Tom Phillips is a farm boy from Mississippi whose grandfather was a circuit-riding preacher. His family's spiritual heritage originated in the great awakenings throughout the Southeast, beginning in Kentucky, in the early 1800s. The Word of God as a daily guide for faith and practice bred a strong devotional life, a life of sharing God's love through Jesus, and the joy in the Lord that historically changed the southeastern portion of the United States and eventually touched Tom's family.
Tom Phillips' upbringing compelled him to share his faith as a young man. Desiring to help people, he began studying medicine with the intention of becoming a surgeon. But God intervened, calling him to share not physical healing but spiritual healing - the Good News of Jesus Christ, a loving and forgiving Lord and Savior. Tom's education quickly moved from medical school to seminary.
Tom yielded to God's call to a life of evangelism while in his second year of seminary. He realized the world had a desperate spiritual need and that a revived church could be the catalyst to renew society as had happened in previous revivals. God impressed upon Tom that he would share in a great revival to bring this nation back to Jesus' love and forgiveness. God's call opened to him a world of ministry, and eventually, the opportunity to serve with Billy Graham, where he saw millions surrender to salvation through Jesus.
