Will Marijuana Help California?
California is in dire straits fiscally—even letting out prisoners early because we can’t afford to keep them. And this Tuesday we’re voting on if we should legalize the sale of marijuana. Proponents of this initiative (Proposition 19 on the ballet) suggest that...
Missions: A Strategy for Victory (part 2)
This is part two of this article. You can read part one here. We’ve already seen from Acts 13 that the context of God’s strategy for missions is the local church and that He calls Christians who are already engaged in service. Let’s see one more step in this biblical...
Missions: A Strategy for Victory (part 1)
Two thousand years ago, Christ delivered the marching orders for the local church: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). With nearly seven billion people in the world, separated by political, cultural, and linguistic...
Do You Really Believe That?
How do you know if you really believe something is true? Is it because you say you believe it? Or is it because you are gripped with its reality to the point that it changes your behavior? I’ll never forget our guide at the Temple of Heaven in China several years ago....
3 Needs of Every New Believer
My grandson Camden is just beginning to walk, and our entire family delights in helping him in this new adventure. From encouraging his unsteady steps along furniture to holding both of his little hands and walking with him, everyone wants to have a part! No one...
A Great Weekend of Ministry
The past week at Lancaster Baptist Church has been one of the greatest soulwinning weeks in our church’s history. It has been a great joy to me, as a pastor, to see our people sacrificially planning their time to seize the special soulwinning and outreach...
What to Look for in a Mentor
A good relationship with a wise mentor is like having personal access to a goldmine. It’s an opportunity anyone would be foolish to not take advantage of! Proverbs 1:5 reminds us, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall...
Church Planters: Characteristics to Appreciate
This past Sunday I read with joy the report from one of our West Coast Baptist College graduates about a church that has been planted in Fresno, California. Brother Ricky Owens, a 2001 graduate, planted the Victory Baptist Church, along with assistance from Brother...
Traits of a Five-Star Team Player
One of the most frustrating things to watch is a sports team in which one individual wants to be the star—even at the expense of the team’s success. The famed football coach Vince Lombardi said, “The only true satisfaction a player receives is the satisfaction that...
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.
If God could use the Corinthian Church, He can use you!
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).
(Full message: https://www.lancasterbaptist.org/sermons/pastor-paul-chappell-he-is-able)