Rick Beam was born and grew up in northeast Mississippi. He graduated from Ambassador College Big Sandy, Texas, in 1972, and was ordained into the ministry in 1975. From 1978 until his death in 2024, he pastored congregations in the south, west and midwest. His final pastorate was for the United Church of God congregations in Rome, (Georgia), Gadsden (Alabama) and Chattanooga (Tennessee).

Tom is an elder in the United Church of God who works from his home near St. Louis, Missouri, as a senior writer and editor for the Beyond Today magazine and church booklets. He is also the editor of the UCG Bible Commentary. He also served as a copy editor for Vertical Thought and managing editor for World News and Prophecy.