SLI HOME  | ABOUT TOM |  GIVING OPPORTUNITIES  |  CONTACT US  |  SLI RESOURCES

THE MINISTRY OF TOM SKINNER

For over 30 years the ministry of Tom Skinner impacted the lives of thousands of people for Jesus Christ. In the fall of 1994, Urban Family magazine, published by the John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development printed an article in celebration of the life and legacy of Tom Skinner. The following are highlights from the article, giving you a look at the continuing ministry of Tom Skinner. 

CONTACT US
Skinner Leadership Institute
P.O. Box 190
Tracy's Landing, MD
20779
301.261.9800 office
301.261.5193 fax

bws@skinnerleadership.org

Copyright 2005. Skinner Leadership Institute

TOM SKINNER: THE MAN, THE PROPHET, THE LEGACY

On June 17, 1994, the Church in America lost one of its most influential voices. In the last three decades, only a handful of Church leaders have done more to shape the thoughts and actions of this generation. To some he was a thorn in the side. To others a dangerous troublemaker. And to many, he was their champion—a voice for those who had no voice. But for two generations of black Christians, there is one word that best describes Tom Skinner—PROPHET. It is a great honor and URBAN FAMILY’S privilege to celebrate the life and legacy of God’s servant, Tom Skinner….

…PARTNERSHIPS, GROWTH AND HEARTBREAK

In 1967, a young evangelist, Bill Pannell, authored a controversial book, My Friend the Enemy. For the first time, white evangelicals around the country were presented with the way black Christians really felt about their one-sided message, and were encouraged to preach a scripturally based gospel that reached man’s spiritual needs, which included his physical needs.

Tom met Bill, and each greatly influenced the other. In the spring of 1968, Bill joined T.S. Crusades as an evangelist and Vice-President, a position he retained even after the ministry changed to Tom Skinner Associates.

“It was perfect timing, right after the riots of the 1960’s when there was a great need to reach out to urban centers,” remembers Bill, now a Professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. “At this time Tom had not gained significant national exposure and we talked about the need for black evangelicals to band together. We then began to expand on what Tom had already started through the ministries of Tom Skinner Associates.”

During this period, the crusades continued and the radio ministry blossomed. Both Bill’s book and Tom’s book, Black and Free, were on Eternity Magazine’s top 10 list. They wrote articles and other literature and made television appearances, enhancing their national ministry. And Tom’s vision for “raising up a new generation of leaders” began through campus ministries at black universities. Carl Ellis joined Bill and Tom in 1969 to help organize the campus ministry.

“Tom and Bill came to Hampton campus when I was a president of the Christian group. I had read an article about Tom and heard him on the radio. I had also read both their books, but didn’t know that this ‘Bill’ (as he introduced himself) was the author, Bill Pannell. I was excited to be meeting both of them and at a dinner for campus leaders, Tom asked me my plans after college. I said I planned to go into campus ministry with InterVarsity. A few weeks later Tom called me and asked if I would like to do campus ministry for Tom Skinner Associates. I believed it was an answer to my prayers. We first began ministries at Hampton, Norfolk State and Shaw Universities.”

As other young people joined the staff, TSA continued to expand. He became very popular among white evangelicals, many crowning him the new spokesman for black evangelicals. But as Tom traveled and saw the inadequacies of the traditional evangelical message, he began to stress more and more the need to reach the whole man and the need for evangelicals to do it.

“He made people angry,” says Pannell. “Radio stations began to drop him because they said his preaching was ‘too political’. We were identifying with the issues which confronted black America and many of them were political issues. We argued that the Bible is a political text, a realistic, honest text. The Christian programmers really didn’t object to ‘political’ preaching, it’s done all the time. What they really objected to was that our political preaching did not line up with their politics.

In the early 1970’s, Tom’s ever-growing ministry began to put a strain on his marriage. Tom and Vivian’s marital problems eventually led to divorce. His divorce caused many friends to withdraw their support. Now with the rejection from much of the white evangelical community compounded by his divorce, Tom’s life went through what can be described as a “wilderness experience.”

REVISIONING

Tom and the ministry went through hard times as many former supporters turned their backs on him and funds dried up. The ministry endured, and Tom began traveling and teaching with a new focus on management skills. Bill, Carl Ellis, and a growing staff began dedicating their time to campus ministry development. Stanley Long was recruited to manage TSA as Vice-President.

TSA reached minor and major corporations with their seminars, including IBM. The Morley Investment Company may have been impacted the most. Patrick Morley, its CEO, and Tom became the best of friends.

“Tom poured hundreds of hours into discipling me around our dinner table, after tennis, or in a car going somewhere,” remembers Morley. “If you were Tom’s friend, you were his friend for life. He was one of that rare breed of truly loyal people. He never gave up on anyone, seeing the potential in everyone, even when others would write you off. He always went to minister to the downtrodden, the forgotten, the accused, the ugly and all the lepers of our society. And this is the legacy of Tom Skinner – that we love God with all of our heart and love one another as ourselves.”

In October of 1993, just eight months before his death, Tom and Patrick shared the reconciling message of their brotherhood at Mission Mississippi, an organization committed to building relationships across racial and denominational lines. Tom used his gift of bringing people together as plans for the week-long crusades came together.

“Tom and Pat demonstrated what we were trying to accomplish,” says Lee Paris, a Jackson Mississippi businessman and President of Mission Mississippi. “They showed a love for one another that transcended race. We wanted to get people together across traditional and denominational barriers around the person of Jesus Christ and Tom helped us put Mission Mississippi together. Tom had the ability to help heal the feelings between blacks and whites in a loving way people can appreciate.”

“Tom gave me facts I didn’t understand before about the black community,” says Victor Smith, a successful businessman and a driving force behind Mission Mississippi, “such as that black men are angry and white men are apathetic in the relationship; that 94% of blacks buy from whites; that black people have to learn to get along in a white man’s world, but white people don’t have the same problem; that we need black friends. These are things I did not know or understand.”

Tom was a great encourager of fledgling black ministries. During the mid-70’s he made almost annual visits to Voice of Calvary in Mendenhall/Jackson, Mississippi to visit the ministry of John Perkins and Dolphus Weary. There he taught the Bible, instructed the staff in management, encouraged the young people, and played basketball with the neighborhood children—all the while recording his visits through photography. Tom helped the leaders there articulate and better understand the wholistic ministry to the poor they were doing. “Tom took seriously the concept of preaching a solid evangelical message to teach African American people,” says Dolphus Weary, Director of Mendenhall Ministries. “He articulated the kind of wholistic gospel that John Perkins and I were trying to demonstrate in Mendenhall. Tom took what we were trying to do and gave it biblical and theological authentication. There were no road maps, or books. He showed us that what we were doing was right and that is was what our people needed.”

“I remember the first time I heard Tom speak in the late 60’s,” remembers URBAN FAMILY publisher, John Perkins. “I knew right then that this would be the beginning of an invaluable friendship. He was a strength to us in the early days of our ministry. But I can also remember sitting in his home and crying together—his spirit broken from his divorce—and assuring him that he was still my brother and that nothing would come between our friendship.”

Wayne Gordon, founder of Lawndale Community Church and President of the Christian Community Development Association remembers Tom as an empowerer. As a young white man building a church and ministry in a black community, young Gordon was often attacked by African Americans who thought he had no business being there. “On one occasion,” remembers Wayne, “I was feeling especially discouraged when Tom grabbed my arm and looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Wayne, God has called you to do what you are doing. There is no other person on earth that can do what you are doing. Now you be a strong leader, and you lead with conviction.’ Needless to say, I was empowered.”

TRANSITION

In 1981, Tom married Barbara Williams, an attorney and Congressional Black Caucus staffer. A leader and dynamic speaker in her own right, many credit Barbara with broadening Tom’s behind-the-scenes discipleship ministry, especially to politicians, but also to entertainers, and professional athletes. He served as the Washington Redskins Chaplain for many years, and during the 80’s and 90’s, broadened his outreach to the New York Jets, Mets, and Yankees.

“Tom and I were able to connect on a spiritual plane that allowed us to step out of our roles and really be human beings together,” says Congressman Floyd Flake, pastor of Allen AME Church in Queens (NY). “Our conversations were rarely filled with unnecessary talk, but with personal issues. Its impact on me was that I was able to share with my congregation a person who was Christian enough to be respected, but down to earth enough to be believed. His gift for organization which he freely shared has helped so many people in the creation of their ministries and programs.”

THE LEGACY

Some might say Tom’s greatest accomplishment over the last 10 years has been his ministry within the wider black church. Once a group that did not want to accept his message, black church leaders have emerged as the group where Tom may have earned the most respect, and the group he always desired to influence the most with his message.

“Tom set a standard of ministry, boldness and excellence amongst black people in ministry,” says Henry Greenidge, former TSA music director and now pastor of Irvington Covenant Church in Portland, Oregon. “He was a prophetic teacher on the issue of race; he articulated principles and spoke with bold clarity. Tom was my mentor and my friend. He had the greatest impact on my life next to my father.”

A testimony to the impact on the lives of so many was the number of national and black leaders who came to pay their respects at Tom’s homegoing celebration. Among them were Jesse Jackson; Maya Angelou, who recited her stirring poem, I Will Die, But That’s All I’ll Do for Death; Dick Gregory; Betty Shabazz; Dorothy Height; Sam Hines; Louis Farrakhan; Congressman Tony Hall and Floyd Flake; and scores of black church leaders.

“Tom was a scientific preacher who knew how to apply the gospel,” said Jesse Jackson from his Rainbow Coalition office in Washington. “He could apply it to famous athletes, entertainers, and the exalted political leader; to the lowly, the meek, the young and the restless.” Jackson, who spoke at one of the two funeral services, added that he appreciated the fact that Tom’s preaching was never abstract, and that it always made sense.

“Tom Skinner’s spiritual, moral, and intellectual status strengthened and encouraged me to increase my own spiritual, moral, and intellectual efforts.” Dr. Angelou stated from her office in North Carolina. “He had the unusual ability to be different things to different people. What he meant to the Washington Redskins and what he meant to a young, lost, homeless child in Philadelphia may have been different.

He at once had a serious influence on the Congressional Black Caucus and at the same time a wonderful influence on the theological community. I cannot say what Tom may have meant to anyone else because he had such a tremendous impact on so many. Our relationship was like brother and sister.”

Carl Ellis, now associate pastor of New City Fellowship in Chattanooga, TN sums up Tom’s life this way, “In the early years, Tom was chosen by white evangelists as a black leader. Today, he has been acknowledged by black leaders as a prophetic black leader.”

At Tom’s death on June 17, 1994, in addition to an international speaking ministry, TSA included the Tom Skinner Learning Center, directed by Tom’s daughter, Lauren, and the Skinner Leadership Institute in Tracy’s Landing, Maryland. The Learning Center, located in Newark, New Jersey, has for the past nine years been dedicated to raising up a new generation of leaders from among poor youth who are technically excellent and spiritually mature. The Skinner Leadership Institute serves as a place of restoration, renewal, and leadership training for current and future leaders. TSA will continue through Tom’s wife Barbara and his daughters, Lauren and Kyla.

When Tom Skinner died at age 52, from complications of acute lymphatic leukemia, the Christian world lost a loyal soldier, taken home too early. But like any effective leader, his legacy will live on in the thousands who were affected by his life and message.

Aside from the celebrities who came to Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, DC to say goodbye on June 24, the church was filled with people not so well known, who were touched in some way by the life of a man who certainly left his mark on many of whom Tom, an amateur photographer, photographed along the way. He was laid to rest with camera in hand next to his parents in South Carolina. Tom once wrote, “I know Christ, and Christ has set me free. I am a black man. But I am a free man.”

Free indeed.

—Reprinted with permission of John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation & Development, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Urban Family Magazine. All rights reserved.