Gary Thomas (author)
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Through English literature
Education
Thomas received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Western Washington University in 1984. He then studied under the Christian theologian J. I. Packer at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, receiving a master's degree in 1988 with a concentration in systematic theology. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, in 2006 in recognition of his contributions made in the field of spiritual formation.
Following from his speaking and published writing, Thomas has been heavily influenced by various other authors. These include Elton Trueblood, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, J. I. Packer, and the Christian Classics. His first work, Thirsting for God, is primarily a synthesis of material from the Christian Classics.
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Career
Pastor, teacher, and speaker
Thomas is a regular teaching pastor at Second Baptist Church Houston, the fourth-largest church in the United States in 2013, with over 21,000 in weekly attendance. He has regularly appeared on Christian television shows and radio programs such as Focus on the Family, 100 Huntley Street, and Family Life Today. Thomas has also spoken at many large Christian conferences such as the AACC (National Christian Counseling) conference, Billy Graham's Training Center (The Cove), where he is a regular speaker, and at numerous denominational and individual church events. Since 2000, Thomas has been speaking at his own Sacred Marriage Seminars and has now spoken in 49 states and 8 countries.
Thomas is an adjunct faculty member teaching at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. He regularly gives talks on marriage and family issues.
Author
Thomas is the author of 20 published books. His most notable works include Sacred Marriage, Sacred Pathways, and Authentic Faith. Publishers Weekly once said "Thomas himself shows great potential for becoming the Henri Nouwen of evangelicalism."
Sacred Marriage
In Sacred Marriage, Thomas asserts that marriage is an area for spiritual formation, approaching marriage not from a "how to have a better marriage" perspective, but rather as a spiritual discipline, designed to help us grow closer to God and deeper in our faith; he teaches that "marriage is designed to make you holy more than it is to make you happy." Thomas has been quoted as describing marriage as an "arena for discipleship."
Sacred Marriage has been praised by various Christian authors and pastors. John Ortberg, author of The Life You've Always Wanted, said Sacred Marriage "gives wise, historically informed counsel to help couples not merely enjoy their marriage, but use their relationship to form Christ in one another." Kay Warren, the wife of Rick Warren who is pastor of the 3rd largest church in America, Saddleback Church, and author of The Purpose Driven Life, said "I enthusiastically recommend it to couples contemplating, or who have already entered in marriage, as [Thomas] shows is the most powerful tool God has for molding and shaping us into the image of his Son." Sheila Wray Gregoire has criticised the first edition of the book, arguing that it contains "inaccurate information about vaginismus and about neuroscience" and does not cite her book The Great Sex Rescue.
Sacred Pathways
In Sacred Pathways, Thomas attacks an asserted "one size fits all spirituality" that he said seeks to turn devotional times into "cookie cutter experiences", and instead explores nine different pathways or "spiritual temperaments" to describe how people relate to God in very different ways.
Awards
In 2003, Authentic Faith won the Gold Medallion Award in the "Christian Living" category.