Whitesburg’s ‘block-party guru’ retires

The secret to a successful retirement, according to the experts, is to retire to something rather than from something. If that is true, then Dick Thomassian is going to be a very successful retiree.
   
Although the 72-year-old Thomassian, who has been on staff at Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, in Madison Baptist Association since 1966, retired Dec. 31, 2005, he has yet to slow down. Thomassian is continuing to work full time as president of T.I.M.E. Ministries — Training in Missions and Evangelism — a missions organization he founded. 
   
The church honored him with a surprise retirement party Jan. 22.
   
After serving at Fairfield Highlands Baptist Church, Midfield, in Bessemer Baptist Association from 1959 until 1965, Thomassian began his career at Whitesburg Baptist as minister of music and youth. 
   
He later turned the youth work over to another staff member and became minister of music and missions. 
   
Finally, in 1996, he felt led to concentrate solely on missions. 
   
“We had been engaging in three missions trips per year — that’s how much was budgeted,” Thomassian said. “I got such a burden that we had to do more, so I approached Dr. (Jimmy) Jackson (pastor of Whitesburg).”
   
Jackson agreed to give Thomassian the full support of the church but cautioned him that the additional budget would have to be raised through a separate organization. 
   
“T.I.M.E. started in 1996 with zero dollars. This year, our budget is $378,000,” Thomassian said. T.I.M.E. recently moved into a new office building off the Whitesburg campus.
   
He and Jackson continue to have a close relationship. 
   
“He has been a faithful and loyal minister on our staff, and he has been one of my dearest and most encouraging friends,” said Jackson, who serves as second vice president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. “I am glad that I was allowed to serve alongside such a servant of the Lord.”
   
Thomassian echoed Jackson’s words. “Every day at Whitesburg has been exciting. Dr. Jackson has been a jewel. He has supported everything I have done in missions work.” 
   
Describing himself as a “missions evangelist,” Thomassian served as a trustee of the International Mission Board (IMB) from 1983 until 1991. He and his wife, Lois, lived in Israel during part of that time, interacting with the IMB missionaries on the field and ministering to the Jewish people and the Palestinians.
   
“I have been in evangelistic crusades in all 50 states and 45 foreign countries,” Thomassian said. “I have had the joy of directing over 150 international crusades.”
   
Working with the North American Mission Board (NAMB), he has “participated in every CrossOver event they have had since their inception.”
   
Thomassian served as first vice president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention from 1985 until 1986 and has served as a consultant for NAMB and the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions in block-party training. 
   
He also leads in local and state missions, particularly through block parties. His expertise in outreach through block parties has earned him the title of “block-party guru.”
   
In addition to his own hands-on work, Thomassian has also written “Building a Local Church Mission Dream Team,” a book intended to help guide others in organizing missions groups. 
   
“I am a firm believer that training is the key to effective evangelism,” he said. “Since 1996, we’ve been engaged in seven to 10 international crusades a year. We have trained thousands of pastors and Bible institute students.”
   
On a recent trip to Uganda, for example, the missions team provided 22 hours of training to 1,240 students. 
   
“We ended up that week with a crusade,” Thomassian said. “Over 1,300 people trusted in the Lord. The thing that was so unusual about Uganda was that there were 71 Muslims and two African witch doctors who trusted the Lord.”
   
There is a sense of urgency to his work. “I feel that we are living in the last days of the last days,” he said. “If we’ve got anything to say to the world, let’s say it now.”
   
Thomassian is certainly taking his own advice. He shows no signs of slowing down, even to rest for a brief time. This year, he and his wife will be traveling to Kenya, Botswana, Belize, British Colombia, Hungary, Brazil and Jamaica.
   
“As long as the Lord enables us, we will continue to go,” Thomassian said. “There will be plenty of time to rest in heaven.”