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
- Romans 6:1-14, Overview of Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson, "Freedom," for October 4, 2026.
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Romans 5:1-11, 18-21, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Restored Relationship, for 9/27/26.
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "Jesus Christ: Cornerstone or Stumbling-Stone?" (I Peter 2:4-8 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: Bible study
Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: “Struggle,” for 10/11/26
An overview for teachers and group members, of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Romans 7, for October 11, 2026. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Struggle", Apostle Paul, Baptist, battle with sin, Bible study, body of death, evidence of grace, Explore the Bible, F.F. Bruce, grace, heaven, hope, John MacArthur, Joni Earickson Tada, King Mezentius, Law, lesson help, lesson outline, Lifeway, Romans, Romans 7, Shawn E. Thomas, sin, sin nature, sin struggle, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, the Law, Thomas Watson
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Teacher’s Overview of Ruth 3:8-13, 4:13-17, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Redemption,” for 8/30/26.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life application. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION/ILLUSTRATION: Carl Sandburg wrote about a slave auction … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Great Change", "Redemption", abortion, Baptist, Bible study, blood of Christ, Boaz, Book of Ruth, breath of life, Carl Sandburg Lincoln, Community Group, cost of redemption, Explore the Bible, faith, fruit of redemption, genealogy of Christ, George Wilson pardon refused, goel, gospel, Islam, kindman redeemer, life, Lifeway, Matthew genealogy, Matthew Henry, Messiah, Muslim testimony, Obed, Old Testament prophecy, promise of redemption, Ruth, Ruth and Boaz, Ruth and Naomi, salvation, saving faith, Shariq Khan testimony, slave redeemed, small group, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outlline, Sunday School teacher, William Wilberforce, witness
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Teacher’s Overview of Ruth 1:11-18, 2:5-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Faithfulness,” for 8/23/26
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications that you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "death will be the funeral of all our sorrows", "valley of tears", Baptist, Bible, Bible study, bitterness, Boaz, Book of Judges, Book of Ruth, Christianity, church loyalty, Explore the Bible, faith, faithfulness, gleaning, God, gospel, grace, Jesus, Judges, lesson help, lesson outline, lesson prep, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible, love story, loyalty, Mara bitter, Moab, Moab map, Moabitess, Naomi, Psalm 37:4, Ruth, Ruth & Boaz, Ruth 1:11-18, salvation by grace, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Shawn E. Thomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, Thomas Watson, video lesson
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Teacher’s Overview of Judges 7:1-8, 19-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Trust,” for August 9, 2026
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, discussion questions for your group, illustrations you can share, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTORY ??? DISCUSSION … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Trust", Agincourt, Bach SDG, Baptist, Bible study, Book of Judges, church, Explore the Bible, Gideon, glory, God's glory, Henry V, Jerubbaal, Judges, Lifeway, Midian, Midianites, morning prayer, numbers, Praised be God and not our strength, prayer, service, Shakespeare, soli deo gloria, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Valley of Jezreel
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Teacher’s Preview of Joshua 24:14-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Vital Decision,” for July 19, 2026.
Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, sample group discussion questions, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ??? DISCUSSION QUESTION??? “If … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "two sides of the same coin", A Severe Mercy, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord, Bible, Bible study, C.S. Lewis, C.S. Lewis and free will, choices, choose you this day, Clemente plane crash, Death, decisions, Explore the Bible, false gods, going through the motions, gospel, graduation speech, how to serve God, idols, Jehovah, Joshua, life choices, life fragile, Lifeway, prayer wheel, Promised Land, repentance, repentance and faith, Roberto Clemente, salvation, serve God, Shawn E. Thomas, Sheldon Vanauken, spirit and truth, sudden death, truth, Yahweh, YHWH
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Teacher’s Overview of Joshua 7:10-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Sin Revealed,” for July 5, 2026.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: You … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Achan, Ache's sin, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Book of Joshua, consecrate yourself, consequences of sin, deterrence, discussion questions, disobedience, example, Explore the Bible, God, holiness, holy, illustrations, Jesus, Joshua, Joshua 7, lesson outline, lesson overview, lesson preview, Lifeway, sanctification, Shawn E. Thomas, sin, Southern Baptist, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher
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Teacher’s Overview of Joshua 6:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Winning Strategy,” for June 28, 2026.
Inclues a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this preview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ???DISCUSSION … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Winning Strategy", apologetics, application, archeology, ban, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Biblical Archeology, Book of Joshua, Canaanites killing, Christianity, commandments, discussion question, Explore the Bible, faith, God, God is just, grace, Holy Spirit, Jericho, Jericho map, Jesus, Joshua, Joshua 6:12-25, justice, lesson outline, Lifeway, obedience, salvation, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, theodicy, under the ban, walls of Jericho
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Teacher’s Overview of Joshua 3:14-4:9, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson “Remembering God’s Works” for June 21, 2026.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ???DISCUSSION … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged answered prayers, Baptist, Bible study, Book of Joshua, church, deliverance, discussion questions, do this in remembrance of Me, Ebenezer, Explore the Bible, faith, forgetting God, God, gospel, illustrations, Jesus, Jordan River, Jordan River crossing, Jordan River flood, Joshua, lesson outline, Lifeway, Lord's Supper, memorial, Passover, salvation, scripture, scripture memory, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, University of Oklahoma 2000 National Championship, World War II memorial
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