Learning Preaching -Christian Leaders Institute is seeking to be God’s agent in bringing revival to the world. An important part of revival is presenting the word of God to churches and congregations all over the world. In the Bible school class Sermon Construction and Presentation, students will learn various approaches to preaching the word of God. Among the concepts they will be taught are key ideas to keep in mind when preparing a sermon.
By: Lisby
Here’s what Rick Lefebre, a student from Michigan, had to say about learning preaching at CLI.
Not that long ago the very thought of writing a sermon was completely overwhelming to me. I remember sitting in Pastor Mark’s office asking him a plethora of questions regarding sermons and preparations of outlines. Pastor Mark simply advised me to slow down, take a preaching class and start from the beginning like everybody else behind the pulpit had to do. I have to admit I was getting way ahead of myself; I needed to start with the basics.
…At the beginning of the class we learned of the many different styles of preaching that could be used: personal testimony, biographical-historical incident, topical, textual and spring board.
…What a blessing this class has been in receiving step by step information from intro to the prayer of application. The best part about preparing expository sermons is the fact that God has already given us the outline. It starts with 2 Timothy 3:16. The best advice I can think of that I have learned was first to pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and then start writing a skeleton outline, a few random thoughts is better than an empty page.
…I believe Christian Leaders Institute is doing an awesome job in training me to teach God’s Word. I’ve learned the art of pastoral care and now I’ve learned the trade of preparing and delivering sermons in this preaching class.
Learning Preaching at Christian Leaders Institute
When they join Christian Leaders Institute, all students must take an introductory course called Getting Started: Christian Basics Certificate that introduces them to the Bible school model. In this orientation class, students are also asked to introduce themselves to the faculty. There are literally thousands of students that start the Getting Started class every semester, but only about 10% of them make it through. Rick LeFebre is one of those students. Completing the Getting Started class allowed Rick to continue his studies and enroll in further courses at CLI. As we look at Rick’s review of one of the many courses offered at this Bible school, we hope that it will encourage other students to complete the Getting Started class so that they can also experience some of the quality Christian education that CLI has to offer.
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As Christian Leaders Institute continues to grow, we are always encouraged to see positive feedback from our Bible school students. Many courses ask for a final reflection paper where the student evaluates what he or she learned in the class and how it applies to life and ministry. In a reflection paper for Pastoral Care and Marriage, Thelma Williams-Grady talks about what she learned in this course.
“I think this [how to really listen] is one of the most important things I will take away from this course because you not only have to hear what people say but we must listen to what they say. There is a difference.” The concept of learning to listen to what people have to say comes hard to many people, but the exposure to this key element of counseling and care will stick with Thelma for years to come. Learning to listen will also strengthen her ability to lead, counsel, and care for others in the future.
Thelma talks about a lot of other things that she learned in Pastoral Care and Marriage, but she concludes by saying, “While counseling maintain and keep client information confidential. In our society we as church leaders need to support marriage not condemn it, because marriage support is at an all-time low. I will use this course to strengthen my own marriage. Please pray for me because I have a hard task ahead of me. People come to church to hear the word of God not gossip.” This last point is another key element of ministering to and counseling others. Gossip is always destructive, tearing down the person who is being gossiped about, the gossiper, and the listeners all at the same time. In fact, learning what not to listen to is often just as important as learning to listen. The lessons that Thelma shares from this course are ones that every Christian, not just leaders, should apply to their lives through the power of Christ.
Learning to Listen so We Can Better Share God’s Love
When she first joined Christian Leaders Institute, Thelma completed the course Getting Started: Christian Basics Certificate. In this class, students are introduced to the Bible school model at Christian Leaders Institute. They are also asked to write a brief letter talking about what brought them to Christian Leaders Institute as well as their ministry goals. In her letter, Thelma writes, “My dream ministry is to preach and teach the gospel the way that is becoming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have a testimony of how the lord has blessed me, and I just want to tell the whole world.” The desire to share God’s blessing in your life with others honors God and shows others that you truly believe that everything comes from Him, not from your work. Yet, just as in pastoral care and counseling, learning to listen to what the other person is saying can increase the impact of your message dramatically.
When Thelma completed Getting Started: Christian Basics Certificate, she received her Christian Basics Certificate. This is the first certificate offered to students at Christian Leaders Institute. Once students complete this certificate, they can move on and take any of the other courses offered here. It is a blessing to see the work that God is doing through these courses, and our prayer is that He will ever increase the number of people reached through Christian Leaders Institute.
At Christian Leaders Institute, students are asked at the end of some classes to submit a final reflection paper. Sometimes the courses offered at CLI impact students in amazing ways. One such student was David James, who wrote of his experience in the course Missions and Revivals.
“I found this course extremely valuable in several ways… …Living and working in South East Asia, I was particularly interested in the missions aspect within this course, although the revivals did hammer home one key message; prayer is always the starting point!” After talking for a few minutes about the power of prayer, David goes on to say, “Someone that I found most helpful to my own personal situation was John Williams… …He sent missionaries to Samoa in 1830 and in just seven years, over half the population had converted to Christianity. In the Christian History extract, it asks, “Why such spectacular growth?” and goes on to state, “Williams understood how much influence chiefs had in village life, and he intentionally sought to win them over in order to secure not only the respect of the community but also the admiration of other chiefs… …This really emphasized to me the need for a good understanding of local and national culture and attitudes. It’s often far too easy for us to think that the way we have been brought up is the only way and everything else is wrong. I think we need to remember that being different is often just that, different, not wrong.” David James has many other things to offer concerning the course Missions and Revivals, but in his conclusion he returns to the starting point: prayer. He says “I will continue to pray for guidance in this matter, knowing He will reveal His plan for me in His own time.” This is key for him to understand if he is to be an agent of God in bringing revival to South Africa.
Revival in South Africa Starts With Prayer and Training
David James began his studies at CLI with the course Getting Started: Christian Basics Certificate. This course serves as an orientation where students get acquainted with the Bible school model. Additionally, it asks students to fill out a profile and write a letter. These assignments allow them to introduce their ministry goals and reasons for studying at CLI. In his letter, David writes “My returning to the fold, as I like to see it, has been quite recent, although it’s been “getting there” for the last decade. As Was mentioned in the course, it’s often in our worst times we can come close to God. Even though I was away from God, He was never away from me. How true the “Footprints” poem is! I can see that where there was one set of prints, God was carrying me.” He also writes in his reflection paper that he has a deep desire to serve God in helping to bring revival to his country. It is the prayer of everyone at Christian Leaders Institute that the Lord does a great work through him. It is also our prayer that the training he receives here will equip him for everything that the Lord has in store for him.
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