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 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority," for 4/26/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 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: evangelism
Radical Love For Some “ONE”
“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?” (Matthew 18:12) Here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged evangelism, Galatians 2:20, love, love the one, Matthew 18:12, ministry
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The Heart of Our Evangelism Problem
“For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” (Matthew 12:34) Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees, who accused Him in :24 of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub. He turned the focus back on … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 4:20, evangelism, heart, Matthew 12:34, witnessing, words
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Book Review: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, by Rosaria Butterfield
I’ll just say it up front: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert is one of the most compelling books I have ever read. The title leads one to think that it will give the reader a peek into the … Continue reading
It’s A Lot About Relationships
“Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother” (Matthew 10:2) Among the items of note in the list of the … Continue reading
When The Need Is Great: Pray!
“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38) Jesus’ response to the overwhelming need of the multitude … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged evangelism, Matthew 9:38-39, ministry, prayer
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“A Christian Decision-Making Grid” (I Cor. 9-10 sermon)
In 1939 Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of the leading Christian preachers and teachers in Germany — but the country had been taken over by Adolph Hitler, and the noose of his control was beginning to tighten over the country. Soon … Continue reading
God & Math: “The Man Who Knew Infinity” Movie Review
Sometimes when you are looking for something specific, you find something unexpected, and even better, instead. That may have happened today. I was searching for a theater which might be showing the newly released “Love And Friendship”, a Jane Austen … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews, Uncategorized
Tagged "The Man Who Knew Infinity", apologetics, Christian worldview, Dev Patel, evangelism, Hinduism, Jeremy Irons, review
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Do You Have The Right Enemies?
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:12) When one of the presidential candidates was harassed at a campaign stop this week, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged Beatitudes, enemies, evangelism, joy, Matthew 5:12, ministry, persecution, witness
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Are You Really Following?
“Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:22) When Jesus called His disciples in Matthew 4, He gave them an unambiguous command: “Follow Me.” And we see in the succeeding verses that this is exactly … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged caring, discipleship, evangelism, following Jesus, Matthew 4, Matthew 4:19, Matthew 4:22, ministry, teaching, worship
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The Motivation of Love
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son …”. (John 3:16) Among the rich truths this well-loved verse gives us, is the Lord’s motivation for saving us. Jesus said, “For God so LOVED the world.” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged evangelism, John 3:16, love, ministry, motivation, motive, witness
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