CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 17 Campbell University. When Bishop George Battle assigned him to Simon Temple in 2001, he immediately shook things up and ruffled a few feathers. "ere were no drums, no horns and no guitars," he said. "Some people said, 'He's too loud running up and down the aisle laying hands on people.' But the church began growing so much." ompson subscribes to the advice of After 20 years as the dynamic leader of Simon Temple AME Zion Church, Brian Thompson was elected in June to the Board of Bishops of the worldwide African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. no one else would. It was a great time for me to mature." He was chosen as president of the school's chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and graduated with honors in 1991 with a 3.6 grade point average. Despite the fact that his communications degree had required him to take few math or science courses, he donned a suit and tie and went to an on-campus interview with Bristol Myers Squibb. e company representative raised an eyebrow at his transcript. "She said, 'You don't have any science or math,'" ompson said. "But I told her, if you don't hire me, you're leaving the best candidate on campus." Once again, the gi of gab paid off. He got the job. While growing up, ompson said, the ministry was the furthest thing from his mind. Over the next few years, which included career moves that eventually landed him with Alltel in Durham, he kept feeling a persistent nudge toward preaching. Toward using that gi of gab to inspire others. "e Lord kept asking me to preach," he said. "I kept saying that I ain't doing that because then I can't have fun." He remembers the exact moment that all changed. He had a 12-pack of beer in his car and intended to watch a big game on TV and drink every bit of it. Instead, something made him stop in at a church revival. "At 10:26 p.m. on Aug. 10, 1993, I gave my life to Jesus Christ," he said. "I never drank the beer. At 4 in the morning, I heard God ask: "Do you remember me asking you to preach my word?' I said, 'Here I am, send me.'" In speaking, leading, parenting, and well, just about everything he does, ompson's style is forthright and approachable, magnetic and sincere. At a recent luncheon for which he gave the invocation, one person in the audience feverishly tried to type his words on her phone so that she would remember them. at's rare for a part of the program where people are sometimes just ready to eat. But ompson is a man who most always leaves an impression. Despite the fact that his new position requires him to visit churches as far away as California, he and wife of 21 years, the Rev. Felica ompson, plan to remain in Fayetteville. at's where they've raised their two children, Brian II, a senior at Berean Baptist Academy and Alexis, a sophomore at one of his early ministerial mentors who said: "Don't ever put the food up so high or so low that the people trying to reach it can't get it." "He told me, 'Don't give the people an entrée, give them a buffet,'" ompson said. "Preach to the educated and the uneducated. ose living a clean life or a raggedy life. I think the worst thing the church can do is alienate." Bishop Thompson and his wife Rev. Felica Thompson

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