Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Major Ian Thomas

Major Ian Thomas (1914 - 2007)

Evangelical writer, theological teacher and founder of the Torchbearers bible schools. These schools are now world-wide in many countries and provide a teaching base on the person of Christ in the believer and basic Biblical exposition of Bible books.

Among the many books that he wrote, the most influential have been: "The Saving Life Of Christ" , "The mystery of godliness" and "If I perish, I Perish." His burden in ministry was to express and show the indwelling life of Christ in believers and the rest and power that life will have in us as we trust and have faith.

Recommends these books by Major Ian Thomas:
The Indwelling Life of Christ: All of Him in All of Me by Major Ian Thomas
If I Perish, I Perish by Major Ian Thomas
The Mystery of Godliness: Experiencing Christ in Us by Major Ian Thomas


W Ian Thomas was a writer and theological teacher. Thomas is probably best known as an author and as the founder of both Torchbearers International and Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers.

His book, "The Saving Life of Christ", seems to have had a profound affect on Bert Harned, M.D., and the many individuals he has discipled in his lifetime.

Major W. Ian Thomas was born in London, England of middle class parents and was converted at the age of twelve in a Boy's Camp. With the intention of becoming a missionary in Africa, he studied medicine at London University for two years, where as a student of nineteen, in deep discouragement about his Christian life, he discovered the life-transforming secret of the indwelling life of the risen, living Lord Jesus Christ in the life of the believer. This discovery precipitated him almost immediately into an evangelistic and Bible teaching ministry which has spread around the world.

Arising from this world wide-ministry, there came into being a Young Peoples Christian Conference Center and Bible School at Capernwray Hall, Carnforth, in the North West of England and from this beginning there developed the Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers, of which Major Thomas is the Founder and General Director.

There are now Conference Centers and Bible Schools beyond the British Isles in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Canada, the U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Japan, Costa Rica and additional Headquarters established in the Sudan, Micronesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

      Major W. Ian Thomas was born in London, England of middle class parents and was converted at the age of twelve in a Boy's Camp. With the intention of becoming a missionary in Africa, he studied medicine at London University for two years, where as a student of nineteen, in deep discouragement about his Christian life, he discovered the life-transforming secret of the indwelling life of the risen, living Lord Jesus Christ in the life of the believer. This discovery precipitated him almost immediately into an evangelistic and Bible teaching ministry which has spread around the world.

      Arising from this world wide-ministry, there came into being a Young Peoples Christian Conference Center and Bible School at Capernwray Hall, Carnforth, in the North West of England and from this beginning there developed the Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers, of which Major Thomas is the Founder and General Director.

      There are now Conference Centers and Bible Schools beyond the British Isles in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Canada, the U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Japan, Costa Rica and additional Headquarters established in the Sudan, Micronesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

... Show more
Major Ian Thomas

Major Ian Thomas' Testimony

"Thus by the age of nineteen, I had been reduced to a state of complete exhaustion spiritually…. "Then, one night… just at midnight, in my room at home, I got down on my knees before God, and I just wept in sheer despair. I said, 'Oh, God, I know that I am saved. I love Jesus Christ. I am perfectly ... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

RELIGIOUS OR CHRISTIAN?

There are few things quite so boring as being religious, but there is nothing quite so exciting as being a Christian! Most folks have never discovered the difference between the one and the other, so that there are those who sincerely try to live a life they do not have, substituting religion for Go... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

Saving Life of Christ

. . . . "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." As the "good, acceptable, and perfect will of God" was implemented by the Son through dependence on the Father, so that "good, acceptable, and perfect will of God... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

Stop Trying to Live the Christian Life by Your Own Strength

For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. Col. 1:29 We come to Christ by faith. We believe that the finished work of Christ on the Cross was for us. Christ’s death saves us from the penalty of our sin, his burial delivers us from the power of sin, and his ra... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

The Christian Life Is Impossible

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Col. 2:6-7 A dear friend used to say, “We all are the failures we were meant to be.” In other words, our attempts at living t... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE: A SHEER IMPOSSIB ILITY!

"It is not difficult for man to live the Christian life," somebody once said, it is a sheer impossibility!" A sheer impossibility, that is, without CHRIST but for all that He says, you have all that He is, and that is all that it takes! The Christian life can only be explained in terms of Jesus Chri... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS

Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16). Godliness is a mystery! Fail to grasp this fact and you will never understand the nature of godliness. God did not create you to have just an ape-like capacity to imitate God. There would be no my... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

The Normal Christian Life

For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory (Col 1:27 NLT). The normal Christian life is a victorious, holy, faith-centered, Spirit-empowered, Christ-dependent, s... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

THE ORIGIN OF YOUR ACTIVITY

It is not the nature of what you are doing that determines its spirituality, but the origin of what you are doing. Not its nature, but its origin! There was never a moment in the life of the Lord Jesus that was without divine significance, because there was never anything He did, never anything He s... Read More
Major Ian Thomas

YOU MUST HAVE WHAT HE IS (LIFE) TO BE WHAT HE WAS (PERFECT)

For godliness is not the consequence of your capacity to imitate God, but the consequence of His capacity to reproduce Himself in you; not self-righteousness, but Christ-righteousness; the righteousness which is by faith a faith which by renewed dependence upon God releases His divine action, to res... Read More

Group of Brands