Qualifications of Rev. J.D. Burris

Qualifications:     (Updated  9/9/2018)

J.D. Burris has spent years in bible college and outreach ministry before arriving where he is today as a nondenominational Christian Officiant Minister. He was ordained by his bible institute, its church, and his mentors after a lengthy, dedicated vetting process consisting of training, reproofs, introspection, assessments, and actively being in the service of The Lord.

He and his wife Tina mutually experienced an unexpected, yet fairly dramatic and undeniably miraculous conversion to Christianity years ago and received the Holy Spirit. After this, J.D. transferred 64 local college credits, from HCC and SPC, to CLI where he spent several more years making the most of his bible studies and ministry training, blessed with spectacular professors and mentors —  see:   •†• Professors & Mentors •†• (at bottom)!

Before receiving his ordination as Officiant Minister, much of this time was spent in a deacon capacity while J.D. passed milestones being awarded certificates and became accustomed to a devout life of witnessing, heading up fellowship bible study, and improving his relationship with God, family, and community. During this time he founded Radio Ministry LLC and RadioMinistry.org – an outreach ministry which offers exclusive audio bible recordings online, appears on shortwave AM radio thanks to donations, and helps deliver Christian programming across borders into territories where Christianity is banned and even truly persecuted, in relevant languages and dialects. Hiring J.D. For his services such as officiating marriage ceremonies helps further this border-breaching outreach initiative of the overall ministry.

J.D. Is finishing a Bachelor in Divinity at CLI, will pursue a Masters at seminary, and is also currently in a program working between Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and FEMA (of the US Dept. of Homeland Security) toward NIMS compliance, in order to operate as a volunteer chaplain in cooperation with civil services, and gain authorized access to disaster areas.

He and Tina are with a group planting a new, nondenominational, local church centered around putting aside differences & ambition, reaching unbelievers & the unchurched, and “speaking the language” of folks who haven’t found home at the existing churches in town. As Henry Reyenga says, there are different “villages within villages” or local subcultures who, in reaching some of them, it is analogous to planting original churches in areas where there are none already (even though, in this case, there may be existing churches some prospective parishioners are not yet inclined enough to join). It is also a high priority to readily raise up new revival leaders without either 1) trying to specifically glean wealth from protracting the process or 2) fearing “competition” (and in so protracting the process). While myriad qualifications from skill sets to character to understanding are all paramount to ministry, conversely, elitism and insurmountable barriers must be avoided to this end of encouraging Christian leadership and facilitating revival.

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•†• Professors and Mentors •†•

Rev. Steve Elzinga  —  Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS), author: “Being a Lifeboat Church in a Titanic Cruise Ship World”, pastor)

Dr. David Feddes  —  Trinity International University, syndicated radio minister, writer, pastor

Rev. Pedro Aviles  —  North Park Seminary, professor at Trinity Christian College

Dr. Ken Dignan  —  Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, went with The Lord late 2015

Dr. Jeffrey Weima  —  professor at CTS, speaker, prodigious writer

Rev. Henry Reyenga  —  CTS, founder of and professor at Christian Leaders Institute (CLI), experienced church planter, pastor

and more.