Policies and Procedures

For the Local Church

Policies do more than provide continuity; they offer protection. When followed, they protect the ministry and staff from avoidable mistakes or misunderstandings. They also protect the laypeople we serve, providing safe and thoughtful environments in which ministry can flourish.

We have included the policies that we believe would be most helpful to other churches, generalizing where needed to make them adaptable for a variety of ministries. Even with these generalizations, these policies will not fit every ministry like a perfect glove. We share these not as a template but as a launching point—giving you ideas, sample wording, and a framework to develop policies that will best serve your church family.

Paul Chappell is the senior pastor of the Lancaster Baptist Church and president of West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, California. His biblical vision has led the church to become one of the most dynamic independent Baptist churches in the nation, and his Christ-centered leadership philosophy has become a model for hundreds of future leaders. He has been married to his wife, Terrie, since 1980 and is the father of four married children who are all serving in Christian ministry.