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
- Romans 6:1-14, Overview of Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson, "Freedom," for October 4, 2026.
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Romans 5:1-11, 18-21, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Restored Relationship, for 9/27/26.
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "Jesus Christ: Cornerstone or Stumbling-Stone?" (I Peter 2:4-8 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
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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: Sunday School
Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: “Struggle,” for 10/11/26
An overview for teachers and group members, of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Romans 7, for October 11, 2026. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Struggle", Apostle Paul, Baptist, battle with sin, Bible study, body of death, evidence of grace, Explore the Bible, F.F. Bruce, grace, heaven, hope, John MacArthur, Joni Earickson Tada, King Mezentius, Law, lesson help, lesson outline, Lifeway, Romans, Romans 7, Shawn E. Thomas, sin, sin nature, sin struggle, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, the Law, Thomas Watson
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Teacher’s Overview of Romans 5:1-11, 18-21, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Restored Relationship, for 9/27/26.
(Sorry for the glitch in the original version of this post! Please let me know if you have any further difficulties with it!) An overview for teachers, including a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to … Continue reading
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 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 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
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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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