Up Close with Brian Shanks

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After 28 years in a fast-paced business, the Holy Spirit placed on my heart the decision to pause and reflect on life. My plan was to take a year off work, intensely study the Bible, and contemplate my next chapter. But then the Holy Spirit directed me to connect with the CLC as a full-time student. Alone, I could never have come close to the scope and depth of learning that the CLC has provided me. The instructors are highly qualified, top notch Christian leaders.

I had not been in school since graduating from UNL in 1988. I was surprised at how challenging it was to spend hours reading, writing, presenting and studying for tests. I was rusty and out of practice for the life of a student. But now, after one semester of classes, I can say with a high level of confidence that I have shaken off the dust, met the challenge and sharpened my skills greatly. Most importantly, the CLC has instilled in me the importance of learning a broad scope of subjects and disciplines related to my Christian walk. I have learned how various historical philosophiesand cultural developments have shaped our modern world. Proper Bible interpretation, doctrine and study have helped improve my skills to grow personally and lead more effectively in these difficult times. Studying the chruch and essential core values has given me great appreciation for our leadership and how important it is to participate together in our journey. It has been a lot of hard work, but studying these key topics has not only caused me to develop some great habits, but also renewed my desire to learn and grow for the rest of my life.

Since enrolling at the CLC, I have been able to identify my leadership strengths and weaknesses in order to be a more effective leader. I now know which areas of ministry to pursue based on my giftedness. I'm also developing very specific personal philosophies  to keep me focused on the important and relevant areas of my Christian life.

Another outcome of this time spent focusing on Christ has been a strong desire to serve Him. I have an indescribable appreciation for God's grace and for His unconditional love evident by the sacrifice Christ  made on the cross for us, and my hope is for others to experience Christ in this way, too.

I am not sure where God is leading me when I receive my Certificiate of Christian Leadership. I know that God has a plan and will open the doors and reveal to me when I need to know. So for right now, I am content spending more time improving my knowledge and understanding my faith while growing in my walk with Christ.