Journey to Ordination

My name is Warren Tenley, and I live in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Married for the second time, I have three children, three grandchildren on this earth, and a granddaughter in Heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ. I have a degree as a Registered Nurse, and at the time of this writing, I have 41 credits from the Christian Leaders Institute on my journey to ordination.

On My Journey

My youth was a confusing time for me. My mother believed in Jesus, but my father always criticized Christianity. Most Sundays, my mother took us to a Lutheran church. After my father spoke disrespectfully to the minister one day, my mother was too embarrassed to return, so we no longer attended church. My neighbor was from the Southern United States and attended small, independent churches. She would sometimes take me and one of my sisters to church with her. I gained a love of gospel music and evangelical preaching in those churches.

In my early teen years, most of my friends were Catholic. I started attending Catholic church with a friend and began the process of converting to Catholicism. However, I never completed the conversion.

Army Service and Family Life

I am a nine-year Veteran of the US Army. In the Army, I received training as a Medic and then a Respiratory Therapist. They assigned me to the US Army Burn Treatment Center for six years. That was a challenging time in my life, seeing all the suffering. However, I gained a lot of respect for the role of Military Chaplains and still hold them in the highest regard.

Sadly,  I did not raise my family in a Christian home, and I will forever regret that. Fortunately, my daughter gained a strong faith from other Christian witnesses and is raising my grandchildren in faith.

My Nursing Service

When I was 40, I completed my nursing education and began working in Long-Term Care. I became very interested in the Cultural Transformation movement in nursing homes, which creates a home-like environment. Instead of patients, they are residents. To change a culture, you must first change the language. The facilities are the residents’ homes, and they determine how their home is managed. I embraced this model of care and advocated strongly for the residents’ rights.

Eventually, I became a Patient Advocate and now oversee several Patient Advocacy programs. I have cared for people during illness my whole adult life. It really was a calling, even though I lacked faith.

My Faith Journey to Ordination

I lost a granddaughter when she was five months old. I struggled with why a loving God would let that happen. Further, I saw my wife struggle and be tormented by the passing of her mother. Again, I questioned a God that would allow suffering to continue.

I finally began seeking answers. Unchurched when I started to research biblical theories online, I found the Christian Leaders Institute (CLI). Along the way, I found my faith, and God saved me. I thank Jesus every day for CLI!

As I near retirement, I want to minister more. I even preach at my church. After my journey to ordination is complete, the church leaders plan to offer me a Pastoral position. Christian Leaders Institute and Alliance are a blessing to me. They are also a blessing for those who may not be able to afford this quality of education and ordination training.

Register a Study Account

Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling 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:

1. Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
2. 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.  

Find out more about women in ministry here.