Employing Biblical Principles in Public Places
by Sheryl Young

Thomas Ramundo, Southern Michigan Conference (SMC) superintendent, has long been an “activist witness” for the Lord.

The former pastor of Jackson FMC (MI) has raised a Christian voice in some unlikely places. He’s been on a State Secretary of Health special commission, lobbied for Right to Life at the Michigan State Capitol, and waded through controversial issues as a member of the City of Jackson Human Relations Commission (HRC) for six years. In this last role, Ramundo made some of his biggest inroads with the unchurched.

“I joined the commission because of my interest in race relations,” he says. “But when I came on board, they were working on a civil rights ordinance that promoted homosexual and gender identity issues. I was the lone dissenting vote for a while.”

Q: How did you convince other commission members this ordinance wouldn’t benefit the people of Jackson?
A: I always spoke with kindness, restraint and respect to those who differed with me. This removed the “angry conservative Christian” caricature. I did my homework and spoke out on why I believe homosexuality is wrong, using scriptural reasons only once, since most of my fellow commissioners and citizens in the gallery didn’t accept the Bible as truth. I used 13 (philosophical, constitutional and societal) reasons to dispel false arguments.

Q: Did your church support you in this struggle to maintain traditional values?
A: Yes, my congregation was solidly behind me. In fact, a small group of intercessors met at the church on HRC meeting nights and during public hearings to pray for me.

Q: What was the outcome?
A: Three other members out of seven aligned with me. The chairman had to break ties, many times voting with us to hand down moral, biblical decisions. The homosexual ordinance was taken off the active agenda! We were then able to give more time to race issues, something we all agreed on. Probably my most fulfilling work came with the integration of the African-American Ministers Alliance in Jackson.

Q: Weren’t you elected vice-chair?
A: Yes! Then I was able to help select candidates and influence the choice of new commissioners for vacancies. The commission’s make-up in gender, race and religion became more diverse than it had ever been. I’ve been off the HRC a year and a half, but consider those I served with to be good friends, including the fellow commissioner who was a homosexual activist.

Q: As superintendent are you continuing to influence society?
A: I feel the base has broadened. One of the “seven core values” in our conference vision is engaging culture. We want to see every SMC church address the pain of a hurting people — from those suffering under genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region, HIV/AIDS in Africa, persecution as Christians, etc. We can’t do everything but we can do something.

Q: When did you find Jesus?
A: I committed my life to Christ as a sophomore in high school. That same night I felt called to ministry.

Q: Has your family traveled this path with you?
A: I have been married to Noni, my high-school sweetheart, for 39 years. Noni and I approach ministry as a team sport. I couldn’t do it without her and we love working together. We have two great married daughters and two grandchildren, all actively involved in FM churches.