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 2:1-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Worship the King," for 12/21/25
- “Immanuel: God With Us” (Matthew 1:23 sermon)
- "The Example of Joseph" (Matthew 1:18-25 sermon)
- "He Will Save His People From Their Sins" (Matthew 1:21 Sermon)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 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: pastors
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: Mark 10:32-45, “Serves”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Mark 10:32-45, for Sunday, October 22, 2023, with the title, “Serves.“ A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged ambition, church, church members, church nursery, David McCullough John Adams, deacons, Explore the Bible, gospel, great in the Kingdom, International Mission Board President, John Adams service, Katherine Graham's Washington, LBJ, Lifeway, Mark 10:32-45, mission trip service, missions, older brother syndrome, pastors, Paul Tsongas, pride, Prodigal Son, ransom for many, Robert Caro Lyndon Johnson, salvation, servant, servant of all, service, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help
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“Coming To Worship Jesus” (Luke 21:38 sermon)
Charles Spurgeon once told a story about how Caesar Augustus was invited to a feast in his honor; but the attendance was so poor, and the feast was so mediocre, that he arose in the midst of it and lamented: … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged beauty of holiness, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon Caesar Augustus, church, church attendance, clergymen, consider Him, day of preparation, discipleship, family, Hebrews 10:25, holiness, humility, II Samuel 24:24, Isaiah 66:2, Jesus, Jesus glory, Jesus return, John 19:42, Luke 21:28, pastors, Philippians 2, preparation, preparation for worship, pride, Psalm 96:9, Sabbath, sacrifice, sacrifice that cost me nothing, salvation, sleep, Sunday, Sunday morning worship is a Saturday night decision, Sunday sabbath, Sunday worship, worship, worship Jesus, worship sacrifice
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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson: II Kings 22:8-20
A brief overview of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of II Kings 22:8-20 for Sun., Aug. 28, 2022 “God Moves.” A video version of the overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: Have you ever been cleaning up, or digging … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews, Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
Tagged August 28 2022 Lifeway lesson help, Bible, Bible application, church, daily Bible reading, Explore the Bible II Kings 22:8-20, Explore the Bible lesson help, Explore the Bible teacher help, I Timothy 4:12, II Kings 22:8-20, Josianic Revival, King Josiah, Lifeway lesson for 8/28/22, Lifeway lesson help, pastors, Prophetess Huldah, public reading of scripture, word of God
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“Humility In The Church” (I Peter 5:1-7 sermon)
On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 theological statements to the door of the Wittenburg church, and kicked off the Protestant Reformation. He called the church of God back to the authority of the word of God, and … Continue reading
Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 20:17, Acts 20:28, bishop, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, Church ministry, elders, episkopos, forgiveness, George Friderick Handel, grace, humble, humble salvation, humble yourself, humble yourselves, humility, humility in the church, humility not thinking less of yourself, humility salvation, humility thinking of yourself less, I Peter 5:1-7 sermon, Lutheran name, Martin Luther, ministry, opinion, overseer, pastor, pastor example, pastor not lording, pastor pedestal, pastor pride, pastors, preference, pride, salvation, Shepherd, shepherds, Sunday School, Sunday School ministry, Sunday School teacher
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The Power of an Example
“Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. All of them were encouraged and they themselves also took food.” (Acts 27:35-36) This may not … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 27:35-36, disciple, discipleship, example, ministers, parenting, pastors, teachers, teaching
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Our Ministry Attitude
What attitude should we demonstrate towards those with whom we serve in God’s Kingdom work? Paul gives us a brief outline of his perspective in II Corinthians 1:24: “Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with … Continue reading
What Kind Of Minister?
Many pastors and other ministers in churches today are noted for their “creativity”, or for their authoritarian nature. But how does this line up with scripture? In I Corinthians 4:1, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Let a man regard us in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry
Tagged creativity, faithfulness, I Corinthians 4:1, I Peter 5:3, ministers, ministry, pastorate, pastors, servants, stewards, stewardship
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