A Southern Baptist pastor for almost 35 years, I currently serve as Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Angleton, Texas, and post my weekly sermons on this site, as well as a brief overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson.
Tag Archives: baptism
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” John 9:24-38, “You Have Seen Him”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 9:24-38, for Sunday, February 12, 2023, with the title: “You Have Seen Him.” (A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged 30 second elevator speech, baptism, Bulgaria mission work, Christian persecution, evangelism, how to give a testimony, John 9 Bible study help, John 9 the man born blind, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson help, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview John 9:24-38, Son of Man, teacher's help LIfeway Explore the Bible John 9, testimony, testimony workshop, witnessing
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“Discovering First Baptist Angleton”: Session #4 The Nuts & Bolts”
My car’s Owner’s Manual is not my favorite book ever to read — in fact I can’t say I have ever read it all the way through. But I am also really glad that I have it when I need … Continue reading
Posted in Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
Tagged Acts 1:8 Offering, baptism, Baptist General Convention of Texas, building program church, car owner's manual, church budget and finances, Church Constitution and by-laws, Church Council, church discipline, church financial statement, church membership, church membership class, Church membership commitment, church officers, church polity, Discovering First Baptist Church, God's Vision In Action, Gulf Coast Baptist Association, nuts and bolts of church, Romania mission, salvation, southern baptist cooperative program
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson John 6:26-40, “I Am The Bread”
(A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 6:26-40, for Sunday, January 22, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: MAKE/BUY BREAD FOR … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged 7 I Am statements of Jesus, baptism, bread, Explore the Bible lesson John 6, I am the bread, John 6:26-40 bible study, John 6:26-40 Sunday School lesson teacher help, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson John 6, motivation, motives, Outline of Book of John, overview of John 6 Sunday school lesson, prosperity gospel, what is hardtack?
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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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“4 Things That Won’t Save You (and 1 That Will!)” (Philippians 3:4-11 sermon)
In ancient times, they believed that when you were sick, they needed to get the “bad blood” out of you, so they would employ certain treatments they thought would accomplish that. One (which is so gross to many of us … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged 4 things that won't save you, Allah weigh good deeds and bad, baptism, Baptist rituals, bleeding as medicine, blood of Jesus, circumcision, deeds, do your best, heritage, intentions, Islam 5 pillars, Islam scales, J. Edwin Orr testimony, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ alone saves, Jewish heritage, John 14:6, justification, leeches as treatment, Lord's Supper, lost ark, Luke 18 Pharisee and tax collector, Nabeel Qureshi testimony, Only Jesus saves, Oscar Wilde, Oscar Wilde deathbed conversion?, Philippians 3:4-11 sermon, Philippians sermon, repentance and faith, rituals, Romans 10:2, Romans 3:20, salvation, salvation intercessory prayers, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, self-justification, sincerely wrong, sincerity, witness, works, works salvation, works won't save, zeal, zeal not in accordance with knowledge
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Poverty In Spirit: “I Need Help” (Matthew 5:3 sermon)
A pastor who served in California for a number of years shared the testimony of a Hollywood celebrity he knew, who had struggled for years with a drinking problem. But one of the most difficult things they had to deal … Continue reading
Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged baptism, Beatitudes, Charles Spurgeon nothing in my hand I bring, Christian character, Christian life, declaration of dependence, how to be saved, humility, I can't save myself, I need help, Isaiah 64:6, John 5:19, Kingdom of Heaven, Luke 18 Pharisee and Publican, Mark 1:35, Matthew 5:3, morning prayer, nothing in my hand I bring simply to Thy cross I cling, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prayer, prayer and dependence, ptochos, righteousness, Rock of Ages, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:29, salvation, spiritual dependence, spiritual growth, spontaneous prayer, The character of Christ
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“Martha & Jesus: A Christian Allegory” (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
One of the most famous allegories in history is John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. An “allegory” is where some character or symbol represents something else. In Pilgrim’s Progress (which is perhaps a rather “thin” allegory) the main character of Bunyan’s novel … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged allegory, analogy, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Jackson baby christening, asking Jesus in your heart, attitudes, Augustine conversion, Augustine spiritual growth, baptism, busy-ness, Christian allegory, consecration, conviction of Holy Spirit, daily devotions, daily quiet time, devotions, discipleship, Holy Spirit, home remodeling, infant baptism, Jesus in your life, Lazarus John 11, Luke 10:38-42, Martha and Jesus, Mary and Martha, personal salvation, Peter Brown Augustine, Pilgrim's Progress, priorities, process of sanctification, relationships, Saint Augustine, salvation, sanctification, schedule, sinners prayer, worship
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“Defective Discipleship” (Matthew 26:58 sermon)
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
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shawnethomas 