Interested in having Art Thomas visit your church?

About Art Thomas

Art's Church History, Education, and Background

When my mother was 40 years old, the Holy Spirit told her to have one more child. It took some time to convince my dad; but lo and behold, along came Arthur on my mom's 42nd birthday. From then on, I was brought up in a Christian home and rarely missed a week of church.

I was raised in a little Assemblies of God church named Canton Calvary where I attended until I was 16 years old. During that time, I attended Northville Christian School from preschool through the 8th grade, was homeschooled for high school, and started college early at Schoolcraft College when I was 16. There I earned an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Development and Education.

During my early years, I was very involved in the Royal Rangers ministry, earning the Gold Medal of Achievement and National Royal Ranger of the Year. I also served in a couple national staff positions and helped write a piece of the new curriculum in 2000. But after achieving all I could in Royal Rangers, I found that "over-achievement" failed to fill the inner void in my heart and could not set me free from my sin. I began to get spiritually hungry for something more.

In the summer before turning 17, my family and I felt the Lord was calling us to a new church: Northville Christian Assembly of God. There I became quickly involved in the youth group and became a worship leader, Sunday School teacher, and active participant in dramas and church plays. I was 17 when I preached my first sermon there at Northville Christian. It was during this time that the Lord began transforming my life and planted a deep passion in my heart for His Kingdom.

After three years of active ministry and a series of supernatural confirmations, the Lord prompted me to help plant a church in Fowlerville, Michigan. For the first whole year, we didn't invite anyone new. It was a time for the Holy Spirit to work on our own hearts and heal many inner wounds that only He can touch. It was during this time that I finally found freedom from a secret addiction to pornography and lust (you can read the testimony below). There at Fowlerville Freedom Center, Assembly of God, I served as a key staff member, worship leader, and youth pastor. Our teens began hearing and experiencing God on a weekly basis, and our youth group grew to some 20 kids rather quickly in that little town. The rest of our church grew out of that, and we went from 10 people to more than 50 people in a matter of about 2 months.

In September of 2007, the Lord challenged me to lay down my role in youth ministry and pursue something different. I had been leading a small group of young adults at my girlfriend Robin's house for about a year and a half, and it had grown to about 8 or 9 people. I chose to follow the Holy Spirit, and He responded with a series of divine opportunities to demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It started with our group ministering to a couple who were encountering evil spirits in their home. God set them radically free, and they changed their lives to follow Christ. Soon after that we baptized them in bathtubs, and it wasn't long before we had a stream of new people coming. In January of 2008, our little group grew from around 12 people to roughly 30. New converts became a staple of our group, and the vibrant life of the Holy Spirit stuck with us.

For almost a year, we had a Monday "church" meeting where people from various denominations came together for deep fellowship, open discussion, and prayer. We had a Wednesday night men's group, a Saturday afternoon ladies' group, and soon came the Wildfire School of Supernatural Ministry, which met on the first and third Sundays of each month to train some 25 people in supernatural ministry.

On July 4 of 2008, I got engaged to my girlfriend of 6½ years, Robin. Previously, I had been ministering at Fowlerville Freedom Center while Robin remained at my former church in Northville. Both of us were actively involved in ministry and knew that we were in the right place. Nevertheless, when we got engaged, I knew the Lord was telling me to return to Northville as well. My pastor and another man from my church confirmed that they sensed the Holy Spirit saying the same thing, so on September 1 of 2008, I left Fowlerville Freedom Center to return to the church that had sent us out some 4½ years earlier.

Little did I know that this transition would lead to my being added to staff! I simply came to the senior pastor and asked him what I could do to help him fulfill his vision, and he asked me what my passions were. I shared about my love for youth, young adults, and church planting. The timing was perfect—we began the interview process, and on November 1, 2008, I was hired on staff as an assistant pastor in the Student Ministries department.

During that time, I completed theology classes through Global University and earned my first level of credentials with the Assemblies of God, Michigan District. I'm still in the process of furthering that education.

I now provide oversight, training, direction, and counsel for the Wednesday night children's programs, 10th-12th grade youth group, and young adult ministry at Northville Christian Assembly. I'm also involved in a school outreach to 8th graders and help with our internship program.

For all I know, God may have me here for the next decade, but I can't make any promises. I'm committed to following His Spirit and trusting in His timing. If He says stay, I'll stay; and if He says go, I'll go only with confirmation of His voice spoken also to others. I believe firmly in commitment!

So where does this leave me now? My church is my job, but the Kingdom is my priority. Much of my current "kingdom work" is taking place at my church, but I'm also passionate about my Internet ministry here at SupernaturalTruth.com. Additionally, I have been writing prolifically and will have a string of books coming out over the following years. The first, The Word of Knowledge in Action, will be released by Destiny Image Publishers in the spring of 2011. They have also signed me on for a second book, which will be released about a year later.

Finally, I want to make time available for you. If you would like me to come train your church or home fellowship, please e-mail me, and I'll see what I can arrange. It would be an honor to be a part of ministering to your sphere of influence.

My Wife, Robin

On June 7, 2009, I married my sweetheart, Robin. Our story is a testimony in itself. She's the first and only girl I ever dated or kissed, and God gave us the supernatural grace to keep ourselves pure throughout the 7 years before we got married.

Robin is a tremendous asset to my ministry. She has a heart of compassion and wisdom beyond her years. She also has a gift of healing that regularly surprises me with the level of effectiveness that the Holy Spirit has given her. Through Robin's prayers, God has supernaturally healed people of degenerative eye diseases, torn muscles, and much more.

Robin is an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter in the State of Michigan and regularly interprets church services and events. She is gifted in evangelism as well, and loves having conversations with the Deaf Community about their spiritual lives. Robin earned her BA degree from Madonna University, one of the most prestigious schools in the nation for ASL interpreting.

One of our dreams is to launch an official ministry to the Deaf Community. We believe God can open deaf ears, but we have found that many such people in America see deafness as part of their identity. Our desire is to help people in the Deaf Community find their identity in Christ and experience all that He has for them.

Robin exhibits a level of humility that challenges even me, and I'm so grateful to the Lord that she is my wife. Her prophetic dreams, insights from Scripture, and love for people who are hurting have all played key roles in the shape and direction of our ministry. This web site and my service to the Kingdom wouldn't be possible without her Spirit-filled support.

Things in my life weren't always so beautiful, though. Even my sheltered childhood couldn't save me from my sinful nature, and it took the divine intervention of God to save me from a life of sin. In the next section, I'll share with you my personal testimony.

Art's Personal Testimony of Freedom from an Addiction to Pornography

Overall, I was a good kid, but I had a lot of dark secrets. I must warn you that the following information may not be suitable for some, so please use discretion. Nevertheless, it's a story of the power of God.

When I was very young, while playing outside with a friend of mine, I was approached by some older boys in my neighborhood and sexually abused. At the time, I didn't see it as abuse; and before I knew it, I was no longer a victim but rather a participant. A spirit of perversion laid hold of me at a young age, and I carried it with me for years.

Before I knew it, I found myself at the age of nine or ten in another friend's house pretending to play hide and seek. What we were really doing was consistently hiding in his parents' room because my friend had found some erotic magazines under his dad's bed. That was the birth of an addiction to pornography that plagued me for years.

All through this time, I continued attending church and pretending to be the most upright Christian there ever was. I read my Bible every day. I strove for excellence in everything I did. I was even in a few ministry positions as I got older.

All the while, I knew my addiction was wrong, but I couldn't break free. I would go for a week or two without looking at any pornography, but I was nevertheless trapped in my condition.

A Taste of Freedom

One day, after changing churches and getting involved in a vibrant youth group at the age of 16, a traveling minister came to our church and held three evening meetings. There he spoke of freedom and deliverance in Christ. I was so desperate to get out of my mess, but I was so entrenched in lust and immorality that I felt completely hopeless. Nevertheless, at the end of his message, I approached the front of the room for prayer.

To be honest, it was mostly because of my pride. Everyone else was going, and I didn't want to be the last one still sitting in my seat! Before I knew it, the preacher was right in front of me. And with an intriguing combination of clear determination and gentle lovingkindness, he asked me, "How can I pray for you?"

My eyes darted away. I had never confessed my sins to anyone before. What was going to happen to me? Was I really ready to give all this up?

No. I'm not ready, I thought, but I've got to go through with this. I NEED to be free...

"I hba pblm wf lst," I mumbled sheepishly.

"Huh?" he responded, almost comically.

This time I decided to just get it out: "I have a problem with lust."

"Oh," he responded nonchalantly, "Well then, spirit of lust and sensuality, I command you to leave in the name of Jesus."

It was that simple. I really wasn't prepared for what came next, though—I can only tell you exactly what happened. As soon as he said those words, I physically jumped back about six feet and landed on the floor unhurt. I felt like a million pounds was lifted off my back. And for the first time, my mind was completely clear of perverse thoughts and temptations. I was FREE!

For six months I walked in total freedom from lust and pornography. I shared my testimony at youth group, and others began being set free as well. It was an awesome time!

But then I drifted. Before long, I had allowed temptation to get a grip on me again. Looking back, it's ridiculous, but at the time it made all the sense in the world—mostly because I wanted it to make sense. I thought to myself, Everyone has heard my testimony now; that means I can start looking at pornography again and get away with it.

I followed through, and I was in worse shape than before. After all, Jesus said that when an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it returns later. And if it finds the "house" clean and in order—but still vacant—it will return and bring seven more demons worse than itself. I was a living example of this scripture.

True Freedom at Last!

Fast-forward a couple years. I was part of a team getting ready to start a new church in the rural community of Fowlerville, Michigan. In the midst of my sinful condition, I had been a worship leader, youth leader, small group leader, Sunday School facillitator, and more. I had all the credentials the world would look for in someone who would help to plant a new ministry. But my dark side stayed hidden.

Hidden, that is, until my new pastor required his new staff to attend a weekend retreat called an "Encounter." I was raring to go, but I had no idea what would transpire.

On the first night, we were asked to write down the "story of our lives" and include anything the Holy Spirit brought to our memory. It didn't take long before all my repressed memories about what happened to me as a young child began to surface. These were events that I had burried beneath my mask of so-called perfection. I struggled to write them, but I did it anyway. I took an account of those boys in my neighborhood approaching me and the activities that followed. I wrote down every instance where I had personally spread that plague of perversion. I even included my return to pornography, lust, and sensuality.

Over the course of the weekend, the Holy Spirit helped me forgive those boys for what they did, confess my bitterness against God for letting it happen, and forgive myself for my own involvement. I verbally renounced those things in my life that had been separating me from true relationship with God.

People prayed for me and cast those spirits away yet again. This time there wasn't any dramatic physical demonstration (like flying backwards), but I felt that weight lift again. I had finally dealt with the root issues. All this time, I had simply needed to allow Christ to help me forgive all those people.

For the first time in my life, I was able to share the story of my past without any shame or guilt. Instead of it being a story of my wickedness, it had become a testimony of Christ's power and deliverance! I was finally free!

That Brings us to Today...

I'm not perfect, nor do I claim to be. I'm just like anybody else who has been set free from a life of sin. You see, sin is separation from God. It's not first of all an activity; it is first of all a state of being. When we live in separation from God, our actions follow suit. When we live in sin, we begin to commit sinful acts.

In other words, I'm not free from making mistakes or slipping up here and there, but I am free from the canyon of separation that once stood between me and God. I have a genuine relationship with Him! And you can too!

I don't share my story for my benefit but for yours. God created you with a destiny and a purpose. He created you to have a relationship with Him. Everyone's story is different, but we can all turn our lives over to the same loving Author; and He will write a a future for us that is far greater than we could have ever imagined.

Today, I'm a new creation. The old me has been put to death with Christ at the cross, and the Holy Spirit has breathed new life into me. I've chosen to live in unity with Christ—not that I am Christ, but that He gladly shares with me His character, authority, and relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit.

By His grace, I've been a part of many miraculous things! I've seen people healed of cancer and other "incurable" problems. I've seen storms move supernaturally. I've had spiritual encounters that can only be attributed to the Holy Spirit's presence and activity...AND YOU CAN TOO!

Here's Where You Come In...

I don't have the whole picture. I'm just one little puzzle piece when it comes to revealing Christ in this world. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit gives different people different gifts so that we can all live as one body—the Body of Christ. That means apart from you revealing Christ in the manner God has appointed, Jesus is not fully revealed!

As you read my blogs, I pray you'll see Jesus in ways you never had; and as you interact with the forum, I pray that through you, I will come to see Jesus in ways I never have.

The only way this is possible is if you too have chosen to give your life over to unity with Christ. Put to death your sinful nature by recognizing that it's condemned and confessing openly. Jesus hung naked on the cross; and if we are to put our sins up there with Him, then they too must be naked and exposed for everyone to see. It's a risk, but it's the path to freedom. Some may laugh at you; some may mourn for you—but death is death, and it's the only way to get to resurrection.

That's stage two. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you new life and make you a new creation in Christ. He will do it. If the Holy Spirit can physically raise Jesus from the dead, then He can certainly do the same in you on a spiritual level. Let Him transform your mind and emotions. Ask Him to guide your actions and decisions. Allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse you (like He did me) by revealing things from your past that need to be dealt with.

As He does this, you will find yourself more and more free from the impact of the world. You'll start to walk in authority and in relationship with God the Father in heaven. How? Because you also get to be a partner with Christ in His ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father (Look it up in the Bible in Ephesians 2:6).

There's so much more to discover, but I hope you now see the simplicity of it. Get into a spiritual family of believers who will pray for you, encourage you, and pursue God with you. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to direct your life. And every day, put yourself into living contact with the living Christ through prayer, reading the Bible, interacting with fellow believers, and sharing the Good News about Him.

Real Christianity is not about having all the answers; it's about knowing the Answer. It's not about having all the power; it's about having an intimate relationship with the Divine Power. True Christianity is not about going to church; it's about being the Church.

All these things and more will be explained as you explore this site. You won't find any advice on how to be a "good religious person." Rather, I pray you'll discover a vibrant, life-transforming, miracle-working, supernatural relationship with the One who loves you most and created you for this very purpose.

God bless,
--Art--