Dave Thornton Named New Gospel Light CEO
Ventura, CA. The Board of Directors of Gospel Light has named Dave Thornton as the new Chief Executive Officer of the organization.
Mr. Thornton joined Gospel Light in 2013 as Director of Church Sales and most recently served as Director of Sales and Marketing. He joined Gospel Light after serving 17 years at Group Publishing in a variety of roles, from Director of Product Development to Director of Church Leadership and finally Director of Global Innovations. Previous to that, he served in Marketing at David C. Cook for two years. Dave has a B.A. in Speech Communications from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, and an M.Div. in Christian Education from Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL. Dave has served as a volunteer in local church ministry for over four decades and finds great joy in leading kids to a deeper understanding of God’s plan for their lives as revealed in the Bible.
The Board and the CEO of Gospel Light are strategically refocusing Gospel Light on the Lord’s mission given to founder Henrietta C. Mears—to know Christ and make Him known. New resources will be developed in print and digital forms to equip church leaders to reach children, teens and their families for Christ through effective Bible teaching and learning resources.
“I dream of a day,” said Dave Thornton, “when Gospel Light will be seen as the trusted global leader in providing Christ-connecting, Bible-based, disciple-making resources to help the Church reach children and their families for Christ through products and resources that are available anytime and anywhere around the world.”
For more information about Gospel Light, please visit GospelLightPartners.com
###
About Gospel Light
Henrietta C. Mears was one of the great Bible teachers of the 20th century. While Christian Education Director at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, she built one of the largest Sunday Schools in the world and wrote curriculum that was in such high demand that to publish it she founded Gospel Light in 1933. Such notable Christian leaders as Richard C. Halverson, Louis Evans, Jr. and Bill Bright were among her students. Miss Mears developed “cradle-to-grave” age-appropriate curriculum, published a new style of Vacation Bible School and lent her support to distributing gospel materials around the world.
Gospel Light has expanded into a multifaceted publisher of fun and creative Sunday School curriculum, exciting Vacation Bible School programs and inspiring biblical books. The mission of Gospel Light is still the same today as it was in 1933: “To know Christ and to make Him known.”
A high resolution image of David Thornton is available upon request.