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)
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- Uncategorized
- worship
Category Archives: Reviews
Notes & Quotes from C.S. Lewis: A Life, by Alister McGrath
Some of my favorite quotes, and potential sermon illustrations from McGrath’s 2013 biography of Lewis. These are in order as they appeared in the book: TRAIN UP A CHILD “Both brothers inhabited imaginary worlds, and committed something of these to … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews, Sermon Illustrations
Tagged Alister McGrath, C.S. Lewis, sermon illustrations
1 Comment
Notes & Quotes: Jonathan Edwards’ Sermon: “Praise, One of the Chief Employments of Heaven”
SOURCE: The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. II, p. 913-917 OCCASION: a Thanksgiving sermon, presented Nov. 7, 1734. TEXT: Revelation 14:2 “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a … Continue reading
Book Review: The Doctrine of the Bible, by David S. Dockery
INTRODUCTION: Dr. David Dockery is one of the most highly-respected leaders in the SBC, and his observations should be considered with appropriate regard. In the Preface to the book, Dockery states his purpose: “I have attempted to provide a careful … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged application, Bible, book review, David Dockery, inerrancy, inspiration, scripture, The Doctrine of the Bible
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Book Review: THINK: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God by John Piper
In the introduction to John Piper’s Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God, Piper writes that his book is a plea not to be “either/or” regarding thinking and feeling, that we need them both. And he … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged Calvinism, John Piper, love for God, relativism, Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God, thought, worship
1 Comment
Book Review: Father, Son & Holy Spirit by Bruce Ware
Many books, sermons — or even individual Christians themselves — may be labeled as either precise in theology, or strong in their application, but it can be hard to find in any of these a balanced pairing of both. Bruce … Continue reading
Book Review: Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, by Donald S. Whitney
I read Don Whitney’s Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health for a small-group class on Sunday mornings at Trinity Baptist in Norman this year. I understand that it has been used for some time by several ministers and in … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Reviews
Tagged Christian life, curriculum, discipleship, legalism, small groups, spiritual growth
2 Comments
The Top Shelf: Books I’ve Read More Than Once
When it came time to sell our home in Louisiana and move to a condo less than half its size in Oklahoma, we had to do some dramatic downsizing! One of the most difficult items to tackle was our book … Continue reading
Is “God Calling” Through That Devotional Book?
The books God Calling and Jesus Calling have become very popular devotional readings over the years, making numerous “best-seller” lists. But from the moment I began to see quotes from the books being posted on Facebook and other places I … Continue reading
Faith in the Face of Death (John Chrysostom sermon review)
While admittedly not sporting the kind of title we would find attached to many sermons today (“Excessive Grief at the Death of Friends”!) this message by John Chrysostom is a real gem. The text of his message is I Thessalonians 4:13, where … Continue reading
Bonhoeffer on Some “Different” Church Ministries
If you’ve had trouble finding your ministry in the church, what about “The Ministry of Holding Your Tongue”?! In Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book Life Together, he lists some “ministries” in the church body that you may not have considered. Due to my current … Continue reading
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