Erick Florez –
“My name is Erick Florez, and I am 28 years old. I Live in Panama, City, Panama. God is blessing Panama as never before. Panama’s economy is growing as never before. Christianity is accepted here, although Catholicism is the predominant. We thank God that we can freely preach the gospel without persecution.
“I grew up in a Christian family. My grandparents are the senior pastors in the church. Although I knew the gospel from my childhood, I departed from the word of God for a few years.
“I want to serve the lord with my entire hearth. I know God is calling me to preach and to be a leader in my Church. God wants to do great things through our Church. Many people can come to know Jesus, build a relationship with Him, and Praise God for the things He has done. My main dream is to build a strong Worship Ministry at Church. For many reasons it has got weakened. I also want to teach people how to build a personal relationship with God in a practical way and how to go beyond belief to convictions. I want to be useful for my church in as many areas as possible.”
Erick Florez Receives a Scholarship
“It has been a blessing to find CLI. I was praying for the opportunity to study in a bible institute to get prepared for ministry, but unfortunately the options we have here in Panama are too expensive for my actual budget. The other issue I have is time, so having the opportunity to get prepared online works great for me. I really appreciate having a scholarship from CLI because based on what I have seen so far, I am convinced that I am going to get well prepared. You can be sure that I am totally committed.
“I would appreciate if you can pray for me, first physical strength since due to my schedule it sometimes gets hard for me to take time to pray/talk with God without getting sleep due to tiredness. Pray for the things God want to make in my church. Pray so God bless me with the gifts of the Holy Spirit so they can be used to edify the church. Pray so I can keep grounded and walking in God’s will.”
Stuart Harrison –
“My name is Stuart Harrison, I am 30 years old and originally from Luton, England. I have been living in Romania for almost 5 years now and more specifically in a small town called Balan for one year. In Balan, I am seeking to share the gospel with those in the town, working mostly with teenagers and children as I feel God has gifted me and directed me.
“Christian ministry in Romania has many challenges. Certainly the older generations, and to some extent the younger too, have very strong stereotypes regarding people groups, such as the Roma Gypsies, and denominational groups, such as Orthodox and Pentecostal. For example, a person is Baptist or Pentecostal rather than simply a Christian. It is hard for integration between denominations to occur even though this would be of great value – especially in small towns such as Balan where true believers are few. Events done under the Orthodox banner are disapproved of by the Baptists and vice versa – even if they are done in a similar way and with the same overall purpose.
“In addition to this, Balan is situated in a Hungarian speaking part of the country. However, Balan itself is predominantly Romanian speaking. There can be hostility between the two cultures and also with Roma Gypsies. The gospel doesn’t know those boundaries. It is vital for all people groups and denominations (Orthodox and Catholic being the main two in Balan). The challenge is to share this all encompassing gospel message with all people and help them break down their stereotypes and misconceptions about religion.
“Personally, I was brought up in England in a Christian home. I went to a Baptist church – which I still attend when back in the UK and have some level of support from for the work I am seeking to do in Romania. I can’t give a specific date as to when I became a Christian. I know God worked in my heart in many stages as my understanding grew. However, for me the most significant period in my life for helping to establish my own personal faith in God would have to be my time at university. Leaving home at 18, I now had the choice – do I continue in my walk with God? If I do, which church should I attend and how should I be involved there? It was a challenge for me to see others who were clearly Christians, but who had a different understanding of some theological issues and practical ways that the Biblical truths should be applied to our lives. It was a significant time for me, questioning what I had been brought up to believe to confirm or otherwise that it was accurate to the Bible. I’m grateful to God, my parents and my church leaders that in many things I grew more confident that what I believed was true. In some issues, my views had to change to be more in line with what I felt God said in His Word – but here also, it only served to make me appreciate the Bible more and to make a more personal stand for my faith.
“Now, I want to continue to live out my faith for others to see. While I’m in Balan, I hope to live a life that honors God and is a faithful witness to those around me. I sense a great need in this town for a church that is not limited by a denominational stamp but that embraces only the truth of the Bible and where all people are welcome and valued. I would love to see many come to a true faith and not just be nominally Orthodox or Catholic. I would love to see them passionate to live out their faith and make a stand for God in this town. I would love to see a growing unity between believers from other smaller churches here – where they can work together for the cause of God’s kingdom.”
Stuart Harrison Receives a Scholarship
“I want to tap into sound, solid resources that will remind me, confirm in me, challenge me and further teach me Biblical truth and skills in sharing this. This is why I have enrolled on the CLI program and wish to study additional modules in the coming months and years.
“Please pray for wisdom! Pray for my personal walk with God to grow and be an example. Pray for the things mentioned above – that God would work in individual lives and use me to this end in any way He chooses. Pray for my practical need – language development, finances, health, companionship and partnership in the work of sharing the gospel.”
Lonnie Cooper –
“Ministry in the United States is relatively easy. The area of east Liverpool, Ohio, in which i live, is currently and predominantly Christian. There are, unfortunately, still people who are unbelievers or have “hardened their hearts” to the lord. Maybe they just haven’t seen what its like to live as a true christian.
“As for my own faith, I grew up without any faith or religious views. I was raised around anger, hatred, sin, and things of the world. I also grew to know these things. I was full of anger and hatred for everything, even fellowship with other people. Then, sometime in the early nineties, I met my wife Susan. She grew up to know Jesus and the word of God.
“One sunday, she asked me to join her for church services, but I made excuses not to go. That afternoon, while susan was at church, I stopped at a small roadside stand to get a bite to eat. I sat at the counter and placed my order. Shortly after, an older gentleman came in and sat right next to me. He could have sat anywhere, but he chose to sit next to me. This made me angry, so I got in this man’s face and called him some severe obscenities hoping for a fight. As I stood there waiting for a reply, he looked at me and said, “your parents (he named them personally) should have brought you up in a better environment. It’s never too late to receive Jesus.” He dropped a few dollars on the counter and went out the door. I was flabbergasted because I had never seen this man before in my life and never had again. After a few seconds, I ran out the door after the man because I had alot of questions to ask. The man was nowhere to be seen. The street was empty. In shock and confusion, I drove to church where the congregation was just getting out of worship. I started asking questions, and the pastor put an arm around my shoulder and answered the questions that I so desperately needed.”
Lonnie Cooper Receives a Scholarship
“My ministry dream is for every head to bow down and every person to worship the Lord and live godly lives. I would like to further my own knowledge and grow in the Lord.
“I would appreciate prayers that my ministerial skills be used to please the Lord. Also pray that I glorify the Father to spread the good news of the gospel and advance in my own knowledge.”
Lonnie Cooper grew up in a home that taught him a bad model for life. He had no interest in Christ, but now Lonnie Cooper is living proof that God can reach any heart! Lonnie Cooper has turned his anger-driven, bitter life around through the grace and power of God. Now he wants to help others do the same. A scholarship at CLI is just what Lonnie Cooper needs to accomplish his ministry calling!
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