Tag Archives: church

“A Pastor’s Farewell” (Acts 20 sermon)

Posted on 2019/01/28 by Shawn Thomas

Cheryl & I want to thank you for the last 4 years we have been allowed to serve at Pleasant Ridge. It is very difficult to say farewell to people with whom we’ve ministered and loved and been loved — … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged A Pastor's Farewell, Acts 20, Acts 20:21, Amy Grant Faith Walking People, asking Jesus into your heart, assurance, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, church, church family, church membership class, confidence, daily Bible reading, devotional time, devotions, doctrine, faith, false teachers, farewell, father, feelings, goodbye, gospel, II TImothy 1:12, intercessory prayer, legalism, ministry, Nominating Committee, Now I commend you to God, pastor, pastor elder overseer, pastor search committee, people, prayer, praying for children, praying for loved ones, quiet time, repentance, repentance and faith, salvation, service, sin, soul, trust, works salvation | 4 Comments

“The Household of God” (I Timothy sermon)

Posted on 2018/10/22 by Shawn Thomas

In our “Discovering The Ridge” class for those who are joining our church, I often tell the story of the group in our home town which was starting a new church, and for some time they met in the home … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 2, Acts 20:28, Acts 6, Apostle Paul testimony, C.S. Lewis, C.S. Lewis Athanasius quote, Christian bookstores, Christian music, church, church buildings, church handbook, church leadership, deacon, deacon qualifications, deacon servants, deacons, doctrine, doctrines of demons, ecclesiology, elder, evangelism, false teachers, gospel, grace, he did not move with the times, heaven, I Timothy, I Timothy 4, leadership, mercy, morning prayer, offices of the church, overseer, overseer pastor elder, pastor, pastor qualifications, salvation, test the spirits, the church, the gospel, witness | Leave a comment

“Where’s Your Glory?” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 sermon)

Posted on 2018/09/17 by Shawn Thomas

Sunday morning came to our church in Southwest Louisiana, and the crowd was exuberant. Purple and gold clothing was everywhere. People were cheerful and talking in the hallways. A festive air just covered the whole place. LSU had won their … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged church, conversation, crown, daily quiet time, Death, devotional time, discipleship, Ernest Hemingway, eternal life, eternity, exercise, glory, heaven, Houston medical center, Isaiah 55, J.I. Packer, Jeremiah 9:12, Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 17:3, knowing God, Knowing God book, LSU football, materialism, NFL injuries, Pete Rose, Philippians 3:10, prayer time, quiet time, relationships, riches, suicide, temporal values, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Washington Irving, Westminster Abbey, worship | 16 Comments

“Culture-blind” — or Cowardly?

Posted on 2018/08/13 by Shawn Thomas

In Washington Irving’s delightful The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, the author journals about his attendance at a venerable English country church: “The congregation was composed of the neighboring people of rank, who sat in pews sumptuously lined and cushioned, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Events, Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Sermon Illustrations, Uncategorized | Tagged C.S. Lewis, church, compromise, courage, cowardice, culture, culture blindness, favoritism, James 2, James 2:1, James 2:1-6, Lesslie Newbigin, partiality, poor, preaching, reform, rich, The Country Church, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Washington Irving | 2 Comments

“The People of God” (Joshua sermon)

Posted on 2018/07/02 by Shawn Thomas

This week we will be celebrating the 242nd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of our nation. Most of us are very proud to be Americans, and are grateful to God for the blessings that He has … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged abortion, Alexandria plague, allegiance, Bishop Cyprian, church, compromise, Dionysius, direction, George Muller, Gibeonites, God's side, imitation, Joshua, Joshua 5:13-15, Joshua 9:14, leadership, love, marriage, mercy, people of God, prayer, salvation, service, the world, VBS, worldliness | Leave a comment

“The Misplaced Passion of Spectator Religion” (Jonah 4 sermon)

Posted on 2018/06/18 by Shawn Thomas

On this Father’s Day, many of us are remembering our dads — whether they are still with us, or like my dad, have gone on to be with the Lord. I can remember my father sitting in his recliner, watching … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged Amos, Apostle Paul, armchair religion, Charles DIckens, Christianity, church, clergy laity divide, comfort, compassion, convenience, critic, cruise ship or battleship?, disciples, discipleship, Ephesians 4:11-12, evaluate, Fathers Day, gifts, grieve, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 12:7, Jonah, Jonah 4, La-z-boy Christianity, Marquis St. Evremonde, Matthew 26:58, Matthew 5:4, mercy, ministry, mission, mourn, Nineveh, passion, religion, Romans 10:1, salvation, service, spectator, spectator Christianity, spectator religion, spiritual gifts, Tale of Two Cities, worship, worship services | Leave a comment

“Testing The Fruit Of Your Salvation” (James 1:21-27 sermon)

Posted on 2018/05/14 by Shawn Thomas

For Mothers Day we got some things for Cheryl for the garden. She loves to garden outside — and I love to go out and walk through the garden with her for 5 minutes before I go inside to read! … Continue reading →

Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged age, Bible, Book of James, born again, church, church attendance, conviction, darkness, doer of the word, faith, Faith works, fruit, fruit of salvation, holiness, I John 1:5, II Corinthians 5, James, James 1, James 1:21-27, James 1:21-27 sermon, John 13:17, John 3, light, Matthew 13 parable of the sower, minister, ministry, mirror, mirror of the word, new creation, obedience, orphans, Paraliament, purification, repent, repentance, salvation, sanctification, scripture, service, sin, slavery, widows, William Wilberforce, word of God, works, worship | Leave a comment

When “Worship” Misses The Mark

Posted on 2018/03/22 by Shawn Thomas

“He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’” (Exodus 32:4) … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged Bible, church, church standards, creativity, Exodus 32:4, idolatry, regulative principle, worship | 2 Comments

The Problem of Impatience

Posted on 2018/03/21 by Shawn Thomas

“Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain …” (Exodus 32:1) One of the biggest problems that afflicts God’s people is IMPATIENCE. We want instant results. This is certainly true in our “microwave era”, … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies | Tagged Bible Reading, church, church growth, church work, Exodus 32:1, Hebrews 6:12, Holy Spirit, impatience, patience, prayer, spiritual growth, unanswered prayers | Leave a comment

“The Man Who Almost Gave Up His Faith” (Psalm 73 sermon)

Posted on 2018/03/12 by Shawn Thomas

One of the best known memoirs of the Holocaust is Night by Elie Wiesel. Wiesel was a devout Jew before his experience in the Nazi death camps, but his time there destroyed his faith. He wrote, “Why, but why should I … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons | Tagged Asaph, Bible Reading, church, devotionals, doubts, Elie Wiesel, eternity, faith, Harvey Weinstein, heaven, hell, Holocaust, Hugh Hefner, it will end better, John 6, judgment, justice, Luke 16, Psalm 73, Psalm 73 sermon, punishment, questions, revelation, rewards and punishments, Rich Man and Lazarus, scripture, temptations, unanswered prayer, Whitney Hand knee injury, wrong side of history | 3 Comments