Chris Thomas

Where did you grow up?
This question implies that I actually grew up...

I am originally from St. Albans, WV. (insert redneck joke here). It's a nice little town outside of Charleston and it's also the home of Randy Barnes, who at one time held the world record for shotput...until they found out he was on 'roids, then they took the record away from him. Plus...bonus...one time I was at the same swimming pool as Randy Moss. He complimented me on my dives.

How did you become a Christian?
I grew up in a very small, very non-instrumental Church of Christ, which to a child looking for some sort of excitement on a Sunday morning is one step below a flu shot. My family continued attending here until I was a teenager, then we started going to a Christian Church that used electric guitars and drums. This church had excitement, my best friend, and a youth group with pretty girls. Sold! I became really good friends with my youth minister there and he really showed me what it meant to give your life to Christ without shoving salvation down my throat. I decided to accept Christ in my own time, on my own terms and the rest is history...

Tell us about your family (immediate family, wife... how long married, kids, etc.)...
I am married to a beautiful girl named Abby, who is my family and my best friend. We have no kids, which is a huge disappointment to the would-be grandparents but we do have two cats.

My parents, Randy and Linda, still live in St. Albans and my sisters, Melissa and Becky both attend Marshall University.

How did you get into the ministry? And how did you end up at First Church?
As a graduating senior there is tremendous pressure on you to hurry up and make a decision about what you will after graduation. Not really wanting to be responsible for screwing the rest of my life up by making a poor decision I decided to let God lead me. He led me to a small school called Kentucky Christian College, where I majored first in slackery, then in business (which I hated and subsequently was horrible at), and finally in preaching/Bible. I did some weekend youth ministry things and an internship and felt that full-time ministry was the door that God was opening for me.

What's your greatest desire for your ministry here at First Church?
My desire for my ministry here at First Church is to teach kids that there are no greater qualities than love and respect for both God and people. I want them to grow into adulthood with the knowledge that there is a forgiving, loving God who has created them and that they are a part of His kingdom and His plan.

Anything else you'd like to share?
I am a huge fan of musicals, water balloons, and The Office.