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
- 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)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 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
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "America's Verse" -- "Judge Not" (Matthew 7:1-5 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
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
Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right
The words of this old hymn are very pertinent for me right now – in a number of ways – and perhaps they may minister to you, too. Samuel Rodigast (1649-1708), the son of a Lutheran minister in Germany, wrote this … Continue reading
Bonhoeffer on Prayer
As today is the National Day of Prayer, I wanted to share some observations on prayer from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together. The book focuses on the importance of fellowship in the church, but includes some helpful observations on the practice … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Ministry, Reviews, Sermon Illustrations, Uncategorized
Tagged Dietrich Bonhoeffer, formal vs. spontaneous prayer, intercessory prayer plan, Life Together, morning prayer, prayer, prayer request organization, Psalms and prayer
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“Orotund or Obfuscation?” How many of these 20 Dickens words do YOU Know?!
At 1083 pages, it took me more than a just few days to read Peter Ackroyd’s epic-length biography, Dickens. Actually I would have completed it much more quickly had I not stopped to look up so many words! Some I just wanted … Continue reading
Fleeting Laughter, Lasting Pain
Most of us have been guilty at some point of poking fun at someone without thinking of the pain it might be inflicting on them. In Peter Ackroyd’s Dickens, he tells the story of John Coleman, who lived opposite the … Continue reading
My MRI Experience
Last Thursday I had my first MRI. “MRI” is short for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, which is the use of nuclear magnetic resonance to produce images of internal body structures that don’t show up well on x-rays. I have had headaches and … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Home & Family Life
Tagged Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRA, MRI, MRI experience, open vs. closed MRI
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“The World” (John 3:16 series)
“Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world; red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Many of us have known that song since … Continue reading
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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