Pam Thum was the only child of traveling evangelists Bruce
and Ruth Thum, producers of the very popular and unique drama,
Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames. The experience, which never
kept them in the same place for more than a month, had both
positive and negative effects on Pam.
Thum's parents were very dedicated Christians and carried Jesus
into every aspect of their lives. They taught her a great deal
about prayer and helped give her the assurance that Jesus was
always with her. Still, Thum grew up in a very adult world and
often felt quite lonely. She learned to depend on Jesus at a
very early age and often made up little songs to sing to Him
to help her not feel so lonely and scared. Jesus was one of
the only constants in her life and she knew she never wanted
to leave Him.
Pam's music career began when she was three years old and started
singing on stage. As the years went on, Pam began to realize
the effect music had on people and the hope that the words she
sang often gave them. "I wanted them to feel the peace I did
when I sang to God. I wanted them to feel as though Jesus were
hugging them through my music."
And so it began. Pam Thum started writing songs when she was
16 and decided to pursue songwriting and performing as her own
full time ministry. In 1987, Pam was offered a songwriting contract
after her song "We Are An Army" was recorded by Trace Balin.
She was offered a recording contract in 1992 and released her
self titled debut album in 1993. The record was a huge success,
with six of the songs making the top ten. She also received
a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year.
Pam Thum's albums:
Pam Thum, 1993
Faithful, 1994
Feel the Healing, 1995
Believe, 1997
Thum's geatest influences have been her parents and her Aunt
Myrtle. Aunt Myrtle was a bundle of energy and was always hugging
someone, taking people to church, baking cookies, teaching Sunday
School, or singing joyfully to the Lord. Thum's greatest desire
in her music is to be like her Aunt Myrtle and to love others
where they're at and point them to Jesus.
Perhaps one of the most surprising things that came out of
Pam's immediate success was her popularity in South Africa.
Shortly after the release of her first album, the readers of
JOY Magazine, a Christian publication in South Africa, named
her Best International Female Artist of 1993. On her first trip
there, she was greeted by an enormous group of fans and a hotel
room filled with flowers. Thum believes that God has given her
a special platform in South Africa and she desires to use it
for His glory.
Today, Pam is married to Stephen Marshall and together they
have built Pam Thum Ministries, which is partnered with several
other "world-changing" ministries. Her mission remains the same
- to fearlessly share the Good News of Christ with the world
and encourage others to do the same. "We have the greatest news
for this world," says Pam, "and we've spent too many years acting
as if we're in some kind of secret club. People are living and
dying without Jesus -- hurt, hatred, sickness and fear have
ruled for too long. I just feel an urgency that we've got to
shake off the apathy in our lives and get bold and direct about
our faith."
