Author Spotlight: Major Ian W. Thomas

Ian Thomas was born in London, England, and raised in a respectable middle class home. At the age of 12 his life was radically changed when he was born again at a Crusader's Union Camp. At the age of 15 he felt sure he was being called by God into full time Christian service, and promptly began preaching in the open air at Hampstead Heath. He became involved in all kinds of evangelistic efforts and eventually his life became a round of continuous activity. But at 19 he began to experience spiritual burnout, until one night he felt he could bear it no longer. It seemed that, in spite of his ceaseless activity for the Lord, his life was empty and powerless.

Getting down on his knees, Ian prayed: "Oh, God, I know that I am saved. I love Jesus Christ. I am perfectly convinced that I am converted. With all my heart I have wanted to serve Thee. I have tried to my uttermost and I am a hopeless failure."

God's voice seemed to come back to him: "For seven years, with utmost sincerity, you have been trying to live for Me, on My behalf, the life that I have been waiting for seven years to live through you."

The next morning, Ian woke up to an entirely different Christian life--one where it was not Ian trying to live the Christian life, but one of Ian allowing Christ to live the Christian life through him--an entirely different proposition. This is how Ian describes what happened:

"I got up the next morning to an entirely different Christian life, but I want to emphasize this: I had not received one iota more than I had already had for seven years!"

The revelation of that night set the tone of Ian's life from that time onwards. His motto ever afterwards was: "Christ in me." In one of his books, The Indwelling Life of Christ, he wrote: "Only Christ is capable of living the Christian life, for the very obvious reason that He is the Christian life."

Ian Thomas served in the British Expeditionary Force in Belgium at the outset of World War II and took part in the evacuation at Dunkirk. He also spent time in France, Italy and Greece.

On his release from the military and with deep concern for the effect of the war years on the youth, in 1947, Ian established a Christian Youth Center at Capernwray Hall. He was soon visited by British and other nationalities, including Germans, who became true Christians and called themselves "Torchbearers." There are now twenty-five Torchbearers Centers and Bible Schools worldwide.

Major Thomas had four sons, all of whom are active in the Torchbearers Ministry in various parts of the world. Chris is the Director of Torchbearers International. Mark, is the Regional Director of all the Torchbearers operations in Europe, based at Capernwray Hall, the Torchbearers Bible School near the town of Carnforth, England. Peter is based at Monavale Homestead, the Torchbearers Bible School and Conference Center near Cambridge, New Zealand, in addition to being the Regional Director of Torchbearers operations in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Major Thomas' youngest son, Andy, is actively involved in the ministry of Torchbearers but in a different way; he is a craftsman. His participation in the ministry has been of great value as he leads in the construction of nearly all the new building projects.

Major Thomas died, on August 1st, 2007, just shy of his 93th birthday. To the end he remained a faithful servant of the Savior who saved his life so many years ago. His legacy continues to live on in the lives of those who have been touched by the ministry he founded and to which he sacrificially committed his life.

Major Thomas wrote several books:

The Saving Life of Christ
If I Perish, I Perish
The Mystery of Godliness
The Indwelling Life of Christ

His story, and that of the Torchbearer movement that he founded, are told in the recently released book, Go a Little Further by his widow, Joan Thomas.