Work with Children – Angela Rankin
Hello my name is Angela Rankin. I was raised in a home where the Bible was always laid out on a table for anybody to read. Yet we never really talked about God or religion. I would say I truly found God about three years ago during a time in my life were I felt completely lost. I am married to a great man who shares my love of God and we have three wonderful daughters. I currently teach Sunday school at my Community Church.
I am the mother of three with one on the way. My husband and I both want to be in ministry. We have not always lead a life of God and we actually found each other when we were both in dark spots of our lives , but after a high risk pregnancy that forced us to slow down and take a look at our lives , we both turned to God and prayer. Two years later we have an amazing little girl and teach Sunday school. I believe I am living proof of what can happen when you turn to God and want to reach others with our story.
I currently working on a degree in Criminal Justice through St. Leo University. I would love to use my knowledge to work with children from less than perfect family lives. I hope to start my own non profit for this cause. My husband plans on working with me in this adventure.
I believe the courses from CLI will help me work toward my goals of working on the calling God wants me to do. I hope that with the knowledge I receive from my studies I will be able to reach children with the word of God and positive Christian role models they other wise may never know.
Young Christian Leader Has Passion to Change the World! Here is her story!
I am Teagan, a 16 year old young Christian leader from Australia.
Ministry in Australia is everywhere, from small churches to big organizations. It is so inspiring to see so many growing and prospering. Bringing people to Jesus is the main commission of churches.I came to know the Lord through moving schools, after being bullied and isolated I got an opportunity to attend a wonderful Christian School. I was born with no mum and dad and so it is so reassuring that the Lord will never forsake me and that he has plans for my life. I battled with depression for 3 years. Circumstances are still touchy, but now I am in Jesus Christ. Jesus is amazing! My pop had a mental breakdown and has got emphysema. He is also an Atheist, but I pray for his salvation!
My ministry dream is to minister to those who need Christ both here and in other countries in order to enrich peoples lives with Christ! I believe it is an honor to preach and minister the Word of God!
Personally I love being an Evangelist, and telling people about Christ. After my past wrongs, sadness and depression, I love the fact I can trust God to help me be a blessing to others. I want people to benefit from my trails so that they can be helped in their trials. There is so much more to my story, and it is only just beginning with our amazing God.
At school I have been told that I am a leader. I think about that, and I am amazed at it. When they keep repeating it, I go to God and tell him and ask him to open doors, and he has!
There are challenges for the spreading of Christianity in where I live. Half of my town does know Christ and I just want to help everyone come to know the Father. My church leaders encourage me to encourage Christians and reach other who does not know Christ.
The ability to study for free and receive high quality ministry training benefits me in so many ways. As young Christian leaders who needs training, I will learn and apply ministry training that will help me change the world for Christ. I will share the gospel, love one another and simply devote my life to bringing people to God. This free training will set me up for the future. Opportunities have come to me! It is amazing to have this chance to change and impact the world.
Note from Christian Leaders Institute: New mentor centers called micro-seminaries are being formed. Young Christian leaders like Teagan can invite their friends to study online. They can meet one a week or twice a month to support each other on the journey in ministry training. Not only Teagan but others can be raised up to become a mighty force for Christ and his love. If you are a young Christian leader and you see your calling to invite raise up more leaders to join you, enroll now and get your Christian leaders Basic certificate. Check out more stories about CLI students at Facebook.
With the advance of technology in recent years, many are finally beginning to look at this global resource as more than just a hub for games, sales, and endless streams of inane pictures and mass e-mails. Educators globally are beginning to look at the internet as a tool for providing education.
Educators in the state of Iowa recognize the necessity of global education. In her article in the Des Moines register, Madeline Becker talks about the extensive benefits of education, concluding with this statement:
Here in Iowa, we understand the importance of increasing these investments. For us, it is hard to imagine what life would be like without education. It’s time for the United States to make a childhood without education unimaginable everywhere, and it is only fitting that Iowa lead the charge. Iowa’s congressional delegation can lead by co-sponsoring the Education For All Act and supporting a greater investment of our existing global education funding into Global Partnership for Education. This is an investment in our future, and the future of the world.
While Madeline seems to stay focused on the traditional classroom education, a much bigger name gave his endorsement to the online education methods. Richard Levin, president of Yale University for 20 years, has officially been announced as the new CEO of Coursera. Coursera is a higher education institution whose mission is to provide college education to people all over the world through the internet for free. With Richard Levin’s signing as CEO, they add Yale University to the list of schools that their students have access to.
Coursera doesn’t Care About Pastoral Education
Of course, as one might expect, the courses available through Coursera do not include pastoral education or Christian Ministry training of any kind. Their focus is educating people throughout the world in order to give them a better life, but that better life is defined by human perspective. The end goal of the educators at Coursera – including Richard Levin – is to help people make more money.
This is certainly a noble mission – to reach into the poor places of the world through the ready conduit of the internet and enable people to achieve a better standard of living. Yet, for all this education can accomplish, Coursera ignores the most important problem that exists throughout the world today.
Food and water are important. Without them our bodies cannot live, but there is something even more important. Jesus told His disciples “I am the bread of life…” He told the woman at the well “I am the living water…” He told Martha “whoever believes in me will never die…” and “if anyone believes in me, though he dies, he will live…” Food and water sustain our physical bodies, but only Jesus can sustain our spirits.
How does He sustain our spirits? He sends people into the world. In a discussion with His disciples, Jesus says “pray therefore, that the Lord of the harvest will send workers…” He later specifically sends His disciples, saying “Go into all the world and preach the gospel…” God calls people to shepherd – to provide spiritual nourishment for – His people.
But God doesn’t always choose the people that we think He should choose to deliver His word to His people. Sometimes the people he calls are uneducated. They are inexperienced and poor. They are broken sinners who have fled from his calling. Sometimes the people that God calls can’t afford to become educated teachers.
That is why Christian Leaders Institute exists. While Coursera, now headed by the former president of Yale, looks at the physical needs and seeks to provide, our goal is to claim the internet for Christ. We want God’s called leaders worldwide to have the education they need to be the best stewards of His calling that they can.
Coursera has been around for 2 years, and their momentum and support has grown by leaps and bounds. Educators in universities everywhere see the need for free secular education online and pitch in to do their part. They can all unite under the secular vision of saving physical bodies from hunger and sickness.
Christian Leaders Institute has been growing for ten years, with the first online courses being offered eight years ago. We have seen marvelous growth in that time, but imagine how much bigger that growth would be if Christians everywhere could get behind a vision. If Christians everywhere could join in the vision of saving people all over the world from the greatest sickness of all – the only worldwide hereditary disease: sin. As great as the impact of CLI is now, it could be much greater if Christian educators banded together in this effort.
Do you know somebody who’s called to be a leader in God’s church? Do you know somebody that you’ve observed leadership qualities in, and you think they would benefit from ministry training? Tell them about Christian Leaders Institute! Spread the word to everyone. Together we can claim the internet for Christ.