Gary Thomas is a bestselling author and international speaker whose ministry brings people closer to Christ and closer to others. He unites the study of Scripture, church history, and the Christian classics to foster spiritual growth and deeper relationships within the Christian community. Gary’s books include Sacred Marriage and his upcoming latest release, Cherish.
Key Questions:
For a lot of pastors, spiritual disciplines like a devotional time can seem like drudgery when they are facing deadlines or need to write a new sermon. What can pastors do to rekindle their prayer life?
Are there some classics that have become your favorite?
Do pastors need to exercise caution when they recommend Christian classics to others?
Key Quotes:
“When I look left or right, there’s a lot of apathy toward God. People love him, but they’re so busy with other things. But when I look into the classics—‘Lord I want that love. I want that passion.’”
“I pray for God’s provision, I pray for God to anoint my sermons and my work. I pray for his protection over my kids. Why do I not earnestly pray for more holiness?”
“What I love about the classics is that I don’t have to accept the systematic theology of the person necessarily. I’m reading for the spiritual inspiration.”
“In ministry we can feel so sorry for ourselves…Wesley was preaching three times everyday and he had to ride on horseback a hundred miles to get there. And then he would be riding in the rain…and he had this and that and he had this awful marriage. All of these things are going on and he persevered.”
“Sometimes it is amazing to me how the Scripture, the Christian classic, and the contemporary book will say the same thing. ‘All right, Lord, message received.’”
“When I look at Scripture, different saints relate to God in very different ways. There isn’t one prescribed pathway or devotional time.”
