AB 495: Parental Rights on the Chopping Block in California
Update – September 11, 2025 On September 10, AB 495 passed the California Senate (22–10) and now returns to the Assembly for a final concurrence vote. Since this article was first published, AB 495 has been amended twice (August 29 and September 5). Supporters claim...
Thoughts for American Christians in This Election
Here in the United States, we are quickly approaching Election Day. Even now, over thirty states, including California where I live, have opened early voting. Religious liberty and the freedom to select our leaders is, historically speaking, an amazing, unprecedented...
The Hypocrisy of “Evangelicals for Harris”
Over the past several days, in social media streams there has been promotion of a group, “Evangelicals for Harris.” The group proposes that people should vote for the Harris-Walz presidential ticket as “a Matthew 25 witness of love of neighbor.”1 I understand...
What Does “Woke” Mean? And Why Does It Matter?
Woke is an odd word—and not just because it is a past tense verb that is now commonly used as an adjective. It’s odd because it has vague connotations without clear definitions. This ambiguity allows those who appreciate the word’s implications to write off those who...
God’s Got This: The Nation of Israel, the Life of Esther, God’s Sovereignty, and You
Our news feeds this week are dominated by dark events—particularly of the nation of Israel where Islamic terrorists coordinated a brutal attack and are continuing to commit atrocities. From a biblical standpoint, we know that ever since God’s original promise to...
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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.
No system of laws can change hearts. We hold the world’s only answer, but we must be faithful to share it. #DailyDevotion https://vist.ly/3n4mhfc