A Broom Tree in the Wilderness
The need for ministry leaders has never been so pressing. It seems like there are too few Christian leaders. Sometimes we leaders can identify with Elijah in the Bible. He found out that there were 7000 in prophets in Israel that had not bowed down to Baal. Then in boldness, he proclaimed the Word of the Lord. After that he was persecuted by Jezebel the queen. He was feeling alone again when he was being chased down by Jezebel. We read in 1Kings 19:3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. But God refreshed his spirit. Soon after that God brought Elisha. They started a school of the prophets where they developed in-depth ministry training. God always has a plan for raising up his prophets.
As leaders in the church, we see many things that are sad and sinful. We see the spiritual warfare. We see divisions threatening to tear us apart. We feel the loneliness of feeling like we are alone. Are we the only ones in our congregation qualified and capable to lead this organized chaos?
How often do we cry out to God, “I am the only prophet left!”? How often do we look at the scene of our local church and across the world and believe things are hopeless? Like the prophets in years gone by, we see the immorality around us and cry out in desperation. We are waiting for God to deliver us. To reward us for our faithful service and perhaps acknowledge that we are, in fact, the only ones left to serve Him. Are we the last of the faithful who can lead His church?
We cry out to Him, and sometimes we may hear Him answer. As we feel his hand and listen for His voice, we wait for the words of comfort and reassurance. And then the words come. Words that astound us. Words that leave us with a totally new perspective. The message could often be paraphrased this way: “Get a grip Elijah.”
Here is a reflection from a student who has experienced this as she was taking the in-depth ministry training at CLI. Through the Church and Ministry class at CLI, she learned God has a plan to include others in the great work of the gospel. How exciting is that!
Reflection on the In-Depth Ministry Training of the Church and Ministry Course
As I reflect over the course and the materials of this class, I am still amazed at how the Christian Leaders Institute is so thorough in-depth Ministry training. I know people that are attending Christian Institutions for this in-depth ministry training and I must say that I have learned what they have been taught and more! I feel so proud to be a part of this endeavor. All of the classes that I have taken have been exciting and insightful. I also must add that some of them have been quite challenging (Church History). Nevertheless, I will press forward to my prize in the high calling in Christ Jesus!
When I first started these classes my knowledge and power of Church and Ministry was probably at the brightness of a 20Watt bulb. The Church and Ministry course really opened my eyes as to what was the real purpose for the Great Commission. To GO! I was raised in Church. My family was always in church. My Mother and Father had nine kids, and the only place you can take nine kids, is too church! In all my days of being very active in church, church administration, and ministry, I was never taught to go. We were taught to stay, and stay, and stay. We didn’t go out to the highways and byways and minister to the lost. We were taught to just invite people to our church. We were never evangelizing, and developing leaders for discipleship. It is like we have totally missed the point of what salvation is all about. We have forgotten about bringing in the lost sheep. We are so caught-up in church doctrine and traditions, that we forgot the commission. We were planting our seed in the barn! In the BARN, nothing grows in the barn! Oh my goodness, we have missed it. That Church where I was raised has gone for 250 members to 25 (barely). There is no growth, all of the sowers plant there seed in the barn. The barn light was only at 20Watt, so I could not see the seed. Every time I went to another week’s section in this course, the light got brighter and brighter. Every new section brought more light, and it started letting me see more opportunities for sowing seed. “That is why the bible said that “The Sower sows the Word”. We sow the word in the world not just in the barn.
I was so touched when I read about mobilizing leaders to replace me, and start their own groups. Recognizing their gifts and allowing them to utilize their gifts for the Kingdom of God. As Ministry leaders we sometimes think that we have to do it all. We can’t. We are acting like Elijah, when he said Lord and “I’m the only Prophet left”. The Lord should have responded with get a grip Elijah; “there are 7000 others that have not bowed down to Baal”. There are people out in these small groups that want to use their gifts for the Lord. It is our duty to train them, show and teach them hospitality, and then let them go and sow into the world’s harvest. This in turn will allow them a place in the barn to worship God and not to just which the seed start to decay.
In conclusion, I must add that this course has lit a fire up under me. The fire light is shining so bright in the barn (in me), that I think it is now a 100watt bulb.
So this is the message. If you’re in a leadership position in the church, you’re not alone. God has set aside from His congregation many others who can ease your burden of leadership. Ask of Him, and He will provide all that you need and more. That is what God is trying to tell us. “Get a grip. You don’t have to do it alone. I’ve provided helpers for you.” God helped Elijah and even started a school of the prophets.
Mother Teresa lived from 1910 until 1997. She dedicated her life to blessing the poorest of poor and even creating an organization of women warriors who still passionately love the unlovable. 
Mother Teresa once said, “Keep the joy of loving the poor and share this joy with all you meet. Remember works of love are works of peace. God bless you.”
Wikipedia says this about Mother Teresa:
She began her missionary work with the poor in 1948, replacing her traditional Loreto habit with a simple white cotton sari decorated with a blue border. Mother Teresa adopted Indian citizenship, spent a few months in Patna to receive a basic medical training in the Holy Family Hospital and then ventured out into the slums. Initially she started a school in Motijhil (Calcutta); soon she started tending to the needs of the destitute and starving.In the beginning of 1949 she was joined in her effort by a group of young women and laid the foundations to create a new religious community helping the “poorest among the poor”.
Her efforts quickly caught the attention of Indian officials, including the prime minister, who expressed his appreciation.
But This Story Isn’t About Mother Teresa
The woman in this story isn’t Mother Teresa, but she has the same vision. She wants to bring Christ to a world where he is mocked, persecuted, and even despised. When her efforts are recognized by the authorities, her reward is not thanks for her servitude. She is not revered and honored by the world for her piety. Rather, she is rewarded with beatings, false accusations, and hatred. Despite this, her love for her people pushes her ever forward to preach the gospel. This is the story of God’s love that surpasses all human understanding. This is the story of Elizabeth, a woman of love in a harsh place:
My name is Elizabeth. I live in Senegal a Muslim dominated country where Christians are few and mostly foreigners. Ministering in this country hasn’t been an easy task. Eighty percent of my country is Muslim. And a good portion of them are traditionalists, ritualists and occultists.
Most in my country see Christian leaders as evil and at times will beat you or throw one accusation or the other at you. So it takes determination, tolerance and sacrifice to do ministry in this country.
I grew up as an orphan in a Muslim family. My education was sponsored by Roman Catholic reverend sisters, who told me about Jesus Christ. I struggled before I knew Christ. I almost died because of the sinful life I led. But thanks be to God, his grace saved me. At the age of 15, I attended a crusade by Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke that totally changed my life, I became so inquisitive to know Jesus and by his grace I have been able to know him.
I became passionate to share Christ here in this country seeing so many atrocities and wickedness going on. Our people are lost in sin, they don’t know about heaven or hell. Even many who call themselves Christians here are very worldly and weak. I am called to evangelize and win souls to Jesus and teach them about the kingdom of God. I am also called to preach the Word of God to the unsaved souls, turning the hearts of dying people to know Jesus Christ.
I am called to be an EVANGELIST. I want to go to the villages, rural areas and many other places to preach the gospel of Christ. I have had so many challenges in my life. I especially have a passion for orphans and less privileged and I have adopted two of them. I have received beatings and accusations because I want to bring Jesus to my adopted children and others.
My local church has been so helpful to me, they encourage me when I feel like giving up. This church gave me a job, and the pastors pray for me.
This scholarship at Christian Leaders Institute will empower and train me for this great calling in the ministry. It will teach me so many things I need to know about myself, God and ministry. It will help me to be presentable and effective not just as an evangelist but as a trained evangelist. Thank you for sponsoring my education!
Christian Leaders Institute is blessed to train a new generation of leaders who, like Mother Theresa, have no regard for themselves, but they have a calling to love the unlovable and proclaim the love of God even in desperate places like Senegal.
Recently someone challenged me on the reason high quality ministry training is free at Christian Leaders Institute. This person was very impressed with the curriculum. He thought the quality of our accredited professors would be a quality line up in many accredited Seminaries. He believed that students should be paying seminary tuition for these courses.
I mentioned that generous supporters give almost $700,000 annually. Included in these numbers are the donations of students. I told him that in December of 2013 over 200 students gave nearly $10,000. I really thought that this would impress him. It certainly impressed me. He responded by challenging me with more questions.
The Challenges to Pastoral Ministry Training Free of Charge
The questions he asked included: “Why are you doing this? Why are you keeping it free? What don’t you make the students pay a fair price? You have a great business model. You could monetize your assets. You could get a higher end student base, and you could sell them books and classes.”
I responded, “Jesus did not charge his disciples and Paul did not charge Timothy.” I really think that the Kingdom should give everyone the opportunity to be trained with the highest quality possible ministry training free of charge.
“You can’t save the world with your good intentions. If you make your students pay, you will get better students you do not have to strive to get donors to give,” He said. “You do all this work to try to get me and others to give so that you give this away for free.”
Why Ministry Training Should be Available Free of Charge
This discussion made me consider again the question of free. Why do I think the Kingdom of God should give every potential leader the opportunity for high quality ministry training, whether they are poor or rich?
I prayed and searched the scriptures seeking to identify my motivation. Is my calling to raise up leaders? Yes, clearly. Is it possible to do because we can use technology to keep cost low? Yes, that too. Did God gift me to do this and give to me the disposition to serve Christ this way. Yes, I believe that. Do I love big challenges, which include solving big problems including giving everyone the best possible ministry training for free. Yes. I love big challenges. Do I like systems where motivated leaders raise to the top? Yes. Do I think we need to raise up thousands of leaders to bring revival? Yes. Do I think that God will use pretty rough people who have no money or opportunity to be the future church leaders? Yes! Do I think that the “Accreditation” system is just simple unjust because it keeps high quality ministry training out of the reach of most called leaders? Yes, with no offense to my friends in the world of accredited academia. I believe that for the majority of called leaders this is true.
But the answer came to me when I was talking to one of our thousand of students. She is a widow with teenage children from Gary, Indiana. She lost her husband over a decade ago leaving her with no money. As I heard her story, I felt a deep and Godly love for her. I wanted her to have everything we offered free of charge. She told me of her calling to minister to other women who faced great harm and loss.
Honestly, I don’t want her to pay for anything. I really love her as a sister in the Lord. It is not just about calling to train leaders. I want to bring all my calling, passion and gifts to the table so that this woman warrior gets what she needs.
I believe she is a high quality student. The highest quality student is the one who is passionate to serve God with her life. It’s not money and resources that determines quality. Does God call people because they’re upper middle class citizens? No! God calls people because He has plans for them. If God calls me to offer free training for these called leaders, who am I to stand in the way of God?
1 John 3:17 But whoso has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?
So when someone asks me why do you offer advance ministry training free of charge? I know that in my heart I love our brothers and sister in Christ who are called into Christian Leadership. I want to give them what ever I have! I have been given so much. I want to give them what they need!
And honestly, I feel like our students understand this at a level I many never know.
And when God calls somebody to preach the word, there is no choice for them! It doesn’t matter whether they have the money and resources to relocate to a seminary. The apostle Paul tells us, “ For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” If God calls people to Ministry in His kingdom, they will preach His word. They will seek training, because every called leader recognizes their need for training. But if they can’t afford training how can they continue in their calling? But how can they not continue in their calling? Who are we to deny the poor of this world, who God has chosen to be rich in faith, the opportunity to be trained for ministry in His kingdom?
And you know what? I have seen an amazing response from students to this gift. Students who have barely enough to survive have given 50 cents for the month because that was all they had in the bank. They were so grateful for the opportunity to increase in the knowledge of God and of His word that they gave everything they had to give to Him! How can I, in my abundance, look at this incredible spirit of giving and thankfulness to God and want to deny these called leaders ministry training?
God loves this world so much that he sent his only son. God loved me to bring me to salvation. I am called to love our brothers and sisters in need. The need for free ministry training is pressing! I want every called leader to not only be an “evangelist” but a “trained evangelist”. The love of Christ compels me and my love for my brothers and sisters inspires everything we do at CLI. I want to give it all away.
[wpdf ar=cli_donor]