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)
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- "America's Verse" -- "Judge Not" (Matthew 7:1-5 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
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 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
“Our Triune God”
Matthew 3:16-17 “Our Triune God” Some years ago, my sister served as an English teacher in a Chinese college with our SBC Journeyman program. She could not initiate any “evangelism” per se, but she was allowed to respond to any … Continue reading
A Reprehensible Scam
I was really looking forward to my Friday off: after a pretty hectic start to the new year, I had a stress-free day with nothing planned! Unfortunately someone marred the middle of it with a really despicable act.
Posted in Home & Family Life, Ministry
Tagged accident, church, highway patrol, pastor, scam, spiritual warfare, test
8 Comments
Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Our Great God” Series Introduction
Years ago, in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer wrote: “What you think about when you think about God is the most important thing about you.” What DO you think about when you think about God? … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
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Day Trip To Natchitoches
Our family has lived in Lake Charles for over 11 years now, but we had never spent much time in one of Louisiana’s premier destinations, the venerable Natchitoches, which lays claim to being the oldest city in the state. Oh, … Continue reading
Posted in Home & Family Life, Reviews, Uncategorized
Tagged day trip, Front Street shops, Lasyone's, meat pies, Natchitoches, Sam's used bookstore
2 Comments
“De-Christmas-ing”
Today we are “De-Christmas-ing.” I got that word from a good friend of ours at church who put all their Christmas decorations away yesterday, and reported about it on Facebook. I decided that’s a pretty good term. I like Christmas … Continue reading
Heralds of the Advent: Isaiah 9
One of my favorite editorial cartoons ran a number of years ago during the last recession. Like many cartoons, it appeared in two parts. The first showed a man sitting in front of a Christmas tree that was packed underneath … Continue reading
“Martin Luther’s Christmas Sermon” (compiled)
Martin Luther was the man God used to spark the Protestant Reformation in the 1500’s. As a young man, Luther had done his best to justify himself by his works, but never found peace with God until the Lord … Continue reading
A very specific, personal decision …
Friday is our son Michael’s last day at school. Yeah, I know, it is the last day for a lot of kids – it’s Christmas break! But unlike a lot of other kids, when break is over, Michael is not … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged family decision, FBC Moss Bluff Academy, homeschooling, Michael Thomas
2 Comments
The Work of the Kingdom: Matthew 9:35-38
Yesterday afternoon I went out to the Moss Bluff Christmas Parade to see any of our people who might be out there – and also to see if the Lord might lay on my heart any ideas for us to … Continue reading
Heralds of the Advent: Micah 5
When Mark Twain visited the Holy Land in the 1860’s, he did not find Bethlehem to be impressive. In fact, he wrote later of its “mouldy domes and turrets” and disparaged its “noisy mob” and “leprous beggars.” He said he … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged "O Little Town of Bethlehem", advent, anxiety, Bethlehem, fear, Lordship, Mark Twain, Micah 5:2-5, Phillips Brooks, sermon, Shepherd
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