A recent graduate of the Bachelor of Divinity degree program, Patrick Mwongera reflects on his time at Christian Leaders Institute and the ways in which the courses and training have made him feel equipped for ministry in the future.

Fear and Uncertainty

I discovered CLI in 2013. With lots of excitement, I enrolled in the first course, but stopped halfway after someone discouraged me from pursuing the studies. They claimed that seminaries are bad for serious ministers. In 2016, things took quite a different turn and it was a dark day in our country for the cause of Christ. Our hearts melted with fear and uncertainty. The Government of Kenya passed a law that had a direct impact on how to run a church in Kenya. One of these requirements was that a minister of the gospel MUST have a theological degree to be allowed to practice ministry in Kenya. The law introduced hefty penalties such as time in jail if these conditions were breached.

Proper Ministry Training

It was a gloomy future for most men and women who were called into ministry in our country – including myself. Global statistics on higher education state that more than 90% of the world does not have access to higher education. As president Reyenga puts it, the reason much of the population is locked out of higher education or a college degree is because of the high fees required to attain a degree.

My feelings about this were torn between two good things. We all know that a lack of proper ministry training has been the cause of many bad things that have happened in the church worldwide, including in my own country. On the other hand, I knew that there are so many men of God who did so well in ministry without higher education. Men of God like Dwight L. Moody and most importantly many of the Apostles did not possess degrees. However, what they did with the help of Godly mentoring stands out in history.

To put it politely, my ministry dream vanished before my very eyes. I gave up on ever going back into ministry. I suddenly remembered CLI, but as soon as I did, my heart sank. At this time, I did not think CLI was offering any degree programs. Nevertheless, I decided to check it out. It was beyond my wildest dreams: CLI was offering degrees! A Bachelor of Divinity degree was among them, and I cannot explain the joy that I felt!

Equipped for Ministry

This training has equipped me for ministry. I have come to appreciate the way our professors lecture. They are not simply giving us knowledge, but rather imparting the faith! When I started at CLI, I did not know what was ahead of me. Having gone through all the courses; my Christian faith, walk with God, ministry, and business have all been greatly impacted. These professors love God with undivided devotion. They are dedicated to the covenant of marriage to their wives and their service to the Lord for so many years. And yet, their devotion and perception of God has remained unchanged and untainted by the current trends among the learned theologians.

This has been the greatest impartation I have gained thus far. As I was listening to them, my faith grew significantly. They are defenders of the faith and this hit me so hard. I had to change the way I preached the gospel, how I read the Bible, and how I relate to the preaching of others. Many of my friends in ministry and life have noticed the change.  CLI made me more aware of the mistakes I have made in my preaching and general ministry career.

I’m eternally grateful to CLI. I must confess, the bible became alive when I got into Biblical interpretation. Although the videos did not have transcripts, I drank in every word of like a hungry-and-dying man. The tours through the biblical sites were the most amazing journey I have ever taken. His interpretations left me longing for the next video and the next site tour. I waited with great earnestness for the next site and its interpretation.

Ministry Dream

I became a pastor at the age of 24 after I went through a certificate ministry training that prepared me for leadership. However,  this training did not include subjects like Hermeneutics or Biblical Interpretation among many more things that I have studied at CLI. After serving for 13 years in different capacities with my denomination, I quit the ministry. This is a long story, but the short version is that I burned out.

Without anyone by my side to help me navigate, the ministry dream became blurry. Things have really changed since then. At the onset of the studies, President Reyenga asked “what’s your dream?” and later, questions from Professor Elzinga awakened in me the desire to serve again. It was through these personal probing questions that I had to be honest with myself. My purpose became clear and I had to study to be equipped to train other revival leaders.

I am graduating as a different man. I know exactly what I want to do with my training, and how to do things that a servant of the Lord should know and do. No longer will I leave the work I should do to the Holy Ghost, but will do my work and allow the Holy Ghost to do his part. I’m his well-equipped partner in the assigned field, the ‘sphere of influence’ as Larry put it in his Developing House Church class. In the next few days, I will be going for a season of prayer and fasting to plan the planting of a house church in our community with the intention of growing it to become a community church within one year.

Opportunity to Serve

Studying at the institute been the best moment of my life. I have become deeply engaged with CLI’s mandate and vision through monthly Vision Partnership; and now I am also privileged to serve as a volunteer in growing CLI in my home country of Kenya. We have made major leaps in growing CLI here. Our main work is to motivate the students and uplift those who have stagnated in their studies. Through this initiative, we have seen more and more start their studies again. The number of enrollments has also risen significantly. I’m glad to say that at last CLI has given me an opportunity to serve and use the training I have received to impact my generation and my nation.

Christian Leaders Institute is affiliated with the Christian Leaders Family of ministries and Websites;

Christian Leaders NFP (Ministries) Family

Christian Leaders Institute is a program and subsidiary of the Christian Leaders Ministries, which includes the Christian Leaders Institute, Christian Leaders Institute, and Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA).

Important note: Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders Institute share the same educational platform. All students start at the Christian Leaders Insitute. They are allowed to enroll in the free college-level courses offered by the Christian Leaders Institute. In order to receive college credit for those free courses, they need to be accepted into the Christian Leaders Institute.

Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) (You are at the college website)

Christian Leaders Institute is the collegiate credential arm of Christian Leaders Ministries.  Christian Leaders Institute seeks to maintain the standards of accredited programs.

• Christian Leaders Institute is seeking to comply with the 24 standards of accreditation.
• Christian Leaders Institute has Applicant Status with the ABHE Association for Biblical Higher Education. Click here for details. 

Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA)

CLA provides you with a local minister licensing or ordination option with global recognition. Free studies at CLI, where you earn mission credentials, are all that you need for the ordination process. Your credentials at Christian Leaders Institute are also welcomed. Life Coach Minister Credentials are also available through the Christian Leaders Alliance.

Ignite Restoration

The American criminal justice system incarcerates almost 2.3 million people. There are 840,000 people on parole and a staggering 3.7 million people on probation. Christian leaders are being raised up inside prisons and outside of jails to proclaim the light to those in darkness.

Ignite Restoration is one of the Christian Leaders Ministries whose goal is to mobilize restorative justice leaders through training and ordination. Ignite Restoration is piloting the launch of the New Life Card. This restoring reputation card is a possible tool for local ministries to serve justice individuals.

Brian DeCook heads this Christian Leaders Ministry from Fort Wayne, Indiana.

CHRISTIAN LEADERS MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES

Spanish Christian Leaders Institute – Instituto de Líderes Cristianos

Over 400 million people speak Spanish in the world. There is an excellent openness to the light of the gospel.

Since 2016, Spanish Christian Leaders Institute has been reaching Spanish speaking Christian leaders with free ministry training classes. Thousands of Christian leaders are enrolling, hundreds have graduated. See Spanish Directory

One World Nations Spanish Language Table

Spanish Speaking Countries in Africa
Equatorial Guinea
Spanish Speaking Countries in the Americas and the Caribbean
Argentina	Bolivia	Chile
Colombia	Costa Rica	Cuba
Dominican Republic	Ecuador	El Salvador
Guatemala	Honduras	Mexico
Nicaragua	Panama	Paraguay
Peru	Puerto Rico	United States
Uruguay	Venezuela
Spanish is the official language** in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Chinese Christian Leaders Institute

In 2016, the Chinese Global reach began. Nearly one billion people speak Chinese. The opportunity for global impact is increasing as Chinese is spoken in a significant area of Asia.

Over 12 free ministry training classes have been developed, and many more are planned. Chinese ministry training classes are usually done by distinguished Chinese professors.

One World Nations Chinese Language Table

Chinese Speaking Countries in Asia
China	Hong Kong	Macau
Tibet (Tibet Autonomous Region within PR China)	Singapore	Taiwan (Republic of China)
Countries with a significant number of Chinese speaking population (more than 5 million)
Indonesia (Java and Bali)	Malaysia (Peninsular)	Thailand
Mandarin is an official spoken language in China, Taiwan and Singapore. Cantonese is an official spoken language in Hong Kong and Macau.

Russian Christian Leaders Institute

In 2018, four free ministry training classes were developed for the Russian Language. The plan for 2019 is to develop four more ministry training classes. Over 150 million people speak Russian. The urgent goal is to mobilize Russian Christians who are scattered through out the world.

Most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, Russian is spoken in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, the official (or co-official) language in 4 countries (ISO), spoken in 31 countries (E). Source

French Christian Leaders Institute

In 2014-2017 over twelve ministry training classes were offered to the French-speaking world. French Christian Leader Institute features free classes. The classes developed by Dr. Paul Mpindi are available to French-speaking Christian Leaders worldwide.

The need for trained ministry leaders in French Africa is urgent.

One World Nations French Speaking Table

Francophone countries of the world. List of countries where French is native language, or French is regularly in use.
French-Speaking Countries in Europe
France	Belgium	Luxembourg
Monaco	Switzerland
French-Speaking Countries in Africa
Algeria	Benin	Burkina Faso
Burundi	Cameroon	The Central African Republic
Chad	Comoros	The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Congo, Republic of the	Côte d’Ivoire	Djibouti
Equatorial Guinea	Gabon	Guinea
Madagascar	Mali	Mauritius
Morocco	Niger	Réunion
Rwanda	Senegal	Seychelles
Togo	Tunisia
French-Speaking Countries in the Americas and the Caribbean
Canada	French Guiana	Guadeloupe
Haiti	Martinique
French-Speaking Countries in Australia and the Pacifics
French Polynesia	New Caledonia	Vanuatu
French is the official language** in Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, the Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, France, Guinea, Haiti, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Monaco, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, and Vanuatu.

 

In 2015, Clayton Moore first began studying at Christian Leaders Institute. Five years later, he is a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Divinity degree program. Read on to hear how his journey has been made possible by God’s plan for him all along! 

The Entire Story

I had a frustrating experience in church one Sunday morning. I cannot recall precisely what the minister was talking about; likely because I was so caught off guard when he abruptly ended his message after about fifteen minutes. As everyone prepared for communion, I could not shake off the fact that I was waiting for the rest of the story; (his sermon). I’m sorry to say that this had become the worst experience in church I have ever had. I left church that day in such amazement, even as my wife was telling me to “let it go”. I could not let it go that day and truthfully, I am still very perplexed. However, this experience clarifies extraordinarily the value that Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) brings to its students every single day. I have never been left ‘holding the bag’ so-to-speak by any class at the Institute or the College.

It was also this experience that made me realize how, to me at least, church came off as being little more than a pageantry of ceremonies. Church had become little more than a Broadway Stage Show, with the focus on all the music, singing,  announcements, ceremonies, and precessions. I’m not naïve, however. I certainly realize that this church does not reflect the whole of Christ’s body. Christian Leaders Institute provides the entire story. It also has successfully created an environment that filters away virtually all denominational biases. It trims off the unnecessary fat and presents the meat of the topic at hand.

Online College Experience

Even though I have been studying “online,” I feel more connected, in a personal way, to other CLI students and some of the staff. I know the reservation that some have toward a completely online college experience. Others question the effectiveness of courses and the weighing of a certificate or degree. However, I also see how much of the lack of acceptance is waning as we move forward in a post-coronavirus world. I was utterly amazed when I first happened across CLI on the internet. And it has been nothing but extended blessings ever since I enrolled. With virtually all students around the world currently doing 100% of their school/college work online, suddenly the hesitation to be accepting of online schooling and its credentials seems to be disappearing. If I dare say it, I have no problem being a CLI Apologist.

Another great testament to Christian Leaders Institute I’ve discovered is the number of people beginning studies here that are already ordained ministers and have been so for many years. I feel them wanting to either refresh their work through the continuing education courses or learn something that may have been outside their own little circles throughout the years.

The Impact of CLI

Although he did not expect the impact that Christian Leaders Institute would have on him, it was completely made possible by God’s plan for him and his life.

I sincerely never thought that CLI would have the impact on me that it has had. I am ministering to hundreds of people each day in different ways. My passion to preach Jesus as the Christ has never been more alive as it is now and with all I have learned since I first enrolled in Christian Leaders Institute. I know that during my journey, CLI has also been growing and not only in the number of courses it offers. The school is becoming focused on interacting in a more personal way, as much as possible with its students. The addition of Christian Leaders Institute and its impending accreditation helps to invite even more people to study.

Encouragement, I learned over the past 55 plus years, does not in many ways find its way to people. So, it’s sometimes not easily accepted when it is given. It is a pleasure to deal with and in some cases chat with the CLI staff throughout the day. They have all been such an encouraging force behind me, standing in the wings.

Connecting With Students

I also am very appreciative of CLI giving me the opportunity to volunteer. I pray that I am making a positive impact in the role they have blessed me to be in. CLI has been such a blessing to me. It allows me to gain experience every day through corresponding with CLI students. Each day, I reach out to between 40 and 50 students a day offering congratulations. I also reach out and welcome every new student. I get to connect with myriad of the students via Facebook, answering questions, pointing them in the right direction, and in some cases even asked to counsel on course paths and ministry career decisions. In other words, a School Counselor, if you will.

I love connecting with and hearing back from the myriad students around the world. It’s truly amazing how CLI connects all of us in a ministerial bond. This in itself touches me because I always enjoy meeting people outside of my own little world. From Africa to China, from Germany to Italy, India, and beyond, I get to chat with other students. I offer some advice here and there (as someone who has been through the CLI experience), encourage them, and share the word of God.

Made Possible by God’s Plan

So, how does my journey and everything I have learned with CLI manifest in my daily life? I make a concerted effort each day to pray and ask God to glorify His name and the name of my Lord Jesus to all the world. Everything we do, everything we learn, share, and teach all comes down to ensuring that Jesus and God are glorified. I also remind myself that if the work of Jesus is not touching me and making an impact on my life and family, then it is not touching and making an impact on those I share Him with.

Everything I have learned and accomplished while studying here at CLI, was made possible by God’s plan for me, not my own. Throughout the past decade and half, as I can see it now in hindsight. God was surely calling the shots the entire time. This is evidenced by all the people He put along my path to not only get me back to Him, but to make me, yes me, a disciple of Jesus and to share Him and His work with anyone I can. I could not have reached this place in my life without Christian Leaders Institute, without the encouragement of my wife and family, and with God making it all possible.

As a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Divinity degree program, William Arnold shares the impact of being firmly planted in the good soil of God’s Word.

Good Soil

What an incredible journey it has been at Christian Leaders Institute (CLI)! I started my studies at CLI three years ago after having previously attended a “brick & mortar” Bible College. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew God led me here, and where God leads there is always blessing. When I think of studying at CLI the word “Growth” is what stands out most in my mind. The Parable of the Sower is such a good analogy for CLI. I think of the seeds in the Parable like students looking for fertile ground to grow in. Not only do they grow strong and healthy when they are planted in good soil, but they “grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times” (Mark 4:20). Jesus explained the Word of God is the soil. The multiplication is at the heart of the great commission. That is CLI’s core mission and has been true of my studies: growing in the Word of God and becoming a revival leader to multiply Jesus’ disciples.

Biblical Growth

Every CLI course is planted in good soil: God’s Word. One of the wonderful things I found in many courses was scripture memorization. I have been led many times to share scripture that I knew because of CLI courses. There are a few keys I have taken away from my study of the Bible at CLI. One is a deeper understanding of the word itself in Dr. Feddes Theology courses. Another is a better understanding of the background of Biblical times in courses like Old and New Testament history and Biblical Interpretation. The third are tools to pull out some of the deeper context such as Hermeneutics and Exegesis. Overall, my growth in Biblical understanding and developing a Biblical worldview have increased tremendously during my time at CLI.

Spiritual Growth

Spiritual growth is where Biblical knowledge becomes Biblical application. I found many courses focused on the spiritual life itself as a result of being planted in good soil. I think this is one way theology has been such a blessing: it teaches the real-life application of the scripture. In my studies, courses that specifically focus on the daily Spiritual walk have been abundant at CLI. The course in Prayer and the course on Evangelism were both particularly impactful. As a result of those courses, both my prayer life and ability to evangelize have been sharpened.

Digging Deeper

I have also been challenged to think more deeply about my beliefs. Sometimes, those of us raised in the Church simply accept what we’re told, even if it’s basic like the belief in God. Although we are planted in good soil, sometimes that root isn’t as deep as it could be because we never dig deeper.

When I think of a challenging course Dr. Clouser’s “How Can We Know God Exists” course quickly comes to mind. For those of us who believe in God, it seems like a preposterous question to even ask. But as revival leaders it’s one we should ask, because the world does ask. This course asked me to think about what I believed and why I believe it. This has deepened my spiritual walk, and now I encourage other believers to think about why they hold certain beliefs. This, too, is part of the parable of the sower. It says, “Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away” (Mark 4:16-17). CLI has encouraged me to grow much deeper roots and to challenge others to do the same.

Ministry Growth

This is an of the area of growth I have appreciated the most at CLI. It is also part of what makes the course of study for a Bachelor of Divinity Degree unique. There are many ways a Christian can grow spiritually and in biblical knowledge. Good Bible studies, books, sermons, retreats, and many other ways – but most of these opportunities don’t focus on vocational or bi-vocational ministry.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus talks about the one who produces a crop of 100, 60, or 30 fold increase (Matt 13:23). I think about why some produce 30 fold and why others produce 100 fold. I ask myself: wouldn’t God want us all to produce maximum results for His Kingdom? If the answer is yes, and I believe it is, then what makes the difference in our yield? Just like Jesus raising up his own twelve disciples to lead the Church, ministry training and discipleship at CLI has raised the effectiveness of my ministry several fold.

There are also excellent nuts and bolts classes teaching how to organize and run a ministry effectively. Professor Elzinga’s Management by the Book provided practical leadership lessons that I immediately applied week after week. In fact, several issues and opportunities for growth in my Church would seem to come up right after I had finished a lesson. I was able to effectively work through those challenges as a direct result of the teachings that week.

What’s Next

In one of the first courses I took at CLI, Pastor Reyenga asked the profound question: “what is your Ministry dream?”, and I’ve prayerfully considered that question throughout my studies here. In part, my dream is to be the most effective bi-vocational minister possible. This is why I believe the Lord led me to CLI in the first place, and has blessed my ministry with increasing effectiveness as I’ve grown in the good soil here. I also plan to continue to take courses offered by CLI and continue to support CLI’s work as a Vision Partner.

As an alumni, I plan to complete the Christian Leaders Volunteer class and find ways to help other students follow their ministry dreams. I am also prayerfully considering continuing onto my Master’s degree at one of the graduate schools CLI has partnered with. Finally, I dream of starting a mentor center at my church to help give in-person support to upcoming revival leaders. One of the best ways to increase the harvest is to use the principles of discipleship and multiplication.

Those are some specific goals, but my biggest ministry dream is to allow that dream to evolve as the Lord continues to grow me in my faith and walk. The Professors in the courses didn’t just share information, they shared their hearts and stories of their lives and ministry journeys. It was a blessing to hear how their own ministries had evolved in ways they couldn’t have imagined. I pray that above all else, I’m open to what God has in store as he uses me, planted in good soil, to plant His seeds in fertile ground.