Sample of an Ordination Profile

Ron Boersema, Commission Minister

My name is Ron Boersema. I was born and raised in Holland, Michigan. My life seems pretty normal from my perspective. I was born in 1965 in a middle class family, the middle of 3 siblings. My upbringing was in a Christian home with a heritage of Christian ancestors. For that I am very thankful. My “normalcy” includes going to Church regularly and attending Christian school. Being normal in this case was nothing to be disappointed about. 

Early Years

During my high school years I participated in S.W.I.M. (Summer Workshops In Ministry) and several youth led weekend retreats called Sons and Daughters Encounter, which was an off-shoot of the Marriage Encounter weekends. I was a participant on my first weekend and then was asked to be a leader for an additional 4 retreat weekends. The weekend was led by 4 teens and supervised by 2 to 4 adults. We talk about thing such as our relationships with our parents, siblings, friends and God. Looking back, I believe those were the seeds of what God is cultivating and growing in me now for ministry in the Church. He also blessed me on my last weekend that I led with the woman who became my wife. 

Personal Life

I have been blessed with three children a wonderful God-fearing woman that has been by me through difficult times in my life. The most trying time for us as a couple was when I had made some very poor choices and allowed a friendship I had with another woman get to an unhealthy level. The strain on our marriage was building and when everything finally came out I feared that it would cost me my marriage and my family. 

Calling to Ministry

I found myself at a crossroad. It was God speaking directly to me and telling me that I couldn't have life both ways, “you are either for Me or against Me”. It was time to choose. It was a very difficult time in my life, not to mention the pain and loss of trust my family was going through. But like I said earlier, my wife stuck with me. She forgave me and showed me the grace of God as well as my kids. And in the days and weeks that followed this all coming out, I began to experience forgiveness by God that I never had before. On one particular day while working be myself, God began to impress on me the teaching of Romans 8 and kept putting verse 16 through my mind: Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”. I know that it was that day at work that God let me know that I am His son. Since then God led me a path that would ultimately lead me to consider being a pastor. My pastor at the time and now a close friend began to mentor me in my faith. God used him and his passion for the Word and teaching on how to live the Christian life to plant seeds that made me wonder if God was truly calling me to ministry. Again my wife has been a very important part of this journey. Without her standing by me through trying times, I think things would be different now and I wouldn't be where I am today. She has been encouraging me to pursue God's call and praying for doors to open to confirm His will for our lives. 

Christian Leaders Institute Training and Calling:

When my Pastor sent me an email about the Christian Leaders Institute, we knew right away that God was on the move in leading us to pursue His call. After a long journey that including enrolling in CLI back in 2009, my wife and I along with our youngest daughter are making preparations to serve at the Beautiful Gate Orphanage in Lesotho, South Africa. Lesotho is a beautiful mountain country with breath taking views. CLI has been a blessing to me and has made it possible for me to serve as an ordained minister there. I have especially appreciated the personal attention and interaction that I have had with several of the CLI professors. Their wisdom and guidance has been a true blessing. Our local church has also been a great blessing to us as we move forward in our calling. We have a wonderful prayer support team that keeps in contact with us to lift us up and encourage us. They have also contributing to our fundraising with an offering as well as individual support. One thing that will be to our advantage while serving there is that English is their second official language. So communication will be less of a challenge but a translator may still be needed in some circumstances. I am also very excited about working with some of the local people that have aspirations to go into the ministry and be able to present CLI to them as well as serving as their mentor. With the high quality of teaching and teachers that CLI offers they would be able to benefit in their Christian walk and Bible knowledge in the same way that this journey and missions opportunity have become a reality for me and my wife. Your prayers for us would be greatly appreciated as we continue to raise support for the two years or more that we will be serving there. It will also be very difficult to leaving behind our parents, our other two married children and their spouses and particularly our four year old grandson. May God continue to use CLI to raise up many who hear His call and desire the necessary training for them to serve wherever He leads.