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 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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: discipleship
“The Discipline of Giving” (Genesis 28:20-22 sermon)
(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist, Morganton, NC 6-28-15) It has been a very disappointing week for Bible-believing Christians, the Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage at the top of the list. But we have much to be thankful for … Continue reading
Give To Everyone You Meet
In Romans 1:11 the Apostle Paul writes: “For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established (strengthened).” Paul wasn’t speaking of “spiritual gifts” here in the technical way … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship
Tagged discipleship, Navigators Wheel, Romans 1:11, spiritual gift
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“The Discipline of Morning Prayer” (Psalm 5:3 Sermon)
(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, 5-03-15 Not long ago, someone posted on Facebook that they wished they had a 30-hour day, so that they could get everything done. In the comments section, I posted a link to one of … Continue reading
“Are You A Disciple?” (Luke 9:23 sermon)
(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, 4-12-15) Are you a disciple? When we think of the word “disciple”, a lot of us probably think of 12 guys in robes who followed Jesus around, usually saying or doing the wrong then, … Continue reading
“The Discipline of Fasting” (Ezra 8:21 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 10-26-14) A Christian disciple from India came to the United States a few years ago, and made the tour of a number of our Baptist churches, both observing and speaking. After a few … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciplines of Disciples" series, Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged discipleship, Ezra 8:21, fast, fasting, sermon, spiritual disciplines
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“The Discipline of Giving” (Genesis 28:20-22 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK, 10-19-14) Cheryl & I love to watch old movies, and one of our favorites is the 1948 classic: “Life With Father” with William Powell & Irene Dunne. There is actually a great lesson … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciplines of Disciples" series, Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Abraham, discipleship, Genesis 28:20-22, giving, grace giving, Harold Mathena, Irene Dunne, Jacob, Life With Father, love, Melchizedek, put your money where your mouth is, salvation, sermon, talk is cheap, tithing, WIlliam Powell
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“The Discipline of Evangelism” (Colossians 4:2-6 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley OK, 10-12-14) Many of us have looked on with shock and horror at the ISIS takeover of good portions of two countries in the Middle East, with the beheadings and other atrocities they have … Continue reading
Love & Obedience
Many times, it is not “either/or”, but “both.” It is so in Nehemiah 1:9, where Nehemiah has just confessed the sins of Israel to God, and he quotes Him as saying to His people, “but if you return to Me … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged commandments, discipleship, John 14:15, love, Nehemiah 1:9, obedience
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“The Discipline of Scripture Memory” (Matthew 4:11 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 9-21-14) When I was in college I went on a mission trip to Switzerland and Germany. During the trip we also made a one-day visit to Paris, but in many ways I was … Continue reading
“The Discipline of Spontaneous Prayer” (Nehemiah 2:4 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist Pauls Valley, OK, 9-14-14 a.m.) Some of us were eating out a few years ago, and one of our friends was asking the blessing for our food, and he prayed a fairly long prayer. When he … Continue reading
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