Free Pastoral Training
Do you need free pastoral training that can be accessed from your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer? (Learn more about Studying the Bible, Click Here)
According to the Lausanne Movement, 95% of pastors have no formal training.
Did you know that only 5% of all pastoral leaders presently in ministry have received training? This means that as many as 2 million pastors around the world are ministering without the training, skills, and relationships necessary to flourish in sustained ministry. Ramesh Richard emphasizes the pressing need for ‘building a global pipeline’ to care for pastors–for ultimately, pastoral health is tied to church health. (Source)
Christian Leaders Institute started in 2006 with the goal to raise up Christian leaders who are trained and ready to serve.
Since that time, over one-hundred free ministry courses have been added. CLI’s Leadership Excellence School emerged offering more programs, including low-cost college credentials.
James Wehner Receives Free Pastoral Training
Free Pastoral Training – My name is James Wehner and I’m from the United States. I came to know the Lord after a very hard time in my life; I went through a divorce and was a single dad. When I met my (now) wife, LeeAnn, she introduced me to church and showed me what a personal relationship with Jesus can look like. In church, I heard uplifting worship music,
easy-to-understand messages, and had elders pray with me many times after the service. Over time, I came to understand that God wants a relationship with us, opposed to just going to church out of obligation. In James 2:19 we’re told plainly, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.”
I began to realize that all of my life prior to this, I’d been treating God like a genie in the sky or like Santa Claus. I would plead with Him, put up my wishes and hope for the best. I’d make promises to Him that if He’d just give me what I desired, I’d change, stop sinning, and behave myself. Whether I got what I wanted or not, I quickly forgot about Him until my next crisis.
I never had an example of a Godly, strong, spiritual man in my life. This has been something I’ve needed a lot of grace to grasp and is a constant journey I’m on. As I mature in my walk, I feel called into ministry. In particular, I want to lead men and teach them that they can overcome their childhoods, lay selfishness aside, and step into the role God has for their lives. It’s my belief that God created men with a distinct purpose: To protect and provide for their families and to lift other men up in the faith.
Free Pastoral Training
When I become a pastor, I hope to bring life experience to the table, as I’m entering the ministry in my early forties. I believe that my lifelong knack of making people laugh will come through in my sermons. When Jesus saved me, He did not take my personality, but rather is showing me that it’s my calling to use the funny side of myself to disarm people and allow them to enjoy church again.
Without the support of my wife, I wouldn’t and couldn’t enter into pastoral work. She encourages me daily and feels just as strongly about my mission as I do. We hope to use our past failures, particularly divorce, to encourage married couples that with willing hearts, marriages can be saved. Marriage is the foundational relationship in the Bible, and we aim to preserve as many as we can and see them not only survive, but thrive.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
As a pastor, one of my main purposes will be to see that no one falls through the cracks or feels unnecessary in my church. When I was looking for a church home, so many churches didn’t return calls, reach out after I filled out a communication card, and even felt like closed circles or clubs. I will make it my mission to throw the church doors wide open to visitors and new people and let it be known that I want to personally know my parishioners. I want to establish a “come as you are” feeling, for the church, I lead to feeling like a true church family, not a place to spend an hour on Sundays.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and may God bless you in your journey.