Thomas was born in the Mid-west U.S. and baptized at Peace Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) in 1954. Then, he was gloriously saved and God called him to preach the Word in 1961 at Englewood Churches of Christ in Christian Union. In 1966, he joined the Shepherd Church of the Nazarene, also in Central Ohio.

 

In 1972, he received his high school diploma from Avon Lake High School, after 12 years of Ohio public education at four different school systems (Whitehall, Gahanna, Proctorville, and Avon Lake) due to his father’s vocational pursuits. It was during the Vietnam War that he was involved in the Jesus Movement on the Ohio North Coast and served honorably in the Chaplaincy Corp of the United States Air Force for six years. While living in southwestern Ohio, he served as a pastoral intern at Trenton Church of the Nazarene.

 

By the early 1980s, he became a Lead Pastor and Ordained Elder in the Church of the Nazarene after earning degrees from Nazarene Bible College and Olivet Nazarene University in the Holy Bible, Wesleyan-Arminian Theology, and Comparative Religion. Within a few years, he went on to graduate in the mid-80s with a M.Div. in Constructive Theology and a D.Min. in Spiritual Formation from Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS).

 

It was during this period of academic and professional success that he failed at home. As a clergyman in search of intimacy at all the wrong places, his marriage of 10 years ended in divorce.  Nonetheless, he was desperately reaching out to God and the Church. Compassionate leaders in the United Church of Christ (UCC) responded and were faithful to deliver the inclusive Salvation of Sovereign Jesus Christ to this once wayward, now repentant, man. His restoration included opportunities to serve in UCC Parish Ministry.

 

The aftermath of his consternation, tranquility, and triumph included the establishment of an Ohio Corp Charter 781394, Church Without Walls, in 1990. The ensuing decades of synergy have included a U.S. Reg. Service Mark (1982356) connected with the ascent of many initiatives, including STAND and TELL Revival Campaigns and Social Media CWW.Network.

 

The fusion of a personal God Breakthrough and a warm welcome back by the Church of the Nazarene have brought such a venture to fruition! How else could a vision given by God to him in the 1980s—who became legally blind 20 years later—have been useful for such a time as this?

 

Since the early 1970s, Thomas has served in Evangelism and Pastoral Service in the Church of the Nazarene as well as an Adjunct Instructor at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University.

 

Thomas lives with his wife of over 25 years, Kathleen Richey, and has four adult children: a married daughter (Jess, son-in-law Dustin, and grandson Eli) as well as three bachelor sons (Jeff, Stephen, and Phil).