A Clarion Life: Honoring Tom Minnery

Our nation has lost a true hero of the faith. Tom Minnery passed away on Christmas Eve in New Mexico after suffering a serious head injury when he slipped on ice.

At the time of his passing, Tom was serving as the Vice Chairman of Center for Christian Virtue’s (CCV) Board of Directors.

CCV’s three most recent Chairmen of the Board pose with President Aaron Baer and former President Phil Burress at the December 2022 Chairman’s Christmas party. From Left to Right: Aaron Baer, Tom Minnery, Joe Trauth, David Myhal, and Phil Burress

As a founding board member of Alliance Defending Freedom, former Senior Vice President of Public Policy at Focus on the Family, President Emeritus of Family Policy Alliance (formerly CitizenLink), and as one of the driving forces behind the creation and promotion of Family Policy Councils like Center for Christian Virtue in states across the country, it’s hard to begin to quantify all the ways Tom safeguarded American freedoms and families.

Tom served alongside the likes of Billy Graham, Dr. James Dobson, Jim Daly, and Alan Sears. His 2001 book, Why You Can’t Stay Silent: A Biblical Mandate to Shape Our Culture, inspired countless American Christians to put their faith into action and be a courageous and compassionate voice in the political debates of the time.

I am one of those Christians.

In 2007, my then girlfriend (and now wife) Maria met Tom while interning at Focus on the Family. Like Tom years earlier, Maria and I were students in Ohio University’s journalism school. Tom signed a copy of his book for me that I still have today.

At the time, Tom’s book was a lifeline as I tried to understand what God’s word had to say about government, politics, and citizenship.

I’m still processing the loss of not only a great writer and American leader, but a man who became a dear friend and mentor. What I can simply say today is that Tom embodied the call he made to the Church.

When so many Christians were afraid to speak Christ’s perfect and loving truth about abortion, same-sex marriage, or pornography, Tom was not silent.

His life was a clarion call to the Church, demonstrating that how we stand matters as much as the issues on which we stand. Tom often spoke softly, but always with the authority of a man who found his direction from God’s holy scripture. He challenged every ministry he was involved with to strive for integrity and excellence, remembering whose name we bear when we enter the political arena.

Yet Tom’s legacy is far greater than the massive organizations he led or the international stages he filled.

Tom was a caring parent and grandparent. He loved the local church and served in whatever capacity was needed. I remember when Tom and his wife Deb recently began attending Rock City Church in Columbus, Ohio. Tom told me they joined the “Welcome Team” to greet newcomers, and I thought “these folks have no idea they’re shaking the hand of a man who has shaken Billy Graham’s hand, and stared down world leaders.”

This was who Tom Minnery was—the call mattered more than the platform.

Today, my heart is broken. Not for Tom who has no doubt been blessed to hear those sweet seven words we all long to hear “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” But for our world that was still benefiting from Tom’s unceasing passion for pursuing justice.

It’s broken for Deb, who was enjoying sweet years of busy “retirement” with Tom, loving on their children and grandchildren, serving through ministries like CCV, and being salt and light through their church.

It's also broken because I lost a brother in Christ who I still had so much to learn from, and who I could always count on for a word of correction or encouragement.

But more than hurting, I’m determined today to honor the legacy of a man who truly understood Jesus’ greatest commandments better than anyone I know: to love God, and to love others.

When Tom signed my book 15 years ago, the inscription simply read “To Aaron, May these pages be useful to you.”

I hope Tom understood how much they were, and I pray we can carry on this movement with the same courage and grace Tom demonstrated every day.

Read Alliance Defending Freedom's Statement Honoring Tom

Read Focus on the Family's Jim Daly's Blog Honoring Tom

Aaron Baer
President
Center for Christian Virtue