Growth Points 004—Sunday School Teacher Visitation
The Sunday school is the church organized to fulfill the purpose of the church. Here at Lancaster Baptist Church, we state our purpose in three phrases: loving God, growing together, serving others. About a week ago, I recorded a video for the Sunday school teachers...
Book Review: Lectures to My Students
One of the first books I received as a college student was Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon. This was the text for my Pastoral Theology class and has been one of my favorites throughout the years. Although I have probably read Spiritual Leadership by Oswald...Growth Points 003— What Christians Need in January
January is a unique time of the year—one of my favorites. I love the momentum started on the first of the year and carried throughout the month. As a pastor, I strive to take advantage of this momentum not only in my own life, but also in the lives of those I’m...
Top Posts of 2011
It’s hard to believe that I began this blog just over five years ago. As I recap the last year of blogging, I want to thank each reader for your time over 2011. It is always my goal that the time you spend here is an investment—providing help and encouragement for...
Revamp and Relaunch
One of my greatest passions as a pastor is to see people become firmly rooted in a personal walk with God through consistently spending time with Him. For the past several years, I have written daily devotions, available through email and web, to encourage growing...
5 Principles for Achieving Goals – Repost
I am an advocate of setting goals before the beginning of a new year. Philippians 3:13 encourages us to be constantly “reaching forth unto those things which are before.” In my experience, setting goals is crucial to this forward achievement. Yet, we all...Growth Points 002— Preparing for a New Year
I always feel like a new year is an opportunity to have a fresh start in so many areas: with my Lord, my family, and our church family. Here are a few things that I have been pondering, and I trust that you will take these to heart and use them in your devotional time...
Before You Finalize Your Goals
Every December, I set goals for the New Year. You probably do too. Goals not only direct our efforts, but they stimulate them as well. As the adage says, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” Before you finalize your goals however, just one question:...
Right Here, Right Now
Christmas—the first Christmas—was a package of miracles. A virgin birth, God clothing Himself in human flesh, the Father giving His amazing love to an undeserving world, Christ making Himself poor that we might be made rich. It’s an unspeakable gift that I can’t begin...
Focus
Learn to identify distractions, realign priorities, cultivate Christ-centered habits, and press forward with joy in Christ.
Pastor Paul Chappell
Dr. Paul Chappell is the senior pastor of the Lancaster Baptist Church and president of West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, California. His biblical vision has led the church to become one of the most dynamic independent Baptist churches in the nation. He has been married to his wife, Terrie, for over forty years and is the father of four married children all serving in Christian ministry.
"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." (Mark 1:35)