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 Preview of Matthew 15:1-11+, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for March 8, 2026, "Real Devotion"
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind" (John 9 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The Church With An Open Door" (Revelation 3:7-13 sermon)
- "The Gift That Is An Insult" (I Kings 9:10-14)
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: church
Is Yours A “Refreshing” Church?
“And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.” (II Corinthians 8:13) We should not miss this little sentence, describing what happened to the spirit of Titus … Continue reading
Church: Not Spiritual “Show & Tell”
“What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” (I Corinthians 14:26) After detailing several ways … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged church, edification, ego, I Corinthians 14:26, pride, service, worship
1 Comment
“If Everyone In The Church Were Just More Like Me …”
“If they were all one member, where would the body be?” (I Corinthians 12:19) The Apostle Paul makes a great point in this verse, as he addresses church members who wanted others in the church to function like them in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged body, church, diversity, gifts, I Corinthians 12:19, service
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For The Common Good
“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (I Corinthians 12:7) The Bible teaches us here that every believer in Jesus Christ has been given a gift by the Holy Spirit: “But to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged church, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 12:7, pneumatica, service
1 Comment
The Triune Example For Unity Amidst Diversity In The Church
In I Corinthians 12:4-6 Paul definitely spoke in purposeful Trinitarian terms in order to make his point about God’s desire for unity amidst a diversity of gifts in His church: — :4 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology, Ministry
Tagged church, diversity, gifts, I Corinthians 12:4-6, roles, Trinity, Triune God, unity
2 Comments
When You Must Judge
“For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.” (I Corinthians 5:3) It should be instructive to us that Paul says here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, do not judge, I Corinthians 4:5, I Corinthians 5:3, immorality, judge not, judging, judgment, Matthew 7:1, sin
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Different Ministries, Same Team!
“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (I Corinthians 3:8) This passage gives us a good guide for the way that we are to see … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, gifts, I Corinthians 3:8, kingdom, ministry
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Sum-pathos
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15) This verse reminds us that God intends for us to share the joys and pains of the members of our church family. This is no “formal”, casual … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, feelings, fellowship, Romans 12:15, sum-pathos, sympathy
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Giftedness & Humility
“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, faith, humility, pastor, pride, Romans 12:3, spiritual gifts
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“The Message of the Cross” (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
A few weeks ago we installed a new wooden cross over our baptistry. Many people have commented that they like it — but some might ask: why would we put a cross here in our worship center? The answer is … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged church, cross, evangelism, faith, I Corinthians 1:18-24 sermon, ministry, salvation
22 Comments
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