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 Matthew 2:1-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Worship the King," for 12/21/25
- “Immanuel: God With Us” (Matthew 1:23 sermon)
- "The Example of Joseph" (Matthew 1:18-25 sermon)
- "He Will Save His People From Their Sins" (Matthew 1:21 Sermon)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 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
Tag Archives: lesson help
Teacher’s Overview of I Peter 2:11-17, 21-25, “Our Witness,” Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson for 3/23/25
This is an overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of the Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson for March 23, 2025, from I Peter 2:11-17, 21-25, with the title, “Our Witness.” A video version of this overview is … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged atonement, authority, Baptist Sunday School, behavior, Ben Franklin, Bible study lesson, Charles Sheldon, Christian lifestyle, Christian submission, Christlikeness, conduct, Corrie Ten Boom, David McCullough John Adams, evangelism, Explore the Bible, Fight Club pornography ministry, follow in His steps, God, gospel, holiness, hupotasso, I Peter, I Peter 2, I Peter 2:11-17, I Peter 2:24, in His steps, Jesus, Jesus death, Jesus example, Jesus Paid It All, keep your behavior excellent, lesson help, lesson outline, lifestyle, lifestyle evangelism, Lifeway, lust, meekness, pornography, Psalm 37, Romans 13, Romans 8:28-29, sanctification, Southern Baptist Sunday School, submission, substitutionary atonement, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, the cross, The Presidents Club, trust, What Would Jesus Do?, witness, witness of submission, witness stand for Jesus, WWJD, You mustn't hiss the President
3 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
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Exodus 2:23-25, 3:7-15, “Seen & Heard” for 12/01/24
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Exodus 2 & for December 1, 2024 with the title, “Seen & Heard.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Colossians 1:13, Egypt, Exodus, Explore the Bible, God, God cares, God's promise, gospel, Hagar, I AM, Israel, Jehovah, Jesus, lesson help, Lifeway, love, mission, Moses, name of God, Psalm 139, salvation, Shawn E. Thomas, shawnethomas.com, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher outline, tetragrammaton, Thom Rainer, Unexpected Journey, Yahweh
7 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: Acts 19:11-20, “Motives” for 10/27/24
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 19:11-20, with the title “Motives,” for Sunday, October 27, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Acts, Acts 19, Acts 19:11-20, addictions, Apostle Paul, Asia, awe, book burning, Book of Acts, confession, convictions, demons, Ephesus, Explore the Bible, fruit, God's genuine work, healing, Hinduism, I John 4:4, James 2:19, knowing Jesus, large city, lesson help, lesson outline, Leviticus 19:31, Lifeway, motives, NSRK Ravi, occult, Paul's third missionary journey, repentance, reverence for God, sons of Sceva, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, Temple of Artemis, Thom Rainer The Unexpected Journey, witchcraft
1 Comment
Teacher’s Overview of Acts 18:1-11, 18-21, Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson “Together” for Oct. 20, 2024
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 18:1-11, 18-21 for Sunday, October 20, 2024, with the title, “Together.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Acts, Acts 18:1-11, Acts 1:8, Aquila and Priscilla, assurance, Betty Rogers, bi-vocational pastor, Bible study, bivocational ministry, Cheryl Thomas, Corinth, couples ministry, discipleship, Explore the Bible, Ezekiel 3:17-19, Greece, if the Lord wills, illustrations, lesson help, lesson outline, lesson overview, Lifeway, Lord willing, map, Matthew 7:6, Michael Thomas, ministry, mission, music, part-time ministry, Paul and Silas, Paul's Second Missionary Journey, Priscilla and Aquila, rehab, sin city, stroke, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, teaching outline, tentmaker, Unreal City, Unreal City song cycle, Will Rogers
4 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 8:26-39, “Baptizing”
An overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 8:26-39, for Sunday, July 28, with the title, “Baptizing.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Acts 4:12, Acts 8, Acts 8:26-39, all gods the same, Ardas, baptizing, believers baptism, Bible study, Charles Spurgeon, church in Acts, cross, doctrine of baptism, Early Church, Ethiopia, Ethiopian eunuch, evangelism, Explore the Bible, Gaza Road, gospel, gospel outline, Harmeet Dhillon, Holy Spirit, Islam, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus one way, John 14:6, lesson help, lesson overview, Lifeway, missions, obedience, Pentecost, Philip, repentance and faith, response to the gospel, RNC, salvation, Samaritan Pentecost, same god different name, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, teacher help, the church, the cross, the gospel, what is the gospel
2 Comments
shawnethomas 