By Morgan Mizell
The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Life has been a series of faith-testing events for 33 year-old Quenton Wayne Thomas who answered the call to ministry at the age of 19.

“The Lord revealed my call at a young age through dreams, visions and other ministers,” Thomas said. “ I accepted my call in 2005 and announced it to my pastor and church.”

A native of Jonesville, Thomas spent most of his time in Ferriday and now works mostly in the Ferriday and Natchez areas. He is a member of Greater Vision Worship Center in

Ferriday and has been for 13 years. He says he plans to stay there until the Lord leads him somewhere else.

Although he received his call at a young age, Thomas said he has not had to deal with anyone treating him less for being a young man in the ministry.

“I have never really had an issue with respect from others except for those who knew me before I became a minister,” Thomas said. “Some of them seemed to envy the change in my character and lifestyle and began to call me ‘Mr. Holy Roller.’ I have never allowed it to stop me.”

Aside from preaching, Thomas has also been blessed with the gift of song.

“I started singing way before I began preaching,” Thomas said. “I started writing and recording songs early on and have recently begun recording a lot more as the Lord allows me to write.”

To date, Thomas has two recordings, an album and a single. The first one is a collaborative church album Thomas recorded with his church choir in 2008 entitled, “Real Praise.”

Recently, he has completed recording a single entitled, “Lord I need Your Help.”

Thomas admits he did not grow up listening exclusively to gospel music he says the lyrics of the R&B world did nothing for him spiritually. Therefore, when he decided to write music, he went with what fed his soul.

“I chose Gospel music because it is a tool the Lord uses to deliver and bless His people,” Thomas said. “ Gospel music is a spiritual weapon against the enemy and I use it to invoke praise and worship to God. It is a part of who I am as a Christian and a man of God.”

Thomas will be featured on a Christian Network series called, “Living Witness.” The company based in Jacksonville, Fla., invited him to come and perform live in front of an audience and have the performance broadcast to thousands of viewers.

With all of his accomplishments to date, perhaps the most notable is the fact he has achieved so much while he is legally blind. For the past three years, Thomas has battled with impaired vision and now is in need of cornea replacement surgery as his own corneas are being further damaged by natural light.

“I was not born blind,” Thomas said. “In fact, I have only recently been so open to talking about my condition, because the Lord wanted me to share it with as many people as I can because it may help them.”

Thomas says his condition has hindered him in some areas, especially his lifestyle and his ability to be independent. An uncle helped him for a long time with basic tasks and after his uncle’s passing life has become more difficult.

“I cannot sight read, drive, count money or shop without needing assistance from others,” Thomas said. “My uncle helped me with everything but now that he is gone things have changed, but I have not changed. I am still confident and determined to be myself and to preach and sing just as the Lord has commissioned me to do. I use my struggle to help give others strength.”

While his condition has posed difficulties he says it has never made him doubt God.

“I have always been a strong man with a strong faith,” Thomas said. “However, there have been times when I have experienced severe depression and even thought about ending my life, but each time I have thought about giving up, the Lord has inspired me with a new song as a way i can encourage others. The opportunity to help others through music has always helped to strengthen me.”

In the past two years, Thomas has suffered several losses.
“I lost my mother and an uncle in 2014,” Thomas said. “This past year, I lost the uncle who helped me so much, along with my grandmother on the very same day.”
Thomas said the losses really crushed him. In the midst of all of this, he has been in-and-out of the hospital with other health concerns and it all seemed to make him feel like he had hit rock bottom.

“There were times when I struggled with wanting to pray and preach,” Thomas said. One day, in the hospital, I was crying over all of the lost loved ones and the Lord gave me an amazing song called, ‘I Praise, I Worship.’ He was leading me to praise Him through my storm and he let me know I had experienced these things so that I can share my testimony with others and give them hope and encouragement.”

Thomas says while he lost a lot he did not lose his faith or his praise and he knows his loved ones are with him in spirit, cheering him on.

Thomas would like the public to know he is available for Gospel events if anyone wishes to have him. They should contact him via Facebook at Quenton W. Thomas. Also, they can inquire about financially supporting his ministry in the same place.