Advancing Word Podcast

The National Football League playoffs are in full swing this Divisional Weekend.  NFL Films, known for wiring energetic players for sound, captures their lively commentary for later broadcast on major sports recap channels.  In Psalm 100, God’s people are charged with "making a joyful noise”.  In the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 2, when the people in Capernaum heard that Jesus was in town, the Bib...

During the 2025 New Year’s Eve Worship Celebration at the First Baptist Church of Chesterfield, Missouri, Dr. T. D. Stubblefield, the first Pastor Emeritus in the church’s storied history, delivered an uplifting message to attendees from four area churches.  Drawing on 1 Peter 1:5, he emphasized that believers are protected, regardless of what 2026 may hold. We are KEPT because of our priceless pe...

Lot's actions in Genesis, Chapter 19 is not only a warning to us of the dangers of dwelling on the past but a primer on what we must do in order to move forward and fulfill the purposes of God for our lives.  

Anyone searching for a “nativity narrative” in the Gospel of John or the fourth Gospel, need look no further than John, Chapter One, verse 14.  There is a compelling account of Jesus's nativity compacted in this one verse.  It reaches back into eternity past and reaches forward into eternity future.  It is a key verse in the most magnificent prologue or introduction in all literature.  In thi...

There are two birth narratives in the four Gospels.  Joseph is the focus of the narrative recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.  Mary, the mother of Jesus is the primary character in the narrative in the Gospel of Luke.  This message explores Luke, Chapter 1, verses 26 – 38 and Mary’s role in the birth of our Savior.  She is a compelling feminine voice, a woman of faith testifying of the purposes, pr...

The Gospel writer Mark is not alone in his portrayal of the pivotal role that John the Baptist plays as the forerunner of Jesus Christ.  John the Baptist stood at the intersection of the Old and New Covenant; a true man of conviction that God had shaped and molded in the classical prophetic tradition.  The truth about the coming Messiah concealed in the Old Testament prophecies would be revealed t...

During Advent, the nativity narratives in the Gospels remind us that God came into this broken world in the person of Jesus Christ.  This “Messianic Migration” culminates in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 3, verses 20 – 21 where Jesus stands at the door and knocks.  The symbolism is an urgent summons to the Church, every child of God and the world to “let Him in!”

While preaching at the Ninety-Seventh Anniversary Celebration of New Salem Baptist Church in Decatur, IL, Dr. T. D. Stubblefield draws insights from 1 Peter 2:9-10, exploring the theme What Makes the Church So Special!   The church, empowered to engage the world, possesses a unique status, vital mission, and invaluable blessing because Jesus lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again....

British Prime Minister and prominent leader during World War II, Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.”  He could have very well been gleaning truth from a passage that King Solomon wrote centuries earlier that is recorded in Proverbs Chapter Eleven, verse twenty-five.  That verse and this sermon addresses the question, “What do we gain w...

In Psalm 12, David feels isolated and marginalized as a man of faith amid a rising tide of wickedness in his world.  The challenges he faced highlight a harsh reality that echoes across generations and speaks to our own era.  Societies face dire consequences when the faithful falter.  From a spiritual and moral perspective, the dangers of such a collapse are more severe and far-reaching than a nuc...

Exodus, Chapter 13, verses 19-22 is one of many biblical passages that expresses truth about God’s presence.  Further exploration of these verses reveal that geographically and experientially, a passage can be a road, a path, a course, that takes us from one place to another in life just like the one the Israelites embarked on as they left Egypt for the Promised Land.  God is present in that kind...

In Chapter 11, verse one of the Book of Ecclesiastes, the biblical writer uses the merchant who stocks and sends ships out to sea as a metaphor for the life of faith.  Faith is not afraid!  It lives boldly, broadly, blindly and bountifully.  

October is Clergy Appreciation Month.  Once again, we share from our Legacy Collection a classic sermon by Dr. T. D. Stubblefield on the biblical office of Pastor -Teacher based on Jeremiah 3:15. “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Timonthy 5:17).  Bless and encourage someone you know in ministr...

Listen as Dr. T. D. Stubblefield delivers a passionate and powerful message on the true character of Christian ministry, preached during the licensing service of his son, Charlton, as a Gospel Minister at the First Baptist Church of Georgetown, Kentucky. This sermon—part of our Legacy Collection —is shared as a special gift during Clergy Appreciation Month and in celebration of the fifth anniversa...

Join the rapturous celebration of the Word of God as Dr. T. D. Stubblefield preaches at the Colossians Baptist Church, Newport News, Virginia during Annual Revival.  Listen as he powerfully and passionately parse, punctuate, and proclaim the timeless truths and permanent principles in Psalm 133 that constitute “a blueprint for a blessing”. 

As Jesus concludes what scholars have described as the Upper Room Discourse in the Gospel of John, Chapter 16, verse 33, He weaves and weds truth and trouble in an unbreakable union that would bless not only the apostles but those who would believe on the Lord through their word and witness.  Jesus’s words were deliberately designed and deputized to encourage their (and our) faith.  What do you do...

The story of the father and his epileptic son recorded in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter Nine, verses 14 - 29, is repeated in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.  This riveting account reminds us that we are not strong all the time but even when we struggle, little faith in a crisis can produce great blessing.  

During the first of a series of Super Sunday Night Worship Celebrations at the First Baptist Church of Wright City, Missouri, Dr. T. D. Stubblefield explores a key passage in Chapter 1 of the First Epistle of John.  Refuting their glaring lack of knowledge, the elder apostle of the church turns the light on the Perfect Light, Jesus Christ who is both fully God and fully human. This sermon is a tim...

Step into a riveting exploration of Psalm 55, often called a “song of sorrow” and traditionally linked to David’s anguished flight during the Absalom rebellion—the darkest episode of his reign.  This segment delves into the heart of David’s despair as his own son leads an uprising, leaving David desperate for escape and relief from overwhelming pressure.  But rather than a physical exit, David’s j...

At the Victory Family Church, a Spirit-filled, diverse and fast-growing congregation located in the heart of O’Fallon, Missouri, Dr. T. D. Stubblefield shares from the magnificent Prologue that is the First Chapter of the Gospel of John. Two words in verse 11 anchors the conviction that is at the heart of the Christian faith.  “He came.” In other words, Jesus showed up!  Jesus, the second member o...

The first chapter of Joshua launches with the somber note, “After the death of Moses.”   The absence of their great leader created an immense vacuum and void in the life of the Israelites.  Yet, when the chapter ends, it is not his death that is in view but the fulfillment of their destiny as a people of God.  Loss and victory are two different and distinctive notes on the same keyboard of life. ...

In 2 Timothy, Chapter 4, verses 6 – 8, The Apostle Paul encourages his son in the ministry Timothy to be faithful.   Even while in prison and expecting to be executed, Paul had a winner's view or vantage point of victory.  Like Timothy, as we face our own challenges in this world in which we live, we can be encouraged because every child of God has been set apart to be a winner.  This sermon...

In 2 Corinthians, Chapter 3, verses 4 -6, the Apostle Paul was careful to acknowledge that, while the Corinthians were living and breathing evidence of a fruitful, impactful and productive ministry there, he personally has no basis for boasting.  God was responsible for all the spiritual progress and growth in the church!  At the Union Baptist Church in Chesterfield, Missouri during the 2025 Pasto...

During the 2025 Annual Revival at the Cedar Hill Baptist Church in Cottage Grove, Tennessee, Dr. T. D. Stubblefield explores the Gospel of Mark, Chapter Two, verses 1-5 and powerfully proclaims what the church looks like when Jesus is in the house!  Listen and be blessed

In Psalm 34:8, David urges his audience to “taste and see that the LORD is good,” a bold invitation rooted in his own experience with God. Refusing to be silenced, he speaks with conviction. Yet too often, our spiritual palates grow dull. In this memorable message, The Flavor of Favor , Dr. T. D. Stubblefield explores this powerful passage while preaching during the 2025 Summer Speaker Series at O...