What the Apostle Paul Believed about Gospel Unity
Thirty-four years ago this summer, the Lord brought our family to Lancaster, California. On our first Sunday night service, I preached a message from Philippians 1:27 which not only set the direction of our church for these past thirty-four years, but also became our...
Leading through a Defining Moment: Spiritual Leadership Podcast
Ten months from now, everyone will be an expert on leading a church through a worldwide pandemic. But right now none of us have the luxury of hindsight. Every church encounters a variety of defining moments. These are times that impact every member of a church, and...
Believing and Returning: Why, How, Who, and When We Are Returning to On-Campus Services
Just over two months ago, we began the unprecedented journey through the COVID-19 crisis. As a church, we have Prayed for those with the virus and for the medical professionals providing care to the sick. Cooperated at every level with our government and carefully...
Return to Church: Plans and Policies for a Temporary Normal
Our last “normal” Sunday at Lancaster Baptist was March 8—two months ago. The following Sunday, we met in small groups, and days later, the shelter-in-place order moved all of our services online—temporarily. Over these past two months, our church has patiently...
Six Reasons You Can Sing Tonight
I’ve had some wakeful nights recently. There is so much on my mind these days. I wake up at 2:00 and 3:00 AM thinking of church members in the hospital, praying for members with underlying conditions, or problem solving regarding how to lead our ministry through the...
How to Respond to an Ongoing, Disruptive Trial
In one sense, any trial that comes into our lives is unplanned and disruptive to our expectations. But some trials last longer than others and are disruptive to everything in our lives. The COVID-19 crisis has, in many ways, been this kind of trial. Everyone in our...
Adapting Ministry for COVID-19: What We’ve Learned and What We Are Learning
In this “coronavirus edition” of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, we are joined by three pastor guests: Pastor Steve Chappell from Coastline Baptist Church in Oceanside, California Pastor Dave Delaney from First Baptist Church in Long Beach, California Pastor Chris...
Three Words of Rest: An Invitation to the Weary
Many of us live without truly enjoying spiritual, emotional, and sometimes even physical rest. Here in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, we are finding ourselves forced to take a different pace. For some, the change of pace has actually increased stress...
Safety, Religious Liberty, and the Coronavirus
When medical professionals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first began encouraging us to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, I had two thoughts as a pastor: obedience to Christ and the safety of our members. Early in...
The Resilient Life
Overcome the Crises and Anxieties of Life through Christ
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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.
