Tag Archives: ministry

“Reaching, Teaching, Caring” (Matthew 4:23 sermon)

Posted on 2019/03/03 by Shawn Thomas

I came home from work last Monday night and Cheryl was sitting on the couch wrapped up in a blanket, and she said, “You remember that thing you said in the sermon yesterday about how ‘If you worshiped God first … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "reaching, Abraham Lincoln, Acts 2:42-47, care, caring, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, church, church calendar, Church Council, church leaders, discipleship, evangelism, gospel, I Peter 2:21, in His steps, Jesus cares, love, Luke 9:56, Mark 1:15, Mark 6:34, Matthew 14:14, Matthew 4:23, Matthew 4:23 sermon, Matthew 8:14-16, Matthew 9:35, megachurches, mercy, ministry, ministry priorities, ministry team, mission, priorities, purpose, R.H. Dana, Reaching Teaching Caring, repentance, repentance and faith, salvation, see feel compassion do, service, spiritual growth, Sunday School, teaching, Two Years Before The Mast, What Would Jesus Do?, worship, WWJD | Leave a comment

“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

“Standing By The Cross” (John 19:25 message)

Posted on 2018/12/03 by Shawn Thomas

One of my favorite stories of the Civil War is of a Union officer whose unit was coming under particularly heavy fire from the Confederate cannon. Someone rode up to him and said they thought they knew why they were … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "nothing in my hand I bring, "simply to Thy cross I cling", A Christmas Story, Acts 8, Charles Spurgeon, Christmas program, Civil War, cling to the old rugged cross, cross, cross of Christ, discipleship, evangelism, faith, Galatians 6:14, good works, gospel, I Corinthians 15, I Corinthians 1:17-18, I Corinthians 2:1-2, I Peter 2:21, John 19:25, let it wave high it is our glory, Lottie Moon offering, ministry, Old Glory, one way, Philip, preaching, Rock of Ages, salvation, saving faith, SBC International Mission Board, Sentinel Island missionary, sin, stand by the cross, standing by the cross, Sunday School, the cross, the gospel, the message of the cross, The Old Rugged Cross, trust, why should I let you into My heaven?, witnessing, women, women's rights, works, works and salvation, worship, worship services | Leave a comment

“Working The Works Of God” (John 9 sermon)

Posted on 2018/11/12 by Shawn Thomas

You can definitely tell that it’s fall now — not only from the temperatures, but also from all the leaves that are falling. I spend a good deal of time Thursday afternoon gathering and burning over 11 wheelbarrows packed with … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged adoption, believe, BUCM, Burke United Christian Ministries, care, caring, church program, discipleship, evangelism, Evangelism: How The Church Speaks of Jesus, faith, Fall, felt need vs. spiritual need, John 6:29, John 9, John 9 sermon, leaves, Mack Stiles, man born blind, ministry, Orphan Sunday, salvation, sin, Sunday School, time, time change, time management, work, works | Leave a comment

“On The Road With Jesus” (John 4 sermon)

Posted on 2018/11/05 by Shawn Thomas

One of best ways to learn about someone is to spend some time on the road with them. I remember reading an article by the renowned actor, Charlton Heston (who played Moses in the classic 1956 movie “The Ten Commandments”). … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "The Ten Commandments" movie, ask Jesus into your heart, Charlton Heston, cheap grace, confront sin, conviction, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, direction, discipleship, Don Sunshine, evangeism, gospel, Gospel Resurgence, help, hope, I AM, I Peter 2:21, Incarnation, Jesus Christ humanity, Jesus Deity, Jesus is the answer, John 14:6, John 4, John 4 sermon, Luke 13:3, Matthew 19, Matthew 24:30, ministry, peace, prayer, repent, repentance, repentance and salvation, rich young ruler, Ronald Reagan, salvation, sin, strength, The Cost of Discipleship, tiredness, weariness, witness, woman at the well, YHWH | 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