Tag Archives: witnessing

“A Divine Appointment” (Acts 8:26-40 sermon)

Posted on 2022/02/28 by Shawn Thomas

In 2014 Cheryl & I were living in Norman, Oklahoma while I was recuperating from illness that had caused me to resign my pastorate in Louisiana. One winter afternoon about 4:00 I suddenly had a strong urge to go out … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermons | Tagged Acts 8, Acts 8 Philip and Ethiopian, baptism, baptism and salvation, baptism profession of faith, baptism symbolic, daily Bible reading, divine appointment, Dwight Moody Big L, Ethiopian eunuch, Ethiopian Treasurer, evangelism, faith, gospel, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit prompting, India mission, instant obedience, Isaiah 53, Jesus, meaning of baptism, missions, morning devotions, morning worship time, Only Jesus saves, people need the Lord, priest "we baptize you", religion, repentance, response to the gospel, salvation, Walk Across The Room, witnessing, witnessing opportunity | 3 Comments

“Find Me At The Feet Of Jesus” (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)

Posted on 2020/08/10 by Shawn Thomas

In the 1700’s, Thomas Scott was a young man who felt a call to go into the ministry, but he didn’t know much about it. He became acquainted with John Newton, the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” who was … Continue reading →

Posted in Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 22:3, Bible Reading, Bible reading plan, busy-ness, Christopher Hogwood, daily devotions, daily quiet time, feet of Jesus, George Frideric Handel, giving thanks, gospel, greatest priority, Handel, help my unbelief, Hudson Taylor, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, humility, Isaiah 59:2, Isaiah 66:1-2, journaling, listen to God's word, Luke 10:38-42 sermon, Mark 9, Mary and Martha, Michael Kelly Christoph Gluck, model prayer, morning prayer time, most important priority, one thing, prayer, prayer time, priority, Psalm 147, Psalm 27:4, salvation, sin, singing, Thanksgiving, witnessing, worship | 2 Comments

“Defective Discipleship” (Matthew 26:58 sermon)

Posted on 2020/01/26 by Shawn Thomas

Several times in recent weeks I have mentioned Martin Luther, the German Reformer of the 1500’s. After he brought the authority of the Bible, and salvation by grace through faith, back to the forefront of Christianity, he was not satisfied … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Archie Leach, baptism, baptism and discipleship, Cary Grant military, Christian finances, commitment, discipleship, distant discipleship, evangelism, following at a distance, forgiveness, grace, limited discipleship, Lordship, Luke 6:46, Luke 9:23, Martin Luther, Martin Luther discipleship, Matthew 10:37, Matthew 26:58, Matthew 26:58 sermon, Matthew 27:48-49, ministry, real discipleship, spectator discipleship, witnessing, worship, worship participation, worship service criticism | 1 Comment

“An Effective Witness” (I Peter 3:15 sermon)

Posted on 2019/10/21 by Shawn Thomas

A couple of weeks ago, a group from our church went to Houston see the play “The Hiding Place,” about how Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy were taken by the Nazis into a concentration camp during World War … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "The Weight of Glory", 30-second elevator speech, always being ready, assurance, attitude, attitude and witnessing, Betsy Ten Boom, C.S. Lewis, Corrie Ten Boom, CPR, Effective Witness, Ephesians 2 without hope, evangelism, every person you meet, Gail White testimony, gentleness, God's provision, God's purpose, gospel, gospel outline, gospel presentation, hope, I Peter 3:15, I Peter 3:15 sermon, lifestyle, lifestyle evangelism, lifestyle witness, Man's Need, Man's Response, not out to win arguments out to win people, prepared to witness, ready, reverence, Roman Road of salvation, salvation, testimony, The Hiding Place, the hope within you, witness, witness stand for Jesus, witnessing | Leave a comment

“The Substitutionary Atonement” (I Peter 2:24 sermon)

Posted on 2019/09/09 by Shawn Thomas

In 2018, an ISIS terrorist took a young woman hostage in southern France, threatening to kill her. In a bold move, a police officer, Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, offered to take the place of the young woman. The terrorist let … Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged ask Jesus into your heart, atonement, Becky Thatcher, capital punishment, change, Christ crucified, Christianity, cross, cross of Christ, die to sin, doctrine, Elizabeth Nel, evangelism, Exodus 13 lamb, forgiveness, good works, I Peter 2:24, I Peter 2:24 sermon, Isaiah 53, ISIS, It is finished, It Is Well, Leviticus 14, life change, Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, Mark Twain, Old Testament, on the cross, paid in full, repentance, sacrifice, salvation, sanctification, sin, substitute, substitutionary atonement, tetelestai, the cross, the word of the cross, theology, Tom Sawyer, transformation, Winston Churchill, witness, witnessing, works | 2 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

“What Did This People Do To You?”

Posted on 2018/03/19 by Shawn Thomas

“Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?’” (Exodus 32:21) The truth was, the people didn’t actually “do” anything to Aaron. At least it wasn’t like they … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged Aaron, compromise, Exodus, Exodus 32:21, Golden Calf, Moses, peer pressure, persecution, witnessing | Leave a comment

“Four Ways To Worship God” (Psalm 9:1-2 sermon)

Posted on 2018/02/05 by Shawn Thomas

From the remotest jungle in Africa or the Amazon, to the most isolated island in the Pacific, every culture that has ever been discovered has worshiped. They have never found a civilization in which the people didn’t worship someone or … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermons, Uncategorized, worship | Tagged abortion, Alabama quarterback witness, audience of one, blessings, Corrie Ten Boom, Ephesians 1:3, exult in god, Habakkuk 3:16-18, Hudson Taylor, in everything give thanks, King of Bavaria sole audience, Mark Twain Tramp Abroad, POTS, praise, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 4:7, Psalm 9:1-2 sermon, singing, singing as prayer, sole audience, song, thanks, Thanksgiving, The Hiding Place, vertical singing, witnessing, worship | 11 Comments

“Asking & Discerning” (Matthew 7:6-11 sermon)

Posted on 2017/10/02 by Shawn Thomas

I loved our Children’s Ministry Bible presentation last week, and I especially appreciated how Dr. Amanda mentioned that she is teaching our kids the importance of CONTEXT in scripture. It’s hard to overstate the importance of that in Bible interpretation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Matthew sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 13:45, asking, church fundraisers, compromise, discerning, discernment, donations, evangelism, Ezra, fundraising, giving, government, Holy Spirit, III John, Johann Tetzel, Luke 23:8, Mark Twain Innocents Abroad, Martin Luther, Matthew 7:6, Matthew 7:6-11, missions, missions giving, missions support, Pandering, pearls before swine, prayer, Reformation Day, salvation, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, spiritual abuse, wisdom, witnessing | Leave a comment

Written That You May Believe

Posted on 2017/09/25 by Shawn Thomas

“But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31) John 20:31 is known as the “thesis” or purpose … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged belief, Bible, evangelism, evangelism methods, faith, Holy Spirit, John 20:31, Luke 16 rich man, Romans 10:17, salvation, scripture, witnessing, word of God | 3 Comments