Christian Leaders Institute’s student Cheryl Jordan enrolled to learn and practice ministry and cater to inmates in jail. Here is Cheryl’s story about how CLI made it possible to Minister to Jails with free online training!
Minister to Jails with Free Online Training – Cheryl’s Story
Hi my name is Cheryl Jordan I am from the United States. I was born and raised in the United States. I am 53 years old. I grew up a methodist but am not a religion of any kind anymore. I believe in God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I believe in the trinity and that God is the only true God. I don’t believe in religion because it is man made. I believe every word of the Bible. Though we are free in America to practice religion and do ministry it is difficult due to so much evil in the world right now. And the fact that they have taken religion and God out of so many public places such as schools. It is truly a challenge.
I was introduced to church and God when I was very little by my mother in her church. It was a methodist church and I grew up going there. I really had no interest in it what-so-ever at that time. I went to church on sundays because mom made me. Once I got to be in high school it was my choice whether or not to go and I chose not to. Later at the age of about 19 I started going to a different church it was baptist. I liked it but really hadn’t changed my life style. I was living for me and my wants and desires. I was living in the flesh. Not good. Then I fell away from the church really until about 2007.
In 2007 I was at a local Mcdonalds when an aquantaince was there with his fiance. I had no plans of getting saved that day. I was going about my own business when I said “Hi to the aquantaince . He invited me to eat lunch with them and asked if he could pray for me. He prayed for me to receive the Holy Spirit. And WOW!!! I have never been the same since.
That day when I left Mcdonalds I felt like I was floating on air. I felt a love I had never felt before. God had knocked many times on my heart and I would not let him in. This one day all of the sudden it was like I surrendered and let him in. And he is AWESOME!!!!My ministry dream is to bring others to know God and his great love just as someone did for me.I want to minister to those locked up in the jail. I want to do jail ministry. I want to reach the brokenhearted. I have many things I want to do but the first and foremost is jail ministry.
I most identify with the word Pastor. It just feels right. Evangelism is great but I see myself more as a pastor than an evangelist.
I would say that I was prompted to pursue ministry because God has forgiven me much and poured out his grace and Holy Spirit on me to such a degree that I want to show others his great love. And when I was so lost he sent someone to save me when I did not deserve saving.
I would say the most unique challenge in my area would be the lack of faith in people in the schools, and just in society today.
My local church has supported me in my ministy calling by offering a volunteer chaplaincy and other christian teachings. And also I have done some ministry for One wholeheart ministry which is a healing ministry. We focus on trying to heal the heart.
My family is proud of how far I have come and the fact that I want to be an ambassador for God. Or in other words do ministry. They have seen some wonderful changes in my life.
A scholarship from CLI would be most important for my ministry dream because it is the only way I would be able to pursue my dream. I don’t have the money or time to go to a regular on campus college. And I have student loans that I am still paying off so I can’t get more in debt. It would give me the status I need to be taken seriously in my walk with Christ. And it will help me to learn all I need to learn so I can be a more effective minister or Pastor.
You can pray for me in my ministry by praying that the doors will start to open for me to start ministering in the jails. I have been trying to get in to the jails for probably about 4 years with no success. My past has sometimes held me back because though I am a new creature in Christ people often want to identify me with who I used to be. That person wasn’t a good person. But now I live for Christ and want to help others to find Christ as well.
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