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 7:15-29, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority Acknowledged," for 1/11/26.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 8 & 9, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Every Life Valued" for 1/18/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 6:19-34, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Treasure," for 1/04/2026
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "Three Christian Attitudes" (Philippians 3:12-15 sermon)
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
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
Category Archives: Discipleship
“The Spirit In Us” (Romans 8:9-17sermon)
In Acts Chapter 19, the Apostle Paul is on his way to Ephesus, and he comes across some disciples. He asked them: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him: “No, we have not even … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged Abba Father, Acts 8 Philip and Ethiopian, assurance, assurance of salvation, Bill Gaither I'm not what I was, Charles Wesley, Charles Wesley and Moravians, Charlie Chaplin, DNA, doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Doctrine of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, holiness, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit and salvation, Holy Spirit and sanctification, Holy Spirit conviction, Isaiah 30:21, John Newton I am not what I used to be, John Wesley, leadership of Holy Spirit, plan of salvation, Romans 8, Romans 8 Holy Spirit, Romans 8:9-17, salvation, sanctification, spirit, test of salvation, Trinity, Wesley salvation
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“A Not-So-Happy Ending” (Jonah 4 sermon)
In Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities he tells of the Marquis St. Evremonde, an extremely rich man who entertained himself by racing his carriage through the narrow streets of Paris and watching the peasants dive out of the … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, missions, Sermons
Tagged Carroll Keach LBJ driver, Charles Dickens Tale of Two Cities, Christian service, Christians comfort, church battleship or cruise ship, discipleship, I Corinthians 12:7, Jonah, Jonah 4, Matthew 26:58, missions, passion, Robert Caro Lyndon Johnson, Romans 10:1, service, spectator religion, spiritual gifts
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“Jesus Coaches His Misguided Disciples” (Luke 9:46-56 sermon)
A couple of years ago, a hurricane hit southwest Louisiana where we had formerly pastored, and some of you may remember, we had a family come and stay with us in the aftermath. They have a little preschool boy (4-5 … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged attitudes of disciples, C.S. Lewis humility, Christian unity, denominations, discipleship, don't win arguments win people, ego, evangelism, humility, Jasper Myers summersault baseball video, Jesus coaches disciples, Jesus teaches disciples, John 17 all be one, John 3:17, John Newton, Luke 9:46-56 sermon, ministry, pastor ego, pride, self-centeredness, selflessness, song He's still working on me, Teddy Roosevelt bride at every wedding, The Cause of Christ Kari Jobe, witnessing
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“God-Given Skills For God’s Kingdom Work” (Exodus 31-18 sermon)
I’m sure many of you life-long Texans are familiar with Jack Sorenson, the Texas artist, known for his western paintings, including this one of Santa Claus riding a horse. W.F. Strong, in his book, Stories From Texas, tells us that … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermons
Tagged abilities, Bezalel, Bulgaria missions, C.S. Lewis, church, craftsmanship, E.W. Starling, Eric Liddell, Exodus 31, Exodus 38, gifts, humility, Jack Sorenson art, Matthew 25 parable of the talents, ministry, Oholiab, service, skills, spiritual gifts, talents, talk shop, Texas Port Ministry, Woodrow Wilson
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“A Divine Appointment” (Acts 8:26-40 sermon)
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
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“Jesus Directs His Church” (Acts 1:1-8 sermon)
Steve Jobs was one of the most unique CEO’s in history. He had a lot of quirks, but he led Apple computers to become what is now THE largest company in the world, worth over 300 BILLION dollars. But among … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, missions, Sermons
Tagged "Acts 1:8 Christian", "Acts 1:8 missions church", Acts 1:1-8 sermon, Acts 1:8, Bible Reading, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, church, conviction of sin, ecclesiology, end times, eschatology, Holy Spirit, I Samuel 13 Saul, Isaiah 40:31, John 16:8, mission, missions, NASA rocket Chris Kraft, Psalm 130:5-6, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37, sin, theological speculation, wait on the Lord, waiting
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“When Yahweh Is Your God” (Genesis 28:10-22 sermon)
A few years ago a pastor I know from Oklahoma was in New York City riding in a cab. He saw a little statue on the driver’s dashboard, and he asked the man, who was from India, about it. The … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Anthony Flew atheist, Anthony Flew testimony, Christian commitment, church buildings, commitment, commitment to Christ, commitment to worship, corporate worship, daily Bible reading, discipleship, E.W. Starling Woodrow Wilson, Genesis 28 sermon, giving, Hebrews 10:25, I AM, idolatry, idols, John Dean Warren G. Harding, LORD is Yahweh, personal worship, Prince Charles II of England, salvation, tithe, tithe and the Law, tithe as a mark of Lordship, tithe Genesis 28, tithing, worship, Yahweh
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