The oldest girl of seven children born to Reverend and Mrs. Rudolph C. Allen, Sr. Pastor Valerie A. Thompson acknowledged and accepted her call into the ministry of God’s Word on October 6, 1996. She was educated in the Muscogee County School System, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, and Mercer University in Macon, GA. A third-generation minister, Valerie began studying the gospel under the tutelage of Bishop Othal H. Lakey and attended The Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

Valerie worked as the News Information Supervisor at the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. After ten years at the Ledger, Pastor Thompson exercised great faith, leaving her job, and becoming full-time in her pastoral calling.

Reverend Thompson was the pastor of Oakridge Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Greenville, Georgia and Emanuel Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in West Point, Georgia. After serving two years at Emanuel Chapel, God gave her instructions to return to Columbus, Georgia to assist her father at Revelation Missionary Baptist Church.

The founder and only pastor of the twenty-five-year-old Revelation Missionary Baptist Church, Reverend Rudolph Carter Allen, Sr. felt the urge to retire in December 2004. In his place would not be one of his three minister sons, but Valerie, his daughter. By inheriting her father’s pulpit, Reverend Thompson became the only female senior pastor in the denomination of Columbus among all local Baptist congregations.

She received the Community Service Award from the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the Woman of the Year Award from Ross Report News of Atlanta, Georgia. Reverend Thompson has received the Woman of Courage Award from the Greater Columbus Business and Professional Women’s Club. She served on the Board of Community Developmental Advisory Council for the City of Columbus. Pastor Thompson is on the Board of Directors of the Urban League of Greater Columbus, and she served on the Minority Board of Directors for the American Red Cross. She was the Vice President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Columbus, Georgia. In 2019 Pastor Thompson was appointed by the Mayor of Columbus to sit on the Council for District 4.She most recently became the first woman to sit on the Cabinet of the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia as a Regional Vice President.Reverend Thompson is a member of the Columbus Georgia Chapter of The Links, Inc.She received the Lift Her Up award given by The Courier Eco Latino Newspaperandwas newly appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Baptist Convention USA Inc. Executive Committee.

She is married to Reverend Reginald A. Thompson, son of the late Reverend Tony Thompson and Mrs. Malinda Colbert. They have four children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Reverend Thompson’s continuous confession is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”