Tom Rees

Off and on through out the entire day I would wonder who this weeks guest would be. As I entered the building at 5:50pm there was a woman going up the steps in front of me, and I thought, “Wonder if she’s our guest?” Once she reached the top of the stairs she turned to the left and headed in the opposite direction. Even after class started I still wondered who it could be as I didn’t see a new person in the room. Needless to say I was quite impressed as Professor Reese informed the class that he was the one to be interviewed. “I bring guest in, he said, and they I ask the hard questions. It’s only fare that you have the opportunity to ask me hard
questions as well, so tonight you get to interview me. I am the guest speaker for the evening.”

The interview started with a student asking about his journey growing up. Professor Rees began by telling how his mother came here from Italy at a young age and in time met and married his dad who was a dancer on American Band Stand. He talked about what life was like having three different fathers and the tragedy that his family faced with each one. At a young age he looked out for his mother as she suffered with thoughts of suicide upon learning that husband number three had three families in different places. “I would sleep, on the floor, at the foot of my mother’s so she wouldn’t do anything during the night.” Professor Rees said.

After his mom experienced salvation through Jesus Christ her heart and life were changed. She Felt God! And now she wanted her son to feel the same thing.

“Tell us about your salvation and ministry.” came from another student.

“At the age of sixteen, my mom would called me into the house to watch Billie Graham crusade on tv. At the end of the message I prayed the sinner’s prayer. My mom’s big thing was always, ‘Did you feel anything?’”

Professor Rees came to his own personal experience after read two tracks he had picked up for his mother from a record store. “I put them in my pocket thinking I would get some for my mother. I forgot about them until one day as I was on the train headed for school, I took them out and began to read. It was then I realized that I was a sinner and needed God. I prayed and gave my heart to Jesus. When I told me my mom she said, ‘Did you feel anything?’ Because of what I read from one of the tracts I was able to tell her, ‘It’s not about feeling. It’s about Faith.”

He attended a Catholic church where Charismatic services held. Later he found an
Assemblies of God church where he heard about Heritage U.S.A and the P.T.L. Club. He attend their camp ground and it was there he received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and a call to ministry. Instead of becoming a lawyer he became a Youth Pastor.

He attended VFCC. While in college he was part of the 3D music group which traveled ministering in song. On one trip to the Potomac District Youth Camp he met his future wife, Sheri, who later came to VFCC - they started dating and eventually married.

He graduated from VFCC in 1984 and worked for some time at the Debroah Foundation, where he served as a house parent, cared for and planed activities for clients ranging from 18-30 years of age. He left the foundation after a dear friend, who also worked their, was hit in the chest by one to the clients and died.

He and Sheri began seeking God as to where He wanted them to go. “I just didn’t take anything that came along. The questions wasn’t, “Will they want me to work for them? No, the question was “Do I want to work for them?” “I would never accept a position without first going to a service to hear the pastor. Having dinner with a family will tell you a whole lot about their situation.”

He and his family ended up at Glad Tidings in Reading, PA and the youth pastor. After being there for one year he was asked to take over children’s ministry. Before he knew it he was wearing many different hats. During that time he began to realize he can’t do it all and he needed a team to work with him. He was on staff at Glad Tidings from 1985-1997.

After accepting a position at the Penn/Del District Office his family continued to attend Glad Tidings. He now serves as the Saturday night pastor at the church.

When asked, “What is your most difficult thing?” He quickly answered, “Me!” He began to share some of the struggles he has had to work through - explaining that when you live in they type of environment he did growing up - it leaves the door open for all kinds of stuff.

He has found the Faithfulness of God and the importance of having an accountability partners. When asked what he felt was the biggest test of God’s faithfulness, he replied, “The biggest test of God’s faithfulness has been through my wonderful wife and two great kids.”

It is not always easy to be transparent in front of a group of people. Let along a class of college students. Truly we all have gone through things that would be helpful to the younger generation coming up, if we would share our experiences. I appreciate Professor Tom’s openness with the class which show that no matter your past God can still use us!