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.
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Top Posts & Pages
- Teacher's Overview of Romans 1:13-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "True Power," for 9/06/26
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson: "Strong & Courageous" for 6/07/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Ruth 3:8-13, 4:13-17, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Redemption," for 8/30/26.
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Finishing Well" (Psalm 92:12-15 message)
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
Charles Dickens on Criticism
“ … one of the reviewers [of Dickens’ books] suggested that ‘it does not appear certain to us that his books will live …’. But what did Dickens make of such criticism? A few weeks later he was walking with … Continue reading
Sermon Illustrations from Peter Ackroyd’s “Dickens”
Preachers find illustrations for sermons from every sphere of life, including their own personal experiences and, of course, the hilarious things their children say. Many pastors also glean sermon illustrations in the course of their reading as well. I am currently … Continue reading
“For God …” (John 3:16 series)
In London, England there is a 70-foot high red granite obelisk called “Cleopatra’s Needle” that stands beside the Thames River. In the 1870’s it was given to Britain by Egypt. When it was moved to England, they put a “time vault” at … Continue reading
Posted in John 3:16 sermon series, Sermons
Tagged "For God", egocentrism, ethnocentrism, John 3:16 sermon, repentance, salvation
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Rigor Mortis: “The Stiffness of Death”
I petted our dog Percy’s head for a few minutes, gave him what would become my final blessing to him – and left for a few moments to go to the store. While there I received a tearful call from … Continue reading
Posted in Home & Family Life, Ministry
Tagged adaptability, change, rigor mortis, signs of life
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“Introduction to John 3:16”
Last January, Focus on the Family produced a commercial, featuring a group of children quoting “John 3:16″. The commercial ends with a little girl saying, “Wow!” I literally laughed out loud for joy when I watched that for the first time – John 3:16 really IS a … Continue reading
“Our Incarnate God” (Philippians 2:5-11)
Just after the Civil War, Mark Twain embarked on a voyage to the Holy Land, which he chronicled in his book, The Innocents Abroad. The work was largely humorous and ascerbic – typical Twain – but he did occasionally wax philosophical, and in the … Continue reading
“Ministering to the Multitude” (Mark 6:34-44)
Last Sunday night we looked at how when Jesus and His disciples were trying to get away from everyone, the crowd in ran ahead of Him to meet Him. Then :34 says that when He saw the large crowd, … Continue reading
“Our Gracious God” (Exodus 34:6-8)
They should have been consumed by fire, every last one of them. With their own eyes the people of Israel had just watched the Red Sea split in two, and had seen God gloriously save them from the Egyptian army in the … Continue reading
“Do You Love The Multitude?” (Mark 6:34)
Several years ago, there was a missionary mom who had told her child repeatedly that they were there in that foreign country to reach “the people God loves”. But we can get so busy, that we forget what is really … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "This Girl" blog, caring, childrens ministry, compassion, Lesley Jackson Gore, Mark 6:34 sermon, multitude, Sunday School
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