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)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 sermon)
- Romans 9:30-10:17 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Believe" for October 25, 2026.
- 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)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 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
“The Priority of Love” (I Cor. 13:1-3)
I Corinthians 13:1-3 “The Real Thing: The Priority of Love” 9-18-11 You may remember the Olympic marksman in 2004 who had just one shot to go win the gold medal, and who lined up his shot and hit the bull’s eye – but the … Continue reading
Eros Gets A Bad Name?
I would wager that most people who have heard of the different Greek words for “love” have understood them something like this: “Agape” is God’s kind of selfless, giving love “Phileo” is brotherly love “Eros” is sexual love I have … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Reviews
Tagged C.S. Lewis, Eros, love for God, romantic love, The Four Loves
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Not This Time!
I’m writing as I am just back in from the Sam Houston High School football game at Westlake. I have been sick all week, and did not feel much like going tonight. I really only did so for one reason: I … Continue reading
Michael Goes To College
Our son Michael went to college this week. Yeah, I know, he’s only in the 7th grade! He didn’t enroll or anything; he just went to Louisiana College for a visit. But it was a very memorable and I believe formative visit for … Continue reading
Posted in Home & Family Life, Uncategorized
Tagged Dr. Scott Culpepper, LC, Louisiana College, making a college visit
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“The Real Thing”
Introduction to I Corinthians 13 “The Real Thing” 9-11-11 a.m. Last year investigators tested the federal “Energy Star” program by submitting 20 fake products as energy-efficient – and only TWO of them were rejected! The other fake products, including a gasoline-powered alarm clock, … Continue reading
“The Four Loves”
Ok, I have to admit, I took the advice of Prince Humperdinck from “The Princess Bride” and did something I never do: “Skip to the end!” I had started a C.S. Lewis book I had never read before, The Four … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Reviews
Tagged agape love, C.S. Lewis, God ultimate love, heaven, The Four Loves
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The God Who Speaks
A few weeks ago during my morning sermon, I spoke about how idols are “speechless” (Habakkuk 2:18), but when you know the Living God, He speaks to you through His word. Last Sunday I experienced yet another example of this. Friday and Saturday, … Continue reading
“A Labor Day Message”
Ephesians 6:5-9 “A Labor Day Message” Sept. 4, 2011 p.m. I wonder how many people really know what Labor Day is about – other than that it gives us a 3-day weekend! Labor Day seems to mean different things to different people. … Continue reading
“A Song In The Night”
Habakkuk 3:16-19 “A Song In The Night” Sept. 4, 2011 In the early 1820’s, John Keats, the English poet, went outside one evening for the specific purpose of sitting under a tree and listening to the song of a … Continue reading
My LASIK Experience
About two weeks ago I had LASIK surgery: a popular procedure used to correct one’s vision. It was something I had contemplated for some time. I had several relatives who had experienced the procedure, including two of my sons and my … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Home & Family Life, Uncategorized
Tagged LASIK, LASIK expectations, LASIK experience, LASIK side-effects
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