Small Groups or Bible Studies are a staple of a local church. Local volunteers often fill these leadership roles at the local church. Christian Leaders Institute has designed a program of study that brings free ministry training to Christian Leaders. This program includes 26 credits of ministry training.
Steps to be ordained as a Small Group Minister
- Enroll at Christian Leaders Institute and complete the Getting Started Class: Scholar Orientation
- Complete the Deacon Minister Ordination program (10 credits)
- Take additional Ministry Training (20 Credits)
-
- Ministry 101 (3 Credits)
- Old Testament Survey (3 Credits)
- New Testament Survey (3 Credits)
- People Smart for Ministry (3 credits)
- Church and Ministry (3 credits)
- Developing House Churches (3 Credits)
- Deacon Minister Ordination (1 Credit)
- Ordained Small Group Minister Class (1 Credit)
Total Credits: 20 Additional Credits
- Take the Ordained Small Group Minister Class (1 credit) and order your updated ordination credentials. – Ordained Small Group Minister (1 Credit)
This one-credit hour class is for those leading small groups or Bible Studies. The dynamics of this course are centered around leading small groups at local churches. Your studies will focus on three areas. The first is Biblical content. The second is relationships and group dynamics. The third is communication.
As an Ordained Small Group Minister, your training will be for the following roles:
Small-Group Minister
House Church Minister
Bible Study Leader
Sunday School Teacher
Cell Group Leader
Becoming a Catechumen
Becoming a Catechumen: The Foundational First Step Toward a Lifetime of Ministry Impact
🥾 Rediscovering the Ancient Path of Formation and Calling
In the earliest centuries of the Church, new believers who desired to follow Jesus and serve His Kingdom entered a sacred season of formation known as the catechumenate. Those who joined this path—called catechumens—studied Scripture, practiced prayer, and received mentoring from mature believers.
This process was more than study; it was a time of discernment, transformation, and preparation for baptism and leadership within the Christian community.
Today, the Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA) has revived that same spirit of formation for modern ministry. Becoming a Catechumen at CLA marks the beginning of a lifelong journey of growth, learning, and multiplication as a Christian leader.
🌱 What Does It Mean to Be a Catechumen?
To become a Catechumen with the Christian Leaders Alliance is to begin a journey of ministry formation and spiritual growth. It’s the first step toward ordination and a life of purposeful service.
Every Catechumen completes the Multiplying Christian Leaders Course at the Christian Leaders Institute (CLI). This course introduces students to the Christian Leaders ecosystem, which includes:
Christian Leaders Institute (CLI): Free, donation-supported ministry and leadership training.
Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA): Recognition, endorsement, and ordination for qualified leaders.
After completing this first course, you will be:
✅ Recognized as a Catechumen in the Christian Leaders Alliance Directory.
✅ On a study-based pathway toward ordination.
✅ Beginning your journey of ministry identity and calling discernment.
This step isn’t just academic—it’s a declaration of faith that you’re ready to grow, serve, and be shaped by God’s call on your life.
📖 Formation Before Ordination
In a culture filled with “instant ordination” programs, the Christian Leaders Alliance takes a distinctly biblical approach to ministry preparation.
The CLA ordination pathway emphasizes real study, authentic formation, and community accountability—mirroring the wisdom of the early Church.
As a Catechumen, you will:
Study Scripture, theology, and leadership in depth.
Develop spiritual maturity and ministry competence.
Serve your church or local community with faithfulness.
Learn to mentor and multiply other leaders.
This process embodies the early Church’s conviction that calling must be cultivated, not claimed.
🌍 Lifelong Learning and Multiplication
Becoming a Catechumen is just the beginning of a lifelong journey. Many officiants, ordained ministers, chaplains, and ministry coaches within the Christian Leaders Alliance began with this simple step of obedience.
Even after ordination, every leader remains a Catechumen at heart—continually learning, serving, and growing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
From this foundation, you can continue into specialized ordination tracks such as:
Officiant Roles: Funeral, Ministry, and Wedding Officiant.
Minister Roles: Licensed Minister, Ordained Minister, or Minister of the Word.
Chaplain Roles: Officiating, Ministry, or Kingdom Chaplain.
Ministry Coach Roles: Life Coaching Minister or Identity Coaching Minister.
Each track builds upon your Catechumen foundation, forming leaders who serve with both knowledge and humility.
🔥 Why Becoming a Catechumen Matters
The Catechumen step ensures that ministry leadership remains:
Credible – grounded in real study and theological integrity.
Relational – affirmed through community and mentorship.
Reproducible – empowering new leaders to train others.
This model connects ancient Church formation with modern accessibility, ensuring that ministry preparation remains free, trustworthy, and globally available through the generosity of students and supporters.
🌿 Ready to Begin?
If you sense God’s call to ministry, your first step begins here.
📖 Enroll in the Multiplying Christian Leaders Course — the official starting point to become a Catechumen through the Christian Leaders Alliance.
✝️ Be recognized in the Christian Leaders Alliance Directory and begin your pathway toward ordination.
🌍 Join a global family of volunteer, part-time, and full-time leaders multiplying the gospel across every nation.
Your story of ministry formation begins today. Take your first step as a Catechumen—and begin a lifelong journey of learning, leading, and multiplying Christian leaders.
-
Becoming a Catechumen
Becoming a Catechumen: The Foundational First Step Toward a Lifetime of Ministry Impact 🥾 Rediscovering the Ancient Path of Formation and Calling In the earliest centuries of the Church, new believers who desired to follow Jesus and serve His Kingdom entered a sacred season of formation known as the catechumenate. Those who joined this path—called […]
-
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: Equipping First Responders to Bring Hope Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics often serve on the front lines of crisis. They arrive first at accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and tragedies—places where life can change in a matter of seconds. In those moments, physical rescue matters, but so does spiritual presence. That is where Fire/EMS […]
-
Christmas Chaplain Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas and the Christmas Chaplain: Carrying the Legacy of Saint Nicholas Before Santa Claus became a jolly figure in a red suit, there was Sinterklaas—the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra. His life, rooted in Christian faith and sacrificial generosity, offers a powerful example for anyone called to serve as a Christmas Chaplain today. 🎅🏻 The […]
🔗 Explore More Resources
🛍️ Check Out the Christian Leaders Store:
Everything to Equip Our Multiplying Christian Leaders
📘 Suggested Readings:
What Is the Christian Leaders Alliance? – Learn how CLA equips and ordains leaders through global partnerships.
Ordination Paths at Christian Leaders Alliance – Explore all ordination roles available through CLA.
Christian Leaders Alliance Directory – View the global network of ordained leaders.
Soul Centers: Ministry Starts Here – Discover how leaders create local ministry hubs through CLA.
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions:
How Do I Become Ordained at Christian Leaders Alliance?
What’s the Difference Between Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders Alliance?
How Do Local Endorsements Work for Ordination?
🌿 Next Steps in Your Ministry Journey:
Enroll in the Multiplying Christian Leaders Course – Start your study-based ministry journey today.
Explore Ordination Roles and Pathways – See where your Catechumen foundation can lead.
Learn About CLI Programs – Discover college-level, ministry-focused courses that deepen your growth.
🕊️ From Christian Leaders Institute:
Free Ministry Training at Christian Leaders Institute – Begin learning ministry, theology, and leadership with over 150 free courses recognized by the Christian Leaders Alliance.
🌍 Recommended External Reading:
For a historical perspective on the early Church’s catechumenate and discipleship process, explore this trusted resource:
Catechumenate in the Early Church – Encyclopedia of Early Christianity (Britannica) – Learn how ancient catechumens were prepared for baptism and ministry through study, prayer, and mentorship.
© 2025 Christian Leaders Alliance. All Rights Reserved.
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: Equipping First Responders to Bring Hope
Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics often serve on the front lines of crisis. They arrive first at accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and tragedies—places where life can change in a matter of seconds. In those moments, physical rescue matters, but so does spiritual presence. That is where Fire/EMS Chaplain Training comes in.
At Christian Leaders Institute (CLI), we believe that first responders and ministry leaders alike can be equipped to bring Christ’s presence into high-stress, high-stakes environments. Our Fire/EMS Chaplain Training program provides free, donation-supported courses that prepare volunteer, part-time, and full-time chaplains to serve with credibility, compassion, and confidence.
🧑🏼🚒 Why Fire/EMS Chaplains Are Needed
First responders face trauma daily. From holding the hand of a dying patient to comforting a family at the scene of a fire, chaplains step in to provide emotional and spiritual support. They are a vital presence not just for victims and families, but also for the firefighters and EMS crews themselves.
Many responders carry hidden stress, moral injury, and spiritual questions. A trained chaplain can walk beside them, offering prayer, counsel, and hope.
🚑 What You’ll Learn in CLI’s Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
This program covers essential topics designed to prepare you for this unique ministry role:
Our training is flexible, online, and accessible from anywhere in the world. Best of all, thanks to generous donors, this training is free to enroll. Students are invited to give as God leads, making this program sustainable and expanding access to more chaplains globally.
🚨 Start Your Fire/EMS Chaplain Training Today
Whether you are a firefighter, EMT, paramedic, pastor, or volunteer minister, the need is urgent, and the opportunity is real. Through donation-supported online training, Christian Leaders Institute equips you to serve with excellence and credibility.
If you sense God calling you to this front-line ministry, begin your training today.
⭐️ Christian Leaders Alliance: Equipping Called Leaders for Ministry Impact
The Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA) is a global network of recognized Christian leaders who have completed ministry training through Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) and have been formally ordained to serve in their calling.
❤️ Our Mission
CLA exists to recognize, support, and credential Christian leaders who are biblically trained, spiritually mature, and actively serving God in their communities.
Whether your calling is to officiate weddings, preach, counsel, plant churches, or care for others, the Christian Leaders Alliance offers a structured and spiritually enriching path to ordination and clergy recognition.
Our Distinctives:
🌱 Why Christian Leaders Alliance?
Ordination is more than a title—it’s a recognition of God’s call and the church’s confirmation. At CLA, we ensure that every ordained leader is:
Together, we are raising up a global movement of servant-leaders, ready to bring Christ’s presence into every home, neighborhood, and nation.
-
Becoming a Catechumen
Becoming a Catechumen: The Foundational First Step Toward a Lifetime of Ministry Impact 🥾 Rediscovering the Ancient Path of Formation and Calling In the earliest centuries of the Church, new believers who desired to follow Jesus and serve His Kingdom entered a sacred season of formation known as the catechumenate. Those who joined this path—called […]
-
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: Equipping First Responders to Bring Hope Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics often serve on the front lines of crisis. They arrive first at accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and tragedies—places where life can change in a matter of seconds. In those moments, physical rescue matters, but so does spiritual presence. That is where Fire/EMS […]
-
Christmas Chaplain Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas and the Christmas Chaplain: Carrying the Legacy of Saint Nicholas Before Santa Claus became a jolly figure in a red suit, there was Sinterklaas—the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra. His life, rooted in Christian faith and sacrificial generosity, offers a powerful example for anyone called to serve as a Christmas Chaplain today. 🎅🏻 The […]
📚 Your Calling of Resources
📖 More Readings:
Public School Legislation: Opening the Door for Chaplains
🎓 The Christian Leaders Institute:
Free Chaplain Training – Christian Leaders Institute
Public School Chaplain Training
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Public School Chaplaincy?
What Does a Chaplain Do? – Explains the broader chaplain role beyond Fire/EMS.
📰 Additional Resources:
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation – Fire Service Chaplains
A respected national organization that outlines the role of fire chaplains. It adds credibility because it’s tied directly to U.S. fire service chaplaincy.
© 2025 Christian Leaders Alliance. All Rights Reserved.
Christmas Chaplain Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas and the Christmas Chaplain: Carrying the Legacy of Saint Nicholas
Before Santa Claus became a jolly figure in a red suit, there was Sinterklaas—the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra. His life, rooted in Christian faith and sacrificial generosity, offers a powerful example for anyone called to serve as a Christmas Chaplain today.
🎅🏻 The Real Sinterklaas: A Pastor and Protector
Saint Nicholas was born around 270 A.D. in Patara, a city in what is now Turkey. Orphaned at a young age, Nicholas inherited wealth but chose to use it in service to Christ. He became bishop of Myra, known for his pastoral care, generosity to the poor, and fearless defense of the faith during the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian.
Nicholas was more than a giver of gifts—he was a shepherd of souls. His most famous acts of kindness were often done in secret, leaving needed provision for struggling families. These stories would evolve into the Sinterklaas traditions celebrated in the Netherlands, which in turn influenced the Santa Claus we know today.
But in his own time, Nicholas was a steward of the Christmas message—pointing people not to himself, but to Jesus Christ, the greatest gift of all.
☃️ Sinterklaas as a Model for the Christmas Chaplain
The heart of Saint Nicholas’ ministry mirrors the calling of a Christmas Chaplain:
❄️ Incarnational Presence – Nicholas walked among his people, entering their struggles and needs, much like Christ entered the world in the Incarnation.
❄️ Generosity in Action – His giving was purposeful, meeting real needs while pointing to God’s provision.
❄️ Defender of the Faith – At the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.), Nicholas defended the truth of Christ’s divinity against false teaching.
❄️ Care for the Vulnerable – He was known for protecting children, rescuing prisoners, and helping those on society’s margins.
A Christmas Chaplain carries this same torch—bringing the hope of Christ into hospitals, prisons, firehouses, nursing homes, public events, and homes during the Christmas season.
🧣 From Bishop’s Robes to Chaplain’s Scarf
While Sinterklaas wore the robes of a bishop, the modern Christmas Chaplain might wear a winter coat and scarf. But the mission is the same:
❄️ To listen with compassion.
❄️ To give without expecting anything in return.
❄️ To speak truth about the meaning of Christmas.
❄️ To shine light in the darkest places.
Like Nicholas, the Christmas Chaplain understands that the real power of the season is not in the decorations or festivities, but in the life-changing message of Emmanuel—God with us.
🎁 Carrying the Legacy Forward
When you become a Christmas Chaplain, you join a centuries-long line of believers who have used the Christmas season as a moment for deep spiritual impact. You step into the role of a seasonal shepherd, stewarding the good news that Christ came into the world to save sinners.
The generosity of Sinterklaas was not about toys or candy—it was about reflecting the heart of Christ. As a Christmas Chaplain, your ministry can carry that same eternal weight.
❤️ Final Reflection
The real Saint Nicholas was not a mythical figure—he was a real man of God who saw Christmas as an opportunity to serve, protect, and proclaim the gospel. In a world where the season is often commercialized beyond recognition, the Christmas Chaplain has the privilege of reclaiming that message.
This year, follow in the footsteps of Sinterklaas. Become a Christmas Chaplain and bring the gift of Christ’s presence into the lives of those who need it most.
🎄 Start your Christmas Chaplaincy Training today and continue the legacy of Saint Nicholas as a steward of the Christmas message.
🎊 Start Leading Christmas Blessings Today!
As a Christmas Chaplain, you can stand in places where blessings are needed most—family gatherings, weddings, community events, and beyond.
Take the next step today:
❄️ See the new Christmas Chaplain Merchandise!
❄️ Enroll in the Christmas Chaplain Program.
❄️ Support Training More Volunteer Chaplains.
Because your blessing might be the gift someone remembers most this Christmas.
-
Becoming a Catechumen
Becoming a Catechumen: The Foundational First Step Toward a Lifetime of Ministry Impact 🥾 Rediscovering the Ancient Path of Formation and Calling In the earliest centuries of the Church, new believers who desired to follow Jesus and serve His Kingdom entered a sacred season of formation known as the catechumenate. Those who joined this path—called […]
-
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: Equipping First Responders to Bring Hope Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics often serve on the front lines of crisis. They arrive first at accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and tragedies—places where life can change in a matter of seconds. In those moments, physical rescue matters, but so does spiritual presence. That is where Fire/EMS […]
-
Christmas Chaplain Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas and the Christmas Chaplain: Carrying the Legacy of Saint Nicholas Before Santa Claus became a jolly figure in a red suit, there was Sinterklaas—the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra. His life, rooted in Christian faith and sacrificial generosity, offers a powerful example for anyone called to serve as a Christmas Chaplain today. 🎅🏻 The […]
❄️ Suggested Links:
The story of Sinterklaas reminds us that Christmas ministry is about presence, truth, and generosity in Christ. If you feel called to bring this message to your community, explore these resources:
❄️ Christmas Chaplain Ordination Program – Begin your journey as a recognized Christmas Chaplain through the Christian Leaders Alliance.
❄️ Ordination Pathways at Christian Leaders Alliance – Explore additional ordination opportunities for ministry leadership.
❄️ Christian Leaders Institute Free Ministry Training – Access hundreds of free online ministry courses to grow in your calling.
🕯️ Related Christian Perspectives:
❄️ History.com on Saint Nicholas – Explore the historical background of Saint Nicholas.
❄️ Encyclopaedia Britannica: Saint Nicholas – A scholarly overview of Nicholas of Myra and his legacy.
🎁 Next Steps in Ministry:
❄️ Why Does Christmas Need Chaplains?
❄️ Ministry Coaching Program
❄️ Start Your Free Ministry Training at Christian Leaders Institute
❄️ Wedding Officiant Ordination
🧑🏫 About Christian Leaders Alliance
The Christian Leaders Alliance whom equips called Christians worldwide through free, study-based ministry training and recognized ordination credentials. In partnership with the Christian Leaders Institute, we connect ministers, chaplains, wedding officiants, and ministry coaches in a global Spirit-led network. Our mission is to help you answer God’s call without financial barriers, empowering you to serve your community and the world.