How to Slay the Enemy of Gratitude
Do you know the single greatest enemy of gratitude? It’s not poverty. It’s not stinginess. It’s not mistreatment. It’s expectancy. That’s it—expectancy. We don’t often recognize the expectancy in our own hearts, because it seems so normal—so right—to us. But we can...
In the Long Heritage of Baptists
Over the years, I’ve often told our church family here at Lancaster Baptist Church, “I’m Baptist born and Baptist bred, and when I die I’ll be Baptist dead.” At times, this has been a fun, catchy phrase, but in reality I fully mean these words because I believe in my...
Battle Mentalities
Spiritual leadership is no walk in the park. It was never intended to be. It is a battle. When Paul wrote to Timothy to instruct him in church leadership, he admonished: Fight the good fight of faith…—1 Timothy 6:12 We are in a war, and you and I are the soldiers....
New Release: A Word to the Wise (with Special Offers for the Wise)
If there is one asset we need on a daily basis, it is wisdom. Throughout Scripture, and particularly in Proverbs, God makes His wisdom available to us. For many years, I’ve enjoyed reading a chapter from Proverbs each day, reading through the entire book every month....
Overcoming the Joy Killers
In the midst of one of the greatest works for God in the Old Testament, Nehemiah reminded God’s people, “…the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Why the reminder? Because God’s people need joy, and one of Satan’s first line of attacks to weaken our...
3 Ways to Determine if You are a Giver or a Taker in Ministry
You’ve heard it said: In life there are two groups of people—givers and takers. The titles are self explanatory: givers invest, and takers seek to be invested in. Every Christian should be a giver, but those in the ministry should especially be givers. We should be...
Book Review: Contentment by Richard Swenson
Richard Swenson is becoming one of my favorite authors. Earlier I read his books Margin and Balance and was anticipating his new book, released just this year, Contentment: The Secret to a Lasting Calm. I read it this summer and was not disappointed. As a medical...
If I Don’t Pray for You…
I was in Korea on a missions trip last year and was driving between churches with my dear friend Dr. Daniel Kim, pastor of the Bible Baptist Church in Seoul. Dr. Kim is a gracious man, and he expressed (as he often does) his joy in seeing what the Lord is doing...
Discretionary Priorities
One of the first budget categories financial counselors tell their clients to identify is “discretionary spending.” Whether you are overseeing personal, business, corporate, or ministry expenses, you need to know what is discretionary and what is essential. (The...
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.
