I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
-
Top Posts & Pages
- Romans 8:14-27 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview, "Indwelt," for October 18, 2026
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "America's Verse" -- "Judge Not" (Matthew 7:1-5 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 sermon)
- Romans 6:1-14, Overview of Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson, "Freedom," for October 4, 2026.
Categories
- "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12)
- "The Disciplines of Disciples" series
- "This Is My Story" sermon series
- Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA
- Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
- COVID-19 crisis assorted messages
- Current Events
- Devotions/Bible Studies
- Discipleship
- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
- Doctrine/Theology
- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
- Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
- Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages
- History
- Home & Family Life
- I Peter sermons
- India Mission Trip 2011
- Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King
- John 3:16 sermon series
- Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series
- Luke 2 Christmas series
- Matthew sermons
- Ministry
- missions
- Music
- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
- Psalms studies and messages
- Revelation sermon series
- Reviews
- Sermon Illustrations
- Sermons
- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
- Travel
- Uncategorized
- worship
Author Archives: Shawn Thomas
My POTS Experience: The Beginning
I was diagnosed with dysautonomia, or POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) a couple of weeks ago (June 2012). Since this may be a part of my life from this time forward, and a number of my blog posts will refer … Continue reading
“This Week in Paradise” July 2
The “little paradise” we call the pastor’s home was marked this week by some of the lifestyle changes due to my illness, as well as starting to transition back to my office at the First Baptist Church of Moss Bluff.
“This Week in Paradise” (June 25)
Highlights from this week in the “paradise” we call the pastor’s home include some humorous moments from watching the Southern Baptist Convention, and an embarrassing incident from our trip to Houston for my doctor’s appointment. Family In The Spotlight Since I was not able to … Continue reading
“By The Time I Get To Houston …”
“By The Time I Get To Houston” … I could probably finish that old song a number of ways, actually. By the time I get to Houston for my appointment at Baylor Hospital: … I may be a bit nervous … Continue reading
“This Week In Paradise” (June 19)
Yes, another week in “Paradise” – otherwise known as the pastor’s home – has gone by, “like sands in the hourglass”. Several of the stories this week have to do with the seemingly ubiquitous power outages in Southwest Louisiana, as … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
1 Comment
“This Week in Paradise” June 11, 2012
German Just back from church camp last week, Michael began his summer “school”: Rosetta Stone German, Level 1. It took just a few minutes to set up, and he was off and running with it. The first day’s lesson was … Continue reading
Quotes & Illustrations from G. K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy
Chesterton’s classic book is a gold mine of illustrations and quotes. Following are some I gleaned from my recent reading, arranged in alphabetical order – with my favorite “Laugh Out Loud” lines from the book at the end! Balance Man must … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations
Tagged change, freedom, G.K. Chesterton, Islam, Orthodoxy, quotes, sermon illustrations, testimony, tradition, Trinity
6 Comments
“This Week in Paradise” June 4, 2012
From vanity, to sarcastic children, the follies of this pastor’s home are exposed to the world in this week’s installment of “Paradise.” Reading Mike Beard, our chairman of the deacons, came over for a few minutes and visited one day … Continue reading
