Teacher, Musician, Author
Tom's bio in his own words ... |
Born in rural East Texas in the 1950's, I grew up in suburban Dallas. Most Texans in those days took their children to church and raised them to believe in the God of the Bible, and my parents were no exception. Every Sunday we attended a church that would be called "fundamentalist" today, although that term had not yet entered the American lexicon - at least not with the connotation it has today.
Maybe I was unusual for a kid, but I loved going to church. The values I learned there have served me well in every area of my life and I always look back on the experience with a mixture of humility, pride, and gratitude. At an early age, I developed a love for the music I heard in those Sunday services, which would now be called Southern Gospel, and by the time I was a teenager I had become an accomplished pianist.
I served faithfully, progressing to increasingly more responsible positions in the music ministry of the church. I studied my Bible. I even went to services that most people skipped. I did everything right, except for one thing that I could not control: I grew up to be gay.
When that fact came to light, I was forced to leave the church I loved so much. Somehow, it didn't feel quite right, but I felt helpless to do anything about it. It seemed that God and I still had a loving, positive relationship, yet people who were supposed to know what they were talking about convinced me that there was no place in God's church for homosexuals. I fell victim to one of the great frauds of modern religion, and I simply walked away from the church for almost 20 years. |
Then a miracle happened. God brought me back into fellowship with other believers. In the years since, I have done a great deal of research and study on just what the Bible does and does not say on the subject of homosexuality. I have become convinced, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that the people who forced me out of the church simply didn't know what they were talking about. |
Today, I am active in God's church once again - more than I ever was before! I have been heavily involved in the music ministry at Community Gospel since May 2000, as well as writing and teaching. In May 2005, I became a published author. Check out the Community Gospel Bookstore for a copy of my book Over The Wall - What the Bible Does Not Say About Homosexuality.
***Recently, Tom has accepted the position of Minister of Music. His extraordinary talent and extensive training makes him a perfect fit for the position!
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