My name is Thomas Zalewski, from the United States of America. I am studying at the Christian Leaders Institute to become a Licensed Ministry Chaplain (Learn more about studying the Bible online, Click Here).
My Journey
I grew up in a family that went to church weekly. As a young boy, I was active in the church for many years. I spent many hours on my knees praying in church and at home.
In my young adult life, I knew and feared God. I thought by just knowing that God existed and being good (in my mind) was enough. I never read the Bible. The Bible in our house was a sacred book that only specific people such as a priest, minister, or parent could read.
While serving in the U.S. Military, God placed a couple of close friends in my life who helped me question my faith in a godly way. Through them, I learned to read the Bible and pray from my heart. I had never confessed to myself or others that Jesus was my Lord and Savior, nor was I aware I needed to. One quiet night in my barracks, I knelt before God and told Him I wanted to be 100% correct in following Him. I confessed I was a sinner and needed His saving grace and the power of the blood of Jesus my Savior in my life.
Desire to Continue Learning
My daily desire is to learn about Christ, by being in prayer, reading the Bible and Christian books, and taking Christian classes. I want to grow closer to God in biblical knowledge and understanding.
Recently, a close friend’s son asked me to officiate his wedding. I desire to honor God and the couple by officiating the wedding to the best of my ability. I was ordained via the internet by proclaiming that I believe in Jesus and clicking the submit button. Though I can legally perform a marriage ceremony, I wanted to be ordained by structured and reputable Christian-based organization.
Since becoming a student of the Christian Leaders Institute (CLI), I have taken the “Christian Wedding Officiant as a Minister” skills training course. Now, I feel more comfortable and confident in officiating weddings. I am licensed to officiate weddings by the Christian Leaders Alliance.
Chaplain Ministry Journey
Currently, I serve as the Chaplain at the VFW Post. However, I do not have any formal training on what a Chaplain’s duties are other than the VFW Chaplain’s booklet. I desire to learn more about counseling people during sickness, sadness, and joy. I want to be a good mentor to others along with being an example of what a real Christian is. My next learning journey is to become an actual Chaplain. Therefore, I will be enrolling in the “Licensed Ministry Chaplain” course.
I am very thankful to God that through a weekly Bible study with a friend, my friend mentioned CLI to me. This is a blessing and an answer to prayer. I’ve been asking God to help me learn more about Him and the Bible. I did not have a good structure outline on how to do this. Since the Lord directed me to CLI, I now have a set plan on how to achieve my goal.
I am thankful to God for His many blessings upon me. I am also thankful that He put together Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders Alliance. They are a blessing to many others seeking to grow closer to the Lord.
Licensed Ministry Chaplain Journey Continues
Since the time I initially wrote my profile above, I have completed the Wedding Officiant course and officiated my first wedding. I didn’t realize all the time that went into officiating a wedding, with the coordination, preparation, counseling, wedding rehearsal, plus the time in practicing the message and visualizing in my mind the wedding celebration.
Further, I have also officiated “Celebrations of Life” for the passing of a couple of people. I am learning the time and dedication required to be a minister. It is not only in the time needed to complete training/teachings, but also the time used in visiting assisted living centers, visiting the sick, attending funerals, and being available to others when they need someone to listen to them or to encourage them spiritually. These are the baby steps God has placed before me in preparing me to take more spiritually mature steps in my journey to be a well-rounded minister for Him.
In several months, I will complete the required courses to be a licensed minister and soon after to be a Licensed Ministry Chaplain. This is the goal I have set for myself. However, CLI has a lot of biblical training and teaching. Therefore, I will continue my studies in order to become more knowledgeable and trained with the intent to be more prepared in ministering to others.
Register for a Study Account
Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform, and the Programs offered, including:
- Minister Awards, Certificates, and Diplomas with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- College Degrees with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
