by Dr. Paul Chappell | Feb 6, 2015 | Christian Life, Ministry Leadership
We’re in the midst of constructing the largest building to date on our campus. Every foot of construction progress represents multiplied hours of preparation and planning. Buildings don’t just happen. And neither do churches. As spiritual leaders, undershepherds of...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Feb 2, 2015 | Christian Life, Ministry Leadership, Spiritual Leadership Podcast
The tendency of churches today, as in the first century, is to slip into a maintenance mode, gradually allowing their faith, vision, joy, and soulwinning compassion to diminish. This is why it is important that we heed Christ’s counsel to the church at Sardis and...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Jan 28, 2015 | Christian Life, Ministry Leadership
For the Bible-believing Christian, anything that could be called a true advancement will be in a direction leading to basic, New Testament Christianity. So in a sense, it will be going back. If we will see revival, we must get back to the basics: 1. Back to Prayer...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Jan 22, 2015 | Christian Life, Family, Media/Resources
When I was a young boy in Northern California, the only time I wanted to go inside was dinnertime. All other hours, I wanted to be outside playing. Playtime for today’s young people, however, has transformed into screen time. The nature of community for twenty-first...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Jan 19, 2015 | Christian Life
If we can learn anything from the first-century churches of Asia Minor, it is the propensity of Christians and churches toward decline. As you read Revelation 2–3, you see churches that were started in the days of the apostles already seeing sharp spiritual decline in...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Jan 16, 2015 | Christian Life, Media/Resources
Welcome to the club! It’s a club comprised of some of the stalwart heroes of the faith. You know, Abraham (Genesis 17:17), Sarah (Genesis 18:12), Gideon (Judges 6:13), Elijah (1 Kings 19:10), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:7), John the Baptist (Luke 7:19)…and Asaph. We don’t...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Jan 12, 2015 | Christian Life, Ministry Leadership
The best part of most new year’s goals is the first week of January. Adrenaline runs high, and success seems just within reach. And then the second week of January comes. And the adrenaline-based enthusiasm wanes. Maintaining the momentum to pursue God-given goals is...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Jan 7, 2015 | Ministry Leadership, Spiritual Leadership Podcast
As we enter a new year, we’re mindful that we don’t minister in the American days gone by in which the the pastoral position was appreciated and the pastor himself revered throughout the community. The ministry landscape of today is simply not the same as it was. To...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Jan 5, 2015 | Ministry Leadership
I’ve known for some years that the Sunday evening service in Baptist churches has been on the decline. But I read a recent statistic by researcher Thom Rainer stating that only 5 percent of churches have a Sunday evening service. That number startled me. Personally, I...
by Dr. Paul Chappell | Jan 3, 2015 | Christian Life, Ministry Leadership
You’ve probably heard the old fable of the man and his son bringing their donkey to market. En route, they encounter so many people who give their opinions as to who should ride the donkey and who should walk that by the time they reach the market, the man and his son...