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
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson: "Strong & Courageous" for 6/07/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 27:27-31, 45-54, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Our Savior," for 5/31/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Numbers 14:11-24, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Rebellion & Judgment" for 9/28/25
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 26:17-30, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Our Atonement," for 5/24/26
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Gift That Is An Insult" (I Kings 9:10-14)
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
Tag Archives: faith
Teacher’s Overview of Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: “Strong & Courageous” for 6/07/26
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations you can use, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ???DISCUSSION … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged anxiety, Bible study, big talk, Book of Joshua, church, church staff, courage, discipleship, do not be afraid, do not fear, do the word, doers of the world, Dwight Eisenhower, Explore the Bible, faith, fear, fear not, God's promise, Israel, Jesus, John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage, John Quincy Adams, Joshua, Joshua the son of Nun, Lifeway, meditation, ministry, Moses, pastors, Promised Land, promises, Rick Atkinson An Army at Dawn, scripture, scripture meditation, scripture memorization, servant leadership, service, Shawn E. Thomas, Shawn Thomas, strength, strong and courageous, success, Sunday school lesson, the new Joshua, timidity, word faith, youth ministry
3 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “True Righteousness,” for 12/28/25.
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 Numbers 13:17-31, “The Land,” Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson overview for 9/21/25
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Numbers 13:17-31, with the title “The Land, for Sunday, September 21, 2025. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "The Land", Anakim, answered prayer, anxiety, Bible, Bible study, Biblical faith, Caleb, church, doubt, Explore the Bible, faith, germ theory, Giant Despair, giants, giants in the land, God, Hall of Faith, Hebrews 11:, Ignaz Semmelweis, Jesus, John Bunyan, Joshua and Caleb, lesson outline, lesson overview, Lifeway, Moses, numbers, Numbers 13:17-31, Pilgrim's Progress, prayer, shawnethomas, spies in Canaan, Sunday School, Sunday school teacher help, the twelve spies, Valley of Eshcol, word faith
1 Comment
Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 105, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “God’s Faithfulness” for July 20, 2025.
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 105:1-11, 42-45 for Sunday, July 20, 2025, with the title, “God’s Faithfulness.” A video overview of this overview is available on YouTube … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged A Tramp Abroad, antinomianism, Charles Wesley, Christian liberty, Explore the Bible, faith, faithfulness, God, God remembered, God's Faithfulness, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Heidelberg Castle, Jesus, liberty to obey, Lifeway, Lord, Mark Twain, praise, praise the Lord, prayer, promise, Psalm 105, Psalm 105:1-11, seed of Abraham, Shawn E. Thomas, sing, singing, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson help, Sunday School lesson outline, Sunday school overview, trust, ways to praise God, We're Marching to Zion, Yahweh, YHWH
5 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of I Peter 1:3-12, “Our Inheritance” for 3/02/25
An overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible lesson” for March 2, 2025, “Our Inheritance,” with the text of I Peter 13-12. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Our Inheritance", Bible, Bible study, born again, Charles Dickens Great Expectations, Christianity, Daniel, eternal security, Explore the Bible, faith, George Washington, George Washington inheritance, glory, God, gospel, heaven, heaven reward, How Firm A Foundation, I know whom I have believed, I Peter, I Peter 1, imperishable, inheritance, it's not all about you, Jesus, John 3:3, John 3:7, kept in heaven, lesson help, lesson outline, Lifeway, Old Testament prophecies of Jesus, Peter, Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia, power of God, prophets, reward, Romans 8:18, Ron Chernow, salvation, saving faith, selflessness, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, term Great Expectations, the soul that on Jesus, we're not home yet, you must be born again
13 Comments
“A Biblical Farewell” (Acts 20:18-32)
(On the occasion of my retirement from First Baptist Church, Angleton, TX, Sunday, January 26, 2025) So what do you say to someone when you’re seeing them for the last time? It’s very difficult. Quite honestly, a lot of times … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Acts, Acts 20, Acts 20 sermon, Apostle Paul, Bible, children, Christianity, daily Bible reading, elders, Ephesian elders, faith, farewell, Father's hands, God, God the Father, good bye sermon, gospel, Henry V, I commit you to God, I know whom I have believed, In Christ Alone, intercessory prayer, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the answer, Mark Dever, nothing in my hand I bring, pastor, pastor retirement, Paul, prayer, Prodigal Son, read the directions, repent, repentance, repentance and faith, retirement, salvation, saving faith, scripture, Shakespeare, Shawn E. Thomas, Shawn Thomas retirement, sin, We're in God's hands brother, why should I let you into my heaven, word of God
5 Comments