An Update on the Homegoing of Jeremy Whitman
Early this past Monday morning I made the most difficult pastoral visit of my life. Telling a dear family that their husband and father is no longer with us is heart-wrenching. Although we sorrow deeply, we thank God for the promised hope of Heaven: Blessed be the God...
Walking through the Valley
Over the years as a Christian and as a pastor, there have been seasons of difficult, painful valleys. And these days have been one of those seasons. The valley is a difficult place to be. Yet, through the years, I’ve learned that God often speaks the most clearly in...
Remembering a Dear Friend, Jeremy Whitman
This past week has been one of the most difficult weeks for me personally and in over thirty years of pastoral ministry. Jeremy Whitman, a dear friend and co-laborer for many years, has gone home to be with the Lord. His wife Alicia, and his children Derek, Paige,...
How to Be Refreshed in Ministry
Serving people necessitates giving of ourselves. Paul put it well in 2 Corinthians 12:15: “I will very gladly spend and be spent for you.” We are not infinite, however. Every expenditure must be replenished, or eventually we run dry. Many suggest the answer to this...
Book Review: Rescuing Ambition
Type As like me rarely need to be encouraged to develop ambition. But we do need to be encouraged to purify our ambition. Conversely, Type Bs often need to be encouraged to pursue godly ambition. Rescuing Ambition by Dave Harvey addresses both ends of the spectrum....Growth Points 47: Leadership that Moves Forward
I see two prevalent types of leadership styles among growing leaders—causative leadership and reactionary leadership. And there are definite differences between the two. A causative leader is one who moves from scriptural principle and Holy Spirit direction forward. A...
4 Eternal Priorities of a Renewed Church
Our theme at Lancaster Baptist Church for this year is one word: Renew. I shared this theme with our church family on the first Sunday of January as I preached from 2 Corinthians 4—one of the greatest chapters for understanding renewal. One of the most apparent truths...
Thoughts for Young Men
Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil...Growth Points 46: Better before Bigger
Before God gives growth, we must remove the obstacles to growth. We see this principle clearly in the Titus 1:5: “…that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting….” On our annual vision night at Lancaster Baptist Church last Sunday, I shared with our...
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.
