Paul Chappell's Blog

There’s something about the start of a new year—and the routines that come with it—that feels like a reset. Schedules fill, activities regain momentum, and families settle back into familiar rhythms. Before the pace takes over, however, it’s worth pausing to regain a big-picture focus. For parents, pastors, and educators alike, it’s good to consider what we are really trying to build in the hearts of the young people God has entrusted to us.

After all, repetition is often the key to learning. Yet it’s easy to fall into a rut—faithfully repeating tasks without regularly reexamining the goals toward which we are working. Over time, even necessary repetition can wear us down if we lose sight of its purpose.

If you’re a parent, you may tire of reminding your child to make his bed or eat his broccoli.If you’re a teacher, you may wonder if there will ever be an evening when you don’t have homework to grade.If you’re a pastor, you may battle the frustration that tends to come with continually addressing immature crises in youth or children’s ministries.

Sometimes we need to step back and remember the larger goals we have for our students. Our greatest aspirations for them are far larger and more significant than that they make their beds, eat their vegetables, complete their homework, and listen to their Sunday school teachers.

Ultimately, we want our students to enter adulthood with a heart for God and a surrender to His will. As we equip them with the skills to live a faithful Christian life, it is vital that we keep our eyes on the big picture.

With that big picture in mind, I suggest the following ten qualities as a starting point for what we desire our students to possess:

A heart for God—Nothing is more important. To love God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength is God’s first commandment (Mark 12:30).Grounding in biblical beliefs and convictions—They need to know more than what we believe; they need to know why we believe it (2 Timothy 2:15).Love for the brethren—Without love for others, Christian ministry is meaningless and fruitless (1 Corinthians 13:1–3).Love for the local, New Testament church—Young people in today’s generation want to change the world. The local church is God’s vehicle to reach the world and effect real change (Mark 16:15, the book of Acts).A heart for their parents—Parents need to intentionally tie heartstrings with their children, and teachers and Christian workers need to help their students keep those heartstrings short (Malachi 4:6; Luke 1:17).A heart for their pastor—As an undershepherd for the Chief Shepherd, a pastor has a vital role in a Christian’s life. Young people need to keep open lines of communication with their pastor (Hebrews 13:17).Patriotism—American young people should know, respect, and express gratefulness toward those who have purchased their freedom. A student with a heart for America will also pray fervently that our nation will return to God (2 Chronicles 7:14).Biblical principles for decision making—When our students enter their teen and adult years, they need an understanding of how to seek wisdom from God’s Word and personally make wise decisions (Psalm 119:105).Love for souls—The most valuable possession we have is our souls. Thus to love others as ourselves is to care for their eternal destiny and point them to Christ (Mark 8:36; 12:31).A heart for worldwide missions—Our fleshly sphere of interest spans no further than what affects us. Spiritually-minded young people develop a larger picture—a heart for world evangelism (Matthew 28:19–20).

This is just a beginning. I’m sure you could think of more qualities to add to this list.

But when you consider how to instill these—or any other—qualities in the hearts of your students, I would remind you that some things are better caught than taught. If you are leading a young person, you’d better practice what you preach.

There is nothing like the beginning of a new year for fresh momentum in vital goals. And there is no more vital area of goal-setting than in our walk with God. 

After all, spiritual growth rarely happens by accident. It grows in the direction we intentionally set, supported by daily faithfulness in God’s Word.

Spiritual growth rarely happens by accident. It grows in the direction we intentionally set, supported by daily faithfulness in God’s Word.
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As you look toward growth in your walk with God in this coming year, I’d like to suggest three practical ways to set meaningful spiritual goals and support them with consistent daily habits.

1. Begin with Spiritual Direction, Not Just Discipline

Many believers begin the year by deciding what they will do—read more, pray more, serve more—without first considering what they are pursuing. Scripture consistently places direction before activity.

Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

Spiritual goals should flow from a clear pursuit of God. When our aim is defined—to know Christ, to walk in His ways, and to live for His glory—daily consistency becomes purposeful rather than mechanical.

With clear spiritual direction, daily practices become acts of alignment rather than obligation. We are not merely filling time; we are ordering our lives around eternal priorities.

2. Set Clear Spiritual Goals That Shape Daily Life

As in every other area of goal-setting, spiritual goals should be clearly defined. Vague intentions such as “I want to grow spiritually” are good desires, but they lack direction. 

Clear spiritual goals might be phrased like this: 

Read through the New Testament (or Bible) this year.Complete an in-depth study of the book of James. Develop a prayer list and pray through it daily. Memorize four Bible chapters this year. 

When spiritual goals are clear, daily consistency is part of a larger goal. Each day becomes a step in a purposeful direction.

3. Establish a Daily Plan That Supports Those Goals

Spiritual goals are most effective when they are supported by a realistic daily plan. Good intentions, however sincere, rarely carry us to completion without thoughtful structure.

A workable plan does not need to be complicated. It should be simple, sustainable, and rooted in Scripture. For many believers, this begins with deciding when they will meet with God each day and how they will engage His Word consistently.

For example, if you have a goal to read through the Bible this year, it is helpful to think through a few practical questions:

What reading plan will I follow?What time of day will allow me to engage Scripture consistently?Where will I read so that I can focus without unnecessary distraction?

Similarly, if your goal is to memorize Scripture, it is wise to determine what passages you want to memorize and when and how you will make space for that memorization in your daily routine.

Spiritual goals are sustained through daily nourishment. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Just as physical strength requires daily food, spiritual strength is cultivated through regular time in God’s truth.

Carrying Spiritual Momentum into the New Year

Even with clear spiritual goals and a workable plan, many believers benefit from a simple way to begin each day grounded in God’s Word. 

Providing a resource to help with that is my heart behind writing Daily in the Word, a free daily devotional sent by email each morning. It is designed to help you start your day focused on Scripture and encouraged in your walk with Christ. 

Each emailed devotion includes:

a Bible passagea brief devotional thoughta concise takeaway to carry with you throughout the daythe full text of Scripture passages to read through the entire Bible—or the New Testament—over the course of the yearAnd all of this is delivered right to your inbox. You can sign up to receive these free daily emails at devo.paulchappell.com.

The beginning of a new year is a gift from God—an opportunity to set spiritual direction and walk forward with purpose. As you establish spiritual goals and support them with daily faithfulness, remember that God uses consistent time in His Word to shape and strengthen your walk with Him. My prayer is that, through simple daily habits, you will grow deeper in your walk with Christ in the year ahead.

Every Christmas, our attention turns to Bethlehem. We sing of angels and shepherds, and of God stepping into human history wrapped in humility and grace. The King of kings was laid in a lowly manger.

Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was not coincidental. It was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Micah 5:2), and it was central to Gabriel’s announcement to Mary: “the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32).

These were not poetic words meant only to inspire; they were covenant promises rooted in God’s commitments to His people Israel.

But what do those promises mean today, two thousand years after Christ?

In recent months, renewed global focus on Israel has stirred intense discussion among Christians. Alongside political debate and cultural tension, a theological question has resurfaced with new urgency: Does Israel still matter in God’s plan? Or have the promises once given to Israel now been fulfilled by the church?

Two Views

Two broad theological approaches attempt to answer these questions. At the risk of oversimplification, the following definitions describe these positions, recognizing that each includes a wide range of interpretations.

Fulfillment Theology (sometimes called Replacement Theology) teaches that the church has fulfilled the covenants God made to Israel and thus replaced Israel as God’s covenant people. According to this view, the promises once given to Israel are now fulfilled spiritually in the church, and Israel no longer holds a distinct role in God’s redemptive plan. This view has historically been associated with Roman Catholic theology and with many Reformed denominations, though it is held with varying emphases and expressions.

Dispensational Theology teaches that God has distinct purposes for Israel and the church. While salvation has always been by grace through faith, the covenant promises made to Israel—including national and kingdom promises—were never revoked and will be fulfilled literally in God’s time.

I believe Scripture clearly teaches the second view—not because of current events, but because of the nature of God’s promises. Consider three reasons.

1. God’s Covenants Were Never Revoked 

The clearest reason Israel still matters today is this: God’s covenant promises to Israel were never revoked.

Throughout the Old Testament, God established several unconditional covenants with Israel, most notably the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants. These covenants were not based on Israel’s faithfulness, but on God’s. He bound Himself by promise, not by performance.

God promised Abraham a land, a nation, and a blessing that would extend to all families of the earth (Genesis 12:1–3). He promised David an everlasting throne and kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12–16). And He promised Israel a New Covenant that included both spiritual renewal and national restoration (Jeremiah 31:31–37). Significantly, when God described the permanence of that New Covenant, He tied it to the fixed order of creation itself, declaring that Israel would cease to be a nation only if the sun, moon, and stars failed.

None of these covenants were annulled by Israel’s unbelief, nor were they redefined by the birth of the church. Delay in fulfillment does not equal cancellation. “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29). Scripture consistently presents a God who keeps His promises according to His timetable, not ours. After all, it was “in the fulness of time” that “God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law” (Galatians 4:4–5). And it will be in His fullness of time that Jesus returns as King of kings. 

2. Jesus Confirmed the Promises

Not only were God’s covenants never revoked, but Jesus Himself confirmed them.

From the beginning of His earthly life, Christ was presented as the fulfillment of Israel’s covenant hope. As just mentioned, Gabriel announced to Mary that Jesus would receive “the throne of his father David” and reign over a kingdom without end (Luke 1:32–33). These words echo God’s promise to David centuries earlier and point forward to a literal, future reign.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus consistently affirmed the reality of the kingdom rather than dismissing it. When He preached, He declared that the kingdom of heaven was “at hand” (Matthew 4:17). When He taught His disciples to pray, He instructed them to ask for the kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10). And after His resurrection—at the very moment when misunderstanding would have been corrected if necessary—the disciples asked, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). Jesus did not rebuke the question or spiritualize the promise. Instead, He spoke of timing, not cancellation: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (Acts 1:7).

This distinction is critical. Jesus did not deny Israel’s future restoration; He deferred it according to God’s sovereign timetable. The kingdom was postponed, not replaced.

The New Testament consistently presents Christ as the heir of David’s throne who will yet rule over the nations (Luke 1:32–33; Acts 2:30). His first coming accomplished redemption; His second coming will establish righteous rule (Revelation 19–20). Between those two events, local churches have been given a mission to bear witness to the King.

Far from rendering Israel obsolete, Jesus’ ministry confirms that God’s redemptive plan is still unfolding—exactly as Scripture foretold.

Scripture also teaches that Israel’s future restoration will come through a period of profound testing. The prophets describe a coming time of tribulation—called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7)—during which God will both judge the nations and bring Israel to national repentance and faith in her Messiah. This period is not a detour in God’s plan, but a prelude to the establishment of Christ’s millennial reign. Far from abandoning Israel, God will use this time to fulfill His promises, culminating in Israel’s revival and the visible reign of Jesus Christ from David’s throne (Revelation 7:1–8, 20:1–6).

3. The Church’s Role Is Distinct from Israel’s 

The New Testament presents the local church as a unique body—formed after Christ’s resurrection and empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Its mission is clear: to proclaim the gospel to every nation and to make disciples of all people. This calling is global and urgent, but it is not identical to the covenant promises God made to Israel.

Jesus made this distinction clear in Acts 1. When the disciples asked whether He would restore the kingdom to Israel, He did not dismiss their expectation. Instead, He redirected their focus: “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me” (Acts 1:8). The church was given a mission of witness, not a mandate to establish the kingdom.

This distinction guards us from an unnecessary—and unbiblical—competition between Israel and the church. God does not abandon one people to make room for another. He works according to His own timetable, accomplishing multiple purposes without contradiction. Israel’s future restoration and the church’s present mission are complementary, not conflicting.

Understanding this helps preserve the integrity of Scripture. When we allow Israel to remain Israel and the church to remain the church, prophecy remains coherent, God’s promises remain trustworthy, and Christ’s return remains the blessed hope toward which history is moving.

What about Other Passages?

An in-depth discussion of every passage raised in this debate is beyond the scope of this article. It is worth noting, however, that several verses commonly cited in support of Replacement Theology address salvation and spiritual inheritance, not the national or covenantal promises made to Israel.

For example, Galatians 3:16–29 teaches that all who are in Christ—Jew and Gentile alike—share equally in the blessing of justification by faith. This glorious truth affirms unity in Christ and equal access to salvation, but it does not redefine or revoke the specific covenant promises God made to Israel as a nation.

Additionally, Romans 9–11 is sometimes cited in support of Replacement Theology, particularly because of its emphasis on God’s sovereignty and Israel’s unbelief. Yet the overarching purpose of the passage is to defend the faithfulness of God’s covenant promises, not to deny them. Paul explicitly asks whether God has cast away His people and answers emphatically, “God forbid” (Romans 11:1). He presents Israel’s present unbelief as temporary, anticipates a future national turning to Christ, and concludes that “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29). Read as a whole, Romans 9–11 affirms—not replaces—Israel’s ongoing role in God’s redemptive plan.

A Faithful God Who Keeps His Word

From Bethlehem to the Millennium, the Bible tells a unified story of a faithful God who keeps His Word.

Jesus was born in the city of David because He is David’s promised Son. His birth fulfilled prophecy, His life confirmed covenant promises, and His return will complete what God has pledged from the beginning. The church exists today not as a replacement for Israel, but as a testimony to God’s grace—calling people from every nation to faith in Christ until the King returns to reign.

Why does Israel still matter? Because God’s character matters. If His promises to Israel can be redefined or revoked, then no promise in Scripture is truly secure. But if God remains faithful to Israel—even through centuries of unbelief, dispersion, and opposition—then believers can rest confidently in His faithfulness to every promise He has made.

Bethlehem reminds us that God keeps His word. The Millennium will magnify it. And until that day, we proclaim the gospel with confidence, knowing that the God who began His work will finish it—exactly as He said He would.

Our hearts are heavy to share that Matt and Savannah Gardner, graduates of West Coast Baptist College and missionaries to Uganda, were involved in a tragic accident today in which they were struck by a train.

Savannah, who is the granddaughter of Dr. Jim Rushing, passed away at the scene. Matt is currently hospitalized with very serious injuries. We have been informed that their two young sons, Jedidiah (age 4) and Mason (age 2), were not injured. At this time, other BIMI missionary families in Uganda are helping care for the children.

Matt surrendered to preach and to serve as a missionary under the preaching ministry of Dr. Don Sisk. Savannah surrendered to serve as a missionary after hearing a message from Dr. Mark Rasmussen. Matt and Savannah met while students at West Coast Baptist College, were married in 2019, and have faithfully served the Lord together in Uganda since that time. They were godly students and doing a wonderful work for Christ in Uganda. Their love for Christ and commitment to share the gospel have been evident to all who know them.

I have spoken with the Gardners’ sending pastor, Dr. David Pittman, who shared that Matt’s father will be traveling to Uganda this week to be with his son. I have also spoken with Savannah’s father, Ronald Clapp, and had prayer with him during this time of grief. We have also been in contact with Dr. David Snyder at Baptist International Missions, Inc., who is assisting with care and coordination on the field.

Please pause and pray right now for Matt’s healing and for God’s comfort, peace, and sustaining grace for Matt, their precious children, and both the Gardner and Clapp families as they walk through this sudden and profound loss.

For those who would like to send a love offering, it may be given through BIMI, and designated for the Matt Gardner family (Account #1623).

Thank you for joining us in prayer during this difficult time.

Family Research Council’s news outlet, The Washington Stand, recently covered a story about a Chick-fil-A franchise publicly celebrating a same-sex wedding. When the corporate office was alerted, they defended the franchise with the following statement, highlighting their commitment to DEI:

Thank you for contacting Chick-fil-A CARES. Chick-fil-A embraces all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Chick-fil-A, Inc. is committed to being Better at Together by embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) in everything we do. We strive to provide a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone. We do this by focusing on Chick-fil-A’s four Corporate Social Responsibility pillars: Caring for People, Caring for our Communities, Caring for Others through our Food, and Caring for our Planet.

To learn more, visit our Giving Back page and our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page.

For those who have followed Chick-fil-A’s concerning funding and hiring decisions over the past several years, this response may not be shocking. Still, it is deeply disappointing. It represents a full-circle departure from the mission of Chick-fil-A’s Christian founder.

Years ago, Dr. R. B. Ouellette and I sat in a meeting with Truett Cathy in his office for nearly ninety minutes. He shared his testimony, talked about the boys’ Sunday school class he had taught for decades, and spoke warmly of his love for his church. We discussed America, Christian values, and church life. 

Mr. Cathy was conservative, and he expressed concern that the music in his church was becoming too contemporary. And now, just eleven years after his death, the company he founded is celebrating gay “marriage” and defending that decision.

I am not privy to the inner workings of Chick-fil-A, nor can I say precisely when or how this shift occurred. But as a student of God’s Word and a pastor of over four decades, I do know this: compromise often begins small, but it never remains small if left unchecked.

The pressure believers face today to accommodate their views or adjust their public stance in order to remain acceptable is real and intense. Yet Scripture leaves us no confusion about how we are to respond: “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

If God’s Word is truly God’s Word, then there are moments when Christians must stand—regardless of consequences. We cannot affirm what God forbids or celebrate what God condemns and still claim faithfulness to Him. “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

This applies far beyond one company. It applies to Christian business owners deciding how publicly their values will shape their policies. It applies to believers in corporate America navigating expectations and advancement. It applies to churches tempted to soften truth in order to remain acceptable.

Faithfulness has always carried a cost. Scripture guarantees it: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

The question before us is not whether the pressure will increase—it will. The question is whether Christians will still stand when doing so becomes uncomfortable, costly, or misunderstood.

The loss of conviction rarely begins with rebellion. It begins with accommodation. And accommodation, left unchecked, eventually becomes surrender.

Now is not the time for Christians to retreat into silence or private belief. It is time to stand—humbly, graciously, and unashamedly—on the unchanging truth of God’s Word.

When Jesus gave the Great Commission, it was not for one country alone. He said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

One of the great joys of ministry is seeing that command carried out and watching the gospel advance around the world. Last week’s Spiritual Leadership Conference Latin America offered a front-row view of that very work.

We hosted this conference in El Salvador with the goal of encouraging and equipping pastors, missionaries, and church workers from across Central and South America. Our prayer was that these Christian servants would be strengthened through biblical preaching, practical ministry training, and Christ-centered fellowship.

And the Lord answered those prayers. Leaders from fifteen countries gathered for training and fellowship. Throughout the week, we saw people saved, men and women surrendering to God’s call, renewed commitments to the Lord’s work, and a sweet unity around the gospel.

Evening services centered on the core themes of prayer, the gospel, and missions, while daytime breakout sessions equipped leaders in areas such as remaining strong in the work, shepherding God’s people, studying and teaching Scripture, mentoring others, effective administration, and more.

One of the great blessings for me personally was seeing how God is using West Coast Baptist College alumni throughout the region. Adam and Esther Fridenstine did an excellent job co-hosting the conference, and it was encouraging to partner with several other WCBC graduates who are planting churches, discipling converts, and faithfully reaching people for Christ in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Their ministries are living examples of 2 Timothy 2:2—passing truth from one generation of faithful servants to the next.

It was also a joy to have nearly two dozen members of Lancaster Baptist Church travel with us. Their desire to serve, their encouragement to missionaries, and their heart for the gospel were a blessing to this pastor.

Additionally, about twenty-five West Coast Baptist College students joined the team. They arrived a few days before the conference began and had the opportunity to minister in six different churches, lead a children’s outreach and teen rally, and go soulwinning throughout local neighborhoods. Several preached in Spanish for the first time, and many shared testimonies of salvation and God’s call upon their lives. They also provided music in local churches and throughout the conference services. A special highlight for many of our students was singing and sharing their testimonies live on a radio and TV station, reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners. Through these opportunities, they saw many souls trust Christ as Savior.

Throughout the week, I was encouraged to hear from many of the missionaries supported by our church family, as well as Latin American pastors and church planters, about how God is blessing their churches and raising up young leaders. The Lord has truly blessed Latin America with dedicated, godly servants who are faithfully multiplying the gospel.

As I returned home, my heart was full—grateful for what God allowed us to experience and encouraged by the growing work of the gospel in Latin America. But the need remains great. Jesus said, “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” (Matthew 9:37–38). Would you join me in praying that God will continue to send workers into this fruitful field?

Every growing Christian desires to share their faith effectively. 

This desire is natural because if you know the Lord, you want others to know Him too.

Jesus Himself commanded us to share the gospel: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). This Great Commission is not just for pastors or missionaries; it is for every Christian. 

The Great Commission is not just for pastors and missionaries; it is for every Christian.
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Even so, many believers feel uncertain about how to begin. A Lifeway Research poll revealed that while nine in ten (92 percent) Christians want to share their faith, fewer than one in five (18 percent) feel prepared to do so.

As a Christian, my own desire is to share the gospel personally throughout the week. And as a pastor, my prayer is to help God’s people grow confident and effective in sharing their faith.

Here are seven ways to strengthen your testimony and share Christ with others.

1. Be Caring 

Every person you meet has an eternal soul that will spend eternity either in Heaven or in Hell. Acts 4:12 reminds us there is only one way to Heaven: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

This is a message we must give to people.

One of the great obstacles to our witness, however, is busyness. Sometimes we just get so preoccupied in our needs and schedules that we forget the great need of people around us. When Jesus saw people, He didn’t feel annoyed with or inconvenienced by them. He was “moved with compassion” toward them (Matthew 9:36). 

The best way I know to sustain a heartfelt burden for souls is to daily pray for God to help me see lost people with His compassion. I find as I pray for this, God opens doors of opportunity and opens my heart to the needs of others. 

2. Be Intentional

A lack of witnessing is not always the result of a calloused attitude toward souls. Sometimes it’s just fifth or sixth on a list we never get around to finishing. A good way to combat this tendency is to schedule times of purposeful outreach. 

Purposeful witness requires purposeful planning. Gospel-focused churches provide an organized program for evangelism with a goal of saturating their communities with the gospel. And gospel-focused Christians can engage in this great endeavor by putting it on their calendars. 

3. Be Relational 

There are no doubt people God has already placed in your life—family, friends, neighbors, coworkers—who do not know Christ. Steward those relationships. Be careful to maintain a godly testimony and to show the love of Christ. And then pray and look for opportunities to share the gospel, perhaps at times by inviting them to special outreach events at church. 

Another way to be relational is to maintain a prospect list. This is simply a list of people who you have made contact with in relation to the gospel. It may be someone you met in organized church outreach or a guest you met at church. It may be a friend who has responded positively to your invitation to come to church. Keep those names and contact information together in one place so you have it to pray through and to keep reaching out. 

4. Be Clear

Sometimes people think of “sharing the gospel” in vague terms. First Corinthians 15:1–4 tells us that the gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. This is the message we must share. 

Sharing the gospel requires more than a casual mention of church or a quick invitation to a service. We must lovingly but clearly explain the problem of sin, the payment Christ made on the cross, and the response of faith that God requires. Take time to guide people through Scripture and point them to Christ’s finished work for salvation. Many Christians have found “the Romans Road” (Romans 3:10, 3:23, 5:12, 6:23, 5:8, 10:13) a helpful way to share a concise gospel message.

5. Be Prepared 

Carry gospel tracts or outreach cards, and purpose to pass at least one out daily. I find that when I have tracts in my pocket or car, I am more prepared to seize moments to bring up a gospel conversation with someone I may meet only in passing. Even brief conversations can lead to an opportunity to share the gospel. Either way, I have left the person with the printed message of salvation through Christ.

6. Be Prayerful

In John 15:7, Christ promised, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Ask the Lord to give you both opportunity and boldness to share the gospel. And ask Him to use your witness as you share His Word to convict listeners of their need for a Savior. 

Pray, too, for the people you know who don’t yet know Christ that they would be open to the message of the gospel. George Müller, the nineteenth-century evangelist who cared for ten thousand orphans in England, famously prayed for two of his unsaved friends from his youth for over fifty years. Both eventually trusted Christ—one shortly before Müller’s death, the other shortly after.

7. Be Faithful

Sometimes we share the gospel but never see that person trust Christ. Sometimes we share the gospel and get to see an immediate response because someone else has been praying and sharing before us. Paul told the church at Corinth, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Whether we are planting or watering, we can trust God to bring the increase. So be faithful, and keep sharing the gospel. 

(For a practical “how-to guide” on sharing the gospel, see Take it Personally: A Practical Guide to Owning and Obeying the Great Commission.)

Some events are so significant, so shaping of history, that their dates deserve to be remembered. The Protestant Reformation was such an event, and when its five hundredth anniversary arrived, the Christian world buzzed with reflections on its significance. (I contributed an article of my own to that discussion.)

There is something about acknowledging a milestone anniversary that makes the people and events of that moment seem more real. Their choices, their sacrifices, their courage are not just remembered; they become more connected to our own lives.

That’s what happened for me earlier this year as I read The Anabaptist Story by William Estep and realized that 2025 marks five centuries since the birth of the Anabaptist movement.

If you are a student of Baptist history, you know the story. On January 21, 1525, a small group gathered in Felix Manz’s home in Zürich, Switzerland, to submit themselves to believers’ baptism. Their leaders—Felix Manz, Conrad Grebel, and George Blaurock—set the example. Grebel baptized Blaurock, who then baptized the others present. It was an act of conscience, obedience, and courage—a moment so much larger than they could have imagined. And it cost them more than most of us can easily comprehend.

Although groups that believed and practiced the New Testament doctrines that the Anabaptists stood for predated and succeeded the sixteenth-century Anabaptists, their courage, conviction, and martyrdom is a powerful chapter in Baptist history.

But why has this five hundred year anniversary gone overlooked? And what significance does it have to Bible-believing Baptists today?

Why Should We Remember the Anabaptists?

The story of the sixteenth-century Anabaptists is a story written in blood. For their belief in and practice of believers’ baptism, they were persecuted, tortured, and put to death.

Unlike the Reformers, however, the Anabaptists were not persecuted only by hostile governments. They often suffered at the hands of the Reformers themselves.

For instance, Felix Manz was the first Anabaptist martyr to be executed by the Reformers—at the order of Zwingli’s council in Zürich. Conrad Grebel died of illness after years of hardship brought on by persecution. George Blaurock was whipped out of Zürich (literally chased out with a whip), made his way across Europe preaching the gospel, and in 1529 was burned at the stake in Tyrol. And that’s just three out of thousands.

This plaque in Vienna marks Conrad Grebel’s years of study in Austria (1515–1518), where his education prepared the mind God would later use to study Scripture and ignite the Anabaptist movement.

Why? What was so threatening about believers’ baptism that both political and religious leaders would persecute those who practiced it?

The answer lies in the union of church and state that began with Constantine in the fourth century and, even during the Reformation, defined sixteenth-century Europe. In the state churches (including the Lutheran and Reformed churches, and later the Anglican Church in England), baptism was applied to infants as both a civic and religious rite, making every newborn a member of the church and a subject of the state. Churches themselves were under the headship of the state and, based on infant baptism, were filled with unregenerate members who never made a personal decision of faith in Christ.

In reading Scripture, however, the Anabaptists discovered not only the absence of infant baptism, but the unmistakable presence of believers’ baptism. (See Acts 2:41, 8:36–38.) They insisted that baptism must follow personal faith in Christ. For that, they were branded “Anabaptists,” or “re-baptizers.” Their enemies meant it as a slur, but the name stuck.

As important as believers’ baptism is, the Anabaptists were standing for more than baptism alone. The larger doctrines impacted by this conviction related to the authority of Scripture (not tradition) as the final rule of faith and practice, Christ (not the state) as the head of the church, and the New Testament pattern of local churches comprised of saved, baptized believers. (See 2 Timothy 3:16–17, Colossians 1:18, Acts 2:41–42, 1 Corinthians 1:2, and Titus 1:5.)

To be sure, the Reformation was not without its spiritual help and historical significance. God undoubtedly used the Reformation to bring the Word of God and the gospel itself to the forefront. One author has even described it as “rescuing the gospel.” But if the Reformers rescued the gospel to make it accessible once again, the Anabaptists rescued the New Testament church.

The Anabaptists’ convictions were not innovations of the sixteenth century. In fact, the Anabaptists themselves believed they were simply practicing the New Testament doctrine of the apostles. A simple reading of their written works repeatedly emphasizes this.

The apostles, according to the command of the Lord, through the preaching of the gospel, in faith and truth and by proper Christian baptism, and the power and unity of the Holy Spirit, gathered a church out of all nations (Matthew 28:19–20, Mark 16:15–16).—Dirk Philips (Dutch Anabaptist)

From the first century onward, God has preserved His truth through Bible-believing Christians and faithful local churches. Many of their names are unknown to us, hidden by time and persecution. Others, like the Anabaptists, left a clearer record. Throughout the centuries, there have always been believers who, though sometimes differing in individual doctrines, held firmly to the authority of Scripture, the headship of Christ, and the necessity of a regenerate church. And like the Anabaptists, many sealed those convictions with their own blood.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting many of the historic sites related to the Anabaptists and contemplating the sacrifices they made for fidelity to Christ and His Word. Their courage and conviction continue to challenge us to stand. With that in mind, I introduce you to a few of these leaders:

Felix Manz (1498–1527)

Felix Manz was one of the earliest leaders of the Swiss Brethren and was the first Anabaptist to be martyred at the hands of the Reformers. Originally a supporter of Ulrich Zwingli in Zürich, Manz wanted to take the principle of sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) to its biblical conclusions. Specifically, he called for the Mass to be abolished and for believers’ baptism to be practiced.

Set into a wall beside the Limmat River in Zürich, this marker reads: “Here in the middle of the Limmat, Felix Manz and five other Anabaptists were drowned during the Reformation period between 1527 and 1532. The last Anabaptist to be drowned was Hans Landis, executed in 1614.”

On January 21, 1525, Manz opened his home for the meeting in which those first baptisms mentioned above took place. Manz became a bold preacher of the gospel and an outspoken advocate of believers’ baptism as he preached and baptized believers across Switzerland.

For his convictions, the Zürich council condemned Manz to death. On January 5, 1527, Manz was led to the River Limmat, tied hand and foot, and drowned. As he was brought to the water, he praised God and sang psalms. His martyrdom, tragically ordered by the Reformer Zwingli, sealed with blood the Anabaptist conviction that Christ—not the state—rules His church.

Balthasar Hubmaier (1480?–1528)

Trained as a Catholic theologian, Balthasar Hubmaier became one of the most articulate voices of the Anabaptist movement. A gifted writer and preacher, he spread the Anabaptist message throughout Switzerland, Germany, and Moravia. His written works include Concerning Heretics and Those Who Burn Them, in which he argued that faith cannot be coerced (by the state or anyone else) and that heretics must be won through Scripture, patience, prayer, and witness.

Hubmaier insisted that baptism was a public confession of personal faith, declaring, “You must ask the Scriptures, not the church.” Hubmaier’s evangelistic preaching was fruitful, and it is said that in one city alone six thousand people were baptized through his ministry. His wife, Elisabeth, stood faithfully beside him through persecution.

Near Vienna’s Stubentor stands a memorial at the site where Dr. Balthasar Hubmaier was burned as an Anabaptist on March 10, 1528. It reads: “Christ did not come that I should kill, burn, and murder.”—from On Heretics and Those Who Burn Them

I’ve used his oft-repeated line, “Truth is immortal,” as the title for this article. It captures the heart of his convictions as well as his hope in God that even when he was gone, the truth would live on.

In March 1528, Hubmaier was burned at the stake in Vienna, crying out, “O Jesus, Jesus!” as the flames consumed him. Three days later, his wife was drowned in the Danube. Their testimony lives on as a reminder that truth cannot be silenced by fire or water.

Michael Sattler (1490–1527)

Michael Sattler had been a prior in a Catholic monastery before coming to faith in Christ and joining the Anabaptists. He quickly emerged as a wise and steady leader during the movement’s earliest years. His greatest written contribution was the Schleitheim Confession of 1527, which outlined seven key articles of Anabaptist belief. Among them was a clear description of the church as a community of baptized believers and a sober reminder that pastors would serve “under the cross,” expecting persecution for their faith.

Sattler’s convictions soon brought him before a tribunal in Rottenburg, Germany. Despite brutal torture, he refused to recant. His final words echoed those of earlier martyrs: “If I had not been sent by God, I would not be here.” He was burned at the stake on May 21, 1527. His wife, Margaretha, was executed by drowning days later. Their testimony gave strength to countless Anabaptists who would follow them on the martyr’s path.

Menno Simons (1496–1561)

Menno Simons was a Catholic priest in the Netherlands when doubts about transubstantiation (the Catholic teaching that the bread and wine of communion become the literal body and blood of Christ) led him to the Scriptures. Through reading the Bible, he discovered that salvation is by grace through faith, not through the sacraments of the church. In his own words, “I renounced all my worldly reputation, name and fame, my unchristian abominations, my masses, infant baptism, and my easy life, and I willingly submitted to distress and poverty under the heavy cross of Christ.”

After leaving the priesthood in 1536, Menno devoted his life to shepherding scattered and persecuted Anabaptist congregations across northern Europe. While many early leaders were martyred within a few short years, Menno’s comparatively long ministry brought stability, organization, and a pastoral spirit to the movement. His writings emphasized discipleship and faithfulness to Christ.

Pilgram Marpeck (1495–1556)

Pilgram Marpeck was a civil engineer in Austria who gave up a successful career to follow Christ. After embracing Anabaptist convictions, he spent the rest of his life as a traveling pastor and writer, leading congregations while often living in exile.

Marpeck’s writings reflect a balance of conviction and charity. He emphasized both the necessity of believers’ baptism and the importance of a loving community in the church. In the Bekentnisse, a written confession of faith to which Marpeck contributed, immersion was described as the preferred form of baptism. Marpeck’s pastoral approach made him a unifying influence among diverse Anabaptist groups.

Though less known than some of his contemporaries, Marpeck’s life and writings remind us that truth and love must go hand in hand in the church of Jesus Christ.

These five leaders are only representative of dozens of other Anabaptist pastors and teachers. There is not space here to describe the lives of George Blaurock, Conrad Grebel, Dirk Philips, Hans Denck, Peter Riedemann, or the many others who faithfully preached Christ and led His church under threat of death.

And beyond these names, there are names we will never know—countless thousands of ordinary believers who followed Christ in hidden gatherings, in flight across Europe, and to places of execution. Tens of thousands were imprisoned, exiled, or killed. At least four thousand of these are named in the Martyrs’ Mirror.

What Is the Truth Worth?

In the foreground is the Limmat River in Zürich, Switzerland where Felix Manz was drowned. The church where Ulrich Zwingli pastored can be seen in the background.

If we could go back five hundred years and interview those early Anabaptists gathered in Felix Manz’s home for the first believers’ baptism of anyone they personally knew, tell them the suffering that would come, and ask them, “Is it worth it?” I’m confident their answer would be “yes.”

In the century that followed, Anabaptists knew little other than suffering. Today, we enjoy the blessings of their sacrifices. For instance, the biblical framework the Anabaptists articulated of individual soul liberty had a profound influence on the development of religious liberty we enjoy in America today.

But the primary objective of these Anabaptists was not to change governments or set policies. Their commitment was simply fidelity to Christ and obedience to His Word, regardless of the cost. When we look back at their example, our response should be twofold: to treasure the truths of God’s Word and to be willing to stand for them.

The specific issues may look different today. In sixteenth-century Europe, the dividing line of Scripture as the sole rule of faith and practice was often believers’ baptism. For us, the points of social pressure may be issues such as the biblical definition of marriage, God’s creation of male and female, and the sufficiency of Scripture to speak to every part of life. Yet at the core, the question is the same: Will we take God at His Word and follow Christ, whatever it costs?

There have been well-intentioned leaders who took rigid stands on issues of preference and tradition, sometimes confusing cultural or generational practices with biblical conviction. But today, I fear a different danger—that many leaders are unwilling to stand at all. Too often, godliness is equated with niceness, and conviction is swallowed up by a desire to avoid offense.

The reality is that truth is worth something. In fact, truth is worth everything. “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:23).

To borrow the words of Balthasar Hubmaier, “Truth is immortal.” Long after our own lives are gone, God’s truth will remain. So let us hold it fast, live it boldly, and stand on it with courage.

There are many unfolding tragedies around the world—wars in Israel and Ukraine, brutal conflicts in Sudan and India, and terrorism against conservatives here in the States. The sheer weight of so much human suffering can make us numb, even calloused.

But while the world’s attention shifts from crisis to crisis, something of staggering proportions is happening with little notice: a genocide against Christians in Nigeria, carried out by Islamic militants.

In 2014, the world’s eyes briefly turned to Nigeria when 276 Christian schoolgirls were abducted from Chibok. The global #BringBackOurGirls campaign filled news cycles and social media feeds. Yet today, while an even greater tragedy unfolds—thousands of Christians being killed, displaced, and terrorized—the same mainstream voices are largely silent.

The violence is escalating. In just the first 220 days of 2025, an estimated 7,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria—an average of thirty-five deaths every single day, according to the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law.1 

These attacks are carried out by radical groups and Fulani militants, often aligned with Islamist extremist ideologies.2 Since 2009, Boko Haram and ISWAP (the Islamic State—West Africa Province) have waged jihad campaigns. In that time, more than 50,000 Christians have been killed, and thousands of churches burned.3

The term “Christian” in Nigeria is broad and covers Catholics, Protestants, non-denominational, and Baptists. But it surely includes thousands of born again Christians. They are not statistics. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ

These people are experiencing both terror and tragedy. Fear grips entire regions, and families and churches are left shattered by brutal loss.

There are marches and protests every day in America for many victims of war, but I don’t know of any marches or protests for these perishing Christians in Nigeria.

Although much of the world and certainly the mainstream media has largely ignored the plight of these in Nigeria, and although most Christians in the States are unaware of it, I want to ask you to consider their needs in the spirit of Hebrews 13:3: “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them.”

What can we do?

Pray. Our primary response should be to pray for these believers. Pray for comfort for the grieving, courage for pastors, and steadfast faith for believers worshiping under threat. Pray for God to restrain evil and to turn even persecutors to the gospel they seek to crush.

Speak. Beware of being drawn into the selective outrage of a world that picks its causes for convenience. Don’t just speak up on that which is popular. Be as ready to share their needs as you are any other global crisis—in prayer meetings, on social media, and in discussion with friends.

Renew. The great need in Nigeria right now should cause us to renew our call to missions. Nigeria is not only a land of persecution; it is also a land of spiritual harvest. Missionaries and national pastors labor there at great risk. More laborers are needed, and we should pray to “the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).

Perhaps God is nudging your heart to serve in Nigeria. The courage of the pastors, Christians, and missionaries who are there must be matched by our prayers, giving, and sending.

Stand. If Nigerian believers can sing hymns while militants circle their villages, how can we be silent in our safe neighborhoods? If they can follow Christ at the cost of their lives, how can we shrink back at the cost of our convenience?

Jesus promised, “…I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Though the world may offer selective outrage and costly silence, Christ is building His church—even through persecution. And He calls us to remember the persecuted, to pray for them, and to fully commit ourselves to the spread of the gospel in Nigeria and to the ends of the earth.

 

“7,000 Christians Killed in Nigeria in 2025, Report Says,” Newsweek, August 13, 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/christians-k... Extremists Kill 15 Christians in Nigeria,” International Christian Concern, August 25, 2025, https://persecution.org/2025/08/25/fu... Cruz Calls for Action on Christian Persecution in Nigeria,” Newsweek, September 10, 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/ted-cruz-nig....

Whether or not you previously knew of Charlie Kirk, it would be impossible not to know of him today. Rarely—if ever—has the death of someone who was neither an elected official nor a decorated soldier ignited such a wave of public response. My social media feed has been flooded with tributes, news reports, and reflections. Clearly, Charlie’s voice and courage were making a difference.

But Charlie Kirk was more than a bold voice in a cultural moment. He was a young husband and father who knew Christ, loved his country, and stood unashamedly for truth.

On Wednesday, Charlie was martyred for his faith and his courageous stand. There is no other way to put it. He was assassinated because of what he believed—and for refusing to be silent about those beliefs.

Charlie’s life was marked by qualities worth appreciating and remembering. He gave a clear testimony of salvation—publicly affirming his faith in Jesus Christ alone and urging others to trust Him as well. If you’ve watched Charlie’s videos over the years, it’s evident that he was growing in the Word. In a video I’ve seen posted many times this week, he was asked how he would want to be remembered. His response: “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important.” 

The one time I heard Charlie speak in person, I was astounded at his grasp of history as well as his ability to connect that history with the biblical truths that undergird liberty. 

Charlie also took an unashamed stand on moral issues. He saw the world more clearly than the shallow categories of partisan politics. Rather, he recognized the spiritual realities of good and evil, truth and error, right and wrong. 

In a day when Christian convictions (if they can be called that) are often held privately and Christians are urged to accept the growing tide of secularism and paganism in our country with an attitude of resignation, Charlie spoke plainly and publicly. He called sin what it was. He called out pastors leaning to woke philosophies and urged them to confront the sins of our day with the Word of God.

Charlie’s faith motivated him to make a difference. To that end, Charlie poured his astounding energy into reaching young people. He held hundreds of Turning Point USA events on college campuses. These events included an open-mic format where he engaged students’ intellects and challenged the moral assumptions of students who held views opposite his own. Although these events were primarily developed around patriotism, he often shared his faith and his wish for those students to know Christ. 

It was at one of these events this week that Charlie was martyred. He stood strong and gave his young life for God and country.

Charlie’s legacy must not end with admiration. It must continue through action. 

Charlie Kirk’s legacy must not end with admiration. It must continue through action.
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What can Christians do in response to this remarkable life and tragic loss? 

1. Pray for the Kirk family. Pray for Charlie’s wife Erika, their two children, and the entire family. Ask the Lord to surround them with His comfort and sustaining grace in this time of grief (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).

2. Pray for our country. I’ve said for years that America is either headed for anarchy or revival. The growing lawlessness and vitriol reveal how far we have drifted from the fear of God. Our nation needs divine intervention. Pray that God would send revival, for He has promised, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

3. Share the gospel. Politics and politicians come and go. Political moments rise and fall. But only Christ can change a life from the inside out. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Charlie knew and proclaimed this truth. If we would honor his testimony, we must share the gospel with boldness and compassion.

4. Reach young people for Christ. One of the remarkable aspects of Charlie’s life was his ability to engage Gen Z and Generation Alpha. And by every objective measure, he was reaching them. His life is proof that the next generation is not closed to truth or reason. But they must be engaged with courage and clarity. Share the gospel in Bible clubs, on college campuses, and in everyday conversations. We must, “Go, stand and speak…to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20).

5. Encourage conservative legislators and leaders. Charlie’s assassination is a startling reminder of the hatred that those who stand for truth and biblical values often face. If you are served by a conservative, Bible-believing official, encourage them. And for all leaders—whether you agree with them or not—pray for them. “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:1–2).

Charlie’s testimony leaves us with a sobering reminder and a pressing challenge: Too many Christians today seem to be operating from the unspoken question: “Is it safe?” Before taking a strong, biblical stand in a public way, they consider the risks. They wonder if it is safe to speak truth, to live boldly, to stand on biblical principles.

Charlie’s martyrdom gives us a sobering answer. No, it’s not safe. But asking if it is safe is the wrong question. The real question is this: “Is it important?” And the answer to that question is yes. Eternally, unshakably, yes. 

The life and testimony of Charlie Kirk remind us that what matters most is not safety, but truth. May his example stir us to live unashamed of Christ and His gospel and to boldly stand on the unchanging truths of God’s Word.