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.
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- “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
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Goodness of God in the Midst of Affliction" (Psalm 119:65-72 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-25, "Love" for Sunday 11/02/25
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 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
“The Disciple’s Character: Peacemaking” (Matthew 5:9 sermon)
In 1994, North Korea precipitated an international crisis, when they took the rods out of their nuclear reactors, which would allow them to create nuclear weapons. Many thought we might be on the brink of war. But Jimmy Carter, years … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12), Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Beatitudes, character, doing peace, Ephesians 2:14-16, evangelism, Jimmy Carter Peacemaker, love, making peace, Matthew 5:3-12, Matthew 5:9, peace, peace with God, peacemaker, peacemakers, relationship pyramid, The character of Christ, The Disciple's Character
1 Comment
The Ministry of Reconciliation
“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (II Corinthians 5:18) The phrase Paul uses here, “the ministry of reconciliation”, is a good description of evangelism. What … Continue reading
Prayer + Purity = Power
In II Corinthians 4:7, the Apostle Paul speaks of “the surpassing greatness of the power” that is in the life of a Christian, even though in and of themselves they are merely an “earthen vessel.” In other words, God manifests … Continue reading
Something Beyond Ourselves
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (II Corinthians 4:7) Why is it that God often allows those of us in His service … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged evangelism, Holy Spirit, II Corinthians 4:7, ministry, power, witness
1 Comment
The “Scent” You Leave Behind
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” (II Corinthians 2:14) Scientists tells us that just as each person has … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged aroma, evangelism, II Corinthians 2:14, ministry, scent, witness
1 Comment
“This Is My Story: The Gerasene Demoniac” (Mark 5:1-20 sermon)
During the Second World War, when Hitler conquered France, he immediately shut down the borders to keep the people from leaving the country. But one small border town saw its population diminish rapidly, so the Germans searched for the answer. … Continue reading
“This Is My Story: The Ethiopian Treasurer” (Acts 8:25-38 sermon)
ACTS 8:25-38 “This Is My Story: The Ethiopian Treasurer” Cheryl & I love Stefan Berci (our Romanian pastor) and his family. They did a Facetime chat with us yesterday, and we had a great visit. One of the things I … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 8:25-38 sermon, Ethiopian eunuch, evangelism, Isaiah 53, Jesus, RSVP, salvation, story, testimony
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“This Is My Story: Cornelius The Centurion” (Acts 10 Sermon)
When we were serving in Louisiana, our church sent a mission team to Suriname, South America, where one of our members was a missionary. The first team we sent went to teach Bible stories in a local school, and they … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged Acts10 sermon, Cornelius, evangelism, faith, gospel, salvation, story, testimony, works
7 Comments
“This Is My Story: The Woman At The Well” (John 4:1-42 sermon)
Several summers ago, a father and his son were out for a walk in a farmer’s field in northern England. The son had brought a metal detector with him, and all of the sudden, it started to squeal. They decided … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged chair illustration, eternal life, evangelism, faith, forgiveness, grace, Isaiah 59:2, Jesus Christ, John 4 sermon, John 4:1-42, John Bunyan, love, love of God, Peter Ackroyd Shakespeare biography, salvation, sin, The Woman at the Well
5 Comments
“This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind” (John 9 sermon)
There are some characters in books or movies who are popular because they are so heroic or selfless or beautiful, and they are so beyond who we are, and what we can do, that we idolize them as “superheroes”. But … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged evangelism, forgiveness, John 9, man born blind, Nepal mission, popcorn, salvation, sin, story, testimony, This Is My Story
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