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 Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- "This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind" (John 9 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 15:1-11+, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for March 8, 2026, "Real Devotion"
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Working Out Your Salvation" (Philippians 2:12-13 sermon)
- "Three Christian Attitudes" (Philippians 3:12-15 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 14:22-33, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Courage," for March 1, 2026.
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
“In The Word 2022” (Ezra 7:10 message)
A few years ago they came out with an interesting list, of the books that people most frequently lie about reading, in order to appear well-read! The top four were George Orwell’s 1984, (42%), Tolstoy’s War and Peace (31%), James … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged apply scripture, beat a path to the word of God, Bible, Bible life change, Bible Reading, Bible reading plan, Bill Tolar testimony, books people lie about reading, Christian commitments, commitment to God's word, daily Bible reading, daily devotions, darash, doing the word, Ezra, Ezra 7:10, fellowship, God speaks to YOU, Hudson Taylor testimony, In The Word 2022, Luke 6:46, practice God's word, quiet time, salvation commitment, sharing, social media, teach God's word, teach the Bible, testimonies, time place procedure, waste, wasted time, word of God
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“A Christian Example” (Philippians 3:17 sermon)
“The morning of August 14, 1821, 200 West Point cadets … who were touring New England, marched out from Boston to parade past the house of John Adams, who had been President of the United States 20 years before. Flags … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged being an example, discipleship, example, following examples, following Jesus' example, George Washington example to his men, John Adams and George Washington example, John Donne no man is an Island, learning from each other, mentor, parents example, Philippians 3:17 sermon, salvation, salvation by faith, spiritual gifts, Sunday school teachers example, what if everyone in church did what I did, what kind of example are you?, What Would Jesus Do?, what you do affects others
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“Rejoice In The Lord” (Philippians 3:1 sermon)
John Newton, the former slave ship captain who later became a Christian, is best-known for writing the hymn, “Amazing Grace.” But he was also a pastor for about 20 years after his conversion, and he had an extensive counseling ministry … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged "happy game", fellowship, Fred Tubb and Jo, golf, happy in a pirson, John Newton, joy, joy in Philippians, Lifeway Through the Bible series overview, meaning of rejoice, more than when their grain and new wine abound, Philippians 3:1, Pollyanna attitude, Psalm 4:7, rejoice, rejoice in the Lord, salvation, Shawn Thomas, unhappy in a palace, www.shawnethomas.com
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“Brother, Worker, Soldier” (Philippians 2:19-30 message)
Those of you who are on social media know that often a person will put on their home page a brief description of themselves, often with just a series of words, saying something like, “Christian, mother of 3, blogger”, or … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged adoption into family of God, battle stations, brother, brother in Christ, brother worker soldier, church, commitment, commitment level in church, difference in worker and soldier, discipleship, Epaphroditus, Ephesians 2:12-13, fellow soldier, fellow worker, gifts for service, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit gift, I Corinthians 12:7, Meggie Hixson Kigoma Tanzania, Philippians 2:19-30 sermon, Romans 8:15, sacrifice, salvation, service, soldier, Timothy, total commitment, war, worker
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“Lights In The World” (Philippians 2:14-16 sermon)
It’s almost hard to remember last February’s winter storm now, in the heat of the summer — but I may need to remind SOME of you that you DID say you would never gripe about the Texas heat again, after … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged above reproach, BBC Cranford, cohabitation, dark world, darkness, divorce, eight year old gender decision, family, gender, gender issues, Genesis 2, God's plan for marriage, God's plan for sexuality, I am the light of the world, light, lights in the world, marriage, perversion, Philippians 2:14-16 sermon, Sam Rayburn, sexuality, sin, Texas winter storm 2021, the world, ungodliness, world, you are the light of the world
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“The Condescension & The Glory” (Philippians 2:6-11 sermon)
There are some things that human words and media, just do not have the ability to fully convey. For example, our secretary Dana just visited Niagara Falls with her husband. She said so it was just so incredible. I’ve never … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged Charlotte Diggs Moon, Christ died for us, Christ's model of condescension, death of Jesus, deity of Jesus, discipleship, following Christ's example of humility, girl pushes bear to save dog, Ha Shem, have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, Jesus Christ condescension, Jesus Christ exaltation, Jesus Christ God, Jesus Christ humility, Jesus equality with God, Jesus exaltation, Jesus steps of condescension, Lottie Moon, Mark Twain Innocents Abroad, Philippians 2:6-11 sermon, the name above all names
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“My Children’s Conduct” (Philippians 1:27-30 sermon) Mothers Day 2021
In 1778, during the American Revolution, John Adams of Massachusetts was needed by his young country as an ambassador in Europe. His 10-year-old son Johnny (John Quincy Adams) would accompany his father on the trip. It was an amazing opportunity … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged A.W. Tozer, Abigail Adams letter, ambassador for Christ, behavior, Bible, biblical marriage, children, Christian life, church compromise, church mission, church purpose, church unity, evangelism, family unity, gender, God created male and female, Jesus only way, John 17 High Priestly Prayer, John Quincy Adams, marriage, mission, missions, Mothers Day, Nabeel Qureshi, parents, parents and children, Philippians 1:27 sermon, representative, Satan's schemes, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, sexuality, stand firm, striving together for the gospel, Sunday school organization, together, unity, witness
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“Working Out Your Salvation” (Philippians 2:12-13 sermon)
SO, how do you follow up on Easter Sunday?! We had such a great day last Sunday, didn’t we? Celebrating our Risen Savior; seeing several people follow Him in baptism — It was a great Easter Sunday. But how do you … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged Bible Reading, challenge, church attendance, comfort, daily devotions, daily quiet time, dicipleship, Ephesians 2:8-9, Ephesians 6:5-6, eye service, fruit of salvation, George Washington slavery, God is at work, God is at work in you, God worthy, Hebrews 13, hypocrisy, Luke 6:46, Matthew 6:1, our God is a consuming fire, Philippians 2:12-13, responsibility, sacrifice, salvation, Secret Service president, service, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, take a bullet, take a bullet for God, Tom Brady super bowl trophy, Working Out Your Salvation, worship, worship attendance
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“Glorifying God as Salt & Light” (Matthew 5:13-16 sermon)
“(Victor) Frankl was a prominent Jewish psychiatrist and neurologist who lived in Vienna, Austria. In 1942, he and his wife and parents were arrested and transported to a Nazi concentration camp. At the end of the war three years later, … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons
Tagged Christians and politics, Christians and tippiing, Christians being salt and light, church, come out of the closet, discipleship, evangelism, First Baptist Angleton Texas, glorify God, glorify God and enjoy Him, I Corinthians 10:31, I Corinthians 6:20, I Peter 2:12, I Peter 4:16, II Corinthians 9:13, light, Lillian Parks Leighton, Matthew 5:13-16, meaning, never disgrace that uniform, outreach, prayer walk, purpose, purpose for life, salt, salt and light, salt lose its savor, Victor Frankl Man's Search For Meaning, Westminster Shorter Catechism, witness, worship, you are the light of the world, you are the salt of the earth
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