{"id":51286,"date":"2021-05-31T09:00:18","date_gmt":"2021-05-31T09:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/?p=51286"},"modified":"2021-06-01T17:26:45","modified_gmt":"2021-06-01T17:26:45","slug":"everyday-grinder-preaching-the-word-and-winning-a-pokerstars-scoop-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/everyday-grinder-preaching-the-word-and-winning-a-pokerstars-scoop-title\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyday Grinder: Preaching the Word and Winning a PokerStars SCOOP Title"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two words that may seem a little odd together are \u201cpoker<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cpastor<\/strong>.\u201d But for Gilbert Thurston<\/strong>, this is a way of life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By day, the 47-year-old\u00a0 preaches at Exponential Church<\/strong><\/a> in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania<\/a>. But in his free time Thurston plays online poker \u2013\u00a0certainly a unique lifestyle for a grinders.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe are a very contemporary church with rock music<\/strong>, casual dress, and messages that provide both Biblical wisdom and practical advice<\/strong> for navigating through this journey we call life,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Whether it was divine intervention or not, Thurston found a nice win on May 23<\/strong>. During a trip to New Jersey<\/a>, Thurston took down a PokerStars<\/a> $10 Sunday Storm<\/strong> SCOOP event for $583<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This poker-playing pastor evidently has some skills away from the pulpit as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Deep thoughts on his calling<\/span><\/h2>\n

Thurston grew up playing cards with family members. As he grew older he began playing in home games and on free money sites like Zynga<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

He eventually found PokerStars<\/strong><\/a> before Black Friday and began grinding even more. Currently, Thurston has over $367,000<\/strong> in online reported tournament earnings.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In Atlantic City for a week and @PokerStarsUSA<\/a> is wrapping up their SCOOP series in NJ. After not getting a title in the PA version I won the 1st I played here for my 1st career SCOOP title. Late regged after dinner & had to fire 5 bullets but got it done! #SCOOPChamp<\/a> #ThinkBink<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/h0y9nzpjf9<\/a><\/p>\n

— Gilbert Thurston (@YourPokerPastor) May 24, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The card-playing clergyman<\/strong> drew a line in the sand at one point and stopped playing altogether. He had some moral reservations about gambling. During a night out at a movie theater, Thurston began thinking deeper on the subject.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first became a Christian in 1993<\/strong>, I did stop playing poker<\/a> for a while because I just assumed it’s gambling<\/strong> and it must be wrong,\u201d says Thurston, who has <\/span>degrees in Biblical preaching and business admin degree from Hagerstown Community College. <\/span>\u201cA few years later though my wife and I were sitting at a movie theater watching a movie when it hit me.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe had just spent $40<\/strong> on tickets, drinks, popcorn, and candy and called it \u2018entertainment<\/strong>.\u2019 Yet if someone spent that same $40 at a casino I was calling it sin. So this led me to do an in-depth study of scripture to see what the Bible actually had to say about this topic.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"\"Thurston concluded some key differences among gambling, entertainment, and business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo based on that, my personal conviction is that Christians should only gamble with money that’s been marked aside as entertainment dollars<\/strong>,\u201d he says, \u201cand those entertainment dollars can only be spent once all other financial obligations have been met.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn this way, playing poker<\/a> is no different than someone playing a round of golf or spending money for their gardening hobby<\/strong> or whatever else they may be into.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thurston says poker pros buying into larger buy-in<\/strong> events are an exception. He sees them more as businessmen using their skills and buy-ins to earn a living.<\/span><\/p>\n

Poker remains his game of choice and he doesn’t play casino games<\/strong>. He feels if someone else wants to use some entertainment dollars for slots, craps, blackjack, that’s their decision.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Thurston however, he doesn\u2019t find the fun in knowing the house has the edge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Church is still his Ace<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even though Thurston enjoys playing online, he makes it clear that his church is his priority. COVID<\/strong> increased his responsibilities over the last year, which led to a decrease in time playing online. He\u2019s also involved with mission work in various parts of the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe last 11 years have been very challenging, yet we’re still going at it \u2013 making a difference in Harrisburg as well as internationally in Haiti<\/strong>, Kenya<\/strong>, and India<\/strong>,\u201d Thurston says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the last year, Thurston couldn\u2019t spread the word and help parishioners first-hand. Instead he recorded, edited, and uploaded church services online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Our Easter Worship Experience is now fully shot, edited and uploaded. Would love to have you join us on Sunday at 10am EST for great music and a message, from me, of hope in a time of crisis. Hope to see you then!https:\/\/t.co\/NXGZZOPiNF<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jslnb3Oz5F<\/a><\/p>\n

— Gilbert Thurston (@YourPokerPastor) April 10, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Besides trying to win tournaments, the pastor found another benefit from playing poker. He shares his faith<\/strong> and life as a pastor with those who are interested, sometimes with positive results<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the years I’ve been able to befriend many poker players from all around the world and show them a different side of Christianity, Jesus, and the church than what they may have encountered in the past or had a perception of,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThis has led to helping players overcome addiction<\/strong>, mend broken marriages<\/strong>, discover good money management, and more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Helping others discover their own paths in life is also one of the main reasons Thurston loves his calling. He\u2019s active on Twitter<\/strong>, fittingly at @YourPokerPastor<\/strong><\/a>, and is always available to help poker players needing to talk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Considering this poker player has such a unique job, the situation begs the question: would Jesus<\/strong> have been a good poker player?<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe answer is yes,\u201d he says. \u201cJesus is God in the flesh and knows all things, so he’d be unbeatable. Perhaps only Mike Postle<\/strong> could give him a run for his money.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605 Looking to get in the action at PokerStars? Click here<\/a> for a complete site review and exclusive USPoker bonus offers.<\/em> \u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span><\/h4>\n

The post Everyday Grinder: Preaching the Word and Winning a PokerStars SCOOP Title<\/a> appeared first on <\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two words that may seem a little odd together are \u201cpoker\u201d and \u201cpastor.\u201d But for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":51291,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"link","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"vebbtech_seo_disable_yoast":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_author":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_date":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_factchecker":false,"vebbtech_seo_fact_check_enabled":false,"vebbtech_seo_post_reviewer":0,"vebbtech_seo_post_review_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-51286","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-link","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news-category","8":"post_format-post-format-link"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEveryday Grinder: Preaching the Word and Winning a PokerStars SCOOP Title -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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