritual dimension of existence and we investigated a number of faith systems. However, after a number of years, my wife fully committed to the Lord and after much reading I decided that the strong balance of evidence was in favour of God’s existence and of Jesus’ status as the Son of God. The evidence for the resurrection was very crucial to my intellectual acceptance of the faith and I found Josh McDowell’s ‘More than a Carpenter’ a key text in moving me towards this intellectual acceptance.
Due to the fact that I was a University Professor in Hong Kong, able to speak in public, I seemed to be given various church leadership roles including the lay leader of an Anglican church in Hong Kong and later, with my wife, establishing a non-denominational church that held its services in the hotel where I was living at the time with my family. This was the situation spanning the late 1990s to the early 2000s when my wife and I relinquished the leadership role in the non-denominational church due to relocation to another part of Hong Kong where for one year we attended the Hong Kong International Baptist Church.
In September 2005, we relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and after attending some of the official churches there and a large fellowship group, felt that we needed to have our own services in our villa where we were living in Abu Dhabi. One thing led to another and before long we were again in church leadership, running a fellowship group that comprised around 30 persons. This was not our intention but was obviously God’s intention. One thing I need to state here is that in the UAE, a part of the Muslim world, we faced the full force of spiritual warfare about which we were naive before taking on church leadership roles in an Islamic state. However, God is good and at this time my hitherto intellectual acceptance of the Lord moved from the head to the heart as I experienced the full force of His Grace.
In 2012, we were called back to Hong Kong and have since been called by the Lord to start up an internet church that is called The Little Church World (www.thelittlechurchworld.org). The Little Church replicates the approach we adopted in the UAE with our fellowship group which we and the others in the group found to be highly effective. Reference to this website will show that this is a very well developed internet church that provides worship music for adults and children, a family room that provides a weekly message generally given by me, and various rooms for related Christian activities. The purpose is to provide total support for anyone who, for whatever reason, is unable to attend a physical church and of course this is very relevant to the situation in the Middle East. In addition to the worship and the message, The Little Church World (TLC World) system provides house church, virtual church and house fellowship group leaders with a full transcript of the message, a summary of the message and questions for discussion based on the message. Consequently, home based churches, home fellowships and virtual groups have a complete set of resources to enable them to have a full service.
Given that I am responsible for preaching the weekly message and am leading the The Little Church World, although I have a PhD in Business and a Doctorate in Education (I am an academic remember!), I do not have any formal theological education. Of course, I read the Bible daily, do extensive research for my weekly messages and ensure I get spiritually fed from reading the works of Tozer etc., and from the sermons preached by the pastor of the Hong Kong Baptist Church (also my mentor), where I attend with my wife and where I am a deacon. Nevertheless, I have not had formal theological training and feel that I should have this, given the role I have in TLC World. For my entire walk with Christ in any leadership role, it has been on a bi-vocational basis and I am so pleased that Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) is providing on-line seminary training and the opportunity for ordination within one’s local context. As a long term academic, I can also fully vouch for the quality of education provided by CLI. I want to thank Henry and Dave and their team for the great, God-given job they are doing.
The Little Church is a resource that may be very helpful in your area. As a bi-vocational ministry, The Little Church may be something that you may find beneficial as well. Contact Jim Pounder if you are interested in The Little Church in your area. Click this link to the contact page of The Little Church and contact this ministry directly.
Bible College Free Online – Not Too Old For the Lord’s great work!
A Bible college free online is available for a large segment of the Christian population that senses the calling into ministry. Christian Leaders Institute is a Bible College free online that offers over 20 advanced classes. We have several award levels for called students who believe they need advanced ministry training. JoyeDell Beers enrolled at this Bible college online believing that she was not too old for the Lord’s great work. Here is her story.
My name is JoyeDell Beers. At age 50, I believe the Lord still has a great work for my life. I live in the USA where we are still free to worship God… for the time being! As other countries have Christians being persecuted for their faith, I feel our nation is not far from that same fate. With that in perspective, I, and many others, want a better place for our children, and grandchildren to grow and live; a nation that is truly “one nation under God.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
The area we live in is not what you would call a “thriving” city. The downfall of the economy has only made this already depressed area worse. I have seen a lot of people with no hope. They have lost jobs, homes, friends, family and spouses. They are filling the void in their lives with alcohol, drugs, gambling, and sex. There seems to be an overabundance of serious sickness in young people in their teens and twenties. This depressed area needs hope… the hope that only Jesus can give.
I accepted the Lord as my personal Savior at the tender age of 9, during summer church camp. I could not believe that someone could love me so much that He would die for me. Over 40 years later, that is still an incredible concept.
My faith has been tested many times in my lifetime; my life threatening illness and 23 day hospital stay as a child, a problem pregnancy, nearly losing our firstborn son to Juvenile Diabetes, begging God’s protection over our daughter at college, fighting breast cancer, depression, and skin cancer, waiting and praying over our youngest son in his hospital bed while he battled a hole in his lung, and the list could go on. No matter what, through it all, God has been in control. (Psalm 139:1-12) I may not have agreed with His wisdom, or His timing, but my faith has grown and deepened with every mountain climbed. I have looked out across the vastness of this wonderful creation called earth, and marveled at The Creator. I can personally testify to His bountiful blessings, unfailing love, matchless grace, and tender mercy. I have also fallen on my knees in utter defeat and despair when only the Holy Spirit could intercede for me (Romans 8:26), giving me comfort, strength and hope.
My dream is to reach out to the lost, searching souls in my community and point them toward Christ. I especially desire to lead a women’s ministry, connecting women to women, and women to God. (Titus 2:2-5) How? Through the Word of God in both the spoken word and song. My method is music. My conductor is God. I will make music praising and worshiping Him as long as He gives breath. (Psalm 150:6) I pray to bring the truth of the gospel so close to everyone I meet that they can smell the sweet fragrance of The Spirit, taste the richness of His Holy Word, and be filled with God’s great mercy, grace, forgiveness, love, and hope. I pray to speak and sing with the Holy Spirit’s evangelistic power, but also want to truly know the heart of each individual seeking Christ in order to properly minister to them.
My pastor is the one who encouraged me to become an ordained minister as it will provide more open doors and opportunities for outreach. I am presently the music director at two churches each Sunday, and praise team leader for Vision Ministries which reaches beyond the walls of the church building with the Good News of Jesus. There are only a handful of family and close friends who know I am studying to be an ordained minister. As far as the church body is concerned, I will tell them eventually!
Having 3 adult children, you learn a lot more about their lives and reflections. I learned that they still look to my husband and I as examples and for guidance. Our days of rearing children are long gone. Teaching them about the Lord, knowing right from wrong, how to be productive and respected members of society, and adults who take responsibility for their own lives and actions, took place years ago when they were still children. That being said, our children are not surprised that mom is seeking to be ordained. Since talking with others about the Lord is a both a privilege and our duty, I have included them in my speaking and singing engagements since they were toddlers. My husband of over 30 years thinks it’s a worthy goal. He is my sounding board and debating partner. He lovingly offers encouragement and great insight to God’s Word. They are all being quite supportive, especially since I haven’t been “in school” for a very long time!
As a teenager, I always thought I would be a missionary. I did start college, but never finished. I cannot afford formal college, nor do I have the time to take off work to “go” to classes. So achieving that dream can only be a reality through a scholarship at CLI, the availability of classes online, and flexibility of the study schedule. What better way to continue my education, than to be studying and growing in God’s Word! I will have that opportunity to be a missionary… right in my own backyard! I will confidently be able to follow the Lord’s direction being equipped with the tools and knowledge learned from the classes and staff at CLI.
Please pray for the outpouring of God’s Spirit, wisdom, and boldness to reach the lost for Christ. (John 7:37-38)
If you are interested in enrolling at this Bible College free online just click here. Like us on Facebook and read some more interesting stories of people enrolled at our Bible College Free Online here at Christian Leaders Institute.
Free Online Seminary in United States
Free Online Seminary in the United States – My name is Dr. Carl Fabrizio, Jr., and I’m a Clinical Psychologist and retired US Air Force Reserve officer. I had the unique privilege to serve 30 years in the armed forces of the United States. I’ve been employed for the past 13 years as a psychologist by the state of California. My wife, Kim and I live in Irvine (Orange County), California, USA. Kim is a Registered Nurse, and between us we have been blessed with 6 adult children and 4 grandchildren. My ministry is currently in Orange and Los Angeles Counties: large, urban areas. The foci of my ministry include the following: creating Christ followers in the workplace, leading small discipleship groups, ministering to the homeless and poor, and providing mentorship and Biblical counseling to men in my community. The challenges I face that are unique to these populations include high doses of materialism, isolation, individualism, sexual impurity and apathy.
I practiced Roman Catholicism for the majority of my adult life and raised my children in the Catholic church. Despite attending mass religiously on Sunday and serving in the church for several years, I never knew Jesus. I believed in Him in an intellectual sense, and I desired to have a relationship with Him. However, I desired living on more terms more. I never truly surrendered my life over to Him, repented for my sins or called Him to be my personal Lord and Savior. It wasn’t until my mid-40s when a series of devastating life struggles came to a crescendo (divorce, son’s mental illness, financial collapse, professional persecution) did I finally seek Him with my whole being. It was at that time that I admitted to God my sinfulness and asked Him to take charge of my life. I asked Jesus Christ to save me from myself and become my personal Lord, Redeemer and Healer. My wife and I chose a church together and began engaging in what became a revival experience for both of us. I later joined a small group, rededicated my life to the Lord through public water baptism and my life has never been the same!
This free online Seminary in United States helps bring ministry dream
My ministry dream is to complete my current MDiv studies, retire from working as a psychologist and enter the full-time ministry. My wife and I seek to prepare ourselves to become urban missionaries; traveling several times a year to different cities to help spread the Gospel through our words and actions to communities throughout our nation. We’re interested in participating in overseas missions as well if God so desires, but we believe that God has called us to work primarily in domestic mission fields that can benefit from our expertise and energy.
I resonate most with the titles of evangelist and small group leader. These roles best suit my principle spiritual gifts.
In retrospect, a number of key experiences have led me to choose to serve our Lord in the five-fold ministry. The first and most important is my calling. I believe that the Father called me to serve Him. He told me to prepare for this calling through academic, spiritual, emotional and professional growth experiences during the last 5 years. I’m a work in progress, but I’ve made substantial gains in all of these areas largely through His immense grace and love. CLI is a part of my journey to assist me in reaching my pastoral goals. Other key experiences have influences my decision to pursue the ministry have included my relationship with my loving, Christian wife; serving two combat tours as a mental health provider; the improved relationships with my 6 adult children; the birth of my 4 grandchildren; growing evangelism opportunities in my workplace and struggles with my physical health. Collectively, these events have solidified my desire to answer the Lord’s call.
Perhaps the challenges of ministering to people in LA and Orange Counties are similar to those of any pastor who resides in a large, urban setting. However, I believe that Orange County in particular is uniquely affluent, deeply materialistic and exceptionally individualistic overall. Some of the toughest folks to successfully evangelize are those that don’t think they need God, because they’re doing fine without Him. In fact, they lead such entrenched secular lives that their thoughts rarely turn to God, Jesus or any topics remotely spiritual in nature. The entire culture seems to breed ways of thinking and being that magnifies human achievement and miniaturizes God the Creator of the universe.
This free online seminary in the United States is available for local churches to use as a training place for those called into ministry.
My local church, Mariners Church has made an indelible impact on me and my life course. They have helped develop me as a pastor and keep me fed spiritually. Mariners has taught me through practical life lessons that God’s Church on earth is truly His people, serving as His hands and feet. We are His Church. We can change the world.
There is no other member of my family that has assisted me more on my journey to answer God’s call than my beautiful wife, Kim. She has been my greatest source of strength and support since before my conversion experience until the present. She is my life partner and will be my primary ministry partner as we enter missionary fields in communities around the US and the world.
Since retiring from the Air Force one year ago, Kim and I have been blessed with 3 additional grandchildren and 2 daughter-in-laws. Since our family has grown so rapidly, we are assisting our 6 adult children and 4 grand babies with our spiritual, emotional and financial treasure. The CLI scholarship will enable me to pursue my pastoral education and deepen the foundational knowledge crucial to my success as a small group pastor, workplace evangelist and urban missionary (evangelist).
Please pray for my continued dedication to and meaningful application of the word of God. I need prayer to minimize my tendency to replace God’s word with my own prideful notions that are based on personal experience.