shawnethomas

Below you will find the opening lines from an article by John Dwyer on the Christianity Today website, entitled: “Not Many of You Should Presume to Be Bloggers”.  It is a response to the proliferation of blogs and Facebook posts regarding the teaching of Universalism in Rob Bell’s Book, Love Wins:

“Do you think it is wrong for Rob Bell to question traditional views of heaven and hell?
Answer: I don’t care. Continue reading →

As a pastor who preaches three messages a week, I have a love and appreciation for sermons, hopefully not just as an “art form” but rather for their value to me personally and to the Church of God as a whole.  Recently I read a sermon by Jonathan Edwards that I was thrilled with.  Following are some highlights from the message, along with some of my thoughts. Continue reading →

A few days ago, the preschoolers from the First Baptist Academy were going out to the playground, which is just behind my office.  As it had recently rained, when they came through the gate and entered the playground, one of the little tykes gleefully exclaimed: “Good mud!”  I smiled to myself, and thought, ah, the simple pleasures of life!

A couple of days later, it was one of those Saturday mornings when I did not have to be up particularly early.  That was nice.  Even more, it was raining!  I LOVE to sit and watch — or just listen — to the rain. Continue reading →

“A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste” — I couldn’t help but think of that old college fund commercial the other day.  I was at my office at church, just getting ready to go home, and I saw C.S. Lewis’ book, “The Screwtape Letters”, on my bookshelf with Lewis’ other books there — I have most of them.  I thought, “You know, after all these years, I never have finished that book.  I have read the first half of it, multiple times, but never finished it.  I am going to go home and do so forthwith!”  So I put “Screwtape” in my briefcase and brought it home, resolved to end this glaring deficiency. Continue reading →