Five Questions for Ron Thomas
Interviewed by Justin Nash
Rev. Ron Thomas was born in Charleston, West Virginia, but spent most of his growing up years in Aurora, Illinois. His father was a professor of religion at Aurora College and a teacher in Old Testament and Missions. He learned about some of the many opportunities for ministry by traveling for Aurora College. During these trips he attended or participated in summer camps, particularly on the East coast. It was at one of those events at Washington campground, that he really believed the Lord was calling him into the ministry. He went back to Aurora College, changed his major and prepared for ministry.
Upon graduation, he went to pastor the Ashland Advent Christian Church in Ashland, Maine. As Rev. Thomas recounts, “It was a wonderful experience. I was green. I was inexperienced and the church was patient and loved me through it all. And really, I think gave me a foundation to appreciate pastoral ministry from there.” From there, he went to the Advent Christian Village, becoming the conference youth director of the South Georgia/Florida Conference and director of Camp Suwanee. He eventually would become an assistant to the president of Advent Christian Village and then a vice president. Then he was called to serve as the senior pastor of the Bixler Memorial Advent Christian Church. In total, he and his wife, Jan, made their life at the Advent Christian Village for 31 years, raising their three children there. In 2004 he was called to serve as Executive Director of the Advent Christian General Conference, a position he held for more than 11 years until his retirement. He and Jan still make their home in Charlotte, N.C., and serve as members of Dulin’s Grove Advent Christian Church.
What's the one big thing you got right in ministry?
RT: I’ve always felt like I had an understanding of what it meant to share the gospel, of what it meant to be a witness for Christ. But I have to say, it wasn’t until I was exposed to short-term mission trips, specifically to Honduras and a partnership with Ray Marco, that it really dawned on me; this is what it’s all about. This is really what you have to invest your life in: to look for any and every way possible to be a witness for Jesus.
Did I always get it right? Well, I have to confess, I can see as many times where I got it wrong, trying to be a witness, as I may have gotten it right. What I look back on is life in a retirement community. Being able to have an impact on the life of seniors, to see them to come to a decision to accept Jesus Christ, makes me feel like we were doing something right. In Ashland, Maine we were a small rural church and introduced Evangelism Explosion. We saw the church grow and the other Protestant churches, and even the Catholic church growing at the same time during that movement.
What's the one big thing you got wrong in ministry?
RT: I just finished a book not too long ago about the life of Peter and what I took away from that book was that I think Peter had just as many regrets as he had reasons for thanksgiving. And I have to say, I’ve got my share of regrets. I think sometimes there was certainly a hesitancy even, maybe, not being true to the call that Christ had placed in my life playing the role of the pastor. I was going through the motions of leading a church, but not really engaged in the life of the people. I look back on that and think of times when I could have done something a whole lot better and certainly with much more purpose. Sometimes I just got sucked up in the busy-ness of it all and just lost the focus of what we’re supposed to be all about. Just going about ministry as work instead of really a calling, a vocation. And I lost some years, I think, of effectiveness because of that.
What brings you the most joy in ministry?
RT: Two things come to mind. The first thing I kind of alluded to earlier when we were talking about ministry and seeing people come to an understanding of who Jesus is and how they need to incorporate Christ in their lives. For that to happen, particularly in a community of retirees where people are in the autumn years of their life, and they come to the realization that they need Jesus, is a great joy. It’s pretty exciting when you baptize someone who’s 83 years old, and that happened more than once. The thrill is to see people accept Christ. That’s the one aspect that I guess I would put at the top aspect of ministry.
The other is the countless people who I have encountered or become a part of my life through ministry. People that literally poured their life into me so that I would at least maybe come to grips with what I’m supposed to be doing with my life. But also, the people that came alongside me, partnered with me and became coworkers in ministry. I would start naming names, but I know I would miss countless people that just gave so much to the effort along with me. People who have just given themselves totally to the call on their life. And they just really enriched my life. And that, that is so gratifying.
...look for the value of the person that you’re either working with, or you’re ministering to. We cannot discount the value of those people that are around us...
What advice would you give someone in a situation similar to yours?
RT: You look for the value of the person that you’re either working with, or you’re ministering to. We cannot discount the value of those people that are around us or we encounter. I can even recall where I almost missed the opportunity of making a friendship for life because of pre-judging somebody. And thank the Lord, there was enough grace there to give me a chance to not go down that road. And now I find this person to be very much a part of my life. See in the person that they are created in the image of God. For that reason, there are pluses in that life. See the value of that person as to what they can contribute, whether to share in the ministry or whether it’s just a friendship or, maybe even a challenge. I just think you’ve got to have your eyes, but more particularly your heart, open to accept people where they are and look for ways to connect with them. Because that opens the door for all other options, all the other opportunities of sharing Christ or accomplishing the ministry that you’re sharing together.
What is the one thing you wish you were better at as a pastor or leader?
RT: I go back to the years specifically at ACGC. I don’t know that I was really able to communicate clearly what I held, my objective, what I really wanted to communicate. And I think it plays out in the life of the church as well. I really wanted to communicate the necessity of looking for any and every way to work together, to accomplish the agreed purpose. Now, I understand, you know, the whole thing of the structure of our denomination, which doesn’t necessarily lend itself to close cooperation or shared values or shared goals. We each have our objectives. We each have our passions. And so that that’s a little bit more challenging, but I don’t think I did well at being able to just express it, to emphasize the importance of once more, seeing what we could and should accomplish together through partnership and true fellowship.
Justin Nash, “Five Questions for Ron Thomas” The Witness, Fall 2020