5 Common (But Wrong) Assumptions Christian Parents Make
Assumptions are powerful for two reasons: first, because we often don’t recognize our assumptions (by definition, we accept them as fact) and second, because they do, in fact, shape our actions. In almost thirty years of pastoring and counseling, I’ve...
A Free Resource to Restart Your Devotional Life this Month
One of the burdens of my heart over the years has been to see God’s people rooted in His Word—to, in addition to the preaching and teaching they receive at church, be daily encouraged, challenged, and nurtured through the pages of Scripture. Over the past several...
3 People Who Can Use Christmas as a Gospel Launch
Perhaps you, like me, have noticed that many people are more willing to come to church at Christmastime than at any other time. Sometimes it’s because they will come to see a friend or family member acting or singing in a Christmas program. Sometimes it’s because if...
How to Teach Your Children Contentment
We live in a world where “enough” is never enough. Whether we realize it or not, there is a constant pull on our hearts toward materialism and covetousness. But it’s not just adults who fight these battles. Our children are bombarded with the offer of more. They need...
4 Ways to Make Family Devotions Work
Parents are responsible not only to teach God’s Word to their children but to “teach them diligently.” Deuteronomy 6:7 describes the level of persistence with which we are to teach our children: “and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou...
Transitions, Ethics, and Saying Goodbye to Staff
We don’t have formal commitment contracts for staff at Lancaster Baptist Church. I’ve always felt like I wanted the people who serve on our staff to be here because they want to be, not because they signed a commitment to be. That said, before someone comes on staff,...
The Christmas My Children Refuse to Forget
The way I remember Christmas morning when our children were small was a row of eager children sitting on the couch—excited to open their presents, but first basking in the warmth of hearing Dad read the Christmas story. And of course, meditating on the grace of God in...Growth Points 68: Enemies of Steadfastness
In our society today, everything is constantly shifting. We see the mobility in all areas—families in and out of churches, pastors in and out of pulpits, leaders changing their positions. I think of the Apostle Paul’s statement in Acts 20:24, “But none of these things...
The Behind-the-Scenes Story of the New Missions Faculty at West Coast Baptist College
I’m so thrilled to announce that Dr. and Mrs. Bryan Stensaas will be joining our missions faculty at West Coast Baptist College. Our church began supporting Bryan and Cheri as missionaries in Africa many years ago, and I was always encouraged to read their reports....
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.
