Bio
Eric Thompson grew up in tiny Philomath, Oregon and now lives in the greater Portland area. Raised by a single, immigrant mother without a college degree, he was impacted both by her grit and generosity and the care and hospitality of their church community.
He saw the love of Christ in action as people from his church provided clothes, food, a car and much more. From the time he was little, seeing people open homes and take time to teach, correct, coach, and include him came to shape his world view and his character. It’s why he believes pajamas can alter the course of history and why you can tell the people who believe in Jesus by watching for those who act like him.
Though he came from humble roots, he found success in life. He earned an undergraduate in psychology, two master’s degrees in business, and spent 21 years at Nike. His time at Nike afforded him the opportunity to see the world, sending him off continent over 40 times.
What matters to him is paying forward the love he received. He volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters as a “big” for 3 years, coached over 20 seasons of youth sports, volunteered in church Sunday school and youth groups, served on the board of three combined churches and assisted in other forms in his community.
In spite of his success and beautiful family - wife Sarah whom he married at 22 and their 3 amazing children - Eric came to find he carried scars from a childhood where his father had moved to another state. Through personal exploration and professional counseling, he came to realize the powerful effects of parental absenteeism and is dedicating his “second career” to share a message of healing and hope for people with similar wounds and to call and equip parents to engage in the lives of their children.
