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)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
- Travel
- Uncategorized
- worship
Tag Archives: Baptist Faith & Message 2000
Teacher’s Overview of II Peter 1:3-8, 16-21, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Be Equipped,” for 5/11/25
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of II Peter 1:3-8 and :16-21, for Sunday, May 11, 2025, with the title, “Be Equipped.” A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading →
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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Tagged Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Bible, Bible Reading, Bible study, Christian life, Chuck Colson, Colson I know the resurrection is true, daily Bible reading, discipleship, discussion questions, education, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible lesson, eyewitness, eyewitness testimony, faith, God's word, gospel, II Peter, II Peter 1, II Peter 1:3-8, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, John Newton quote, lesson outline, Lifeway, love, process of spiritual growth, Psalm 23:1, Richard Bauckham, Richard Feynman, salvation, scripture memory, Shawn Thomas, Sherlock Holmes quote, spiritual growth, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday School teacher, testimony, the greatest of these is love, The Lord is my Shepherd, The Scriptures
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Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 4:8-21, “Emboldened’
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, or Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 4:8-21 for Sunday, June 30, 2024, with the title, “Emboldened.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading →
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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Tagged Acts 4, Acts 4:12, Acts 4:8-21, Annas, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Bible, bold witness, boldness, Book of Acts, Brandan Robertson, Caiaphas, Christianity, cornerstone, Emboldened, evangelism, Explore the Bible, faith, God, gospel, Holy Spirit, I John 5:12, India, India mission, Jesus, Jesus only way, John, John 14:6, liberal, liberal Christianity, Lifeway, ministry, objective truth, persecution, Peter, platform, Sadducees, salvation, saving faith, Steve Bushey, Temple, University of Oklahoma women's softball, witness
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Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Genesis 1-2 “The First Week”
A brief overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 1:1-5, 26-2:3, “The First Week,” for Sunday, December 3, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: ??? Share the most beautiful/most favorite place … Continue reading →
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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Tagged 7th Day Adventists, 7th Day Baptists, abortion, Andrew Parker Genesis, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, C.S. Lewis, creation, creationism, doctrine of man, Dr. John Lennox, Explore the Bible, gender, gender Bible, gender issues, Genesis 1, Genesis 1:1, Genesis 2, he made the stars, homosexuality, In the beginning GOd, Jesus, John 1:1-2, John Barletta, let there be light, Lifeway, Lord's Day, Milky Way galaxy, naturalism, nature, Richard Dawkins, Ronald Reagan, Sabbath, sabbath issues, Stephen Hawking, Trinity, universe, universe size, Weight of Glory
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“The Church That Dropped The Baton” (Revelation 2:12-17 sermon)
In 2008, the U.S. men’s 4×100 relay team was favored to win the Olympic gold medal. They had won the world championship the year before, and they were off to a good start in the first Olympic race. They finished … Continue reading →
Posted in Revelation sermon series
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Tagged Agatha Christie, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Barstow basketball, baton, Bob Lockhart Revelation, Bristow basketball contest, Caesar is Lord, Christian faith passing baton, Christian race, Church at Pergamum, church doctrine, church growth, church humbug, circumstances, doctrine, drop the baton, faithful, God's will, I know, II Timothy 1:5, Inshallah, it matters what you believe, Jesus cares, Jesus is Lord, Jesus knows, libertine, manna, Mothers Day, Nicolaiitans, one voice, parenting, Pergamum, prosperity gospel, relay race, repent, Revelation 2:12-17, Sodom & Gomorrah, teaching, teaching of Balaam, two-edged sword, U.S. Olympic team drop baton
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 15:26-16:16, “When the Spirit Comes”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson on John 15:26-27, 16:7-16 for Sunday, April 16, 2023, “When The Spirit Comes.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube … Continue reading →
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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Tagged Arab oil embargo, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Baptist Faith and Message, Bible Study Holy Spirit, conviction of sin, Ephesians 1:13, Explore the Bible, God the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, hymn Come Thou Almighty King, I Corinthians 14:24, Jimmy Carter, John Newton, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 15-16, paraclete, parakaleo, Parakletos, sealed Holy Spirit, sin, sin righteousness judgment, Sunday school lesson help John 15, Sunday school lesson Holy Spirit, Sunday school lesson John 15 and 16, Trinity
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6 Comments
“On The Move For The Glory Of God” (Joshua 1:1-9 Sermon)
In June of 1944, General Dwight Eisenhower had an important decision to make. All the men and material were ready for the momentous D-Day invasion of German-occupied France, but there were some reasons for hesitation. One of Eisenhower’s top aides … Continue reading →
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged Anchor Up, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Bible, church, church building, church moving, COVID-19 pandemic, doctrine of the Bible, Dwight Eisenhower D-Day decision, fear not the lions for they are chained, First Baptist Church Angleton Texas, glory God, I am with you, I Corinthians 3:6, I Kings 13, II Kings 22:8 lost the word of God, Isaiah 42:8, John Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress, Joshua 1:1-9 sermon, Joshua 1:9, Matthew 28:20, moving, Promised Land, Ron & Pat Owens Touch Not The Glory, touch not the glory for it belongs to God, word of God, zeal
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“A Pastor’s Farewell” (Acts 20 sermon)
Cheryl & I want to thank you for the last 4 years we have been allowed to serve at Pleasant Ridge. It is very difficult to say farewell to people with whom we’ve ministered and loved and been loved — … Continue reading →
Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged A Pastor's Farewell, Acts 20, Acts 20:21, Amy Grant Faith Walking People, asking Jesus into your heart, assurance, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, church, church family, church membership class, confidence, daily Bible reading, devotional time, devotions, doctrine, faith, false teachers, farewell, father, feelings, goodbye, gospel, II TImothy 1:12, intercessory prayer, legalism, ministry, Nominating Committee, Now I commend you to God, pastor, pastor elder overseer, pastor search committee, people, prayer, praying for children, praying for loved ones, quiet time, repentance, repentance and faith, salvation, service, sin, soul, trust, works salvation
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4 Comments
Staying Under the “Big Tent” of Soteriology
While I am not a Calvinist, I have a number of friends and family members who are. This helps give me what I believe is a balanced perspective regarding the current debate over soteriology in the SBC, which is revolving … Continue reading →
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