Like a father to me
Chuck & Gwen Thomas, Maurice & Damita Stargell
I first met Chuck Thomas in 1995. I was a student and campus ministry leader at West Georgia College in Carrollton, GA, and he was the pastor & founder of a Victory Tabernacle Ministries, a new church with a growing congregation less than a mile from the college campus.
Because a number of the college students from his church were involved in the campus ministry that I was leading (and because they were saying such great things about me to their pastor!) I was invited to preach at VTM at one of their Sunday night services. This is when Chuck Thomas and I first met. It’s the day that a beautiful friendship was born.
Here’s the deal…when I graduated from college, Chuck Thomas was there. When my father died in 1999 and I was treated like an “outsider” by my half-siblings, Chuck Thomas was there. When we launched Hope Church of Newnan in 2002, Chuck Thomas snuck away from his own church to attend our very first launch team meeting (and he dropped off a real good offering that night too!). When we reached our launch date and didn’t have enough trained workers in various ministry environments to facilitate ministry on a high level of excellence (we didn’t know the stuff we know now about launch team development!) Chuck Thomas sent ten (10) key leaders from his own church every Sunday for a month (and some stay up to 3 months!) to help get our budding new church off the ground! And two and a half years into pastoring Hope Church of Newnan, when I met a beautiful young woman who I eventually asked to be my wife, it Chuck Thomas that counseled us and officiated our wedding ceremony.
If there’s ever been a person in my life who has sacrificially invested in my success, who has believed in me at all times, and who has loved me unconditionally — it’s Chuck Thomas!
On yesterday Chuck Thomas took yet another step towards ensuring our success in our most recent God-assignment, he presented me with sponsorship & guarantor letters for Hope Church of McDonough!
Pastor Chuck, I just want you to know that I love you & appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. Your not only one of my closest friends on this planet, but you’re like a father to me. Thank you for believing in me at all times. Thank you for taking my success so personal. Thank you for pushing me to take risks, and to do all that God is calling me to do. I love you man.
I was browsing the internet looking for my friend Chuch Thomas, originally from Perry, GA. Chuck and I was roommates at West Georgia. He is also a dear family friend. If you know his whereabouts, please ask him to contact “strip” at 404-402-4253. Thanks!