Tag Archives: evangelism

Teacher’s Overview of Romans 1:13-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “True Power,” for 9/06/26

Posted on 2026/08/29 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, discussion questions for your group, illustrations you can share, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO:???DISCUSSION QUESTION???Several years ago, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "True Power", Anthony Flew There is a God, Apostle Paul, Baptist, Bible, Blaise Pascal, Carl Trueman Strange New World, Christianity, DNA, evangelism, evidence for God, Explore the Bible, expressive individualism, faith, Fall 2026, galaxy, General Revelation, giving thanks, God, gospel, gratitude, herpetarium, Hinduism, idolatry, idols, India idols, Jesus, John Calvin factory of idols, Lifeway, materialism, natural revelation, neopaganism, Owen Strachan, Paul, power of the gospel, Psalm 19, Reenchanting Humanity, Romans, Romans 1:13-25, Rome, salvation, sex, Southern Baptist, Southern Baptist Sunday School, Special Revelation, Sunday School, thankfulness, thanks, the gospel, Tim Keller, universe, witness | 3 Comments

“Finishing Well” (Psalm 92:12-15 message)

Posted on 2026/07/06 by Shawn Thomas

(Preached at Trinity Baptist Church, Norman, OK, Father’s Day, June 21, 2026) Just a few years ago, an elderly university president in South Carolina wrote: “It’s sundown, Lord … I fear not death … But I do fear that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged aging, bearing fruit, Bible, bitterness, Brooklyn Bridge, Cherry Street Mile, daily devotions, daily quiet time, David McCullough, devotional time, discipleship, evangelism, faith, finishing well, foundation, fruit, God, gospel, I Peter 2:2, Jesus, John Roebling, Mark Twain, Max Barnett, missions, prayer warrior, Psalm 92, Psalms, salvation, senior adults, Shawn E. Thomas, spiritual disciplines, spiritual foundation, spiritual growth, theodicy, Trinity Baptist Norman OK, witness, word of God | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Authority,” for 4/26/26.

Posted on 2026/04/18 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 21 for April 26, 2026. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged authority, authority figure, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, Carl Trueman, elders, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fear, fear of man, Franklin Graham testimony, fruit, God, gospel, Jesus, John G. West Stockholm syndrome Christianity, John Newton, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 21, Matthew 21:23-32, metamello, once saved always saved, parable, peer pressure, presbuteros, regret, repentance, revelation, salvation, Sanhedrin, Shawn E. Thomas, social imaginary, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, tale of two sons, witnessing, you will know them by their fruit | 8 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20, “Our Task,” Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 4/05/26

Posted on 2026/03/28 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 28 for April 5, 2026. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, discussion questions for your group, illustrations you can share, and spiritual life applications you … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "call your shot" meaning, "Our Task", Abraham Lincoln death, Acts 1:8, Adoniran Judson, applying scripture, baptism, baptizo, Bible, Book of Matthew, C.S. Lewis grave, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, discipleship, do not be afraid, Easter, Easter Sunday lesson, evangelism, Explore the Bible, famous graves, fear, God, good news, gospel, grave, Great Commission, Harry Truman David McCullough, imperative make disciples, Islam, Jesus, Jesus is alive, Joe McKeever story, Laurence Bergreen Over the Edge of the World, life application, Lifeway, Lo I am with you, Magellan, Matthew, Matthew 28:1-10 16-20, Matthew 2:8, missions, obedience, Old Testament prophecy of Jesus resurrection, proskenesis, proskuneo, resurrection of Jesus, scripture, Shawn Thomas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, teaching, word of God, worship, Yoiunghoom Kim | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Judgment Coming,” for 2/22/26.

Posted on 2026/02/14 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 13 for February 22, 2026, “Judgment Coming. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged angels, annihilationism, Baptist, Baptist Faith & Message, Bible, Billy Graham, C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory, devil, discussion questions, do not judge, eschatology, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fruit, gardening, glory, God, gospel, Gospel of Matthew, heaven, heaven and hell, hell, Jesus, Jesus and hell, Jonathan Edwards, judging, judgment, Judgment Coming, kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Kirk Cameron, know them by their fruit, last things, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 13, meaning of judge not, mixed multitude, Nathan Finn, Satan, scriptures on hell, shawnethomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, the wheat and the tares, weeding, weeds, wheat and weeds, witness | 8 Comments

Teacher’s Preview of Matthew 10:16-20, 26-34, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 2/01/26, “Loyalty Tested”

Posted on 2026/01/24 by Shawn Thomas

A preview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 10 for February 1, 2026. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Loyalty Tested", application, baptism, baptism as profession, Bible, Bible study, bible study help, Commission, confess Jesus, confession, discussion questions, Don Lemon CNN Minneapolis church, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fear, fear not, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, God, gospel, group discussion, hair on head numbered, Holy Spirit, I came to bring a sword, illustration, importance of baptism, Islam, Islam or the sword, Jesus, Jon Meacham Destiny and Power, lesson outline, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 10, Matthew 10:16-20 26-34, mission, mission trips, NAMB, NAMB church plant, persecution, profession of faith, public profession, Shawn Thomas, shawnethomas, sparrows, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, William Manchester Winston Churchill, witness, witness in persecution, Your Father | 4 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 9:10-19, 23-26, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson “Mercy Extended” for 1/25/26

Posted on 2026/01/17 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 9, for January 25, 2026. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications that … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Mercy Extended", Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln pardons, Bible professional mourners, Book of Matthew, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, church, down and out, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fasting, gospel, grace, gracious, Jesus, Jesus and fasting, John Lloyd Stevens, legalism, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 9, mercy, mourning, New Testament fasting, outreach, Pharisees, reclining to eat, separate from sinners, shawnethomas, showing grace, sin, sinners, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, synagogue official, triclinium, wineskins | 5 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “True Righteousness,” for 12/28/25.

Posted on 2025/12/20 by Shawn Thomas

For Sunday School teacher and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can use, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life application. A video … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Baptist, Beatitudes, Bible, Dewey defeats Truman, don't disgrace that uniform, evangelism, Explore the Bible, faith, falling short, God, gospel, II Corinthians 5:21, inerrant, infallible, iota, Jesus, Jesus character, John Piper, jot and tittle, keriah, Law, Lifeway, light, Lillian Parks Leighton, love your enemy, Matthew 5:1-12, not the smallest letter or stroke, Pharisee and the publican, Pharisees, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prophets, righteousness, salt, salt and light, salvation, scripture, Shawn Thomas, shawnethomas, sin, Southern Baptist, standards, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, True Righteousness, trust, Urban Meyer Above the Line, witness, word of God, yod, you shall be perfect | 4 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson “Invitation,” for 12/14/25

Posted on 2025/12/06 by Shawn Thomas

For Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, lesson outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Andrew, Baptist, call of the disciples, call to mission, Capernaum, church mission, church purpose, church purpose statement, December 14 2025 lesson, discipleship, ecclesiology, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fishermen, following Jesus, fulfill, instant obedience, invitation, James, John, lesson outline, Lifeway, Making of the President 1960, Mark Twain, Matthew, Matthew 4:12-25, ministry, ministry evaluation, ministry metric, ministry motto, missions, obedience, Old Testament prophecy, Old Testament quotes in Matthew, Reaching Teaching Caring, Ron Chernow, shawnethomas, Southern Baptist, Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson, Sunday School, Sunday school discussion questions, Sunday school help, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school lesson applications, Sunday school lesson illustrations, Sunday School teacher, Sunday School training, Sunday School University, Theodore White John Kennedy | 14 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-25, “Love” for Sunday 11/02/25

Posted on 2025/10/25 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations you can share, discussions for your group, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: You could begin the lesson … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged application, Bible, Bible study, commandments, commands, Deuteronomy 6, evangelism, Explore the Bible, family, God, gospel, grandsons, home, Jesus, keep commandments, lesson overview, Lifeway, love, love God, love the LORD your God, Matthew Henry, Message, mezuzah, obedience, obey, phylactery, righteousness, scripture, Shema, Shema O Israel, sons, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, witness, word of God, Yahweh, YHWH | 3 Comments