Robb Thompson

Robb Thompson
photograph
Born April 1953
Oak Lawn, Illinois
Residence Homer Township, Will County, Illinois[1]
Occupation Author
Televangelist
Public speaker
Spouse(s) Linda Thompson

Robert "Robb" D. Thompson (also "Robb"; born in April 1953)[1] is the founder and president of Family Harvest International, a worldwide network of Christian congregations. He is the founder of Family Harvest Church in Tinley Park, Illinois,[2] a racially diverse church with over 4,000 members.[3][4]

Early life

Thompson grew up in Oak Lawn, Illinois where he was raised a Roman Catholic and worked for United Parcel Service for the majority of his early adulthood.[1][5] He moved to Homer Township, Illinois, where he sought "practical answers to life's problems and a real personal relationship with Jesus Christ", and began considering other denominations.[1] He stated that he had a transformative experience on October 28, 1975 where he was "unplugged and reengineered and then plugged in again to Christ" and became a Baptist for several years.[1][6]

Thompson earned his doctoral degree from Life Christian University, an unaccredited institution[7] based in Tampa, Florida.

Church leadership

As an ordained minister,[8] Thompson founded Midwest Christian Center in 1983,[5] which later grew into a large worship center.[9] He remained the pastor of the center through the late 1990s.[9] He also pastored the House of Glory church in the 1980s, in Orland Park, Illinois,[8] and held regular Bible study groups. It was during these study groups in 1989 where the name "Family Harvest" was conceived.[3]

Thompson is the founder[10] of the nondenominational Family Harvest Church[11] in Tinley Park, Illinois,[12] a member of the Family Harvest International network. Family Harvest Church, which can hold over 3,000 congregants in one service,[4] has been called a megachurch, noted for its theater chairs, projection screens, polished singing performances, stage lighting, amplified sound, and TV and web shows.[3] In 2004, the church had nearly $10 million in assets.[13]


Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Blaine, Rick (1992-07-19). "Spirituality: Seeking new meaning in life". Chicago Tribune. p. 3. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  2. ↑ "Your Faith". Chicago Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois). 2009-01-03. p. 4. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  3. 1 2 3 Fulka, Rena (2006-08-06). "Choices, choices". The Star (Tinley Park, Illinois: Star Newspapers). Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  4. 1 2 Lavoie, Dan (2005-01-30). "Stone Church eyes move to Orland". The Star (Tinley Park, Illinois: Star Newspapers). Retrieved 2009-03-20.
  5. 1 2 Williamson, Elizabeth (1993-05-16). "Make a Joyful Noise: Church music strikes a responsive chord: Congregations lift their voices in song that's in harmony with our ever-changing culture". Chicago Tribune. p. 3. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  6. ↑ Thompson, Robb D. (2007). Solitary Refinement: Finding and Making the Most of Time by Yourself (The Hidden Power of Being Alone). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-59951-029-3. OCLC 190760622. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  7. ↑ "LCU Accreditation". Life Christian University. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  8. 1 2 Herrmann, Andrew (1986-10-30). "Halloween stirs a devil of a fuss: Churches join parent protest of 'evil'". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 52. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  9. 1 2 Mendell, David, and Harper, Pat (1998-12-14). "Hit by the Millennium Bug: Pessimists Brace for a Computer-Driven Cataclysm". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  10. ↑ Newton, Stephanie (2008-03-10). "'Solitary Refinement': Chicago Pastor Shows Readers How to Utilize Their Time in New Book". PR Newswire Association, L.L.C. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson). Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  11. ↑ Smith, Sheila (2007-05-19). "Former Illini basketball player encourages teens to have a purpose of faith in life". Herald & Review (Decatur, Illinois: McClatchy-Tribune Information Services). Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  12. ↑ Sherlock, Barbara (2004-06-24). "Rev. James E. Watson, 53: Love of gospel powered pastor's Harvey church". Chicago Tribune. p. 10. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  13. ↑ Testerman, Jeff (2004-04-30). "Buyers shun Living Water property". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2009-03-20.

External links

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