Future Chaplain Minister

Seeking a Life of Continued Service: Future Chaplain Minister

I am called by God to be a Chaplain Minister. I am studying to be a future chaplain minister at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about free Bible and ministry classes online, Click Here) and ordained with the Christian Leaders Alliance.

My Journey

As a young child, my family was very involved in the church. Both of my parents taught Sunday school. During the week, my father had an occasional prayer breakfast with other men. My mother stayed at home. She was a babysitter, and our house was filled with other young kids. My mom would go over her Sunday school lesson with the kids. They loved the stories. It was a great way to present the gospel to them and for her to practice her lessons.

Things changed in my teenage years. My parents put their faith to the side and began spending time in the bar – alcohol and partying replaced the Bible stories. They never denied their faith, they just stop practicing. It was this change in lifestyle that was detrimental to their marriage and our family. Eventually, they divorced – ending a 26-year marriage.

In the meantime, I graduated high school and joined the Army. The on-again, off-again faith plagued me for several years. I always felt secure in my faith. However, I lived in grace as I pursued worldly passions. I knew I was not living right. There were times I came back, putting the drinking and related lifestyle on hold to pursue my walk with God. Then, I would find myself weak and back in the world around me.

Changes for Good

However, the Lord never gave up on me. As I continued to seek Him and His will for my life, God revealed Himself to me. The times I strayed became fewer. The joy I received from the world diminished. I wanted nothing to do with it.

I met Rene in 1992. She had a real heart for the Lord. She and I were kind of in the same place with the world. I loved her from the moment I saw her. Her desire to know more about the Lord resonated with me. We began to spend more and more time in God’s word. When we met, I was training to be a Green Beret, which consumed a lot of my time. Rene had just completed four years of service with the Air Force. She came back to North Carolina for my graduation but then returned home and began school in Nebraska.

I was heartbroken. I thought she would stay, and we would be married. Rene and I had only known each other for six months. For four of those months, I was away in training. Two weeks after she started school, she decided to come back to North Carolina. Two weeks after that, we married. It was a small ceremony outside in the rose garden of Fayetteville Technical College. We are approaching 30 years of marriage. We raised two wonderful boys and now enjoy our grandchildren.

Family Life in Christ

My life experience convinced me that I wanted a stable, Christian home for our family. I knew I could not do it alone, it had to be her desire as well. God blessed us. It has not always been easy, nor has it always been pretty, but we have provided that stable constant example of faith for our family. God willing, we will continue to do so.

I like to say that we grew up with our kids. When they were in children’s church, we were serving in the ministry – spending time in the nursery and teaching. When they were in middle school and junior high, we taught those classes. It was the same for high school and young adults.

New Opportunities for Ministry

Now that we are empty nesters, we are seeking out other ministry opportunities. Rene has been involved with Bible Study Fellowship for over ten years. Now she leads a Woman’s Bible Study. I have recently been named post chaplain for the local American Legion Post. My goal is to continue serving the veteran community through various service organizations: American Legion, VFW, and the Special Forces Association.

The training I am receiving from the Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) is helping me to further define my ministry and to prepare me for that calling. So far, I have completed the licensed wedding officiant course and nearing completion of the Deacon Ministry Ordination. The process of training and ordination has been more beneficial than I imagined. We have examined our calling, discussed being tested, learned basic Christian doctrine, and much more. CLI is quality education, a worthwhile endeavor, and a true work of the Lord.

Future Chaplain Minister

Once I complete the Deacon Ministry Ordination class at CLI and ordination with Christian Leaders Alliance, my plan is to be ordained next as a chaplain minister. Ordination demonstrates a calling to ministry and a commitment to studying the Word of God. It shows competencies that will lead to more opportunities to serve others through ministry. Christian Leaders Institute has provided a path for me that might otherwise not be available.

Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the Christian Leaders College.