Tom Lemon has 21 years of experience as a pastor in two conferences and has spent the past 9 years as a part of the Conference leadership team in two conferences. He served as the ministerial director for the Oregon Conference and is now serving as the President of the Minnesota Conference.

He and his wife, Jan, have been married for 29 years and they have two adult children, one of whom is just starting college.

Pastor Lemon’s experience with abuse victims and abusers has been somewhat limited, although it is growing much faster than he would wish. Watching and conversing with those on both sides of the abuse problem, the devastation to the victim, often for life; and the horrendous pain brought to the perpetrator and his family by his (usually a male) crime and his seeming powerlessness over his actions, has led him to join The Hope of Survivors. He has a very strong desire to help find ways to prevent or preclude abuse from happening. But when it has happened, to provide resources, encouragement and healing for the various parties concerned.

He is aware that, traditionally, the church has pointed fingers and then “passed by on the other side.” (see Luke 10) He believes it is time we embrace the broken and assist them with their recovery, while at the same time educating, and reminding those who would abuse, just how wrong that abuse is. And still in Jesus there is recovery, power and reasons to get up and get back on the road to wholeness once again.