Steel Prayers
One of the most memorable moments of our recent building constructions has been the “steel signing.” For our West Wing expansion, this event took place this past Sunday evening. At the close of the evening service, our church family toured both floors of the West Wing...Growth Points 017: Set Apart for Bearing Fruit
I remember when I was ordained into the Gospel ministry in 1983. Pastors and deacons laid hands on me and prayed for me, and I was set apart for the purpose of preaching the Gospel. Ordained simply speaks of being set apart for a purpose. John 15:16 says that Jesus...
Stewarding Life: Three Preview Chapters
When I took some medical and rest leave in early 2011, I knew that the Lord would use this time in my life to help me make significant mid-course adjustments. But far beyond schedule or administrative changes, the Lord gave me a full journal of scriptural insights...Growth Points 016: Roots Revived
If you garden or farm, you know that growth requires tending. A good harvest requires attention to the plants themselves. Strong, healthy plants produce abundant fruit. Likewise, a deeply rooted and spiritually healthy Christian needs personal growth and renewal....
When Nations Forget God
Americans are not always good at remembering. We forget the sacrifices made for us so we can enjoy freedom today. We forget the blood, sweat, and tears of those who have given their all that we might have liberty. Israel was not always good at remembering either. They...
3 Characteristics of a Servant Leader
The highest model of leadership is cloaked in the lowest forms of humility. Specifically, servant leadership was set and demonstrated by Christ Himself when He left Heaven’s glory and “took upon him the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). What does “the form of a...
Making Disciples or Making Concessions
My friend, Pastor Dave Hardy, made a statement at our annual Deacons Retreat that hasn’t left me. It was one of those statements that is powerful the moment you hear it…and is still powerful every time you remember it. It was the kind of statement that you print and...
How Jesus Got Everything Done
It’s staggering to contemplate the demands placed on Jesus’ life. Not only did He come to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10), but He was continually sought out by the multitudes. Naturally, once you heal a blind man and cleanse a leper, you’re pretty much in high...
Indulgences Return. Really?
I recently came across a New York Times article that floored me. The article described how the Catholic church has reinstituted the distribution of indulgences. I learned about indulgences in high school history (when we covered the middle ages and the Reformation),...
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.
