Tom Smith

Many years ago, Tom Smith who pastors GCI congregations in Pittsburgh and Indiana, Pennsylvania, found himself hurrying to his first Saturday evening meal at Ambassador College when he heard a young lady named Pam call out to him. She had been invited to supper at the Walkers who were church members. Mr. Walker said, “I thought you would bring a date. How about him?” Tom shares, “Right then I was running towards them. Pam asked, ‘Want a home-cooked meal with me?’ I accepted and the rest is history.”

Tom and Pam started dating and as Tom notes, “My best friend throughout college became my wife.” Tom and Pam have been married for 42 years and have three daughters, Tonya, Carrie and Katie; and one son, Brandon.

Growing up in Bristol, Tennessee, Tom attended a Southern Baptist church most of his young life. “I was fascinated with the children’s church choir and grew up involved with their youth programs. I helped with the VBS each summer, was a leader of the youth (over 100), was involved in the Royal Ambassadors (similar to Boy Scouts), assisted the preteen choirs and served at the senior care home ministry during the 11:00 am Sunday service (it meant going to the 8:30 am service). I had a church girlfriend and life seemed sweet. UNTIL… we went to Radio Church of God. My former ‘church life’ as I knew it ended.”

Tom was a junior in high school when his dad started studying The Plain Truth and the Ambassador College Correspondence Course. “We were invited to attend the Radio Church of God in Asheville, North Carolina three hours away! Dad didn’t ask me to go with him. But to his surprise, I was up and dressed at 5:30 am on Saturday and asked him, ‘Can I drive?’ He smiled and said ‘Yes’.”

When it came time to apply for college, Tom applied and was accepted to the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Architecture. But his dad wanted him to consider Ambassador College. “I had no interest but was sure they would not accept me, so I applied to appease my dad, thinking he might be more willing then to help me go to UT. It turned out that I was the first of seven young people accepted from the Asheville church.”

Tom attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas from 1966 to 1970. “I thoroughly enjoyed the college atmosphere and social life and travel opportunities. I went to Pasadena on three bus trips, including one that stopped by the Grand Canyon. I also visited Bricket Wood on the way to the first archaeological dig in 1969.”

Early on Tom was told he was not going into the ministry. “I was glad, since that was not my desire. Buck Hammer offered me a job in buildings and grounds on the Big Sandy campus. I took him up on it, asked Pam to go with me, built a home and had two children. In 1977 I remember telling Pam, ‘God has been good to us: new home, two children and a good job!’” That was the year Ambassador College Big Sandy closed, disrupting the life of the young family. “I went into sales with Motorola Radio and was three to four nights a week on the road. We sold our house and moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. Pam’s mother died and her father moved in with us (he was 61 with Alzheimer’s). Life got a bit bumpy then, but with God at the helm and Pam at my side, we plowed on.”

A year later Buck Hammer asked Tom to move back to Big Sandy and be his assistant until Buck retired. “We moved to Gladewater, Texas and became active in the Big Sandy church again: In-home Bible studies, game nights, helping seniors, youth leadership, Boys Club, choir, etc. Life was once again good; very good.” Then in1979 Tom was ordained. He talked to God about this new chapter in his life, “In 1970, they said I wasn’t going to be in the ministry! But since they aren’t paying me as a local elder, I guess it’s alright.”

Tom said he had the “wonderful opportunity to learn from Norvel Pyle, Hal Baird, James Duke, Don Ward and Burk McNair. For the next five years my ministerial training was superior to anything I could imagine. And oh yes, I can’t forget 12 years with Lynn Torrance (how’s that for colorful training?).”

In November, 1982, Tom was hired to assist Burk McNair in Big Sandy and Tyler, Texas. “Pam was never paid, but I certainly could not have done it without her. She has the gift of mercy and it spills over with all she meets. Everyone who knows Pam likes her. Even her name means ‘sweet thing.’ By this time our third child was six months old. We moved to Hawkins and I worked eight-hour shifts in the church office on the Ambassador College grounds. Life was good! Then in the spring of 1982 our son was run over by a van on a Y.O.U. track event. No worries, he was playing soccer within six months! (Do you see a trend here? LIFE IS GOOD! then WHAM!!!)”

God knew what he was doing when he called Tom to pastoral ministry. Tom has served many people for many years. What does he love most about pastoring? “Helping people come from conflict to resolution, whether with themselves or others.” Tom loves it when people have their “Aha moment,” when coming to understand their relationship with God.

When asked about a most memorable time, Tom talked about a camp experience. “In 1999 I was a counselor at a Release Time Bible Camp. One of my campers (age 11) shared what God and camp had done for him. His father was not a believer the previous year; he was abusive to his family and a drunkard. The camper had prayed for his daddy to believe Jesus and that week at camp he was glad to announce that his father was a sober camp worker and a believer!”

Tom was quick to point out that God is not done with him yet. “In August 2013, I will go bi-vocational, still serving as pastor with our retirement, but also working elsewhere to supplement our income, possibly as a chaplain.”

In addition to pastoring, Tom is passionate about writing. “I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Good News Grapevine, though that was more editing than writing. I plan to write a book about my experience in Christianity. I also enjoy working with preteens, camp, church (children’s sermons), etc. I was delighted to assist with the junior camp program we started in 2002.”

When asked when he feels closest to God, Tom said, “When I seek quiet time, at our home, in the backyard or in the woods. This quiet time often includes music; I love hymns, old and new.”