Ministry Training for Free at CLI

Online Ministry Training for Free

My name is Rochelle White, and I am receiving ministry training for free at CLI. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, in the United States of America, I am a divorced mother of two boys. I was with my ex-husband for 20 years, and from that union, we had Stanwyck (22) and Gabriel (19).

During my marriage, I was a stay at home mom focused on homeschooling my sons as well as my education. I obtained a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Business Administration, specialized in Human Resources. After that, I entered Concord Law School, where I obtained an Executive Juris Doctorate.

My parents divorced when I was a little girl. Our mother raised my oldest sister and me as a Baptist. We would go to church with my grandmother, but it was never consistent. I remember trying to listen to the pastor when he would speak but found that my mind would often wonder.

Saved by Grace

When I was 12, I remember there was this one sermon that hit me like a ton of bricks. I remember going up the aisle and giving my life to Jesus that day. But as a new Christian, I wasn’t exactly sure how to go about growing a relationship with God. My grandmother told me just to read my Bible.

All of my life, I’ve always felt that I was on the outside looking in. Like I never really fit in with any group. I always felt like I was alone. At the age of 14, I lived through a traumatic experience. Because of that experience, a friend of my mother’s invited me to go along with the kids from her church to church camp. So I took a friend of mine, and we joined them.

It was on that trip that I experienced God. I felt a heavy presence that seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I felt a peace like never before and no longer felt alone. My heart was completely open from that moment. By the time I came home from church camp, I had cried so much, especially if I had read or watched the news. I felt like my heart was breaking from seeing all of the devastating stories. I began feeling other people’s emotions and finding myself wanting to comfort them.

Marriage Struggles

Throughout my marriage to my ex-husband, I felt sad, stressed, and anger more than happiness, peace, and joy. I remember spending many days and nights talking to God, praying for my family, and for things to get better. My ex-husband was very emotionally and mentally abusive towards our children and me. I tried to teach our children about Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. However, my ex-husband always found fault with things. He would not take us to church, so the boys and I watched different pastors on the television. He did not approve of them either and made us stop. We had to pray the exact way that he wanted. Thankfully, God kept me sane through it all.

Divorce and Health Concerns

Eventually, I turned 35, and my ex-husband decided to leave me for a younger woman. At that same time, I had a hard time moving my body. I lost the ability to walk and moved in with my parents. On January 1, 2016, I fell into a coma for two weeks after my throat closed. When I finally woke, it was to find my entire life changed more than I ever imagined possible. I found myself going through a divorce and with a diagnosis of polymyositis and quadriplegia. I received a trachea peg tube and had the knowledge that the doctors told my family I was not going to make it.

The hospital chaplain came to visit me, prayed over me, and sang Amazing Grace. Every time he visited, he did the same thing. He told me to remember that God always takes care of His children. Lying in the ICU, I repeated over and over in my head: “By your stripes, I am healed, Jesus.” I almost died three separate times during that 8-week hospital stay. I held on to the belief that Jesus loves me. I sang that song over and over in my head. It was the only comfort during that time in my life.

My Spiritual Dream

I’ve always been the type of person that everyone turns to for guidance. I want to be a beacon of light to help others find the path to Christ Jesus. My sister encouraged me to seek out ministry training and become ordained since she is a minister as well. At first, I felt myself mentally running from God, saying, “Me? A part of the ministry?…no, no, no.” To hear God’s reply, “Yes, yes, yes.” I sought advice from my mother because she is the one person that understands why I feel or think the way I do.

I prayed and asked God if He had the right girl because I didn’t believe that I could be a minister. I knew I wanted to help bring people to Christ but didn’t think I fit the mold of what a minister is. Even though I regularly read the Bible, I did not believe I had such a grasp of it that I could confidently explain the gospel to others. The last thing that I wanted was to reveal Jesus to non-believers in such a way that it made them choose to stay away from Him.

Online Free Ministry Training at CLI

So here I am at Christian Leaders Institute with an open heart and an open mind ready to absorb everything that you can teach me. I hope to complete as many studies as possible. Since the significant life changes of divorce and polymyositis, I’m unable to work and considered medically retired. I’m on disability, so the money I receive from the government is used to pay the bills and take care of me.

Therefore, at this time in my life, I cannot afford tuition. That’s why I’m so thankful that CLI offers ministry training for free. The idea that I can heed the call of my Lord and Savior and not be hindered by a lack of ministry education means so much to me. With CLI’s training, I will finally be able to help others find Jesus. I will no longer lack confidence in myself for not being adequately trained in the gospel. I feel very blessed to have found a ministry training school that is willing to teach me. Thank you, CLI!

Learn about ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.