Heather Marie Thompson Day, known as Heather Thompson Day, is an American Christian author, speaker, podcast host and communication professor.
Reports put her age at 39 as of September 2026, but her birth date is not public. She is a Seventh-day Adventist, best known for the book It’s Not Your Turn and for hosting the Viral Jesus podcast.
In September 2026, Texas police arrested her on a felony charge involving a child. She has not been convicted, and the case is still open. The details are covered in the legal status section below.
Heather Thompson Day at a Glance
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Heather Marie Thompson Day (police records list Heather Marie Day) |
| Born | Date and place not public |
| Agechristianitytoday | 39 (as reported in September 2026) |
| Nationality | American (U.S.-based career and residence) |
| Spouse | Seth Day (married 15+ years; met in sixth grade) |
| Children | Three |
| Parents | Father is a pastor; names not public |
| Education | |
| University | Andrews University (alumna) |
| Degrees | Master’s in communication (psychology focus); PhD in higher education (communication focus) |
| Ministry and Media | |
| Denomination | Seventh-day Adventist |
| Organizations | It Is Day Ministries; Cross Communication Collective; I’m That Wife community |
| Podcast | Viral Jesus (Christianity Today, launched 2021) |
| Website | heatherthompsonday.com |
| Career | |
| Teaching | Andrews University; Colorado Christian University; guest teaching at Notre Dame |
| Books | 9 to 10, depending on the source |
| Net worth | No verified figure |
| Legal status | Charged September 24, 2026; not convicted |
Early Life and Background
Public details about her childhood are thin. She has shared more about her family in essays and interviews than in any formal biography.
Heather Thompson Day Parents and Father
Her father was a lifelong pastor. In a Peer Magazine interview, she called him the most spiritually connected person she had known. He was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
She also described the cost of care. Nursing homes can run up to $10,000 a month, she said. At one low point she told her mother that her dad had little to show for a life of ministry. Her mother answered that he had her.
In a 2020 essay in Plough, she wrote that her father is Black and her mother is white. Her maternal grandfather skipped her parents’ wedding over race. Her parents’ names are not public.
Heather Thompson Day Family
She and Seth Day have known each other since sixth grade. They have been married more than 15 years and have three children. Seth Day is a former Adventist youth pastor turned psychology professor.
Heather Thompson Day Andrews University Years
She calls herself a “home-grown” Andrews student, according to a North American Division report. Andrews University is an Adventist school in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
She earned a master’s in communication with a psychology focus, then a PhD in higher education with a communication focus.
Career: Professor, Speaker and Writer
Heather Thompson Day Professor Career
Yes, Heather Thompson Day worked as a professor for about 15 years. She taught public speaking, persuasion and social media to undergraduate and graduate students.
She taught at Andrews, left around 2019 for Colorado Christian University in Colorado, and returned to Andrews in fall 2021. She also taught public speaking to MBA and law students at the University of Notre Dame.
Reports say she and Seth Day moved to Keene, Texas, in June 2026. Her current teaching status is not confirmed in the sources reviewed.
Is Heather Thompson Day SDA? Faith and Church Ties
Yes, she is a Seventh-day Adventist (SDA). She is also an interdenominational speaker, so her audience reaches well past her church. She preached at an Andrews chapel in March 2018, and Adventist publications ran her books and interviews for years.
It Is Day Ministries and Cross Communication Collective
Her newer work centers on Cross Communication. She founded It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit that trains churches and leaders. She argues the church has a communication problem, not a theology problem.
The idea rests on Acts 1:8, where Jesus calls His followers to be witnesses.
Rise to Prominence
She started writing books at age 22. Her early titles dealt with dating and young adult life in the Adventist church, as she told Adventist Record in 2019.
Her breakthrough came online. Short stories with a clear moral, about grace and honesty, spread fast on Twitter/X. She reached about 50,000 followers in two years, according to the Roys Report. Major publishers noticed.
I’m That Wife Community
She runs an online community for women called I’m That Wife. Its follower count was listed at over 100,000 in older bios and over 270,000 by 2023.
Heather Thompson Day Podcast: Viral Jesus
Her podcast is Viral Jesus, launched in 2021 with Christianity Today. She interviewed Christian influencers about using big platforms well. The show reached the top 200 of Christian podcasts. Christianity Today removed the episodes from its site in late September 2026.
Heather Thompson Day Books
Amazon lists nine books. Other outlets count ten. Her national work came through InterVarsity Press and Thomas Nelson.
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cracked Glasses | 2012 | Review and Herald; on feeling not good enough for God |
| How to Feed the Mediavore | 2013 | On media habits |
| The God Myth and Other Lies | 2014 | Early title |
| Confessions of a Christian Wife | Year not confirmed | On relationships and faith |
| It’s Not Your Turn | 2021 | InterVarsity Press; bestseller on waiting for a breakthrough |
| I’ll See You Tomorrow | 2022 | Co-written with Seth Day; on relational resilience |
| Can I Sit Here? | Year not confirmed | Children’s book co-written with her daughter |
| What If I’m Wrong? | 2025 | On fear, failure and purpose |
Her IVP author page lists the 2021 book. Bible teacher Beth Moore praised her voice around the release of I’ll See You Tomorrow.
Personal Life
Her marriage to Seth Day was a regular theme in her talks and books. A Facebook video told how they met as kids in sixth grade. Her writing also covered her father’s Alzheimer’s and the grief that came with it.
She has been open about the pressure of life online. She once said she never gets to just be herself, because she is always on assignment.
Beliefs and Ministry Philosophy
Her message is simple: tell people what you have seen and heard of God. She teaches that clear speech matters as much as sound doctrine. She also writes about waiting seasons, saying that delay is not denial.
Influence and Legacy
Her reach crossed church lines. She wrote for Religion News Service, Newsweek, the Barna Group and Christianity Today. Her work was also featured by the Today Show, and she was interviewed by BBC Radio and The Wall Street Journal.
Like Nancy Ortberg, another American Christian woman who teaches and writes for church audiences, she built her platform through speaking and print. Her legacy is now tied to the 2026 case.
Fans and former colleagues voiced shock online, and Adventist leaders described the same.
2026 Arrest and Legal Status (Criticism and Controversies)
Heather Thompson Day and Seth Day were arrested in Keene, Texas, on September 24, 2026. Everything below is an allegation. Neither has been convicted. Both are presumed innocent.
- Police say a high school teacher raised concerns, and an officer met a child at the Johnson County Children’s Advocacy Center.
- Heather Thompson Day was charged with injury to a child by omission, a third-degree felony. Police allege she knew of harm and did not step in.
- Seth Day was charged with injury to a child. On September 25 he was also charged with sexual assault of a child.
- Bonds were set at $100,000 for her and $350,000 for him.
- Reports say Texas child protective services had looked into the family before. Those state reviews were closed.
- A Johnson County investigator told the Roys Report the probe is ongoing. The Days had not commented publicly.
Southwestern Adventist University placed Seth Day on leave and said it is cooperating. Christianity Today pulled all Viral Jesus episodes. Outlets also differ on the exact charge wording, so check court records for updates.
Heather Thompson Day Net Worth
No reliable net worth figure exists. Her income likely came from teaching, speaking and book sales, but no source gives numbers. Any figure you see online is a guess.
Awards and Recognition
Her bios call her an ECPA bestseller. We found no major named awards in our research. Her podcast ranked in the top 200 of Christian podcasts.
Interesting Facts About Heather Thompson Day
- She started publishing books at 22 and had six by age 32.
- She and Seth Day met in sixth grade.
- She taught public speaking to law and MBA students at Notre Dame.
- Her devotional, Friday Night Light, has about 10,000 email subscribers.
- She co-wrote a picture book with her daughter.
Heather Thompson Day Timeline
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Publishes Cracked Glasses |
| 2013 to 2014 | Publishes How to Feed the Mediavore and The God Myth and Other Lies |
| About 2019 | Leaves Andrews for Colorado Christian University |
| 2021 | Publishes It’s Not Your Turn; rejoins Andrews; launches Viral Jesus |
| 2022 | Co-writes I’ll See You Tomorrow with Seth Day |
| 2025 | Releases What If I’m Wrong? |
| June 2026 | Moves to Keene, Texas |
| September 24, 2026 | Arrested and booked into Johnson County Jail |
| September 29, 2026 | Christianity Today removes Viral Jesus episodes |
Heather Day, Heather Ann Thompson and Heather Thomson: Who Is Who?
Searches for this name pull in other people and topics. Here is how to tell them apart.
What Is the Significance of Heather Day (Conan Gray)?
Heather Day is December 3. It comes from a lyric in “Heather” by Conan Gray, from the 2020 album Kid Krow.
Heather Ann Thompson
Heather Ann Thompson is a historian and professor, born in Lawrence, Kansas. She is a different person from Heather Thompson Day.
Heather Thomson
Heather Thomson is a fashion designer and former cast member of The Real Housewives of New York City. She has two children, a son and a daughter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is Heathers Day?
Heather Day falls on December 3. The date comes from a Conan Gray lyric and is a fan tradition about sweaters. The 1988 film Heathers has no set holiday.
What day is Heather Day in Conan Gray?
December 3. The song’s opening lines name the third of December. Fans began calling it Heather Day on TikTok and Twitter in 2020.
How old is Heather Thompson Day?
She is 39, according to reports in September 2026. Her exact birth date has not been published. A 2019 article said she was 32 then, which fits.
Who are Heather Thompson Day’s parents?
Her father is a pastor who developed Alzheimer’s disease. Her mother is white, and her father is Black, per her own writing. Their names are not public.
How many children does Heather Thompson Day have?
She has three children. Heather Thomson of RHONY is a different person and has two.
How old is Heather Ann Thompson?
Her birth date is not shown in the sources we reviewed. She is a historian from Lawrence, Kansas, and a separate person from Heather Thompson Day.
What is Heather Thompson famous for?
Heather Thompson Day is famous for It’s Not Your Turn and the Viral Jesus podcast. She is also known for her I’m That Wife community and her speaking. Other Heather Thompsons are famous for history or reality TV.
Is Heather Thompson Day SDA?
Yes, she is a Seventh-day Adventist. She taught at Adventist universities and spoke widely in the church. She also spoke to non-Adventist audiences.
Is Heather Thompson Day a professor?
She worked as a communication professor for about 15 years. She taught at Andrews University and Colorado Christian University. Her present role is not confirmed.
Did Heather Thompson Day attend Andrews University?
Yes. She is an Andrews graduate and later taught there twice. Andrews is in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Does Heather Thompson Day have a podcast?
She hosted Viral Jesus with Christianity Today. Christianity Today took the episodes down in September 2026.
Does Heather Thompson Day have a Wikipedia page?
We did not find a dedicated Wikipedia page for her in our research. This article draws on news reports, publisher bios and her own interviews.
What is the legal status of Heather Thompson Day’s case?
She was charged on September 24, 2026, and has not been convicted. The investigation is ongoing. She is presumed innocent.
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