Mr. Reggie Thomas was born in Joplin, Missouri, January 8, 1929. He was
baptized at the age of eight years in the South Joplin Christian Church, Joplin,
Missouri. In 1943 he and his parents moved to Miami, Oklahoma, where he became
very active in the First Christian Church. He dedicated his life to a specific
Christian service at the age of 16, and under the ministry of Russell L. Martin
was inspired to begin preaching immediately.
He preached for one year, during his senior year in high school, at the North
Miami Christian Church, Miami, Oklahoma. Following this, he and his high school
chum, Lloyd Cameron as singer, began to tour the country in revival campaigns.
Then followed four years of Bible Seminary education at the Cincinnati Bible
seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr Thomas graduated from CBS in 1951 with a Bachelor
of Arts degree. He then toured the nation for four years as a full-time
traveling evangelist, the last year and one half of this time as a CRA
evangelist. During these years in evangelism, more than 100 revival meetings
were held in nearly every state in the union. These revivals resulted in more
than 4,000 souls won to Christ.
In 1955 Mr Thomas became the minister of the Catlin Church of Christ, Catlin,
Illinois, and was in his seventh year of service there when he was called to the
ministry at East Point Christian Church, East Point, Georgia. During his years
at Catlin, the membership more than doubled. The population of Catlin was 950
and at the time that Mr Thomas left, morning worship attendance was averaging
520. There were more than 1000 new members added to the congregation at Catlin
during his years of service there. A new quarter of a million dollar building
was built and paid for; also a new $25,000 parsonage was built during his
ministry at Catlin.
In April 1961 he began his ministry at East Point, Georgia, During his first
five years at East Point, more than 1171 were added to the local congregation.
On April 10,1965,1241 were in attendance, While he was very busy as an active
evangelistic minister of a local congregation, Mr Thomas also took time to serve
in many areas of the Lord’s work. During the year of 1964 he served as
President of the Southern Christian Convention. He also served two terms as
Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Atlanta Christian College, East Point,
Georgia, He served in 1966 as Vice President of the North American Christian
Convention. He has served as an active trustee of the following institutions:
African Christian Mission, Rhodesian Christian Mission, Christian Television
Mission, Dixie Christian Service Camp, South Pacific Evangelizing Fellowship,
the Atlanta Christian College and Revival Fires F.A.M.E., H.A.S.T.E.N., A.R.M.,
& WEGO Ministries. In addition to these many duties, he also served,
1961-1966, as a part-time professor at Atlanta Christian College, teaching
Personal Evangelism. In 1965 he was nominated one of 10 outstanding young men of
America and his biography appeared in the 1965 edition of "Outstanding
Young Men of America."
During the years 1966 through 1971 Reggie Thomas served as full-time
evangelist with the Christian Restoration Association in Cincinnati, Ohio. His
evangelistic work took him to many parts of the world. In 1967 he and his family
toured Australia for three months. In 1968 the Thomas evangelistic team toured
the African nations of Rhodesia and Zambia for three months. In 1969 the team
was in Mexico. In 1970 the team spent three months in the Kiamichi Mountain
Mission of Oklahoma. In 1971 the team went all the way around the world spending
two months in India. These overseas evangelistic campaigns resulted in more than
5000 souls baptized into Christ. On June 1 , 1971, Mr Thomas resigned his
position with the Christian Restoration Association and accepted Cecil Todd’s
offer to become Director of Overseas Evangelism for Revival Fires Ministry.
Reggie served as Director of Overseas Evangelism un- til 1978 at which time he
organized White Fields Overseas Evangelism. It is the goal of White Fields to
take the Gospel to every nation.
From December 1979 until June 1987, Reggie served as Senior Minister of
Hickory Valley Christian Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The following was
written in the Hickory Valley Christian Church centennial yearbook in October
1988.
Reggie Thomas, an Evangelist from Missouri, preached a revival from September
16-21, 1979. Following the revival he was asked to become Senior Minister and
after much thought and prayer accepted the call. Brother Thomas began his
ministry on December 16, 1979. We observed many outstanding days, one of which
was "Incredible Day" on September 28, 1981, when we set a goal to
raise $50,000 to carpet the sanctuary, provide a church bus, pave the parking
lot, etc. This goal was realized. The sanctuary was refurbished with new wall to
wall carpet, pews were refinished and reupholstered, and the pulpit and choir
area was enlarged and remodeled. Two new congregations were begun by the Hickory
Valley Christian Church, The North River Christian Church in Hixson was begun in
April, 1982. They have completed an auditorium and a youth building and are now
self-supporting. The Mountain View Christian Church in Ooltewah was begun in
August, 1985 (they broke ground for their first unit building on March 27,
1988). All indebtedness on the church buildings was paid off and on April 5,
1987 a Bond Burning Celebration was held. Missions giving increased
substantially. There were 475 additions during his seven year ministry. Brother
Thomas resigned effective May 24, 1987 to return to fulltime evangelistic work.
He hopes to see every nation in the world reached for Christ. He is trying to
preach where the Gospel has not yet been preached and start as many new churches
as possible.
EPILOGUE
During the past 37 years, Reggie has preached and directed great crusades in six
continents of the world. In Africa he has preached to some of the most primitive
people on earth and thousands were baptized. In India he has preached in the
world’s largest leper village. He has criss-crossed Australia and New Zealand,
and has preached on many islands of the seas. He was preaching in Chile, South
America at the time of the attempted coup, June 30, 1973. He has lived
through 2 coups in Nigeria, 2 coups in Ghana, and 5 coups in Haiti. He has
traveled over three million (3,000,000) miles preaching the Gospel of Jesus
literally AROUND THE WORLD. He has a thrilling story to tell what God has done
in overseas evangelism. Since 1966 Mr. Thomas has traveled in 80 different
countries of the world. To date, over 275,OOO souls have been baptized into
Christ as a part of this overseas ministry.
On January 9, 1988 the Kerala Christian Bible College, Ayoor, India, bestowed
the honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree upon Reggie in recognition of 22 years of
dedicated evangelistic crusades worldwide. The degree was also granted in
appreciation for 13 trips to India. Many people have shared in these crusades
including his own family. His dedicated wife, Esther, travels with him in his
meetings. Reggie and Esther are thankful for their eight children and their
twenty six grandchildren.
AN INTRODUCTION
REGGIE TH0MAS THE EVANGELIST
In 1962, my wife and I had the good fortune to travel the United States,
preaching, in many of our lovely American churches, as well as attending
gatherings at some of our splen did Bible colleges, and, experiencing such
highlights as the Kiamichi Clinic and the North American Christian Convention,
Lexington, Kentucky.
What a revelation! From then on we hoped to have some part in sponsoring an
evangelistic team from America to visit Australia, and in so doing bring with
them something of the vital, and living force of New Testament Christianity.
Then it happened! Early in 1966, a letter came to us from Reggie Thomas, at
that time ministering at East Point, Georgia, asking if it were at all possible
to arrange an evangelistic tour of, Australia. We had only briefly met Reggie
Thomas when we had visited Atlanta, but we knew of him by reputation; that he
had a passion for souls, a passion for evangelism, and a passion to do great
exploits for Christ, Alice and I looked at each other on receiving Reggie
Thomas’ letter and wondered if we could surmount all the difficulties in
arranging an Australian itinerary. Then we agreed that if Reggie had the courage
to undertake such a venture, we had to do everything we could to promote such an
effort.
In the meantime Reggie Thomas left East Point Christian Church, and undertook
the position of evangelist for the Restoration Herald Association, A great mass
of correspondence passed between us, and to the various Australian Conference
Executives in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, Above all else we
wanted their approval.
It was agreed that any such effort was to be aside from church politics of
any kind. Reggie Thomas made it quite clear that his business was to preach
Christ and to promote New Testament Christianity.
Interested churches were contacted and finally an itinerary was drawn up; the
first of its kind on such a scale unveiling the fast growing movement of those
we refer to as our Independent Churches. Hitherto, at the Australian end unknown
by the rank and file.
In due course Reggie Thomas advised us that his fundraising efforts in the
United States had proven successful. He also told us he would be bringing his
family; and that his song leader would be Jerry Taylor, a student at Atlanta
Christian College (father of five children) and Paulette Pitman who would
chaperon the Thomas children and also share in the singing. Paulette was then a
student at Ozark Bible College.
We were greatly encouraged by Reggie Thomas’ faith. In due course the
Thomas team arrived in Queensland with some forty pieces of baggage and faced a
barrage of press and T.V. cameras, and were met by Brisbane brotherhood
representatives, Conference President Maurice Pieper, and Women’s President
Mrs. Cassie Baker, and there were of course several ministers from a number of
churches. Some forty shared in a luncheon with the Thomas team. That night their
Brisbane city wide campaign opened. Torrential rain fell with record floods in
Brisbane, with only three fine nights for the Crusade, but the whole effort was
as reported in the Australian Christian "undoubtedly one of the grandest
blessings that our Brisbane churches have ever experienced. "
The journal goes on to say: "Perhaps the most thrilling aspect of the
entire Crusade was the clear, powerful, authoritative preaching by Reggie
Thomas.’’ This volume of sermons presented in this book are those preached
in Australia but chiefly at Margaret Street, Toowoomba, Queensland, where I was
resident minister at that time. The Brisbane Crusade ended with 58 primary
confessions of faith, 44 of whom were baptized into Christ during the Crusade,
and there were others who followed soon after.
After Brisbane, the team left for Toowoomba where we ministered at the
Margaret Street Church of Christ. Rain was still falling at this wonderful
mountain city, but the Reggie Thomas Team captivated all who heard them, and
apart from two or three average meetings, the chapel was filled to capacity
night after night. At Toowoomba forty made decisions and 3 1 were baptized into
Christ. One of the meetings exceeded any attendance in the history of the
church. The farewell scenes to the Team were very Moving.
Other campaigns followed at Wollongong, New South Wales, then a visit to the
National Church of Christ, Canberra, A.C.T., with the next appointment at
Geelong, Victoria, which culminated with a tremendous final rally in our City
Church of Christ, Melbourne supported with glorious items by the Victorian
Churches of Christ Choral Society.
There remains little else to be said except that this visit was but the
beginning and a forerunner of teams visiting our Australian churches, Reggie
Thomas also has organized two plane-loads of evangelists invading our churches
conducting therein campaigns.
It is worth noting that at a State Conference, Queensland, it was moved,
seconded and applauded on the floor of Conference our gratitude to Reggie
Thomas for his tremendous campaigning resulting in an increased membership
State-wide for that year.
In all we are thankful to have had the privilege of organizing the first Thomas
campaign in Australia. We did so with great joy since it meant a means of
returning in some measure what was done for us by so many when we toured the
United States, Do buy this book of sermons and find out for yourself the essence
of good Gospel preaching, which is so seldom heard to day.
Arnold C. Caldicott
June, 1989
Dr A.C. Caldicott is an Australian minister who has served in some of
Australia’s most influential congregations. He now lives in retirement in
Adelaide, South Australia. 15
A RECOMMENDATION
I have known Reggie Thomas as a friend, a fellow evangelist, a co-laborer in
about five revivals, and have heard him preach on innumerable occasions in
various types of meetings.
Reggie’s sermons are like his life. ‘He is an indefatigable worker. He
has a genuine passion for souls. He is a great personal worker and uses
scriptures so effectively in the home of a prospective Christian.
He is dedicated to the simple New Testament message and to Restoration
principles. He preaches with simplicity, earnestness, and a sense of urgency.
His evangelistic campaigns have been among the most memorable over the last
several decades. Every local ministry in which he has been involved has been
noted for a tremendous soul-winning emphasis and success. He possesses a
world-wide vision. It was my privilege to be associated with him in his first
overseas evangelistic endeavors when he labored as an evangelist with the
Christian Restoration Association. He built some significant bridges with
brethren in Australia and made a tremendous impact on the country "down
under." His pioneer spirit has led him to fields destitute of New Testament
Christianity. Overseas he has recruited, helped to train, and raised support for
many national evangelists.
With this type of background, it is understandable why Reggie’s sermons
are well-organized, full of scripture, excellent il lustrations, and good humor.
They are inspirational and motivational. And they are preachable and need to be
preached time and again in this generation.
Harvey C. Bream, Jr.
July, 1989
Harvey C. Bream, Jr. is past President of the Cincinnati Bible Seminary and
now the Chancellor of Cincinnati Bible Seminary.
COMMENDATION
Reggie Thomas has one consuming passion; one dream; one goal;
one thought; and that is to evangelize! Evangelize! Evangelize! Like Paul who
said, "This ONE thing I do , , .", there is one thing on his mind,
evangelism! This includes preaching the ancient apostolic gospel and
establishing the New Testament church in every nation in the world. It has
already taken him into 53 countries, where he has been mightily used to win the
lost in their thousands, and establish the Church of Christ in numerous
villages, towns and cities across the globe. His untiring efforts and unselfish
giving of himself in this dif ficult and often dangerous ministry of world
evangelism, are an inspiration and challenge to all who have had the privilege
of knowing him and working with him.
He has been blessed with a keen mind, a warm personality, and a
gripping voice that projects his deep sincerity. In the midst of great success
and honor, he has maintained a humble and caring spirit. May his tribe increase!
It is also my prayer that those seeking God with all their heart, through
reading his sermons and come to know the truth which alone can set us free.
Doug Willis, Evangelist
Bexhill, Australia
Doug Willis is a native Australian. He has devoted his life to world evangelism
and travels throughout the world preaching the Gospel.