Biblical Knowledge – My name is Whitney Woodall, I am 27 years, and originally hale from Carlisle, PA, currently I am a resident of Atlanta, GA. I am not married and have no children to call my own, YET! I am a newly licensed minister at Hopewell Northeast under the co-pastorship of Pastor Gerard and Pastor Veta Blanding. I was called into ministry at the early age of eleven. Like most I was hesitant, unsure that I had heard the Lord correctly, and had many doubts and fears. In an effort to escape the call, I attended undergraduate at Ursinus College located in Collegeville, PA, I received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. In August 2009, I moved to Atlanta to continue pursuing my education at Argosy University. I completed my Masters in Clinical Psychology in November 2012. In addition I enrolled in the Marriage and Family Certification Program at Argosy, which I completed in August 2013. All of which was still to no avail. I could still hear the Lord calling me in a totally different direction.
In October 2013 I took a leap of faith and left my position as a Community Clinician at Northside Psychological Services to pursue ministerial duties full time. Currently I am an active minister at Hopewell Northeast. I am apart of the CONNECT Ministry (our Christian Education Department) and serve as one of the Young Adult leaders. I also take part in teaching and imparting Biblical knowledge into the hearts and minds of our high school student population. My heart’s desire is to serve God with sincerity and diligence. My ultimate ministry goal is to maximize and use all my spiritual gifts to bring glory to God and win souls for His Kingdom. I pray to one day be able to travel throughout the world, teaching, preaching, and encouraging through the gospel. In addition, I would love to train and prepare others to be followers and eventually disciples of Jesus Christ. I am young (the youngest on our ministerial staff at church), but I have confidence in knowing that I have been called and chosen by God.
Christian Leader’s Institute is truly a blessing and a prayer answered. My desire is to attend a doctoral program in the near future, but currently my financial situation does not permit such an endeavor. I believe that in due season and time God will provide, but until then I am so grateful for programs like CLI. I ask that you all continue to pray that my steps will be ordered and ordained by the Lord. Pray that I will be obedient to and stay in His will. Thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to posting and talking/blogging about my life’s journey while here at CLI.
Start a Mentor Centers to Impart Biblical Knowledge
Christian Leaders Institute encourages Christian Leaders to start a mentor center where they can impart Biblical knowledge to young people and hold them accountable. This is how a mentor center works. Serious for God minded young people would meeting to be held accountable for their online studies at Christian Leaders Institute. Not only would they receive Biblical knowledge online, but would also meet to process their insights. A mentor center can be started by a graduate of the Christian Leaders Basics Certificate. The first Christian Leaders Basic Certificate would teach the basic Biblical knowledge needed to stand your ground in this world.
My name is Solomon Johri and I am a 44 year old husband with 2 young boys. My wife Ginger, Isaiah who is 11, Elijah who is 8 and I live in rural east central Pennsylvania. I have been called to men’s ministry.
I was born in Ontario, Canada to an unlikely combination of immigrants. My father is a Muslim from Pakistan and my mother is a Roman Catholic from Italy. My father decided that he would have me raised in my mother’s faith. I attended 13 years of Catholic school and now like to consider myself a recovering Catholic.
When I was 8 years old I felt the call of the Lord to serve him as a priest. My mother steered me away from the priesthood so she could have grandkids. I graduated high school and lost my faith for a number of years. In college, I met my wife and we feel deeply in love. We attended my wife’s evangelical church which was completely foreign to me. I went in body but never felt the Holy Spirit working within me.
In 2004 I was diagnosed with Stage II-c testicular cancer as well as a teritoma attached to my ureter. As I was to begin chemo, my wife gave me a ribbon pin with a scripture passage she chose on it: Psalm 18: 1-6. I grabbed my Bible, read the passage and wept. I had finally found solace in God’s word. That day I dedicated myself to the Lord most high Jesus Christ. He has become the water of my life and He has blessed my family since.
We attend the same church and I have served in youth and music ministry. I felt the Lord was guiding me to minister to young families. Many men have lost touch with the leadership roles that God has given them. I am preparing for men’s ministry for men at CLI. With the help of the Holy Spirit I would like to help guide men as I have learned to guide my family.
Now, finally, I am in the process of fulfilling God’s calling those 36 years ago. Unfortunately, being a dad and the sole provider for your family limits your time and money. I could not return to college without incurring debt that my family cannot absorb. I want to share my love for God the Father, His only Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I know with the help of CLI, I will be able to accomplish what God has called me to do.
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Fishing is a hobby I enjoy. I have, over the years, been able to find time to go fishing even if things were rather busy for me. It is a relaxing, meditative time. I can be quiet and calm, and enjoy the creation as I wait for the fish to bite on my hook. As a proverbial little saying puts it, “A bad day fishing is still better than a good day at work!” Here in my region of the world, we are just coming on toward spring. The lakes are thawing from their winter ice cover. And, below the surface of the lake, the fish are getting ready to spawn. So, here in Michigan, we have rules about when the fishing season opens. One cannot disturb the mating of the fish or they will soon be depleted by over-fishing. But, that does not stop us fishermen from looking forward to the day when the fishing season opens for us to pursue our hobby.
Called to be a Fisher of Men
I know that some of you who are reading this are fishermen by trade. You earn your living at fishing. Fishing, for you, is much more than a hobby to be occasionally engaged in – it is an everyday endeavor. In those terms, you are much like some men I read about in the Bible than I am. We know then as Peter and Andrew, James and John. These are the first men that Jesus called to be his disciples.
The story goes like this (see Matthew 4). Jesus had been subjected to a period of temptation by the Evil One in the wilderness. Upon returning from the wilderness, Jesus heads to the area of Palestine we know as Galilee. It was the geographical area in which he had been raised. His hometown of Nazareth was found there. It was also the place where there was a large inland lake called the Sea of Galilee.
The sea is formed as the Jordan River runs south from the hills to the north. It enters a large area where it flows slowly in the currents of the 64 sq miles (166 sq km) of the lake. What is interesting about the lake is that it is nearly 700 feet (210 m) BELOW sea level. The Jordan River takes up its course again as it flows south from the lake to finally end up at the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee is a place where, in Jesus’ day, a flourishing fishing trade was found. The ancient historian Josephus tells us that 230 boats were regularly out on the lake engaged in fishing for a living.
Jesus Said, Follow Me.
Among them were two boats owned by the brothers Andrew and Peter, and the brothers James and John. One day, as these men were washing their nets at the water’s edge, a man came along and simply said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” What happened is that these guys to whom very few paid any attention in the religious world, these guys simply left their boats and followed Jesus to become fishers of men. These men formed the heart of the group of disciples of Jesus. They as men trained to be fishermen, would become the great leaders of the church as it was born. One could almost say that Jesus and these men formed the first edition of Christian Leaders Institute!
Free Ministry Training
Jesus took people as they were and trained them to be the leaders of his church. He did not ask them for a payment of tuition. He carefully taught them the truths of God. He sent them out to practice. Then, when they came back, he went over how things had gone for them in their efforts to put into practice what he taught them. Their training often centered in the towns around the Sea of Galilee, so they were not asked to relocate to a different area hundreds of miles away.
The way Jesus worked is still going on today. At Christian Leaders Institute, we are discovering how many people are busy in an occupation when Jesus comes along and gives them a new vocation (a calling) to be a person who is a fisher of people. Listen to one of our students,
I am Roslin Marcelus. I was born in Haiti. I am married and father of three. I have a degree in automotive from the New England Institute of technology and a Bachelor of Science at the University of Bridgeport. I have a Master’s degree in Global Development and Peace. I have also earned a certificate in human resources management.
When I approached the Christian Leaders Institute website to start learning about ministry, I did not have in mind that it would be a hands-on training opportunity. I was offered a way to personally improve my relationship with God. Now I am starting to understand my mission. I want not only to serve God but to be able to be an instrument that helps others come to know the Savior, Jesus Christ. The Year 2014 will a new beginning as I pray the Lord to guide me to the next step.
So here is a man who is busy at his occupation and along comes Jesus and calls him to become a fisher of men. It is a great privilege for us all as the staff of CLI to be engaged in doing the training which is needed for these individuals to become the best servants of Jesus they can be. Here they learn of their mission as Jesus calls them, not to give up their life’s work, but to see it embellished with the added joy of going fishing!