Pastor Paul Chappell | The Pastor's Perspective

The Overcoming Life

Paul Chappell — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:08:07 +0000

I’ve always appreciated the fervor for soulwinning, passion for Bible study, heart for Christian growth that D.L. Moody communicates in his writing. One of my favorites reads of this summer was his book, The Overcoming Life (published by Bridge-Logos, Alachua, FL).

This book on victorious Christian living includes a wealth of material on Christian warfare and abiding in close fellowship with Christ. But one of the most interesting and helpful sections to me was several pages of questions and answers with Moody. These were filled with golden nuggets of wisdom in practical matters of ministry—evangelism, prayer, sermon preparation, involving church members, encouraging reconciliation, Spirit-filled living, and more.

I appreciate Moody’s straightforward style of declaring truth. His love for the Lord and commitment to Bible study is evident. Although Moody received little formal education and many in his day thought his speech simple and rough, I find his direct applications of biblical truth refreshing.

I highly recommend this book for any Christian who desires to grow in his walk with the Lord and become more effective in his witness.

23 Reasons I’m Glad, Even Though I’m a Little Sad

Paul Chappell — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:00:07 +0000

As I write these thoughts, I am flying home from Seattle where our youngest son, Matthew, was just married. My heart is thrilled to think of how God has blessed him with a new bride. I am excited to know that they are going to serve the Lord with their lives in the days ahead.

While I am glad that each of our four children is married to a godly spouse, I must admit I am a little sad at the passing of time. As I look back over the years of raising our children, I certainly can think of areas in which we could have done better. But I also thank the Lord that our four children went to the wedding altar in purity and with a dedication for the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I was thinking about why I should be glad, twenty-three reasons came to my mind:

I am glad I married Terrie.
I am glad our children were saved at an early age.
I am glad I have stayed at one church for twenty-four years and did not quit.
I am glad I have stayed with the same basic convictions, standards, and family boundaries through the years.
I am glad we have endeavored to live and teach the principle of the fear of God.
I am glad I took time with my children as often as possible.
I am glad I took a few family vacations that I really could not afford at the time.
I am glad I drove my kids to school.
I am glad we prayed and read the Bible together.
I am glad my children grew up around the ministry. While some pastors and Christian workers bemoan the ministry or belittle soulwinning independent Baptist churches, we chose to look beyond the occasional downsides and thanked the Lord that we all had the privilege to serve Him. We, of course, had plenty of opportunities to be negative or to react against bad situations or inconsistencies in leadership. But in choosing to focus on the blessings of ministry, our children learned to enjoy the privilege of thinking of and serving others.
I am glad Cary Schmidt was our children’s youth pastor and that he emphasized biblical principles for their lives.
I am glad we started Lancaster Baptist School and that our children had the privilege of a Christian education. I thank God for each of the teachers who influenced them.
I am glad each of our children attended West Coast Baptist College.
I am glad my children listened to me, even though I probably talked too much!
I am glad our deacons and church family loved our children.
I am glad we had a Bible-based, conservative church in which to raise our children. Our children enjoyed three services a week, the old hymns of the faith, revival meetings, mission conferences, and all of the other opportunities a good local church creates.
I am glad we took our children and their future spouses on dates together.
I am glad I took my kids to preaching meetings and soulwinning times with me.
I am glad my preacher friends loved my children and modeled strong doctrine and commitment with joy in serving Jesus. We could have chosen to be offended at preachers who disappointed us, tried to “control us,” or even attempted to hurt us; however, we made the choice to find sweet-spirited, strong preaching men and befriend them. In turn, many of those men befriended and encouraged my children, for which I am thankful.
I am glad I listened to Terrie regarding family needs and making memories.
I am glad our children’s best friends were members of our church and youth group.
I am glad we did not watch TV during much of the primary and junior years of our children’s lives.
Finally, the last reason I am glad is because our oldest daughter gave us our first grandson, Camden. He really likes me and doesn’t think I talk too much!

See posts for our four children’s weddings: Danielle and Peter, Larry and Ashley, Jon and Kristi, and Matthew and Katie.

Matthew & Katie’s Wedding

Paul Chappell — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:49:41 +0000

Today our family celebrated Matthew and Katie’s marriage in Seattle, Washington (see photos). Matthew is our fourth and youngest child, and he means so much to Terrie and me. We’re thankful for His growth in the Lord and heart for the Lord’s work.

Matt met Katie during their first year at West Coast Baptist College, and they began dating several weeks later. It’s been a joy to see their relationship grow, and I know the Lord will use them mightily.

The ceremony was held at Katie’s home church, Bible Baptist Church. It was performed by her pastor, Erik Sanders, her grandfather, Gary Williams, and me. Dr. David Gibbs said a special prayer of dedication. These very sacred moments were Christ-exalting; I’m thankful for our children’s desire to build their home with Christ as the head.

Matt and Katie both have a few credits left at West Coast Baptist College. They look forward to finishing this fall semester and beginning ministry in January. Please pray for Matt and Katie as they serve the Lord together.

The past months have been a busy and emotional time for our family. We’ve been thrilled to see the Lord answer prayer, and we’re thankful for the many blessings He gives. Some months back, Terrie and I set aside some time to step back and reflect on all the Lord has been doing in our lives. We’re looking forward to some time together this fall. This year is our thirtieth wedding anniversary, and we can hardly believe all that the Lord has done in our lives and in the lives of our children.

Podcast: Developing a Cohesive Team

Paul Chappell — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:02:05 +0000

Since our first days in Lancaster, it has been my passion to develop a cohesive team at Lancaster Baptist Church and ministries. I praise the Lord that on our staff and among our church family there is a unified team spirit—a shared heart to exalt Christ and win the lost. I attribute the great team spirit in our ministry to the work of the Holy Spirit and the yieldedness of individual team members.

There was never a more cohesive and victorious time in the early history of the church than at Jerusalem around the time of Pentecost. An obvious reason for this was the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Yet there was another factor—the common convictions these Christians shared about the truth.

In the August edition of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, we explore the convictions necessary to developing a cohesive team.

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Strong teams have an alignment of four leadership domains—the heart, head, hands, and habits. Each member must have a heart for God, the mind of Christ, a willingness to lend a helping hand, and a shared habit of soulwinning. These four areas are properly aligned when members of the team share the very convictions common to the early Christians in Jerusalem.

Convictions about a Person—Jesus: When we lose intimacy with Christ, we fear closeness, accountability, and teamwork with other Christians.
Convictions about a Place—the church: The church is a place of teamwork, and it is a privilege to be part of a local, New Testament church.
Convictions about a Priority—the Word of God: Our ministries must be centered around the Word of God to see lasting spiritual fruit.
Convictions about a People—the lost: When we get burdened for people, we will practice “saturation evangelism” and go everywhere in our community to reach people for Christ.
Convictions about a Purity—the holiness of God: The church should be a holy place in the city, where the pastor and each member’s life reflects the holiness of God.
Convictions about a Pastor—the undershepherd: God has placed the pastor in the church to develop spiritual maturity in the people.
Convictions about a Purpose—to glorify and praise God: A cohesive team committed to following Christ will reflect the glory of God.

The Spiritual Leadership podcast is a free resource from Striving Together Publications (a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church and West Coast Baptist College).

You can subscribe to this podcast through iTunes and listen on your computer or iPod. You can also receive the complimentary outline with each lesson. Click here for more information about subscribing to the outline.

Celebrating Dr. Gibbs’ Birthday

Paul Chappell — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:05:10 +0000

Yesterday marked what could be a day of celebration for thousands of churches around our country—Dr. David Gibbs’ birthday. Our staff was privileged to celebrate this special event during our annual staff training last week.

Dr. Gibbs was born August 22, 1944, in Alabama. He grew up on a farm in rural Ohio with godly Christian parents. As a young boy, Dr. Gibbs trusted Christ as his Saviour. After graduating from high school, he pursued a career in law.

As a young lawyer, Dr. Gibbs was asked by a pastor to defend his ministry that was being sued by the state. Through this case, Dr. Gibbs sensed the Lord calling him into a unique and desperately needed ministry of free legal helps for churches in our nation. The Lord has greatly used this ministry, and over the past forty-one years, the Christian Law Association has served hundreds of thousands of churches and Christians. Our entire nation owes Dr. Gibbs and his loyal wife Glorianne a great debt of gratitude for preserving our Christian freedoms.

I cannot begin to express my gratefulness, respect, and love for Dr. Gibbs. I count him as a dear friend and godly mentor, and I wish him a very happy birthday and a fruitful year of ministry for Christ.

Serving with Passion

Paul Chappell — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:04:53 +0000

The past twenty-four hours have been a vital time of training for our staff. It’s been thrilling for me to share the goals the Lord has placed on my heart for the coming year with a group of like-minded servants. We’ve all been encouraged and greatly challenged also by the teaching of Dr. David Gibbs and his assistant, Brother Steve Kluth. I’m thankful they would give of their time to us.

In these hours, I’ve shared much in the way of philosophies and implementing strategy, but during the lunch break today, I saw what captures the heart of our entire time of training. A group of staff members were gathered around a large map of the Antelope Valley that we’ve yearly displayed. They were identifying the areas their adult classes are given to reach with the Gospel and were, no doubt, praying for the Lord to give a harvest of souls. Even with binders full of notes, ideas, and lists, their focus was on reaching the lost.

One of the purposes for staff training is that we might each grow in our skills and thus strive for greater excellence in ministry. But the bottom line of ministry is always soulwinning—fulfilling the Great Commission. I’m thankful for a staff that whole-heartedly invests themselves in winning the lost and training others to do the same (2 Timothy 2:2).

I’m humbled and very grateful for the team the Lord has coalesced here—people with a genuine heart to serve the Lancaster Baptist Church and a burning passion for souls in the Antelope Valley. It’s a joy to serve with them. I look forward to seeing how the Lord will continue to use our church to reach our community in the days ahead—by His Spirit.

The Compassion of a Soulwinner

Paul Chappell — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:15:34 +0000

In a recent blog post, I pointed out the convictions of urgency, eternity, and salvation that motivate the passionate soulwinner. Yet the heart of a soulwinner must carry more than conviction to be effective. The heart of Christ, the greatest soulwinner ever, overflowed with compassion for the lost.

Matthew 9:36 records, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” Simply put, compassion moves us to passionate action. Genuine compassion will be tangibly expressed.

A soulwinner with the heart of Christ will express compassion in two ways:

Compassion to pray

The one prayer request Jesus gave us is for more laborers for the harvest of souls. In Matthew 9:37–38, He told His disciples: “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

Has this prayer request made it to your prayer list? Are you asking the Lord to raise up soulwinners with a heart of compassion for the lost?

One benefit of praying for this need is that it reminds you to labor in the harvest fields yourself. It’s difficult to pray very long for dedicated soulwinners without being diligent in your own soulwinning.

Compassion to plan

The compassion of the Lord moved Him to see the need and take the lead: “And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34).

Many times well-meaning Christians fail to be active soulwinners because they simply do not plan their time. Soulwinning is not an activity to fit in as it works or an opportunity to take advantage of if it happens across your path. It is a divine commission from Christ, and it is a priority to purposefully schedule into your regular routines.

The older I get, the more I realize the importance of investing my time wisely. Time is limited, and there are so many ways to waste it! I want to invest my time, rather than simply spending it. Compassionate soulwinning is a time investment with guaranteed returns. Psalm 126:5–6 promises, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

At the end of life, our greatest joy will be the rewards of our eternal investments of time. Paul often expressed that those he had led to Christ and spiritually nurtured in discipleship were his “joy and crown”—his trophy.

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

“Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” (Philippians 4:1)

What a joy it will be to stand before Christ with the fruit of souls! It can only happen as we develop the compassion of Christ for souls—compassion to pray for the lost and compassion to plan our time for the greatest investment possible.

The Lord, Our Helper

Paul Chappell — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:27:02 +0000

This week was filled with unexpected challenges. Although these challenges were unexpected by us, they were, of course, known to our sovereign and loving God.

Our son, Larry, preached a powerful message at Coastline Baptist Church Sunday morning, where my brother Steve pastors. After the service, Larry became extremely ill and for the next thirty-six hours was in intense pain. After meeting with the doctors, they felt that Larry would need to have emergency surgery for what appeared to be an obstruction in his bowels, perhaps related to his previous surgeries.

We made the very difficult drive back down to Los Angeles to one of the major hospitals of our HMO. After spending twelve or thirteen hours in the emergency room, we met with surgeons, and through various therapies, they were able to avert the need for emergency surgery.

We are tremendously grateful that this setback is not related to cancer, yet it has been a extremely difficult and painful week for Larry. It is also difficult for us, as a family, to see Larry have times of suffering like this.

Larry’s wife, Ashley, has grown as a godly young wife in ways that only a trial like this could bring. We are so thankful for God’s grace in each of their lives.

Yesterday I read to Larry 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17: “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.”

During these times we must look to the Lord for our help. I noticed from these verses that the origin of our help is the Lord Himself—our Father who has loved us from the beginning.

I noticed secondly, that the outpouring of our help comes in the forms of love, eternal consolation, and good hope through the grace of God.

Finally, I see the outcome of our help is comforted hearts and established lives.

It is my prayer today, that my son will know the comforting presence of our Lord and that he will be established spiritually for the great usefulness I believe God has in store for him.

Sometimes it is hard to put into context the feelings and details of a week like this one. Often, the details of our lives do not even allow us to reflect as we should.

For now, we are beginning a new day, thankful that Larry is home and praying that he will be strengthened. We are asking that you pray that his body will be strengthened and completely healed.

Terrie and I spent time this morning in prayer, fellowship and Bible reading, and we look forward to the blessings God has in store just around the corner. We thank our church family and friends across the nation for your prayers and communications over the last week.

We are so thankful for the spiritual and Christ-like response we have sensed from so many fellow pastors, church members, and faithful friends. May God bless you as you continue to serve Him.

The Convictions of a Soulwinner

Paul Chappell — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:44:55 +0000

Have you ever considered the basic convictions that motivate a soulwinner to be faithful? Convictions are the spark plugs that keep the engine of faith going forward. And biblical convictions regarding the eternal souls of men and women move us forward in reaching the lost for Christ.

Urgency

Perhaps the most basic conviction of the soulwinner concerns the urgency of the harvest. The prophet Jeremiah was a man who understood this urgency. In Jeremiah 8:20 he mourned over those who delayed responding to God’s message: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Imagine that you’re a farmer surveying your fields on a hot August day. Your harvest is mature and ready to be gathered, but storm clouds carrying large hailstones are rolling in. Although you may have machinery squeaking for repair and errands demanding attention, your highest priority today will be gathering your harvest before it is too late. At this point, the harvest is urgent.

So it is for the soulwinner. The urgency of the harvest moves him to action.

Eternity

Every person is born with an eternal soul that will live somewhere for ever. Scripture plainly states that those who do not trust Christ as Saviour will spend eternity in Hell (Revelation 20:15), and those who receive Christ’s gift of salvation will spend eternity in Heaven (1 Peter 1:3–5).

This is a serious matter, but we can do something about it. We can warn people of their lost condition and point them to Christ.

Salvation

Acts 4:12 states that salvation is exclusively available through Jesus Christ: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Sometimes we forget that every person with whom we come in contact has an eternal soul, and those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ will not spend eternity in Heaven. Yet there are many—some in your hometown—who would trust Christ if you told them the good news of the Gospel.

We so easily become sidetracked from the task Christ has given us, and without knowing it, our hearts become cold—deadened to the convictions of the soulwinner.

These convictions are why we have purposefully made soulwinning the central purpose at Lancaster Baptist Church. Indeed every local church exists to fulfill the Great Commission: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

If we really believe and remember these truths concerning urgency, eternity, and salvation, we will be passionate to tell others of Christ. These convictions will carry us out to the harvest field.

Celebrating the Past & Reaching toward the Future

Paul Chappell — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:09:08 +0000

This past Sunday I was privileged to preach the 50^th anniversary services of the Grace Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. What an honor it was for me to stand in the pulpit of the great men of God who started and have pastored this church—Moody Roberts, Marshall Godfrey, Floyd Paschall, Dr. Clayton Shumpert, and, my good friend and mentor, Dr. Bob Kelley. Brother Bill Egerdahal currently serves this church as pastor.

I rejoiced with the church family in the thousands of souls that have trusted Christ as Saviour through the ministry of this church, and I thanked the Lord for the godly leadership that has kept the church focused on the Great Commission.

It’s humbling to preach the anniversary services for a church that was planted before I was even born and has been led by men who have been examples to me of faithfulness. I honor their commitment to truth and biblical methods, and I cherish the opportunity to pick up their baton and run for Christ in this generation.

As a 48 year old pastor, I stand in a unique position between two generations of independent Baptist leaders I admire—men who have already faithfully carried the torch of truth and young men who burn with zeal to serve Christ today. It is my passion to equip young leaders with the historic distinctives of independent Baptists while at the same time encouraging them to use fresh ideas and the technological tools available in their generation to accomplish the Great Commission.

The impact of Grace Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina—and hundreds of other churches as well—remind us that biblically rooted ministry can make a life-changing difference in thousands of lives. Ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit is not limited by the boundaries of biblical methodology—it is enhanced by obedience to God’s Word.

I’m thrilled to see young leaders with a vision to expand ministry potential through current technology and innovative ideas who are still committed to walk in the old paths sacrificially paved by older leaders of the past. And I pray for many more leaders who will have the courage to walk the old paths while seeking a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit for ministry today.