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 Ruth 1:11-18, 2:5-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Faithfulness," for 8/23/26
- Teacher's Overview of Ruth 3:8-13, 4:13-17, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Redemption," for 8/30/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Overview of Judges 16:16-31, Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson, "Compromise," for August 16, 2026.
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 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
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- missions
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- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
- Psalms studies and messages
- Revelation sermon series
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- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
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Tag Archives: Southern Baptist
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 Overview of Ruth 1:11-18, 2:5-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Faithfulness,” for 8/23/26
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications that you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "death will be the funeral of all our sorrows", "valley of tears", Baptist, Bible, Bible study, bitterness, Boaz, Book of Judges, Book of Ruth, Christianity, church loyalty, Explore the Bible, faith, faithfulness, gleaning, God, gospel, grace, Jesus, Judges, lesson help, lesson outline, lesson prep, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible, love story, loyalty, Mara bitter, Moab, Moab map, Moabitess, Naomi, Psalm 37:4, Ruth, Ruth & Boaz, Ruth 1:11-18, salvation by grace, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Shawn E. Thomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, Thomas Watson, video lesson
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Teacher’s Overview of Judges 7:1-8, 19-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Trust,” for August 9, 2026
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, discussion questions for your group, illustrations you can share, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTORY ??? DISCUSSION … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Trust", Agincourt, Bach SDG, Baptist, Bible study, Book of Judges, church, Explore the Bible, Gideon, glory, God's glory, Henry V, Jerubbaal, Judges, Lifeway, Midian, Midianites, morning prayer, numbers, Praised be God and not our strength, prayer, service, Shakespeare, soli deo gloria, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Valley of Jezreel
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Teacher’s Overview of Judges 6:1-4, 7-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Called,” for August 2, 2026.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations to share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this preview is available on YouTube at: ???DISCUSSION/INTRODUCTION QUESTION??? “Can you … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "why has this happened?", angel of the Lord, application, Baptist, Bible, Book of Judges, call of Gideon, calling, Christian service, Christophany, discussion questions, excuses, Explore the Bible, Gideon, God, God's word, humility, illustrations, Jesus, John Knox, Judges, Judges 6, judgment, leader, leadership, lesson outline, Lifeway, Lord, meaning of Gideon, ministry, Ophrah, outline, poor in spirit, sin, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, theodicy, wine press, Yahweh, YHWH
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Teacher’s Overview of Judges 2:11-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Consequences,” for July 26, 2026.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can use, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ILLUSTRATION: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged adversity test, alcohol consequence, anger of the Lord, Ashtoreth, Baal, Baptist, Book of Judges, consequences, consequences of sin, cycle in Judges, cycle of unfaithfulness, David McCullough Harry Truman, David McCullough Johnstown Flood, dealing with adversity, Explore the Bible, false gods, false repentance, George H.W. Bush adversity story, Gibbon Rise and Decline, God, John Newton, John Owen sin, Jon Meachan Destiny and Power, Jonathan Aitken, Judges, life tests, Lifeway, one True God, religion, repentance, Romans 6:23, Shaphat, sin, Southern Baptist, temporary repentance, tests, tight spot, Yahweh, YHWH
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Teacher’s Overview of Joshua 7:10-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Sin Revealed,” for July 5, 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: You … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Achan, Ache's sin, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Book of Joshua, consecrate yourself, consequences of sin, deterrence, discussion questions, disobedience, example, Explore the Bible, God, holiness, holy, illustrations, Jesus, Joshua, Joshua 7, lesson outline, lesson overview, lesson preview, Lifeway, sanctification, Shawn E. Thomas, sin, Southern Baptist, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher
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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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