Tom Short

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Tom Short

Born: March 23, 1957 (age 50)[1]
Flag of United States United States
Occupation: campus evangelist
Nationality: American
Subjects: Christian apologetics
Debut works: 5 Crucial Questions about Christianity
Website: http://www.shortreport.com/

Tom Short (born March 23, 1957) is an American traveling campus evangelist[2][3][4][5] for Great Commission Churches (or Great Commission Association of Churches)[2][6] who has generated debate and controversy at a number of universities [4][6][7][8][9] but is influential and celebrated within his movement.[1][10] His beliefs are largely Evangelical, based on the Bible, including salvation from sin through faith in Jesus Christ, and that all Christians should publicly profess their faith, be baptized, and make other disciples. As of 2007, Short claims to have visited over 100 campuses nationwide.[3] Though he often travels, he resides near the headquarters of the national movement in Columbus, Ohio, a husband and the father of five children.[1]

Contents

[edit] Partisan and pastor

R. Lee Hornbake Library at the University of Maryland, where Short first began his "open-air evangelism"
R. Lee Hornbake Library at the University of Maryland, where Short first began his "open-air evangelism"

Tom Short was ordained without a formal seminary education in the late 1970s by elders of The "Blitz" Movement at Solid Rock Church (now Linworth Road Community Church) in Columbus, Ohio.[6][11] Missionaries of the movement at the time operated by filling buses with people, musical instruments and tracts in order to execute a 2- or 3-day campus blitz. They used singing, intensive tract distribution and organized sidewalk canvassing to draw impromptu crowds and to achieve saturation of the intellectual marketplace. [12] By 1980, Short himself began preaching on campuses while stationed at a church in College Park, Maryland, becoming a fixture outside the Hornbake Library on the University of Maryland campus.[6][11][13] The movement which was The Blitz finally established itself as "Great Commission International".

Throughout the 1980s, Tom Short preached on college campuses, while also helping to establish New Life Christian Students, a campus ministry run by members of Great Commission International. In 1982, Short's ministry was criticized when campus religious leaders at the Towson State University became concerned over reports of GCI's 'mind control' techniques and fundamentalist ties. Short's ministry in particular was criticized by Father Bob Albright, Towson University's Catholic Campus minister, who stated:

"All religious groups are set up to minister to humanity and not the other way around. Yet from our observations about New Life, they came to this campus seeking people to fill their ranks. … He [Tom Short][dubious — see talk page] was referring to girls as sluts and whores and he presumed every guy to be drinking and sleeping around … We've invited New Life to meet with the campus ministry staff and they've never accepted. If someone is Christian and they don't want to be involved, that leaves a question in your mind."[14][verification needed][this source's reliability may need verification]

In 1984, Short told students that rock and roll music was "evil" and that listening to it was a "serious sin." He also stated that "If they (homosexuals) have donated any blood, the Red Cross should give it back. ... Homosexuals carry deadly diseases. They are common carriers of hepatitis and gonorrhea." A Red Cross official responded to his comments, saying that accusing all homosexuals of being responsible for AIDS was misleading. Short responded to outrage over several of his comments, replying that he didn't think he insulted students, but rather, "Most of these people are wrong, and they need to be told so." He also said, "I’m not shocked when someone yells something filthy at me. They do it because they hate God."[15]

In 1986, Short became involved in a "shouting match", where Republicans, Democrats, and the local chapter of the (pre-Scientology) Cult Awareness Network united against an apparent attempt by Great Commission International to strategically enter the political arena. At a Montgomery County bi-partisan press conference, Tom Short responded by saying he believed his church had been unfairly "labeled as a cult by innuendo..."[16] CAN had classified GCI as a shepherding cult based on criteria including procedures, use of mind control and thought-stopping techniques, and the degree of member consent; they said that "Great Commission discouraged its members from listening to outside criticism... [and members were] being manipulated into a deepening commitment to the church and of turning control of their lives over to church leaders ..." [17]

GCC official history tells that at Short's initial urging they drafted the 1991 Apology, a response by a newly organized Great Commission Association to concerns about abuse within GCI.[10] In a thirteen-page letter written by GCA Secretary David Bovenmyer, the movement admitted "authoritarian and insensitive leadership," "improper response to criticism," "lack of emphasis on formal education," "excessive and unbiblical church discipline" and "treating dating as a sin."[18] Great Commission continued for a short time to be scrutinized by CAN, the Council on Mind Abuse (COMA) in Toronto and the American Family Foundation.[17][19][20] Short briefly served as pastor of Woodstock Community Church in Roswell, Georgia in 1990 while conducting services in the Roswell Holiday Inn,[6][21] and then moved to San Diego to pastor MountainView Community Church.[6][9][21]

[edit] Returns to campus

Tom Short in Utah August 30, 2006
Tom Short in Utah August 30, 2006

In 1996, he resigned as a full-time pastor and dedicated himself to the traveling ministry.[6][9] Short's approach to preaching has continued to be a source of controversy. Says ardent supporter Rick Whitney, a Regional Director within Great Commission, "Some people don't like the way Short presents his ideas."[22] Speaking loudly to gather the crowd, he points out that morality and issues of sexuality generally get the most attention.[11] "You've eaten of the same tree Eve ate of, the same tree Hitler ate of," Short said at North Texas University. "And that's got us on the highway to hell."[23]

One outreach effort in 1996 at Texas A&M resulted in accusations of anti-semitism, stemming from a report in The Texas A&M Battalion that Short had told Jewish students that "Hitler didn't go far enough".[8][5][24] Short denies the events took place as reported by The Battalion. In a tract he distributed the following year he wrote, "I was grossly misrepresented."[8][24] According to The Touchstone, the incident resulted in Texas A&M's inclusion on a hate center list by the Simon Wiesenthal Center.[24]

One hot topic of debate that recurs in most of Short's messages: homosexuality. "I love homosexuals," Short declared in 2005, claiming that he and his wife Rosalyn have counseled 15 homosexuals to a successful heterosexual lifestyles with their love and prayer.[23] He boasted to the UCM Maneater in 1997, "Over the years I have led many homosexuals to Christ. Often, I am the first one who's told them there is a way out of homosexuality and that is through Christ." At that time he had claimed to have led at least 20 people away from homosexuality. "I think God loves everybody, but he doesn't condone what they do," he said.[11]

Short's website, "The Short Report," has been on the web since at least late 1999 with news relevant to Christian issues and a FAQ demonstrating his biblical views; it details upcoming dates and solicits support for his ministry.[25][26] In 2001, Premier Publishing Company printed Short's 5 Crucial Questions About Christianity.[27]

[edit] Great Commission Bootcamp

One promotional illustration for GC Bootcamp where Tom Short is Lead Teacher official site: [1]
One promotional illustration for GC Bootcamp where Tom Short is Lead Teacher official site: [1]

Today, Short continues his campus evangelism efforts.[25] He also runs a summertime retreat in Columbus, Ohio for college students and graduating high school seniors "designed to ... prepare you for your next step in life as a Great Commission Christian" through intensive training in "Christian theology and thought, disciplines for spiritual growth, how to share the love of God with others, how to discover God's calling in your life, and apologetics." Schedules include full days and weekends, lasting for a month and a half for seniors and over two months for college students. In addition, students are invited to attend the Great Commission Churches National Pastor's Conference in central Missouri.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d GCBOOTCAMP. Retrieved on March 18, 2007.
  2. ^ a b Great Commission Churches - Ministries in GCC. http://www.gcachurches.org. Retrieved on March 18, 2007.
  3. ^ a b about tom and his ministry. http://www.shortreport.com. Retrieved on March 18, 2007.
  4. ^ a b Nicolai Brown (April 25, 2005). "COLUMN: When Tom Short comes to town (Goal of changing minds is lost in over heated argument and rhetoric)". The Iowa State University Daily. Retrieved on 2007-03-18.
  5. ^ a b Outreach Judaism. http://www.outreachjudaism.org/. Retrieved on March 18, 2007.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Tony Gutierrez (September 27, 2006). "Traveling preacher shares experiences (Short continues campus evangelism after 26 years)". The University of North Texas Daily. Retrieved on 2007-03-18.
  7. ^ Ashley Wombie (November 6, 2001). "Evangelist stirs debate on politics, religion". The University of North Texas Daily. Retrieved on 2007-03-18.
  8. ^ a b c Adam Kemp (November 11, 2005). "Get Shorty (evangelist contradicts Christian efforts)". The Texas A&M Battalion. Retrieved on 2007-03-18.
  9. ^ a b c William Hatfield (October 4, 1996). "Travelling pastor shouts scriptures about sin to crowd". The Southern Illinois at Carbondale Daily Egyptian. Retrieved on 2007-03-18.
  10. ^ a b Great Commission Churches - About GCC. Retrieved on March 18, 2007.
  11. ^ a b c d Pierrette J. Shields (October 24th, 1997). "Students debate with pastor". The Missouri State University Maneater. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  12. ^ John Hopler (Herschel Martindale, guest speaker). "Church planting and the 'ordinary' Christian" central Missouri (12/30/2006). Retrieved on 2007-03-21
  13. ^ Scott Rank (September 20, 2004). "COLUMN: You can't be neutral when it comes to Tom Short". The University of Iowa Daily. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  14. ^ "New Life policies scrutinized", The Towson State University Towerlight, 1985-5-9. “Campus religious leaders and former members of Towson State's New Life Christians recently have questioned some of New Life's practices in recruiting and maintaining members. Their concerns are related to the group's use of behavior modification and “mind control” techniques and to ties to authoritative fundamentalist leaders not connected with Towson State.”
  15. ^ "Pastor gets criticism at YSU: Evangelist returns to campus, speaks on sex, drugs, religion", The (Youngstown State University) Jambar, 1984-5-25.
  16. ^ "Parties Warn of 'Fringe Candidates': Montgomery News Conference Breaks Into a Shouting Match", The Washington Post, 1986-8-30.
  17. ^ a b "Cult label follows new church: Cult watcher calls GCI 'shepherding cult'", The Sunday Journal (Wheaton, IL edition), 1988-11-6.
  18. ^ Great Commission Association of Churches (July 1991). "A Statement Recognizing Early Errors And Weaknesses In The Development Of The Great Commission Association Of Churches". Great Commission Association of Churches. Retrieved on 2007-02-09.
  19. ^ "Bible club evicted from U of Guelph campus: Group accused of authoritarianism, cult-like control over members", Toronto Globe and Mail, 1989-09-27.
  20. ^ Kaade Roberts (April 1992). "Divine Deception". The Touchstone.
  21. ^ a b www.wcchurch.org - Our History. Retrieved on March 18, 2007.
  22. ^ AJ Vicens (March 30th,2005). "Traveling preacher visits Auraria". The University of Colorado at Denver Advocate. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  23. ^ a b Kasey Crill (October 27, 2005). "Evangelist shares message publicly". The North Texas University Daily. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  24. ^ a b c Micahel Schaub (April/May 1997). "Preacher Brings Anti-Semitism to A&M -- University Listed as National Center of Hate." (in English). The Texas A&M Touchstone. Retrieved on 2007-03-20. “...He told Jewish student Lisa Foox that "Hitler did not go far enough" and that Jews were condemned to "burn in hell." The incident led to A&M being listed as a major center of hate by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a civil rights organization for Jews. Rabbi Peter Tarlow of the Hillel Foundation said Short is an anti-Semite. "He's done A&M a lot of harm," Tarlow said. "This reconfirms the stereotype that A&M only cares about white Christians."” 
  25. ^ a b The Short Report. Retrieved on March 18, 2007.
  26. ^ Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
  27. ^ Amazon.com: 5 Crucial questions about Cristianity (5 Crucial Questions about Christianity). Retrieved on March 18, 2007.

[edit] See also

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