Dear friends,

Last Thursday, heaven gained a giant-hearted worshiper, Donn Charles Thomas. He was 73. 

As our friend Mimi Dixon said, ​“Good for Donn. Bad for us.” 

An African-American pastor and worship leader with a powerful voice, Donn is perhaps best known for his song, ​“Anointing Fall On Me,” which Ron Kenoly recorded on the 90s praise album, Lift Him Up. 

If that song was Donn’s prayer, his life and ministry are evidence it was answered.

Donn led musical worship with great skill. But it was more than skill. 

The term anointed, while debated and misunderstood, is still the best word I know for someone with the gift of making room for the presence of God. This anointing seems to be given to people who endure hardship with humility. 

Donn Thomas was anointed. The distance between heaven and earth collapsed when he worshipped and prayed. 

I want to share two personal memories of Donn.

The first is several years ago at a Renovaré Ministry Team retreat. Thirty of us sat in a circle. Trayvon Martin’s recent death was on our minds, and Donn was asked to express his feelings about racial injustice.

Donn stood up, tilted back his head, and released a soul-deep bellow — a roar of lament and anguish — followed by a prayer for justice. It’s a sound none of us will forget.

The second is at an event where I led music with Renovaré for perhaps the first time. After one of the sessions, Donn approached me, all smile and heart. ​“That’s good stuff, man. I get what you’re doing.” I felt affirmed, appreciated, encouraged. The comments pouring in on his Facebook page right now say that I’m not the only one. 

We’ll miss you, Donn. I can still hear you singing, You are here / Moving in our midst / I worship you / I worship you.