‘Humbled, Praying, and Listening’
When Greg Thornton ’81 retired after 44 years of service, the event was marked by well-deserved tributes, a few surprise guests, and a fundamental lesson on leadership.
Jerry Jenkins flew in from Colorado to tell a few stories. As the former head of Moody Publishers, Jenkins hired Greg in 1981, just a few weeks after Greg graduated from Moody and married his childhood sweetheart, Grace Christianson.
Greg Thornton volunteers during Moody Radio’s Share.
Jenkins still laughs about the moment he saw Greg’s resume.
“The first thing it said was his ultimate career goal—top management. And I thought Oh, I have to meet this guy. This is going to be some hot-shot hockey kid. I wanted to find out why he would put ‘top management’ on a resume.”
For the record, Greg was not applying for top management. It was actually an entry level job as marketing assistant. And the story, which Jenkins has told more than once, sort of embarrasses Greg, if it weren’t for the obvious foreshadowing.
“So I interviewed Greg, and of course he just blew me away,” Jenkins continues. “He was the same guy then as he is now—just a wonderful, spiritual man.”
And Jenkins was thinking something else that he didn’t necessarily say at the time. This is the guy who will replace me.
Leading the way forward
Greg progressed rapidly through the ranks at Moody Publishers, promoted to director of Advertising in 1985, vice president of Publishers in 1992, and then senior vice president of Media in 2011.
Greg Thornton and Dr. and Mrs. Gary Chapman break ground on the Chapman Center in 2016.
Under his wise leadership, Moody Publishers grew key relationships with authors such as Gary Chapman, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, and Erwin Lutzer. Today it has published more than 300 million books, distributed in 71 languages and more than 130 countries. Moody Radio has grown to include 70 stations, several internet stations, and more than 1,500 affiliates that carry Moody’s original programming.
At his retirement event, Greg took time to honor the seven bosses he served under at Moody: first, Jerry Jenkins, then, Don Johnson, Dennis Shere, Dr. Larry Mercer, Ed Cannon, Dr. Paul Nyquist, and finally Dr. Mark Jobe.
“I could teach a class from all that I’ve learned from them,” Greg says. “I have been incredibly blessed to work with the talented team members at Moody Publishers, Moody magazine, Moody Radio, and now Moody Global Media . . . and I’ve been privileged to serve on great leadership teams.”
Words of Comfort and Challenges
The story could end right there and serve as a fine tribute, but a few more details need to be told. In an earlier interview, Jenkins recalled a difficult situation in January 2018, when the Moody trustees were set to announce the departure of Moody’s president, chief executive officer, and provost.
Greg Thornton ’81 receives an honorary doctorate from Moody Bible Institute in 2019.
Meeting in a hotel near Moody’s campus, the trustees had turned to Jerry Jenkins and said, “You should call Greg Thornton.”
“I'll never forget,” Jenkins says. “I called Greg and said, We need you to come down here to the hotel. We want to talk to you about being interim president.”
Greg’s answer was quick: “I cannot be president of Moody Bible Institute.”
Jenkins offered a quick reminder: “Greg, remember your resume that you submitted to me years and years ago? Your ultimate objective was top management. Be careful what you ask for!”
“He was the perfect interim president,” Jenkins says now. “He was a healer.”
Randy Fairfax, who was chairman of Moody’s trustees at the time, added his own words of tribute during the retirement party: “Moody’s trajectory and future was dependent on you during those days that you helped lead, during a special time when many people had a lot of questions.”
Greg didn’t have all the answers, but he knew the path. He will be remembered for the words of comfort and challenge that he spoke during one of Moody’s most difficult days.
“God has us where He wants us—humbled, praying, and listening.”
Bob Toyama (right) leads a retirement prayer for Greg Thornton and his wife, Grace, along with Dr. Mark Jobe and Roy Patterson.
Greg served as interim president from January 2018 to January 2019 and then, after Dr. Jobe’s appointment as president, was named chief financial officer. He served in this capacity for the final six years of his tenure at Moody. And when Greg Thornton finally said farewell in January, he concluded with hope for the future.
“The best days for Moody are ahead—I believe that with all my heart. The windows of opportunity globally are great. Moody is uniquely positioned to serve and bring the Word to life, training pastors and leaders and laborers for this harvest.”
