Ministry127 - Encouraging, Equipping, and Engaging Ideas from Local Church Leaders

Planning Music for Special Programs

Buddy Himes — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:31:26 +0000

Planning Music for Special Programs Buddy Himes Thu, 10/22/2026 - 08:31

I always thought I was going to be a pastor. In fact, I surrendered to preach when I was 13 years old. But long before that, my mom had me singing in church when I was just six or seven. As I grew up, people would often tell me, “You’re going to make a great music director someday.”

And I would tell them, “No, I’m not!”

But as I began serving in ministry, God gave me a real burden for church music and a love for the choir. What started as something I never planned to do became one of the greatest passions of my life.

Today, I have the privilege of serving as the music director at Lancaster Baptist Church. I love Sundays. Sunday is my favorite day of the week. But I also love the special days on the church calendar: Christmas, Easter, and our Spiritual Leadership Conference. These are some of my favorite opportunities to serve the Lord through music.

Psalm 33:3 says, “Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.”

I love the balance in that verse.

First, “Sing unto him.” That speaks to the purpose of our music. Everything we do should ultimately be for the Lord. It’s not about showcasing our talent, impressing a crowd, or putting on a performance. Our music is to bring glory to God.

Notice the second phrase: “Play skilfully.” That speaks to the preparation of our music. We should not only desire to bring praise to God, but we should strive to offer Him the very best of the abilities and opportunities He has given us.

And I believe that principle is especially important when it comes to the special days and programs of our churches.

Christmas, Easter, conferences, and other special services provide unique opportunities. They give us a chance to communicate biblical truth, encourage our church family, reach visitors, and sometimes do things musically that we might not normally do in a Sunday service.

But those opportunities don’t just happen. They require planning, preparation, and purpose.

So, I want to take a few minutes and walk you through what we do at Lancaster Baptist Church when it comes to special days: how we approach them, how we plan for them, and how we prepare our music ministry to make the most of them.

Plan the Program

Our goal is to give God our best and to help the people we serve with give God their best.

Listen and build your list. Don’t wait until you need music to start looking for music. I once worked with a man who would walk in around November and ask whether anyone had heard any good Christmas songs lately because the choir needed more. As an intern, I remember thinking, what in the world? Our special days deserve more than that.

I keep folders in the notes app on my phone for Easter, Christmas, and other events. I listen all year long and work those lists throughout the year. I put little marks next to each song: this one we are doing for sure, this one is a maybe, this one I would like to fit in if the flow allows.

Collect more than songs. Look for medleys, solos, orchestrations, narration, and drama ideas. Watch what other churches are doing. It is okay to borrow ideas and get help. We use six or seven publishers, and I check those sites weekly. Praise Charts can often save you money on something you first found elsewhere. Don’t rely on just one choral club membership.

Select intentionally. Run every song through a few questions.

Is it enjoyable? Will your choir enjoy singing it, and will your congregation enjoy joining in? That is not the only factor, but it matters.

Is it achievable? For our 40th anniversary conference, I wanted to open with “All Praise Rising,” a song that goes very high. I would not have done it if we did not have sopranos who could hit those notes. If you do not have the people to sing it, change the key, find another arrangement, or skip it. Do the songs you can accomplish well.

Is it worshipful? Scripture says to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. If a song does not lift Him up and point people to biblical truth, there are plenty of others that do.

Does it fit? At conference we theme our nights: what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do. If a song does not fit the flow, we set it aside, no matter how much we love it. Sometimes you have to hold a song for a year so the story keeps moving.

Is it worth the investment? A difficult song may be worth doing, but only if you have the rehearsal time to prepare it.

Partner with your pastor.

I am thankful for the liberty my pastor gives me, but he also cares deeply about every service. Sometimes he tells me he does not like a song in a certain spot, and it is my job to adapt, even if I thought it would go over well. You can respectfully try to sell a song you are passionate about, but never act in a way that hurts your pastor’s ability to lead and preach. If he walks into every Sunday wondering what the next fight with the music people will be, you are not helping him. It is not about you. It is about the Lord. When you have liberty, have a vision. When your pastor wants more involvement, workshop it together.

Build the timeline. Luke 14 asks, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost?” We can apply that principle to special days. Set dates, and when you reach them, begin the next stage of preparation. I had our Christmas music selected by June this year.

For a 40 to 60 minute program, I recommend three months at a minimum, and four is better. Ten rehearsals are crucial. With fewer, people end up glued to their music and worried about their parts. Our goal is for the choir to be so comfortable that they are free to truly praise God and not distract anyone from Him.

This year tested that. Our renovation dates kept shifting, we lost weeks of choir, and Christmas is barely touched. It is not a comfortable year, so I am giving the choir every resource and extra practice I can, while remembering they are volunteers. You cannot expect excellence without allowing time to prepare. Good planning does not mean the plan never changes. It means you know what to do when it does.

Present the Vision

Once the program is planned, cast the vision early. We hold two music orientations each year, and this year we added a summer potluck for the choir and orchestra. After everyone ate, I went up front and walked them through the Spiritual Leadership Conference. I explained our nightly themes, played clips of songs, and described how people would walk out with cardboard testimonies in the middle of a song.

Then I turned to Christmas and told them about the LED wall, the shepherds on the platform, and the moment the angels appear. I played the song that follows. People got excited, and excited people want to be at practice and want to know their music.

A few reminders on this:

Create excitement. Play demos, introduce themes, and talk about songs you love. If your people are not excited, it may be because you are not.
Explain the purpose. Who will attend? Most likely people who are not saved. What truth are we communicating, and how can God use this to present the gospel?
Set expectations. Give them the extra practices, sectional times, and everything you need from them.
Communicate continually. Our choir members sign a commitment of what is expected of them. We give out cue cards, schedule people in and out with microphones, and send texts. On Sunday mornings I have our secretary text a lyric from that day’s song with a music emoji and a “See you at 8:45!” I want them to read those words after their bowl of cereal and have the song in their hearts before they ever step into practice.

Prepare the Program

Finally, prepare yourself. Have you ever opened your music for the first time at the start of a practice? Don’t. People are giving up their time to be there, and you are the one setting the example. Have your heart right with the Lord and your time with Him before you walk in. Know the difficult sections, know what your instrumentalists need, and know how much time each song will take. When we rehearse seven or eight songs in an evening, I have to know exactly which measure we are going to fix before we sing it again. Your preparation determines how much everyone else can accomplish. Don’t waste their time because you did not spend time on yourself.

Then develop the music progressively in four steps:

Introduce it. Let them hear it and cast the vision. Sometimes I sing the melody through the whole song myself.
Learn it. Teach the tune and the rhythms. Many songs today are full of syncopation, so we clap and speak the rhythm together until we are truly together.
Refine it. Polish the details until the song is comfortable.
Combine it. Bring in the soloists, the narration, and the orchestra so everything is familiar before you sing it in the service.

Give God Your Best
None of this is about performance. It is about preparing well so that when the day comes, you and your people are free to worship. Sing unto Him, and play skilfully. Give Him your best, and help the people you lead do the same.

Category

Music Ministry

Ministry Resources

God Is Able

Dr. Paul Chappell

A Year in the New Testament

Dr. Paul Chappell

The Enemies of Cohesiveness

Dr. Mike Mutchler — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:17:11 +0000

The Enemies of Cohesiveness Dr. Mike Mutchler Wed, 10/14/2026 - 13:17

Teamwork in the Body of Christ

Teamwork makes the dream work, but a dysfunctional team is a nightmare!

God never meant for His people to serve alone. The church is a body, and a body works only when every part works together. Yet there are enemies of cohesiveness that quietly pull a team apart. Some come from outside, but most grow up from within our own hearts.

Here are seven of them. Each one is worth recognizing, and each one is worth avoiding.

1. Being Overwhelmed

Every team carries a load. When the work piles up and the problems multiply, it is easy to feel buried. An overwhelmed person grows short with others, withdraws, or simply gives up, and the whole team feels it.

David knew that feeling. His answer was not to try harder in his own strength, but to cry out to Someone stronger:

"From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." (Psalm 61:2)

Peter gives the same invitation:

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

Our being overwhelmed shows us on whom we are depending. When the weight feels like too much, it may be because we are carrying what God asked us to hand to Him.

2. Being a Drama Queen or King

We all know someone who turns every small matter into a crisis. Drama draws attention, stirs up feelings, and keeps a team from getting anything done. The root of it is usually simple: someone has made themselves the center of the story.

Paul points us to a different mind:

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5)

He also tells us what to fill our thoughts with, so there is no room left for drama:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

And he reminds us who the real star is:

"And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." (Colossians 1:18)

Our life is full of drama when our lives are the star of the show. When Christ has the preeminence, the drama fades.

3. Faking Kindness (Hypocrisy)

A smile on the outside and resentment on the inside will not hold a team together for long. People can sense when kindness is only a performance, and trust wears thin.

God calls us to put on real kindness, the kind that comes from a changed heart:

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering." (Colossians 3:12)

"Let all your things be done with charity." (1 Corinthians 16:14)

"Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." (Romans 12:9)

James describes the wisdom that comes from God, and notice how it ends:

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." (James 3:17)

We can only fake on the outside what we lack on the inside. The cure for false kindness is not better acting. It is a heart filled with God's love.

4. Being a Lone Ranger

Some folks would rather do it all themselves. It feels faster, and there is no one to disagree with. But a Lone Ranger leaves others on the sidelines and misses the strength that comes from serving side by side.

Scripture is clear that none of us lives for ourselves alone:

"For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself." (Romans 14:7)

Instead, we are to look out for one another and build each other up:

"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." (Hebrews 10:24)

"Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

God has called us to a life of community in Christ, not a life of isolation. And remember: a world that revolves around us is a mighty small world.

5. Embracing the Status Quo

"We've always done it this way" can be one of the most dangerous sentences in any church. A team that settles for what is comfortable stops growing, and a body that stops growing begins to weaken.

Paul pictures a church where every member contributes, and the whole body grows as a result:

"From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:16)

He also shows us his own attitude: never content to stand still, always pressing forward.

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13–14)

Mediocrity is the enemy of excellence. God deserves our best, not merely our usual.

6. Hiding Out

Some believers are faithful but invisible. They slip in and slip out, never letting others see their faith at work. A team cannot count on someone it cannot find.

God has not called us to hide. He has called us to be seen, so that others see Him through us:

"Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand." (Philippians 4:5)

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Peter 2:9)

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

If we are not visible, we are not viable. To be viable means to be "capable of doing what it is intended to do." A light under a basket cannot do what a light is meant to do.

7. Lack of Followship

We talk a great deal about leadership, but little about "followship." Every good team needs people who are willing to follow, support, and trust those God has placed over them. Without that, even the best plans fall apart.

Paul was bold enough to say "follow me," because he himself was following Christ:

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)

"Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." (Philippians 3:17)

And to the leaders of the church at Ephesus, he gave this charge:

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28)

One can only lead who has first learned to follow.

Pulling Together

Look back over the list and a pattern appears. Almost every enemy of cohesiveness begins when we put ourselves at the center: our burdens, our story, our image, our way, our comfort, our privacy, our independence.

The remedy is the same each time. Put Christ at the center, and put one another ahead of ourselves. When that happens, a team stops being a nightmare and starts living the dream God had for it all along.

I removed the divider lines and turned the headings into bold text so everything is the same size. The wording is unchanged. If you paste this into Word or Google Docs, the quote bars may carry over, so I can make a clean Word doc with a single font size if you would like.

Category

Ministry Leadership

Ministry Resources

God Is Able

Dr. Paul Chappell

Go, Stand, Speak Leader Guide

Dr. Paul Chappell

God Is Able: Reflections from Spiritual Leadership Conference 2026

Dr. Paul Chappell — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 22:15:05 +0000

God Is Able: Reflections from Spiritual Leadership Conference 2026 Dr. Paul Chappell Fri, 10/02/2026 - 15:15

It would be impossible to describe all the ways the Lord worked during Spiritual Leadership Conference 2026. From the very opening moments of the conference, it was evident that the Lord was answering the many prayers for His hand on this meeting.

Our 2026 theme was “God Is Able,” from 2 Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

The work of ministry is greater than any of us, but our sufficiency has never been in ourselves. It is in the God whose grace is always sufficient and whose power enables us to abound in every good work.

Before moving on from this special week, I wanted to take a few moments to look back at some of the ways we saw God at work and underscore some of the truths our theme brought into focus.

God Is Able to Sustain His Work

Beginning the conference celebrating forty years at Lancaster Baptist Church gave us the opportunity to remember God’s faithfulness and look forward to the future with confidence in His promises.

Anniversary Sunday was a wonderful day to reflect on the past 40 years and re-dedicate ourselves to the work of God in the years ahead.

Sunday morning, our co-pastor, Larry Chappell, preached from Philippians 1 on God’s good work in our church in the past and the confidence we can have in Him for the future. It was a joy to see people saved in each service and dozens of new Christians baptized on Anniversary Sunday.

Sunday evening, we watched the Fortieth Anniversary Video, which tells the remarkable story of what God has done here through interviews with longtime members. This documentary-style video traces the Lord’s provision, guidance, and grace from the church’s earliest days to the present.

We also heard from six former staff members who are now pastoring across the country. Each preached on an aspect of ministry he learned here and is now seeing God bless in his own church: shepherding, reaching souls, discipleship, training leaders, vision, and nurturing the family.

God Is Able to Speak through His Word

The preaching and teaching of God’s Word remained at the heart of the next three days. I was grateful for the opportunity to teach two sessions, including “The Abounding Church” and “What Has Mattered Most.”

On Wednesday morning I taught a session on “What Has Mattered Most” over the past 40 years of ministry. It will be available to download at slconference.com.

Throughout the conference, the Lord used His Word to challenge, encourage, and strengthen us for the work of ministry. I am grateful for every speaker who faithfully opened the Scriptures and pointed us to the truth we need for the days ahead.

The sermons and breakout sessions will be made available for free download in the coming days at slconference.com.

A special highlight this year, as we celebrate the five-hundredth anniversary of Tyndale’s New Testament translation, was an extensive exhibit from the Museum of the Book in London tracing the lineage of the English Bible. Items on display included Bibles from Wycliffe and Tyndale, the 1522 Greek New Testament compiled by Erasmus, a 1611 King James, and many other rare volumes. It was a meaningful reminder of the heritage we have received and the privilege we have to hold and proclaim the Word of God.

God Is Able to Strengthen His Servants

One of the great highlights of Spiritual Leadership Conference is always the fellowship. It is a joy to visit with friends and co-laborers from across the country and around the world.

I enjoyed time with these Korean pastors and families who came to the conference. During my years in Korea as a teen, the Lord gave me a special burden for the Korean people.

Spiritual Leadership Conference also serves as the annual national fellowship for West Coast Baptist College alumni. It is a great joy to have many of our alumni at the conference and to hear how the Lord is using them. I’m thankful for their faithfulness to serve Christ and advance the gospel.

God Is Able to Call Another Generation

As I prayed for Spiritual Leadership Conference, one of my prayer requests was the one Christ gave us—that the Lord of the harvest would send forth more laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:37–38).

On Monday evening, as I preached from 2 Corinthians 9:8 on the truth that “God Is Able,” many young men responded to God’s call to preach the gospel. Over the next two days, still more men and women responded to His call to serve in ministry.

Please pray for these men and women as they take their next steps of obedience, prepare for ministry, and seek to faithfully follow wherever the Lord leads them.

God Is Able to Use Willing Servants

On every corner of the campus, there were Lancaster Baptist Church members serving! These ladies provided coffee and refreshments at the ministry expo each afternoon.

Only eternity will reveal the impact of the thousands of hours invested by the Lancaster Baptist Church family in preparing for and serving our delegates throughout the conference. From music practices to food preparation to airport runs to childcare to a hundred other areas of willing ministry, LBC members rolled up their sleeves and served with joy. I am thankful for their labor of love and confident that the Lord will bring fruit from their investment in the lives and ministries of those they served.

God Is Able

As I look back on these days, I am thankful for every message, conversation, decision, and moment of fellowship. God answered prayer in wonderful ways throughout the conference, and we praise Him for it.

We began the week celebrating forty years of God’s faithfulness, and we move forward with confidence in the same truth that framed the conference: God is able!

Category

Pastoral Leadership

Ministry Resources

God Is Able

Dr. Paul Chappell

Wisdom from the Word

Dr. Paul Chappell

Saved to the Uttermost

Jamie Smithey — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:24:56 +0000

Saved to the Uttermost Jamie Smithey Mon, 09/28/2026 - 12:24

One of the most encouraging verses in all of Scripture is Hebrews 7:25: “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

This verse tells much about Jesus and his love for those who are often viewed as unlovable. It also tells us that he is powerful, that his salvation is complete, and it tells us that no matter who you are or where you have been, Christ can save and keep you forever.

Many missionaries have anchored their hope in reaching people in the uttermost parts of the world to this verse. Indeed, this verse gives the missionary confidence when he witnesses, comfort when he counsels, and assurance when he struggles. Let us take a look at what it means to be saved to the uttermost.

Jesus Saves Completely

When the Bible says Christ saves “to the uttermost,” it means that he saves completely. He leaves nothing left to do, and he does not leave anything undone. His salvation is complete.

Imagine hiring a contractor to remodel your kitchen. You pay him, he tears down the cabinets, lays out some tools—and then disappears, never finishing the job.

Something like this happened to my family while serving in Santiago, Chile. We hired a man to build cabinets for our home, and we paid him up front to complete the job. However, he only did seventy-five percent of what we paid him to do. He left the job incomplete.

Thankfully, this is not how Jesus saves. He saves to the “uttermost,” which is to say he completely saves. He finishes the job. When we come to him, he saves us all the way. Our past sins are forgiven, our present sins are forgiven, and our future sins are forgiven. He seals us with his Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13–14) and secures us a place in Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:1). His work is complete, not partial.

One day, while serving in Santiago, Chile, I went into a barber shop to get a haircut. My family had only been in the country for a few weeks and had just started language school. I entered the shop and asked if anyone spoke English. The owner greeted me and informed me that she spoke English. Her name was Anita. I was excited that Anita could speak English. Honestly, I was concerned about what kind of haircut I was going to get if I had to explain to someone in Spanish how to cut my hair.

As Anita cut my hair, she asked why I had moved to Chile. This question unlocked the door of opportunity to share the gospel with her. I told her that my family had moved to Santiago to tell people about Jesus and how they could have a personal relationship with him. She began to weep. I thought to myself, “What have I done?” Anita went on to explain that she came from a home where one parent practiced Catholicism and the other attended a charismatic church. She shared how she was confused growing up and had a difficult time understanding which parent was correct. She further explained that because of this uncertainty she had just recently started a Bible study with a Mormon and a Jehovah’s Witness.

My heart ached for this lady. She said that what she was receiving in those Bible studies did not seem right and that she did not feel like she was getting the complete truth. I shared with Anita what the Bible said and invited her to attend a service at our church. She came the very next Sunday with her daughters, and they all trusted Christ as their Savior.

Soon, her husband, Andy, trusted Christ was also saved. The complete family was saved, their home was restored, and they brought more people to Christ than anyone else in the church. When Christ saved this family, he saved them to the uttermost!

Because Jesus is able to save to the uttermost, we must be willing to go to the uttermost.

Jesus Saves Anyone

“Uttermost” also means “to the farthest extent.” In other words, no one is beyond Christ’s reach.

Think of the Apostle Paul. Before he became a preacher, he was Saul, the persecutor of Christians. If you or I were picking candidates for salvation, Saul would have been at the bottom of the list. Yet God saved him and used him to write much of the New Testament.

Why? Because Christ saves to the uttermost. No matter how deep the pit, God’s grace is deeper still. That’s encouraging for us, because sometimes we’ll meet people who seem so hard-hearted or so far gone. We must remember—Jesus is able to save anyone.

Jesus Saves Forever

The verse also says Christ “ever liveth to make intercession” for us. That means not only did He save us, but He keeps us saved. The security of the believer is not dependent on the believer, but rather on the Savior.

Christ has promised to keep us. We do not have to be concerned with losing our salvation if we do not do everything completely correctly because we have been saved completely and forever.

If you have flown on a plane, you have probably experienced turbulence. The bumps make you grip the armrest tighter. But what keeps the plane in the air? Not your grip. The engines. The design. The pilot.

In the same way, what keeps us saved is not our grip on Christ, but His grip on us. He is alive forever, praying for us, holding us fast. We are not hanging on for dear life because we know that he is holding us for all eternity.

Jesus Saves

Hebrews 7:25 is a verse worth memorizing, quoting, and applying every single day. It reminds us that there is no one beyond the reach of Christ’s saving power and no sin beyond the reach of His grace. Because Jesus is able to save to the uttermost, we must be willing to go to the uttermost.

Whether you are a missionary on a foreign field, a church planter in the United States, or a Christian sharing Christ in your neighborhood, this verse gives confidence to witness, courage to keep going, and compassion to reach those who seem far from God. The One who saves completely, anyone, and forever is still saving today—and He has called us to tell others of His power to save.

Category

Missions

Ministry Resources

Go, Stand, Speak Leader Guide

Dr. Paul Chappell

God Is Able

Dr. Paul Chappell

God Is Able to Renew

Terrie Chappell — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 21:52:25 +0000

God Is Able to Renew Terrie Chappell Mon, 09/14/2026 - 14:52

Years ago, a friend taught me how to coupon shop, and I was hooked! At the time, with careful clipping and strategizing, I could get nearly four hundred dollars’ worth of groceries for about twenty. The catch was that I had to buy three Sunday newspapers each week to gather the coupons.

So there I was early one Sunday morning at a local grocery store to pick up my papers. I paid and had just stepped out the door to run to my car. (Of course I was in a hurry since it was early Sunday morning.)

It was just then that I saw a lady from church. I turned to wave, but when I turned back, I lost my balance. I reached for the sidewalk newspaper stand to steady myself, but it was lighter than I expected, and now it was falling with me. The whole time, I was doing what could only be described as a Tarzan yell.

Finally, I gave up and landed flat on my face. My purse flew open, and its contents scattered across the sidewalk. For a moment, I couldn’t (or maybe didn’t want to) move. I felt like that lady in the commercial who says, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!”

Then, a sweet ninety-year-old man came hobbling over, helping me gather everything from my purse. He bent down, smiled kindly, and said, “Honey, it happens to the best of us.”

Sometimes life knocks us down like that—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. We’re doing our best to keep up with everything—serving, working, caring for others—and then, suddenly, we find ourselves face down in discouragement, wondering how we got there.

The good news is that God is able to lift us up. He renews.

You remember the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. After his incredible victory on Mount Carmel, where he called down fire from heaven, Elijah should have been rejoicing. But when Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him, fear took over. He ran for his life, collapsed under a juniper tree, and prayed, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life.”

Even God’s strongest servants can come to a place of complete exhaustion. But the wonderful truth is that our weakness never takes God by surprise. He doesn’t scold us for being human; He renews us. And from Elijah’s story, we learn how that renewal takes place.

God Gives Rest

When Elijah collapsed under that juniper tree, God didn’t say, “Get up and stop feeling sorry for yourself.” He sent an angel with food and let him sleep. Then He did it again.

Before God addressed Elijah’s fear, He tended to his fatigue. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap. That truth hits close to home for a lot of us. We push ourselves to the limit—serving in ministry, raising kids, working long hours—and then wonder why we’re weary.

God built rest into the rhythm of creation. He knows our limitations, even when we ignore them. When you’re weary, don’t feel guilty for slowing down. Rest isn’t failure; it can be faith. It’s a quiet way of saying, “God, I’m not the one holding everything together. You are.”

As Elijah slept and ate, his strength returned. It wasn’t instant. God often restores us layer by layer, until the burden that once felt unbearable begins to lift.

God Speaks in the Quiet

After Elijah regained his strength, he traveled to Mount Horeb. There, God met him in one of the most remarkable moments of Scripture. First came a great wind that tore through the mountains—but the Lord was not in the wind. Then came an earthquake—but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire—but the Lord was not in the fire. Finally, came a still, small voice.

That’s when Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle and stepped out to listen.

God’s greatest work in our hearts doesn’t usually happen in the dramatic moments but in the quiet ones. We often look for God in the fire—the big moments, the emotional highs, the unmistakable signs. But renewal comes when we quiet our hearts enough to hear His still, small voice. This is why God admonishes us, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

It’s easy to let noise fill every moment of our day. The news, the phone, the chatter—it all leaves little room for quiet. But when you deliberately make time to be still before God, you discover that His Word and His presence are enough.

When your heart feels overwhelmed, open your Bible, pour out your heart in prayer, and let His Spirit whisper truth back into your soul.

God Reminds Us We’re Not Alone

Elijah’s next words reveal the depth of his despair: “I, even I only, am left.” He felt isolated and useless. Discouragement often does that. It magnifies our loneliness.

But God gently corrected him. He reminded Elijah that there were still seven thousand people who had not bowed to Baal. Elijah wasn’t as alone as he thought.

I love how tenderly God handled Elijah’s discouragement. He didn’t lecture him; He lifted him. And He turned Elijah’s attention to other godly people.

Over and over, I’ve seen how loneliness can magnify discouragement. Sometimes we convince ourselves that no one understands or cares. But God has placed us in His family for a reason. We need the fellowship of other believers to remind us of truth and to help carry our burdens.

The same passage that instructs us to not forsake “the assembling of ourselves together” describes the kinds of relationships we should be engaged in: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together… but exhorting one another…” (Hebrews 10:24–25).

If you’re walking through a hard season, don’t isolate yourself. Call a friend. Attend your small group. Ask for prayer. And if you know someone who’s struggling, reach out. Send a text. Drop off a meal. Let them know they’re not forgotten. God renews us through relationships that encourage and strengthen our faith.

God Still Has a Plan

Once Elijah’s heart was quiet and his perspective restored, God gave him a new assignment. “Go, return on thy way,” He said, and then gave specific instructions for what came next. In other words, “Elijah, you’re not done yet.”

That’s what renewal does—it gets us back up and moving in God’s purpose. When He restores your strength, it’s not just so you can feel better; it’s so you can move forward again in His will.

Maybe you’ve been under your own juniper tree, whispering like Elijah, “It’s enough, Lord.” When the weight feels too heavy and the strength feels gone, remember: that’s where God’s renewing power shines the brightest. He doesn’t leave His children lying in the dust of defeat. He meets us there with rest for our bodies, truth for our hearts, and purpose for our days.

God is still able. He will renew your strength, revive your spirit, and remind you that He is not finished with you yet

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

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Christian Walk

Ministry Resources

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Dr. Paul Chappell

Wisdom from the Word

Dr. Paul Chappell

God Is Able to Preserve His Word

Joe Shakour — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 22:43:25 +0000

God Is Able to Preserve His Word Joe Shakour Thu, 09/03/2026 - 15:43

God Is Able to Preserve His Word

If you’ve ever paused while reading your Bible and wondered if you could really trust the words in front of you, you’re not alone. From the very beginning, Satan has sown doubt about God’s Word. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent asked Eve, “Yea, hath God said?” (Genesis 3:1). That question still echoes today. If the devil can make you question what God has said, he can make you doubt everything built on it.

But God is not silent about the permanence of His Word. Again and again the Bible declares, “It is written.” The phrase itself—gegraptai in Greek—means “it was written, it stands written, and it will always be written.”

God’s Word is not a fleeting thought but a fixed, immovable reality. It doesn’t expire with culture, language, or the passing of centuries.

So how can we be certain, after all these generations, that the words of Scripture haven’t been lost or changed? The answer runs through every page of the Bible itself: God is able to preserve His Word.

THE PROMISE OF PRESERVATION

Some suggest that only the message of Scripture has been preserved, not its words. Yet the Bible teaches otherwise. Proverbs 22:21 speaks of “the certainty of the words of truth,” and the psalmist testifies, “Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever” (Psalm 119:152). From the beginning, God promised to keep His words intact: “He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations” (Psalm 105:8).

Biblical preservation isn’t about vague ideas; it’s about exact words. Every word matters because every word was given by God.

A MOUNTAIN OF MANUSCRIPTS

Skeptics often point out that we don’t have the original manuscripts or “autographs.” That’s true, but what we do have is overwhelming evidence for the reliability of Scripture—far greater than for any other ancient text.

In Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh and Sean McDowell note that for the New Testament alone there are more than 5,800 Greek manuscripts, totaling over 2.6 million pages—enough to stretch more than a mile high. For the entire Bible, that would be more than two miles. By contrast, Plato is represented by seven manuscripts, Aristotle by forty-nine, and Socrates by none. (What we know about Socrates comes from Plato.) Altogether, there are more than 66,000 manuscripts and scrolls for the Old and New Testaments combined.

Does that mean every copy is identical? Of course not. There are differences between manuscripts. But the variations that exist are small and rarely affect meaning. Rather than creating uncertainty, this multitude of witnesses gives remarkable confidence that God has preserved His Word. As Zane C. Hodges observed in The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text, “The multiplicity of witnesses is not a weakness but a strength, and the preservation of the text is evidence of God’s providence.”

GOD’S PROVIDENCE, NOT PROBABILITY

Preservation isn’t the product of human skill or chance. It’s the fulfillment of divine promise. David Otis Fuller wrote in Which Bible?, “The Bible has passed through the furnace of persecution, literary criticism, scientific discovery, and philosophic doubt, and has lost nothing but those human interpretations which clung to it as barnacles to a ship. The living Word of God stands today as it ever has, indestructible and unchangeable.”

THE OLD TESTAMENT: GOD’S CUSTODIANS

Consider the Hebrew Old Testament. Romans 3:2 says that the Jews were entrusted with “the oracles of God.” Through centuries of copying, the Hebrew scribes treated the text with reverence: “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it” (Psalm 119:140).

Because God preserved His words, faithful translations that accurately render them are truly the Word of God in that language.

The Masoretes, who copied the Hebrew Scriptures from the 500s to the 900s AD, followed a process so careful it seems almost unbelievable. If they wrote one wrong word, they destroyed the scroll. They counted every letter, marked the middle letter of every book, and checked their work again and again. Not a single word was written from memory.

When the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, scholars expected to find chaos. Instead, they found that these ancient scrolls (over a thousand years older than the Masoretic Text) matched the Masoretic Text remarkably well.

Such precision shows how carefully God preserved His Word through faithful hands.

THE NEW TESTAMENT: RECEIVED, NOT RECONSTRUCTED

The same providence is seen in the New Testament. The early church didn’t invent the text; they received it. As E. F. Hills wrote in The King James Version Defended, “The Holy Spirit guided the early Christians to gather the individual New Testament books into one canon and to reject all non-canonical books. In the same manner, the Holy Spirit guided the early Christians to preserve the New Testament text by receiving the true readings and rejecting the false.”

Most of the existing manuscripts—over 95 percent—reflect a majority text known as the Byzantine Text family (which is reflected in the Textus Receptus, literally, the “received text”). Hills and other conservative scholars such as Zane C. Hodges and Arthur L. Farstad have written at length that God’s providence operated through the use of these texts by the believing church, not apart from it. The true text was recognized, copied, read, and preached in every generation—not hidden in obscurity.

By contrast, beginning in the nineteenth century, a new school of thought arose that sought to reconstruct the Bible’s text based on a few early but seldom-used manuscripts, particularly Vaticanus (B) and Sinaiticus (א). Scholars Brooke F. Westcott and Fenton J. A. Hort popularized the theory that these manuscripts preserved a purer text simply because they were older. Their approach, built on principles like “older is better” and “shorter is preferred,” became the foundation for many modern critical editions.

Yet it is unreasonable to believe that the true New Testament text was hidden in a few neglected documents while the entire church throughout history copied, memorized, and preached from a corrupted one. Believers through the centuries have recognized and transmitted the providentially received text that underlies the King James Version—a text confirmed not by novelty or theory but by God’s guiding hand through His people.

PRESERVATION MEANS LIFE, NOT JUST HISTORY

All this evidence points to one truth: the Bible is not merely a historical artifact; it is alive (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus declared, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Dean John William Burgon, in The Revision Revised, wrote, “If you and I believe that the original writings of the Scriptures were verbally inspired by God, then of necessity they must have been providentially preserved through the ages.”

The Bible repeatedly affirms this promise: “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Psalm 119:160). “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

YOUR BIBLE, YOUR LANGUAGE

Because God preserved His words, faithful translations that accurately render them are truly the Word of God in that language. We can hold our King James Bible and say with confidence that it is the inspired and preserved Word of God for English-speaking people. Paul told Timothy that even the copies he read were “holy scriptures” (2 Timothy 3:15).

R. B. Ouellette summarized it well in A More Sure Word: “The King James Version is the right Bible for English-speaking people because it is a literal translation of the correct and pure Greek and Hebrew manuscripts.”

English Bible translator William Tyndale understood the gravity of this work. Before his martyrdom, he testified, “I never altered one syllable of God’s Word against my conscience, nor would I so alter it this day, if all that is in the earth might be given me.”

WHY IT MATTERS

Here’s what’s at stake: if God can create galaxies, part seas, and raise Christ from the dead, is it really difficult to believe He could preserve a book? Because God has preserved His Word, you can open your Bible and know that what you read is what God intended you to read.

Isaiah declared, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8). Peter echoed that truth: “The word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:25).

Preservation is not just a doctrine to debate. It is the reason you can trust, obey, and proclaim God’s Word with confidence. As one writer said, “If God inspired but did not preserve His Word, He wasted His breath. But God did not waste His Word; He kept it.”

The God who spoke the first word is able to keep every last one. That is the miracle you hold in your hands.

DR. JOE SHAKOUR is the Senior Pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Wilson, North Carolina, and is an adjunct instructor for West Co

THE BAPTIST VOICE

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R.B. Ouellette

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Dr. Paul Chappell

How to Spot a Leader

Alan Fong — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:41:19 +0000

How to Spot a Leader Alan Fong Mon, 08/31/2026 - 10:41

And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. ~Exodus 2:17

A leader is someone who has influence. He is someone whom people trust and follow. He is someone whose ideas or convictions are very compelling to others. He should be someone who is respected, transparent, trustworthy, and diligent. A title and role do not necessarily mean a person is a leader.

Leadership must be earned, developed, and continually cultivated. Are you able to spot a leader? Let us see this morning three traits in Moses that indicated that he was a leader.

Leadership must be earned, developed, and continually cultivated.

Moses was a leader who was stalwart.

“But Moses stood up.” Moses was resting at a well in Midian when he saw some shepherds who were being unfair and harsh to the daughters of Reuel. He did not know them, but he went from being discouraged to action-minded. As one man, he stood up to these shepherds and defended the women. Moses was stalwart and strong. He displayed initiative at a moment’s notice and took charge of the situation. Stalwart leaders spring into action.

They are ready to respond when there is a need. They have an inner sense that something needs to be done, and they are the ones to do it. He did not think twice about being outnumbered or being beaten up. Stalwart leaders are men who get things done. Without hesitation, Moses stood up. Do you have initiative? Do you courageously stand up for what is right?

Moses was a leader who was sympathetic.

“But Moses stood up and helped them.” Moses saw that these women were weaker than the shepherds. Strong leaders are driven by a desire to help. They are men whom people follow because they help others, invest in others, or support the needs of others. People don’t care how much you know, but they do know how much you care.

A strong leader helps others succeed. A strong leader helps others go to the next level. A strong leader helps people who are needy. These women of Midian had never seen anything like what Moses did for them at the well. Leaders are defined by the extent of their helpfulness. Are you a helper by nature? Do you come to the aid of other people at a moment’s notice? Are you one of the first to respond to a need?

A strong leader helps others succeed.

Moses was a leader who was a servant.

“But Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.” Stalwart leaders get things done, even if it means they are the ones to do it. Moses got his hands dirty and helped water the flock of sheep that the women brought to the well. He demonstrated a key trait of leadership: servant leadership.

John Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” Servant leaders are like Jesus, who “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Jesus said, “But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.”

During a conference for preachers held by D. L. Moody, many of the attendees were English preachers who left their shoes outside their rooms expecting someone to shine them, as was the tradition in England. Moody could not get any of his Bible students to do this task. So, without saying anything, Moody spent the wee morning hours of the morning shining the shoes of all the delegates. This would not have been known if one of the preachers had not walked out of his room at 4 a.m. and saw Mr. Moody down the hallway quietly shining shoes. The greatest leaders are servant leaders.

In that one moment, Moses demonstrated three must-have traits of leaders. Can you spot a leader? Are these traits inherent in you?

This article was originally published on Dr. Alan Fong's blog, My God Morning, where you can find more of his articles.

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leadership

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Dr. Paul Chappell

Wisdom from the Word

Dr. Paul Chappell

Emotionally Healthy Christianity

Dr. George Crabb — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 21:01:12 +0000

Emotionally Healthy Christianity Dr. George Crabb Thu, 08/27/2026 - 14:01

The Twelve Habits of Emotionally Healthy Christians

The Twelve Habits of Emotionally Healthy Christians:

#1 Seek to Serve

“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” (Proverbs 11:24)

“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
(Matthew 20:28)

Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.

Our fleshly tendency is to take. There are three groups of people we can look at:

“Matchers” – I’ll give as much as you give.
“Shortchangers” – I’m going to give you less than you give me.
“Riskers” – I’m going to give to you whether you give to me or not.

#2 View Reality Accurately

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

“The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.” Dwight Moody

Indeed, one can be deceived in many ways; one can be deceived in believing what is untrue, but on the other hand, one is also deceived in not believing what is true. “Egocentrically” – take everything personally. This distorts reality. The numerous lies we believe and the depth in which we believe them are a huge part of what makes our lives emotionally unhealthy and our interpersonal relationships troubled.

How we distort reality:

Magnification – make something bigger than it is.
Minimization – make something smaller than it is.
Personalization – make things all about you.
Polarization – turn everything into a black or white situation.
Selective abstraction – you focus on a detail out of context so that you miss the larger message.
Overgeneralization – predict a negative future from a previous event.
Emotional reasoning – feelings get in the way of seeing the truth for what it is.

Jesus’ emotional health was that He always mentally “filtered” everything He experienced through the truth. Jesus viewed everything through the lens of truth. To become emotionally healthy Christians, we must dedicate ourselves to thinking the way Jesus thought.

#3 Take Appropriate Responsibility

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.” (Galatians 6:1-5)

“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12)

You are only young once, but you can live immature for a lifetime… Maturity doesn’t come with age but begins with the acceptance of responsibility. One mistake is to take too much responsibility (neurotic), and the other is to take too little (character disorder). If you want to be an emotionally healthy Christian, you need to agree to the following: I am 100% responsible for how I think, feel, and act, and others are 100% responsible for how they think, feel, and act. If we agree on that, we can do a much better job of resolving conflict when it takes place in our relationships. What others do or say triggers us to feel and act the way we do, but it doesn’t cause our feelings and actions. Jesus is the only person who took full responsibility for everything He felt and did.

Example:

“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Matthew 21:12-13)

Jesus was neither neurotic nor character-disordered in how He went about His life. He never blamed others for how He felt and acted, and He never accepted blame for how others felt and acted.

#4 Delay Gratification Properly

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” (1 Peter 2:11)

The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable prerequisite for success. One of the many challenges we face in life is learning to delay gratification rather than instantly indulging it. The Christian life is the longest delay-of-gratification project we will ever undertake given that we are to properly delay gratification here on earth to build up rewards in heaven that we will enjoy forever. A life of indulging every pleasure is the path to self-destruction and harm to those around you. (Solomon) The problem is not our desire for pleasure but rather our willingness to rein in those desires. We must let God meet our need for pleasure at the right time and in the right way and develop greater self-control over time.

#5 Listen Wholeheartedly

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” (Proverbs 18:13)

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” (James 1:19)

Deep listening is miraculous for both listener and speaker. When someone receives us with open-hearted, non-judging, intensely interested, our spirits expand. Many people don’t really listen. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. It takes effort and energy to truly listen. We want to hear what they aren’t saying. Listening to the meaning behind the words. This is another reason that people felt so loved by Jesus – they had never been listened to in such a deep and penetrating way before, and it shook them to the core.

#6 Forgive and Seek Forgiveness

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” (Colossians 3:13)

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Not only do we struggle to seek forgiveness when we act badly; we also struggle to offer forgiveness when someone has acted badly toward us. First, when you are the one being hurtful, you have to own your actions, feel the pain the other person is in, ask for forgiveness, and make amends; and you must do all this with no strings attached. When you are the one who is hurt, you must be willing to forgive the person who mistreated you whether they are sorry or not. Forgiveness is at the very heart of Christianity. It is central to our relationship with Jesus.

#7 Face Problems Head – On

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:34)

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

The best way out is through. We become our own worst enemies when we run from our problems. Jesus never ran from a problem.

To be an emotionally healthy Christian, we must face the problems life throws our way rather than run from them, and we need to be willing to properly help others face their problems when called to do so. There is no non-suffering path in life when it comes to having problems. Be a problem-facer rather than a problem-avoider.

#8 Anchor Worth in God

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” (Psalm 139:14)

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31)

Christianity preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued. God’s love does not love that which is worthy of being loved, but it creates that which is worthy of being loved.

One of the biggest lies you will ever encounter is the idea that worth equals performance. Emotionally healthy Christians don’t tie their sense of worth to their performance. They are wise enough to anchor their worth in being fearfully and wonderfully made by God in His image.

When we find our worth in our God, it frees us to treat others in a loving, kind, and gracious way. The Pharisees saw the woman caught in adultery as worthless; Jesus saw her as priceless. The Pharisees saw her worthy of contempt and condemnation; Jesus saw her worthy of grace and kindness. How we treat others shows whether we see people as having worth or being worthless. When we understand that people have worth because God made them in His image, we will treat them well. When we see them as worthless, we are more likely to pick up stones and presume to punish them for their sins.

Your worth is being created in God’s image. I’m not a big fan of the notion of “self-worth.” Self-worth implies that worth comes from self, something that inevitably ties it to how smart, talented, moral, and socially adept you are. There is no such thing as self-worth, only God-worth. It is crucial that we anchor our worth to God and God only. Let God set you free from the bondage of performance-based worth so you can experience a fuller taste of the abundant life.

#9 Have Compassion

“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.” (Matthew 9:36)

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” (Colossians 3:12)

It is important to remember that underneath every struggle to forgive is the struggle to have compassion for the person who hurt us. Forgiveness and compassion always go hand-in-hand. Cold-hearted, non-compassionate Christians are an oxymoron; they bring dishonor to God and turn people away from the cause of Christ. Warm-hearted, compassionate Christians emulate Jesus’ character. They bring honor to God and draw people to the cause of Christ.

Jesus felt deep compassion for the people He encountered. He never felt cold or indifferent. Compassion is good, but compassion in action is better. For an emotionally healthy Christian, compassion for the pain and suffering of others is the only proper way to live. The ability to have compassion for others means that you have learned how to set yourself aside, focus on the hurting human being in front of you, walk in their shoes about what they are going through, and communicate to them that you genuinely care.

#10 Grow in Self-Awareness

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

“Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.” (Luke 6:42)

Of all the people Jesus encountered, He seemed the most upset with the Pharisees. They were blind to their own defects. They had very little self-awareness. The Pharisees were the most toxic and unhealthy people Christ encountered in His day-to-day activities. They were judgmental, arrogant, and cold-hearted. They misunderstood God and how blind they were to their own flaws.

“Woe to You” sermon:

“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves,neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.” ((Matthew 23:13-17, 23-31)

These sayings expressed Jesus’ distaste for when anyone refused to admit they had anything wrong with them while seeing nothing but planks in everyone else’s eyes. The Pharisees were the poster children for those who saw themselves as flawless and everyone else as deeply flawed.

A key mark of an emotionally healthy follower of Christ is a high degree of self-awareness concerning “the good, the bad, and the ugly” inside them and a willingness to take the plank out of their own eye when it comes to owning their own stuff. A lack of self-awareness in relationships is toxic and damages both people involved. Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.

While Christ had perfect self-awareness, He shared a story about someone who seemed to have little, if any, self-awareness at all. Let’s zero in on this story of one man whose arrogant, un-self-aware words will echo throughout the ages.

“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Jesus aimed this parable squarely at the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. The Pharisee had little, if any, self-awareness. The tax collector, on the other hand, was self-aware. When I think about this issue of self-awareness, I’m always drawn back to this verse:

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)

We need to stop kidding ourselves. We all have numerous blind spots when it comes to the truth about how we really are, especially the dark side of who we are. When it comes to self-awareness, we are all “looking through a glass, darkly”
(1 Corinthians 13:12). If you want to be an emotionally healthy Christian, you must allow God to hold up whatever mirrors He wants when it comes to your flaws and defects. Strangely enough, sometimes we’re also blind to our good qualities, and our gracious and kind God wants to show us those as well.

#11 Handle Anger Well

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)

“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20)

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. Some of us have anger problems because we get angry too frequently. Some have an anger problem because our anger is too intense. Some of us have anger problems because of the duration of our anger.

There are numerous ways to mishandle anger:

“Stuffing it”
“Spewing it”
“Passive-aggressive”
“Self-medicate”
“Perfection”

We are to be angry about the right things in the right way at the right time. Christ’s anger was always perfectly righteous, but far too often, our anger is imperfect and unrighteous.

“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (Colossians 3:8-10)

I want to encourage you to keep following in the psychological footsteps of Jesus by practicing these biblical commands: Speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15), tell people face to face when you have a problem with how they are mistreating you, others, and God (Mat 18:15), and use great boldness in your speech (2 Cor 3:12). Bear with others in love (Eph 4:2), be angry but don’t express it sinfully (Eph 4:26), and don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought (Rom 12:3).

#12 Agape-Love Neighbors

“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)

Not everyone is your brother or sister in the faith, but everyone is your neighbor, and you must love your neighbor.

Agape love – unconditional, sacrificial love. Agape love promotes a person’s growth and meets their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.Jesus founded His ministry on agape love. Jesus met people’s needs and enabled their growth.

There are two primary ways we can love God and two primary ways we can love our neighbor. First, loving God means obeying His commandments.

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” (1John 5:3)

Second, loving God means meeting the needs of others.

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and tookthee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:35-40)

We can agape-love our neighbors in two primary ways – meeting their needs and fostering their growth.

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Christian Walk

Ministry Resources

The Resilient Life

Keep The Faith

Dr. Paul Chappell

Just Say Know

Dr. George Crabb

Five People God Warns You Not To Help

John Anderson — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 02:23:02 +0000

Five People God Warns You Not To Help John Anderson Fri, 08/21/2026 - 19:23

One of the hardest lessons leaders learn is this: helping everyone is not always helpful.

Good leaders have compassionate hearts. Pastors, parents, mentors, and ministry leaders naturally want to step in, rescue, fix, and carry burdens. But Scripture teaches something both sobering and freeing. Not every person who asks for help should receive it in the same way. Sometimes helping becomes enabling. Sometimes rescuing becomes reinforcing destructive behavior. Sometimes compassion without discernment actually harms both the helper and the one being helped.

Biblical leadership requires both love and wisdom. Jesus healed many, but He did not entrust Himself to everyone.

“But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men.” - John 2:24

There are patterns of character Scripture repeatedly warns leaders about. These are not people we refuse to love. These are people we must learn to help wisely, cautiously, or sometimes not at all until repentance and humility appear.

Here are five people God consistently warns leaders about.

1. The Contentious Person (The Angry Reckless Person)

“Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.” - Proverbs 22:24–25

Anger spreads. It is contagious. A reckless, hot-tempered person does not simply struggle privately. They damage relationships, fracture unity, and create unnecessary conflict wherever they go.

Leaders often think, “If I just help them enough, they’ll calm down.” Scripture says the opposite. Prolonged exposure to uncontrolled anger reshapes the helper, not the angry person.

An angry person is not dangerous because they feel anger. Everyone feels anger. They are dangerous because they refuse to govern it.

Helping an angry person without requiring accountability teaches them that rage works. It rewards emotional immaturity. Wisdom says step back until self-control steps forward.

A leader must remember: you cannot build peace by partnering with chaos.

2. The Chattering Person (The Gossip)

“A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” - Proverbs 11:13

Gossipers do not need information. They need attention. And they often disguise their sin in spiritual language. “I just want you to pray about this.” Or, “I’m only concerned.”

But gossip is relational arson. It burns trust, divides teams, and poisons environments quietly.

Leaders who repeatedly help gossipers by listening without correction unintentionally validate the behavior. Silence becomes permission.

Scripture is clear. In Proverbs 26:20 it says, “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out.”

Sometimes the most spiritual help you can give a gossip is refusal to participate.

Healthy leaders protect unity more than they protect feelings. Truth spoken directly heals. Words spoken indirectly destroy.

3. The Careless Person (The Lazy Person)

“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” - 2 Thessalonians 3:10

There is a difference between someone who cannot work and someone who will not work. Scripture shows compassion toward weakness but confrontation toward laziness.

The lazy person often survives by attaching themselves to productive people. They rely on the generosity of others instead of developing discipline themselves.

Helping without expectation removes the very pressure that could lead to growth.

The book of Proverbs repeatedly warns that laziness leads to poverty, frustration, and wasted potential. “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing.” - Proverbs 13:4

Leaders must remember this principle: rescue without responsibility produces dependency, not maturity.

Sometimes the most loving thing you can do is allow consequences to teach what comfort never will.

4. The Contemptuous Person (The Mocking, Unteachable Person)

“He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame… Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee.” - Proverbs 9:7–8

The mocker is not merely ignorant. He is resistant.

Correction becomes confrontation.

Wisdom becomes offense.

Instruction becomes insult.

An unteachable spirit cannot be helped because it refuses help.

Leaders waste enormous emotional energy trying to convince people who have already decided not to listen. Scripture warns against pouring wisdom into a heart that only intends to ridicule it.

Jesus Himself warned, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6).

This is not harshness. It is stewardship. Time, energy, and truth are sacred resources.

Teach the hungry. Invest in the willing. Correct the humble. But do not exhaust yourself chasing someone committed to resisting growth.

5. The Critical Person (The Chronic Complainer)

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” - Philippians 2:14

Complaining drains vision. It magnifies problems and minimizes blessings. A chronic complainer is rarely looking for solutions. They are looking for validation of their dissatisfaction.

Leaders often feel pressure to keep trying to make complainers happy. The problem is that happiness is not their goal. Expression of discontent is.

Israel complained in the wilderness even while eating manna from heaven. Complaining is not circumstantial. It is spiritual.

“Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” - 1 Corinthians 10:10

Helping a chronic complainer by continually accommodating them teaches them that negativity controls outcomes.

Leadership requires protecting the spirit of the group. Gratitude fuels momentum. Complaining kills it.

Final Leadership Thought

This is not a call to hardness. It is a call to wisdom.

Jesus loved sinners, but He did not enable sin. Paul helped the weak, but confronted the disorderly. Scripture calls leaders to discernment, not exhaustion.

Not everyone needs more help.

Some people need repentance.

Some need correction.

Some need consequences.

Some need time.

And some need to see that change will not happen until they take responsibility before God.

Wise leaders remember this truth: You are not called to fix everyone. You are called to faithfully steward your influence where it produces fruit.

Help the humble.

Invest in the teachable.

Strengthen the willing.

And trust God to do the work in hearts you cannot change.

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Christian Walk

Ministry Resources

Wisdom from the Word

Dr. Paul Chappell

Focus

Dr. Paul Chappell

When the Work Is Greater Than You Are, God Is Able

Dr. Paul Chappell — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 01:57:31 +0000

When the Work Is Greater Than You Are, God Is Able Dr. Paul Chappell Wed, 07/29/2026 - 18:57

There are few things that expose human insufficiency like the work of the ministry.

Whether you are a pastor, children’s Sunday school helper, Christian school teacher, or parent, you know that we can pray, plan, work, and give our best, yet still frequently come face-to-face with the reality that our best is not enough.

A pastor cannot personally meet every need in his church. A parent cannot control every choice a child will make. A teacher cannot force truth into a student’s heart. A soulwinner cannot produce conviction or save a soul. We can faithfully plant and water, but only God can give the increase.

The good news is that God does not call us to accomplish His work through our own strength. He calls us to depend on His.

This is where 2 Corinthians 9:8 comes in: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

God’s Grace Supplies Every Need

Second Corinthians 9:8 does not say that God is able to make our natural ability abound. It says that He is able to make grace abound toward us.

Grace is God’s provision for what we cannot supply ourselves. When we lack wisdom, He gives wisdom. When we are weary or opposed, He renews our strength and courage. When resources are limited or the way forward is unclear, He provides and directs.

We often approach a ministry challenge by first calculating what we have: How much time is available? How many workers can help? What experience and resources do we possess?

Good stewardship requires that we honestly assess these things. But faith refuses to stop there. The most important resource in any work for God is the grace God promises to supply.

The most important resource in any work for God is the grace He promises to supply. SHARE ON X

God’s Sufficiency Meets Every Challenge

Paul’s language in this verse is wonderfully comprehensive: “Always having all sufficiency in all things.”

There is no season in which God and His supply of grace ceases to be sufficient. He is sufficient when a ministry is growing and opportunities are opening. He is sufficient when progress seems slow, discouragement sets in, and we do not know where the provision will come from.

There is no season in which God and His supply of grace ceases to be sufficient. SHARE ON X

Forty years ago this month, I arrived in Lancaster, and the following Sunday I preached my first message as pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church to thirteen people. In the weeks that followed, I learned that the building was in foreclosure and that the church owed thousands of dollars in unpaid bills. Our new sign was vandalized, the building was broken into, and the sound system was stolen.

Yet through every challenge, God faithfully supplied the grace, strength, and provision we needed. Looking back over four decades, the story of Lancaster Baptist Church is not what we were able to accomplish, but what our able God has done. His grace was sufficient then, and His grace remains sufficient today.

God’s Power Enables Every Good Work

God does not merely promise enough grace to help us survive. He supplies grace so that we may “abound to every good work.”

When ministry is difficult, our goal can quietly shrink to endurance. We simply want to make it through the next problem, the next week, or the next demanding season.

There are certainly times when faithful endurance is itself a significant victory. But God’s purpose is greater than helping us barely hold on. He desires to work through us so that we continue moving forward in obedience and fruitfulness.

The word abound speaks of overflow. God gives strength not merely for the burden we are carrying, but for the good work He still has before us.

God gives strength not merely for the burden we are carrying, but for the good work He still has before us. SHARE ON X

When the responsibility is greater than our wisdom, God is able.
When the burden is greater than our strength, God is able.
When the opportunity is greater than our resources, God is able.
When the opposition is greater than our resolve, God is able.
When the work is greater than we are, God is still able.

Renewed and Equipped for the Work

This truth that “God Is Able” is the theme around which we are preparing to gather at Spiritual Leadership Conference 2026 this September.

The preaching of God’s Word will refocus our attention on the God who is able. In the pressures and routines of ministry, our attention can settle on immediate problems, limited resources, and personal inadequacies. Biblical preaching lifts our eyes to the Lord, strengthens our faith in His promises, and renews our passion to see His power at work.

The practical workshops and discussion panels will help equip us for the work God has given us. Depending on God does not make preparation unnecessary; it gives preparation its proper foundation. Biblical instruction and useful tools will help pastors, staff members, teachers, ministry leaders, and volunteers serve with greater wisdom and effectiveness.

The fellowship will remind us that we are not laboring alone. Shared conversations, united prayer, and time with servants who understand the joys and challenges of ministry can renew our perspective and give us fresh courage for the work awaiting us at home.

The music, testimonies, and seasons of prayer will help turn our hearts from self-reliance to worshipful dependence.

This year’s conference will be especially meaningful as we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Lancaster Baptist Church and give God glory for four decades of His faithfulness. As we reflect on what God has done, our prayer is that these testimonies will strengthen your faith to trust Him for what He still desires to do in your life and ministry.

I am also looking forward to teaching two daytime general sessions that address essential needs in spiritual leadership. In “Grace and Truth Leadership,” we will consider how Christlike leaders hold biblical conviction and genuine compassion simultaneously. In “The Eternal Word in a Decaying Culture,” we will examine how God’s unchanging Word gives clarity, courage, and stability as we minister in a rapidly shifting culture. My prayer is that these sessions will help leaders stand firmly on truth while serving people with the grace of Christ.

Our desire is not merely that delegates leave with more information, but that they return to their churches with renewed faith, practical help, strengthened relationships, and a fresh desire to abound in the work of the Lord.

Perhaps you are carrying a burden that feels heavier than you can bear or facing a ministry need for which you see no answer. Perhaps the responsibility God has given you is greater than your strength or experience.

You do not need to pretend that you are sufficient. You need to remember that God is.

I hope you will join us in Lancaster, September 27–30, for Spiritual Leadership Conference 2026. Come ready to open God’s Word, strengthen your ministry, fellowship with other servants, and renew your confidence in the sufficiency of God. Visit slconference.com for more information and to register.

Whatever your burden, whatever the need, and however great the work before you—God is able.

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Pastoral Leadership

Ministry Resources

Wisdom from the Word

Dr. Paul Chappell

Founded On Faith

Dr. Paul Chappell