About Our Pastor
(Jeremiah 3:15)... and I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding
Elder Evangelist R.J. Thornton who is an International Evangelist with the Churches of God in Christ, has evangelized the Mid-Missouri area and surrounding states (Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Tennessee, Nebraska and Louisiana) for the past 25 years. During that time he has served as a District Evangelist in three districts. He has served as State President of the Evangelist Department under the Late Bishop Emanuel Newton of the Western Missouri Jurisdiction Number One before Step of Faith became part of the Kansas East Jurisdiction under the leadership of his good friend Bishop Lemuel F. Thuston, who coined the name "Cornbread Preacher" not only because Pastor Thornton is fond of cornbread (a most basic satisfying staple) but for his anointed and un-compromised delivery of the word of God! What is a Cornbread Preacher?
I Corinthians 1:26-31 says
26. For [simply] consider your own call, brethren; not many [of you were considered to be] wise according to human estimates and standards, not many influential and powerful, not many of high and noble birth.
27.[No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame.
28. And God also selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is lowborn and insignificant and branded and treated with contempt, even the things that are nothing, that He might depose and bring to nothing the things that are,
29. So that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorying and] boast in the presence of God.
30. But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God, [revealed to us a knowledge of the divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as] our Righteousness [thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God], and our Consecration [making us pure and holy], and our Redemption [providing our ransom from eternal penalty for sin].
31. So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord.
By trade Pastor Thornton is a certified auto technician. He graduated from Oklahoma State Technical University in 1977 after which he attended Central Bible College in Springfield MO for three years.
In November 2001, Elder Thornton and family moved to Columbia, Missouri where he was impressed upon by the Lord to begin "Step of Faith Ministries". With only $400 and his family as members. Step of Faith held it's first service in the Columbia Jaycees Building at 2315 N. Stadium Dr. Columbia, Missouri on February 3rd, 2002. The ministry has since then added Sunday School, Bible study, an evangelistic services, Young Saints Academy, Men’s Ministry, Women’s Fellowship, and continuing educational classes. Subjects include but not limited to Leadership, Marriage 101, and Finances.
First Lady Constance (Davis) Thornton, has said that Pastor Thornton loves pastoring as much as he loves evangelism. "I know that he has been called to pastor because the people are in his heart. He believes in firmly upholding the truth without compromising the word of the Lord."
