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 Romans 2:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Coming Judgment," for 9/13/26.
- Romans 3:21-4:5, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Saving Faith," for 9/20/26.
- “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
- Teacher's Overview of Romans 1:13-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "True Power," for 9/06/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
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Tag Archives: salvation
Romans 3:21-4:5, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: “Saving Faith,” for 9/20/26.
An overview for teachers, members, and group leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Romans 3:21-4:5, “Saving Faith,” for September 20, 2026. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, discussion questions, and … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Do not bring a god on to the stage", 5 pillars of Islam, Abraham, all have sinned, believe, boasting, Calvinism, Charles Spurgeon Niagara Falls, deus ex machina, example of Abraham, Explore the Bible, faith is not a work, faith vs. works, Finback submarine rescue, for all have sinned, General Revelation, George H.W. Bush rescue, George Washington, gospel, Horace, humility, I am a great sinner Christ is a great Savior, II Corinthians 5:21, illustration, illustration of sin, Islam, John 3:16, John Newton, Jonathan Aitken, Just and the Justifier, justified, Lifeway, Martin Luther King, meaning of faith, Paradise, propitiation, R.C. Sproul content of His character, religious pride, righteousness, righteousness of God, Romans, Romans 10:13, Romans 3, Romans 3:21-4:5, salvation, salvation for all, salvation gift, saving faith, sin, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, teaching outline, trust, works
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Teacher’s Overview of Romans 2:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Coming Judgment,” for 9/13/26.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: “How many of you have heard of … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged apologize to Sodom, Apostle Paul, Bible, Book of Romans, Charles DIckens, Coming Judgment, doers of the law, Explore the Bible, FDR Churchill Mrs Ogden Reid hypocrisy, Genghis Khan, God, gospel, grace, guilt, hypocrisy, inexcusable, Jesus, John MacArthur, judge not, judging, judgment, kindness of God leads to repentance, Lifeway, none who does good, orge, Paul, perish, revelation, Revelation wrath of God, Robinson Crusoe, Robinson Crusoe Christian theme, Robinson Crusoe summary, Romans, Romans 2, Romans 2:1-13, Ruth Graham Sodom, salvation, salvation by grace, salvation by works, sin, The Last Lion Reid & Manchester, thumos, unrepentance, wrath, wrath of God
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Teacher’s Overview of Romans 1:13-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “True Power,” for 9/06/26
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, discussion questions for your group, illustrations you can share, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO:???DISCUSSION QUESTION???Several years ago, a … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "True Power", Anthony Flew There is a God, Apostle Paul, Baptist, Bible, Blaise Pascal, Carl Trueman Strange New World, Christianity, DNA, evangelism, evidence for God, Explore the Bible, expressive individualism, faith, Fall 2026, galaxy, General Revelation, giving thanks, God, gospel, gratitude, herpetarium, Hinduism, idolatry, idols, India idols, Jesus, John Calvin factory of idols, Lifeway, materialism, natural revelation, neopaganism, Owen Strachan, Paul, power of the gospel, Psalm 19, Reenchanting Humanity, Romans, Romans 1:13-25, Rome, salvation, sex, Southern Baptist, Southern Baptist Sunday School, Special Revelation, Sunday School, thankfulness, thanks, the gospel, Tim Keller, universe, witness
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Teacher’s Overview of Ruth 3:8-13, 4:13-17, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Redemption,” for 8/30/26.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life application. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION/ILLUSTRATION: Carl Sandburg wrote about a slave auction … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Great Change", "Redemption", abortion, Baptist, Bible study, blood of Christ, Boaz, Book of Ruth, breath of life, Carl Sandburg Lincoln, Community Group, cost of redemption, Explore the Bible, faith, fruit of redemption, genealogy of Christ, George Wilson pardon refused, goel, gospel, Islam, kindman redeemer, life, Lifeway, Matthew genealogy, Matthew Henry, Messiah, Muslim testimony, Obed, Old Testament prophecy, promise of redemption, Ruth, Ruth and Boaz, Ruth and Naomi, salvation, saving faith, Shariq Khan testimony, slave redeemed, small group, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outlline, Sunday School teacher, William Wilberforce, witness
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Teacher’s Preview of Joshua 24:14-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Vital Decision,” for July 19, 2026.
Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, sample group discussion questions, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ??? DISCUSSION QUESTION??? “If … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "two sides of the same coin", A Severe Mercy, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord, Bible, Bible study, C.S. Lewis, C.S. Lewis and free will, choices, choose you this day, Clemente plane crash, Death, decisions, Explore the Bible, false gods, going through the motions, gospel, graduation speech, how to serve God, idols, Jehovah, Joshua, life choices, life fragile, Lifeway, prayer wheel, Promised Land, repentance, repentance and faith, Roberto Clemente, salvation, serve God, Shawn E. Thomas, Sheldon Vanauken, spirit and truth, sudden death, truth, Yahweh, YHWH
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Teacher’s Overview of Joshua 6:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Winning Strategy,” for June 28, 2026.
Inclues a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this preview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ???DISCUSSION … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Winning Strategy", apologetics, application, archeology, ban, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Biblical Archeology, Book of Joshua, Canaanites killing, Christianity, commandments, discussion question, Explore the Bible, faith, God, God is just, grace, Holy Spirit, Jericho, Jericho map, Jesus, Joshua, Joshua 6:12-25, justice, lesson outline, Lifeway, obedience, salvation, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, theodicy, under the ban, walls of Jericho
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Teacher’s Overview of Joshua 3:14-4:9, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson “Remembering God’s Works” for June 21, 2026.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ???DISCUSSION … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged answered prayers, Baptist, Bible study, Book of Joshua, church, deliverance, discussion questions, do this in remembrance of Me, Ebenezer, Explore the Bible, faith, forgetting God, God, gospel, illustrations, Jesus, Jordan River, Jordan River crossing, Jordan River flood, Joshua, lesson outline, Lifeway, Lord's Supper, memorial, Passover, salvation, scripture, scripture memory, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, University of Oklahoma 2000 National Championship, World War II memorial
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