Fruitful Life Online Education for Ministry and Community Service Receives Certificate Program Accreditations

Pennsylvania, USA---- United Graduate College and Seminary International (UGCSI) has granted Professors Chris and Carol Green the accreditations necessary for them to launch certificate courses and programs within their new Fruitful Life S.T.E.P Forward: Online Education for Ministry and Community Service. 

S.T.E.P. (Success Through Experience and Process) Forward will be an online distance learning, faith-based, non-governmental, Biblical education platform that offers ministry certifications.  

UGCSI is a Christian Educational Institution that's been equipping leaders within developing countries on the African continent. However, in a special online meeting with its Chief Chancellor, H.E. Sir Clyde Rivers and Chancellor, Professor Michal Pitzl, the Greens and their faculty of instructors were given the official OK to move forward in under-served communities in America.

"Our courses and classes have been approved," declared Prof. Chris Green, "And we are excited that we have the full backing of UGCSI for the certification and training programs that we have produced."

Students will earn their certifications through independent study, accessing videos on demand, reading the required materials, and completing assignments and/or exams.

"We encourage people who don't have access to traditional education systems to consider the STEP Forward for their community ministry training," shares Professor Chris Green, "We have an excellent biblically-based curriculum that will be taught by faculty instructors, adjunct instructors, and guest instructors who have experiencial success in their process with God. Our students will be empowered to become creative contributors to their communities through our Spiritual Wellness-Centered Life Education Education models."

Head Professors Chris and Carol Green are also Vice Chancellors with United Graduate College and Seminary International (UGCSI), where they provide professional development for its global consortium of Searcher Professors. 

The Fruitful Life STEP Forward Education for Ministry and Community Service is moving forward to its official opening in the Spring of 2021.

Chris and Carol Green Inducted in 2021 World Book of Greatness

London, UK ---Chris and Carol Green were inducted in the 2021 World Book of Greatness on Greatness TV.

The World Book of Greatness is the world’s first and only official record of great (yet primarily unknown) people around the world. 

This book is curated by Greatness University, which was founded by Dr. Patrick Businge, EdD, PhD, DFSHC. Greatness University is the world’s first institution dedicated to discovering, developing and delivering greatness in individuals and organizations.

As dedicated greatness creators, GU’s team members, business partners and global ambassadors are always researching, rewarding and celebrating greatness and acknowledging legends, creators, leading lights, masters and icons of greatness in the world.

"We are extremely honored and humbled by this," the Greens commented in response to their induction. "In spite of the challenges of 2020, this year has been absolutely surreal for us. All glory and praise goes to God!"

The Greens were selected for induction because they are the world's leading producers of CARE-Ready Responders and Life CARE Coaches™. They have been teaching and training community, government and education leaders, human service organizers, business visionaries, and neighborhood dreamers how to be much more effective by embracing the principles of CARE (Compassionate Awareness with Respect and Empathy) in their professional and personal lives. They LISTEN to, LIFT up and LAUNCH people. Then they equip and empower them to do the same for others through their coaching and consulting business known as C and C Connections.

Chris and Carol Green are also Vice Chancellors of Administrative Leadership and Professors of Searcher Education at United Graduate College and Seminary International. They each hold Bachelor and Masters degrees in Christian Leadership and they are recipients of honorary doctorates in Christian Leadership (Chris) and Humanities (Carol); as well as honorary doctorates in Society and Human Rights (both).

Last, but not least, they are the founders of the Fruitful Life Network of Ministries which serves, equips and empowers people of Faith through: Fruitful Living, Fruitful Learning and Fruitful Legacy.

In Remembrance of Christ

Did you know that December 25th is not the actual birth date of Jesus Christ? 

Did you know that it was originally a celebration of Christ that was established by the Roman Catholic Church when they initiated a Mass during the same season that many civilizations were already engaged in various winter solstice celebrations of the sun god? 

That's how the term Christ Mass was established. It was all part of an effort to covert people to Christianity. However they failed to steer the people away from the sun god rituals in spite of the new church-initiated Mass to celebrate the Son of God.

We share this with you because many skeptics use this well established historical fact to attack Christians who are ignorant of church history. They feel that this discrepancy, concerning the birth of Christ, gives them leverage to deny the Bible and the Son of God.

We're just providing a little more understanding as to why there is so much confusion and controversy surrounding December 25th.

Many Believers already know that the Bible never says that Christ was born in December. The point is that it doesn't matter that He wasn't born on December 25th. We assert that this church-initiated celebration was never an attempt to celebrate December 25th as Christ's date of birth. 

It was intended to celebrate the REALITY and PURPOSE for His birth.

Since millions of people have come into the Faith as Protestants, they have never been aware of the history behind December 25th. Most of that history is very negative and even involves an annual persecution of Jewish people on that day.

Over the years, the Christmas (Christ Mass) celebration has embraced many not-so Christian-like traditions and those traditions have become disconnected from historical facts and understanding. Of course the history is far more complicated than this, but we really don't have space to cover every detail in a simple newsletter. Hopefully, this will get you started in pursuing answers in your own personal study.

As a side note, many Biblical historians believe that Christ was actually born at a much more significant God-ordained time (perhaps in the Spring when sheep were giving birth). However, for most Jewish people, December 25th is directly connected with a negative history of persecution, and it is a 24-hour celebration declaring that there is another way to come to Jehovah God; so they want no part of it.

Over the past few weeks, we have been offering very important points for you to consider for making Godly responses to the sun-god-worship origins of December 25th. As Community life coaches and Spiritual leaders, we have decided to provide practical answers and solutions for you and your family.

Here are the four points we asked you to consider for responding to people who are caught in the midst of this controversy:

1.) Become all things to all men - 1 Corinthians 9:18-23

2.) Don’t allow your freedom to cause your brother to stumble - 1 Corinthians 8:4-13

3.) Use the opportunity (holiday) to bless your enemies - Matthew 5:43-45; and

4.) Continue in the early church lifestyle of giving to others/ helping the poor - Acts 2: 40-47

This week we are offering the fifth response:

5.) Consider a foundational Christian celebration: Partaking of the Lord's Table in Remembrance of Christ (Luke 22:14-20).

Jesus instructed His followers to partake of the communion table in remembrance of Him (Luke 22: 14-20). The holiday season is another perfect opportunity to place emphasis on Jesus Christ by gathering to do what HE instructed us to do. That's what we choose to do every year with our Fruitful Life Learning Community.

Millions of Believers will gather in sanctuaries or in their homes to partake of Holy communion and truly reflect upon the reason Christ came into the world.

These special gatherings remind us that the Son of God is not to be merely thought of as a baby lying in a manger, but as our Savior who was brutally beaten and nailed alive to a wooden cross. We should remember that He rose again from the dead to usher all of us into the Family and Kingdom of God.

As we stated last week, we are simply trying to communicate that in spite of the historical facts, controversies and conflicts that surround December 25th, CHRIST must truly become YOUR reason for this season and all year round.

The world will continue to celebrate the sun god (in all of its many names and forms) as part of their annual winter celebrations. WE must celebrate the SON of God and give a Godly RESPONSE to our non-believing family and friends, and to our Christian brothers and sisters who may not have this insight.

Enjoy the day and enjoy the season!

Giving Is Already Our Lifestyle

In the midst of a global pandemic people are struggling trying to find a way to celebrate the holiday season. The entire year has been challenging and even as it wraps up, it still shows no sign of letting up on the relentless assault on our lives.

In years past, people of various faiths and religious beliefs have furiously battled over the appropriate way to deal with the holiday season. Even within Christianity there are debates about the way December 25th  should be celebrated, or if it should be celebrated at all.

Over the past few weeks we have been offering very important points for us to consider for making a Godly response to the pagan origins of December 25th. As Faith Leaders and Community Life CARE Coaches, we have decided to provide practical answers and solutions for you and your family.

Here are the three points we asked you to consider for responding to people who are caught in the midst of the Christmas controversy:

1.) Become all things to all men - 1 Corinthians 9:18-23 

2.) Don’t allow your freedom to cause your brother to stumble 

- 1 Corinthians 8:4-13

3.) Use the opportunity (holiday) to bless your enemies - Matthew 5:43-45

This week we are offering the fourth of five responses:

Response #4: Continue steadfast in the early church lifestyle of giving - Acts 2: 40-47

In the early church, they developed a lifestyle of sharing with others and making intentional efforts to help those in need. This was not a practice that came out of pagan rituals. The Church did this as part of the overflow of the life of Christ within them.

Never think of gift-giving and helping the needy as only a holiday thing. It's simply a Godly response. Christmas just happens to be a great time to do what should come naturally for Believers all year.

Many people claim that they give presents to others because December 25th is Jesus' birthday. Hopefully, we have made it clear that Christmas was never intended to be celebrated as the birth date of Christ, but instead, the celebration of the fact that Christ came into the world to take away the sin of humanity.

Therefore, even though the reasoning behind the gift-giving claim is a bit misguided, the practice of gift-giving is not.

Today, we are urgently trying to communicate that in spite of the historical facts, controversies and conflicts that surround December 25th, Christ must truly become YOUR reason for this season and all year round. 

The world will continue to celebrate the SUN god (in all its many names and forms) as part of their annual winter celebrations. WE must celebrate the SON of God and give a Godly RESPONSE to our non-believing family and friends, and to our Christian brothers and sisters who may not have this insight.

Many religious leaders are preaching strongly about the negative issues that surround the winter holiday season. However, we believe that it is one thing to expose all the problems with December 25th, but it is another thing to actually offer a way for people to RESPOND in this season and bring Glory to God the Father.

Yes, we must speak the truth about December 25th, but what does it matter if we cannot present TRUTH in LOVE and take advantage of the opportunity to lead people to a genuine relationship with God through Jesus Christ?

Giving gifts and helping the needy is more than a December 25th thing; it's a Godly thing. God gave us the gift of His son. For God so loved the world that He gave.....

The Gift of Forgiveness

A couple weeks ago we started discussing the controversies surrounding various December celebrations and traditions; and how we, as Believers, must stop merely REACTING to the negative origins of December 25th and begin making a wise RESPONSE to this season. 

We are offering at least Five Godly Responses to December 25th. 

So far we have presented two responses:

#1: Become All Things to All Men from 1 Corinthians 9:18-23 (NKJV)

#2: Don’t allow your freedom to cause your brother to stumble from 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 (NKJV) 

This week we’re offering response #3 - Use the opportunity (holiday) to love, bless, do good and pray for your enemies, haters and persecutors. 

In years past, (before our current Covid-19 lock downs) many people were giving in to the pressure to buy gifts and they’d run up huge credit card bills to do it. During one holiday season, we saw a celebrity on a talk show and he said the only thing he asked his family and friends to give him was a gift that doesn’t cost any money. So he simply asked for a letter, a poem, a song, a phone call, etc. It is truly amazing how one of the richest people in America has a request for the most important things in life. Meanwhile, many financially struggling people in America try to spend money. 

We plan to enjoy the holiday by spending time with one another. We are focusing on our relationships; even the relationships that are not doing so well. We encourage you to do the same. 

In Matthew 5:43-45 (NKJV), Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." 

This may seem radical, but we believe that we can use this holiday season as an opportunity to bless those who are our enemies. 

What a marvelous time to do something so completely unexpected that it truly personifies what it means to be a child of our Father in heaven. Just like HE provides sunshine and rain (both of these are blessings) to evil and good people, we can express His goodness and mercy in a tangible way as well. 

For many of us, we don’t have to think too hard to come up with a name or two of people whom we could bless in this way. Before covid-19, many people were going to scramble through shopping malls trying to find the perfect gift for someone who is very special to them. But what if they had included in those lists, a couple of people who don’t like them very much? 

In these harsh economic times, most people don’t have very much money for purchasing gifts and the holiday season has become more of a burden of obligation. However, we encourage you to consider those who spitefully used you or even persecuted you. It might be something as simple as sending a greeting card or sending a text message or greeting. 

One year the Holy Spirit showed me that I had buried unforgiveness regarding a childhood bully. Just mentioning his name brought up old feelings of anger and resentment. So the Lord impressed upon me to start the cleansing process by sending a Christmas card with a letter. It was to be the first step in blessing someone who persecuted me long ago. 

What names and faces come into your thoughts as you consider this Godly response? Don’t hesitate. Take advantage of this season to respond like a child of God. Give the gift of forgiveness. 

Respond by blessing your enemies.