I have listened to and enjoyed Third Day‘s music for years, but it’s only been in the last couple of months that I found out about how active Third Day’s fan base is. Their fans call themselves “Gomers,” and there are THOUSANDS of them. TENS of thousands.
Well.
There’s a lovely lady who calls herself Mama Gomer, and she runs the Third Day fan network. I liked her as soon as I heard about her, mainly because she uses the word “Mama” in her internet moniker, and I have a little bit of a fondness for that. For whatever reason.
And a few weeks ago, I interviewed Mama Gomer – because quite frankly I am fascinated by her and her Gomer people.
Plus, I mean, where but the internet could you find an interview between two women who willingly call themselves BooMama and Mama Gomer? Where, I ask you?
Doesn’t it sound like we should be the opening act at a 1958 Grand Ole Opry production? Playing some spoons or something?
Anyway, I asked Mama Gomer a few questions, a few of which I will share with you before I announce today’s fab giveaway.
Okay. First thing? I’m FASCINATED by the whole Gomer phenomenon. So I need some background info: how many official “Gomers” are there? And did you ever in a million years think that Gomer-dom would take off like it has? Why do you think it’s been such a huge success?
There are about 30,000 Gomers registered. No, I never thought it would be this big! When we first started it back in 2001, we thought we’d have maybe . . . maybe . . . 100 people from the message boards join. But it just took off like a wild fire! Certainly the success of the Gomers is due to the love people have for Third Day and their music. But there is more to it than that. God gave me the idea of starting the Gomers, and He is behind its success. He has used this family to minister to many, and I pray He will continue to do so!
I don’t think it hurts that becoming a Gomer is free and open to everyone. We’ve strived to keep it free and open to all, because it is all about love.
Initially – way back in 2001 – how did you even find other Third Day fans online? Who were some of the first people you met?
None of this would have happened without the message boards on ThirdDay.com. It is there that we started the Gomers, and there that we develop most of our relationships with one another. We have people from all over the world on the boards, and all ages. We’ve had six couples meet and on the boards and end up getting married!
The first time I met other Gomers in real life was in February, 2002, at a Third Day concert in Dallas. Back then, if you told your friends or family you were going to meet up with someone you met online, they thought you were nuts! I met some other Gomers that day: the members of Third Day! Yes, they are all Gomers with Gomer names. I’ve always found that sweet and kind of refreshing, that they would join their own fan family. Not that they are arrogant to say they love Third Day, but that they each consider themselves fans of the other four guys. And that they consider themselves equal with their fans.
Y’all are an incredibly organized fan base. Has that happened over time? Or has that always been the case?
From the start we kept a list of members, and used the internet to arrange gatherings and things like that. What makes it all possible is the band’s involvement. It’s much easier to keep everything going because the band, management, webmaster, and the record company all help by providing support, webspace, time with the band, prizes for contests, and lots of other things. We work pretty closely to think of new ways to make being a Gomer a fun and unique experience. I’ve got so many ideas running around my head. There are fun things on the horizon!
You can read the rest of the interview here. I’m telling y’all: this Gomer thing is a phenomenon.
Now.
I believe I mentioned a little something about a giveaway.
For all you didn’t-know-you-were-Gomers, active Gomers, and Gomers-to-be, there are five Third Day Christmas Offerings CDs that are yours for the taking.
Well, you can’t take them, really. But you can leave a comment to try to win one of them. I’ve had my own copy of this CD since way back in the summer, and I think it’s wonderful.
Here’s all you have to do to win:
1) Click here.
2) Watch and listen to see if you’re interested in winning this CD.
3) If you are, come back here and leave a comment.
4) And for kicks, tell me your favorite Christmas carol.
5) Because it’ll be fun.
I’ll close this giveaway Thursday morning, December 13th – so time’s a wastin’, people! Get to clickin’!
And as always, I will select the winners with the assistance of the oh-so-capable random.org.
Adios, you bunch of Gomers!
*Edited to add: I just saw that Shannon has a great Praise Baby giveaway going on here – open to the first 300 bloggers who sign up! So run! Run like the wind!
This giveaway is now closed.
O Come All Ye Faithful is my fav. Please add my name to the list!
Oh yes…
I love me some Angels We Have Heard On High because of the Glooooooooooooorias. Love to harmonize, I do.
Shezaaaaam!
Definitely O Holy Night!
Fun interview!
Fave Christmas Carol? I love so many but “What Child is This?” has always been way up there.
I wanna win too!!!
O Holy Night is my favorite ever!!!
Love you Boo Mama!
I’d so love this cd!!
My favorite carol is definitely ‘Oh Holy Night’.
Thanks so much!!
:)
Love their music!
Oh, and “Oh holy night” is my favorite.
O pick me!! We would love some new Christmas music!
Although this isn’t a traditional carol, my fav Christmas song right now is ‘Hope Has Come’. It is a Sovereign Grace song from their Christmas cd that came out last year entitled ‘Savior’.
That voice, oh, it gives me the chills! In a good way. I vote for “Silent Night,” can’t miss with a classic!
Sheesh . . . can’t believe I don’t already have this CD! I sure do want it, though!!
My two favorite carols are “O, Holy Night” and “Emmanuel.”
I would love this cd!!!!
Oh and my favorite Christmas Carol… Jingle Bells and I saw mama kissin Santa Claus. I don’t know why but I love them.
Third Day is my favorite Christian group ever. I already have this cd, and love it, and most of their other ones also. My husband, who is not a Christian, and I went to see them two years ago and even he likes them.
My favorite Christmas song is a tie between “O Holy Night” and “What Child is This”.
Enjoy reading your blog.
Tina
I would love to win this CD.
My favorite Christmas songs are “O Holy Night” sung by anybody, (what a beautiful song), and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by Barenaked Ladies.
What a great CD!!! I would love this!
I’d love this CD. And my favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. Especially when sung by Josh Groban.
I’d like to enter! My favorite Christmas carol is The Christmas Song (Chesnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
I love your blog. I get many moments of joy reading your posts. This is the first giveaway that I have entered and I am so excited because I love Third Day and have been wanting their Christmas CD since it came out.
BTW, my favorite Christmas carol is “O,Come all Ye Faithful” and “Joy to the World”.
Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
O Holy Night would be my favorite! However, “Christmas makes me cry” by Mandisa is GOOD! It’s becoming the favorite!
Oh… I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Third Day!! And I have my 11 year old son loving them too – which I feel very good about. My favorite Christmas carol is Away in a Manger. When I hear it, I always think about rocking my son to sleep and singing it to him when he was a baby. It still brings tears to my eyes. Oh, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your blog too!! Thanks :)
“Oh Holy Night”, which is actually playing on KSBJ (our beloved Houston station) right now! I must say though, it depends on who is singing it. Some people just give me chills when they sing it. (The “good” chills!!) :-)
Love, love, love Third Day. Seen them MANY times. My favorite was when we saw them in Houston and most everyone was wearing orange. It was such a huge sea of orange and it was really cool looking. I didn’t see anything mentioned in the interview about the Gomers color being orange. I wonder if that has changed??
P.S.
We sure have the “love, love, love” going on here, don’t we? LOL
I obviously didn’t read Robin’s post before I wrote mine….I think we were typing at the exact same time! Too funny!
I love Third Day and had never even heard about the Gomers until you. Thanks again for keeping me informed, BooMama. I would love the CD and my favorite Christmas carol is “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
I would love to win this CD. I recently started attending a contemporary Methodist service and am finding myself more and more drawn to contemporary Christian music. My favorite carol is Angels we have heard on high.
I have always enjoyed Third Day.
My favorite carol is ‘O Holy Night’. I always get a little choked up while trying to sing it or listen to it.
I would love to win! My all time favorite Christmas carol is “The Holly and the Ivy”. It’s a beautiful song, but so hard to find on a CD!
I want this CD sooo bad! Love Third Day.
I am not sure what my favorite Christmas Carol is… I really like “Little Drummer Boy” Prrr-up-a-pum-pum
I’ve heard some of the songs from their Christmas cd on the radio and would love to have a copy.
There’s nothing like listening to “O Holy Night” with just the tree lights on and the stereo turned up!
Love, Love, Love Third Day! Pick me, pick me oh random number thingy, pick me.
Favorite holiday song: Away in a Manger & for a little Southern fun, Tennessee Christmas by Alabama
Here I am hoping to win this CD.
My fav carol THIS year is Josh Groban’s The First Noel. I am also enjoying When Christmas Comes to Town from the movie The Polar Express.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
White Christmas is a favorite of mine.
Fabulous! And my favorite Christmas carol, despite the fact that I can’t sing it worth a lick, is O Holy Night. It’s just beautiful!
Love it! Sign me up.
Fave carol…I can’t stop singing “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” despite the fact it barely counts as a carol since its a song about a TREE.
I love love love Third Day!
Fav carol would be Angles we Have Heard on High.
I am totally a Gomer and did not know it!
I LOVE me some Third Day, and I LOVE me some Christmas Music (O Come O Come Emanuel anyone?)
Please sign me up!
Mac Powell was my replacement for Eddie Veder when I was born again.
And I’m currently loving Little Drummer Boy all over again. I can’t stop crying when I hear it?!
Lisa
Thanks for the interesting info on Third Day. Their voices and Christmas just seem to go together. Favorite Christmas carole today is Mary Did You Know (the child that you’ll deliver will soon deliver you — awesome!)
Hope to win! My favorite carol is Hark the Herald Angels Sing
My favorite Christmas song is Adoration by The Newsboys.
I have Offerings & Offerings 2…would love to have Christmas Offerings!
Oh wow, I’m a Gomer and I didn’t even know it!
My favorite Christmas carol… is that new-ish one called Mary Did You Know. But I also like Breath of Heaven.
I love Silent Night and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
I hope I win!
Silver Bells is my favorite Christmas carol (this year). For about a decade it was The Little Drummer Boy, well, it’s too hard to decide which one of the two is my favorite.
I love Third Day and really, really, really want to win this CD.
Ooh, I’d love to have this. I like their Christmas music a lot! My favorite Christmas song is “Once in Royal David’s City.” Somebody needs to do a modern recording of it!
I have always been a fan of Third Day, but I didn’t know Gomers existed until just now!
“Oh Holy Night” is my favorite Christmas song; I love the peace it brings.
OH I love Third Day – I would love this CD. O Holy Night is one of my all time favs but Away in the Manger is my 4 yr olds favorite song ever so it’s sort of morphed into mine as well.
I’d love to win this CD!
My all-time favorite Christmas carol is O Holy Night.
I’m game! O Holy Night is definitely my favorite.
Oh sign me up! I love 3rd Day! My favorite Christmas carol is “Good Christian Men Rejoice.” (yes men, because that’s how it was written.)
Interested? Third Day? Are you kidding me?
Yes.
Silent Night.
Thank you very much.
Very cool!! My favorite Christmas song has to be “O Holy Night”! When sung well, it also makes me teary-eyed!
What a great interview! How very neat. I am so interested in this cd. I love Third Day. They just sound so awesome!
My favorite Christmas song is Come all Ye Faithfull.
Love Third day! Silent Night is my fav Christmas song.
LOVE Third Day!! And I love Christmas music! My favorite carol is O Holy Night…pretty much any version. :) Thanks!
3rd day is awesome! Oh Holy Night and Breath of Heaven are my favorite Christmas Carols.
This sounds great! We even had a Third Day song in our wedding.
Let it Snow and O Holy Night.
Well, I’m an official Gomer, and I do have this CD already, but I wanted to comment and tell all you wanna be gomers to go to gomers.net and sign up! My favorite carol is Third Day’s O Holy Night and O Come O Come Emmanuel (it’s a rocked up version). Not on this CD, tho. Boomama, I’m also a MSU fan and alum. Go Dawgs. Lookin’ forward to the Libertybowl in my hometown in a few weeks!!! Thanks to Boomama & Mama Gomer gettin the word out on the Best Band in the world!
My favorite carol is angels we have heard on high. I love all the moving parts in the middle with the glorias. Merry Christmas, BooMama!
I would love the cd. I love O Holy Night and Joseph’s Lullaby by Mercy Me.
count me in!
I would love it!!
My favorite Carol would have to be Oh Holy Night.
Count me in as well. Third Day was the band that got me into contemporary Christian music, and I just love them!!
Oh, this is a great contest!!
My favorites: traditional – Little Drummer Boy; contemporary – Born in Bethlehem (Third Day) or Did You Know? (Todd Agnew). Thanks!
I love Third Day, but have yet to buy their Christmas Album. And since I love Third Day and Christmas music I’m sure I’d love this CD.
Favorite Carol: Angels We Have Heard on High
My very favorite carol is Oh Holy Night with Do You Hear What I Hear a close second!
Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to have this CD! Though it isn’t usually, this year my favorite Christmas song has been “Silent Night.” I’ve been too busy with work, and “Silent Night” reminds me to be still and quiet and thankful.
I heard Third Day’s Christmas songs last year on the radio, and would LOVE to have a copy. I don’t have a favorite carol, as I love almost all Christmas music, but this year, Joseph’s lullaby always jumps out at me when I hear it. And I find myself singing it around the house!
Count me in for this one! As for the carols, my favorite is O Come All Ye Faithful because of the harmonies. But my favorite Christmas song is Labor of Love by Andrew Peterson and Jill Phillips. Will make you cry!
Love Third Day! Love Christmas music! And I LOVE O Holy Night. Thanks!
I don’t know if I would call myself a Gomer, but I definitely like their music and especially love any kind of Christmas music! So enter me in please! My favorite Christmas carol is Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
Love Third Day! One of them is an old acquaintance from middle school days- yes, 20 years ago…. ha! Favorite Christmas carol has to be “O Holy Night.”
Love this CD!
Favorite Carol: O Come, O Come Immanuel
Third Day Rocks… I’m trying to sound all hip and everything! :) My favorite carol is It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.
Am loving the new Jars of Clay Christmas. Favorite carol: Lo, How a Rose ‘Ere Blooming.
Third Day is one of my favorite bands! My favorite Christmas carol would either be “What Child Is This” or “O Holy Night.” I don’t think I could decide between the two!
I am a Gomer, I just didn’t know it! Hubs and I have seen Third Day twice when they’ve been in town. We heart them! What a perfect Christmas gift for him.
My favorite carol? Silent Night, absolutely. Makes me cry.
Gotta go with O Come All ye Faithful.
Favorite Christmas Carol? O Come, O Come Emmanuel, but only when it isn’t sung like a funeral dirge. Hello, it’s a hopeful song!
My favorite Christmas carol is a tie between Breath of Heaven and Mary Did You Know.
Carol of the Bells is my favorite.
Love you as well BooMama!
Love Carol of the Bells!
I just knew you were going to ask why they were called the “Gomers”. Does it have anything to do with Gomer Pyle from Andy Griffith. That’s the only Gomer I can think of.
Love Third Day and Casting Crowns. It depends on the day which one I like better.
I would love to win this CD! :o) My favorite Christmas song is “O Holy Night.”
Great interview. I’ve been a Gomer since 2002. Love love love my Gomers. Some of my best friends are Gomers!!! Mama Gomer is my friend…I love her! Come join us!!
My favorite Christmas carol is “O Holy Night”.
Merry Christmas!
I would love this cd, and like everyone else I do greatly enjoy “O Holy Night” but, I really have a special fondness for the lesser known “Once in Royal Davids City”. Bet you have never heard of that one!
I’m a HUGE Third Day fan. And the band members live very close to me. Mac Powell has sung and spoken at my church. These guys are such “regular guys” but they are so talented. I hope I win!!!
Oh, and for the record, ever since I learned “O Holy Night” for the 5th grade Christmas pageant, it has been my favorite Christmas song!
OOOOOOOOH Pick me, pick me. My husband has called me scrooge this year because I have not been playing Christmas music. I am certain this CD will brighten my Christmas spirit.
I LOVE Third Day…would love to win!
My favorite Christmas carol is: What child is this? A close second would be hearing my daughter singing “Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, jingle all ‘da way! Old MacFarmer had a dog e-i-e-i-oh!” (How cute is that for a Christmas carol?)
Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I would love to win this CD! I love Third Day :)
My favorite Christmas carol is Silent Night. :)
I love Third Day. I love Christmas music (favorite is What Child is This). So I would love to win this CD.
My daughter and I love Third Day!!! My favorite Christmas Carol would have to be “What Child is This?”
I bet this CD is amazing! My favorite carol is Little Drummer Boy! A strange pick, I know, but I just love it!
I love me some Christmas songs. I love me some Third Day.
I’d love me some Third Day Christmas songs.
Especially if they sing O Holy Night. Because that is my favorite Christmas carol.
I consider this a complete and perfectly integrated essay answer to your questions. I’m rather proud of it.
My favorite Christmas carol is “Silent Night.” I also love me some 3rd Day, so count me in!
ohh i looove me some christmas music. my favorite christmas carol is o come, o come emmanuel…or o holy night…or silent night…or what child is this.
i just can’t choose. i love them all.
I’d love to win this. My favorite Christmas carol is O Holy Night, but I also love Mary Did You Know?.
oh holy night~ absolutely, every single time brings me to tears. i can almost see the whole thing in my head. i absolutely, unequivically love that song. would love to hear it sung all year long!
My fave is O Holy Night.
blogged ya:
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/12/tuesday-edition-of-contests-galore_11.html
How cool! I didn’t know about the Gomers. Sounds like fun. :-)
Third Day was just here in concert a few days ago and I was so sad I didn’t get tickets. I did get to hear some of their CD on the radio during the “pregame” show. I would LOVE to own it!
OK…favorite carol…that’s so hard! O Holy Night is definitely in the top 3 along with Silent Night and O Come All Ye Faithful and about 15 other carols. LOL Too hard to choose!
Third Day rocks!!!
Would love to win Third Day Christmas CD! Favorite carol would have to be Silent Night! I love Mary, Did You Know?, too! :)
Third Day is a standard in our home!
“Angels We Have Heard On High” is my favorite carol of all time. Can’t you just hear those angels singing over Jesus????
Would love that CD! Oh Holy night and Mary Did you know are two of my favorites.