Bryan Chapell (born 18 November 1954) is an American pastor and theologian who currently serves as the Stated Clerk of the
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presb ...
. He was previously the senior pastor of
Grace Presbyterian Church in
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria ...
. Prior to that he was president of
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary, informally called Covenant Seminary, is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Located in Creve Coeur, Missouri, it trains people to work as leaders in church positions and elsewhe ...
in
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
for eighteen years. Chapell is also an author, lecturer, and conference speaker specializing in
homiletics
In religious studies, homiletics ( grc, ὁμιλητικός ''homilētikós'', from ''homilos'', "assembled crowd, throng") is the application of the general principles of rhetoric to the specific art of public preaching. One who practices or ...
. He served as
Moderator of the
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presb ...
in 2014.
Family
Chapell married Kathleen Beth Gabriel on May 27, 1978, and the two have four adult children and a growing number of grandchildren.
Education
Chapell has a
Bachelor of Journalism
The Bachelor of Journalism (B.J.) degree is a degree awarded at some universities to students who have studied journalism in a three or four year undergraduate program. In the United States, some schools that do not award the B.J. degree instead c ...
from
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
, a
Master of Divinity
For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and divi ...
from
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary, informally called Covenant Seminary, is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Located in Creve Coeur, Missouri, it trains people to work as leaders in church positions and elsewhe ...
, and a
PhD in speech communication from
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University (SIU or SIUC) is a public research university in Carbondale, Illinois. Founded in 1869, SIU is the oldest and flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system. The university enrolls students from all 50 s ...
.
Ministry
Chapell began pastoral ministry at Woodburn Presbyterian Church in Woodburn, Illinois in 1976 and subsequently pastored Bethel Reformed Presbyterian Church in Sparta, Illinois from 1978 to 1985. He became a professor of preaching at
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary, informally called Covenant Seminary, is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Located in Creve Coeur, Missouri, it trains people to work as leaders in church positions and elsewhe ...
in 1985, where he also served as dean of faculty (1987–1994), president (1994–2012), and chancellor (2012–2013). On Easter, 2013, he became senior pastor of the historic
Grace Presbyterian Church in
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria ...
and ministered in that capacity until 2020. In 2020, Chapell became the Stated Clerk Pro Tempore of the
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presb ...
and in 2021 was elected as stated clerk.
Unlimited Grace
In 2015, Chapell and members from Grace Presbyterian Church founded Unlimited Grace Media, an independent non-profit media ministry dedicated to spreading the gospel of God's grace to all people. He hosts a daily half-hour radio Bible teaching program called "Unlimited Grace," which began airing in 2016 both nationally and internationally.
Speaker
Chapell is a speaker in churches and conferences around the world, preaching and lecturing on topics including grace, marriage, worship, and Christ-centered preaching.
Homiletics
Chapell's book ''Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon'' is considered his ''
magnum opus
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
''.
It won ''Preaching'' magazine's Book of the Year award in 1994. In it, Chapell explains his concept of the "Fallen Condition Focus" (FCF): "the mutual human condition that contemporary believers share with those for or by whom the text was written that requires the grace of the passage to manifest God's glory in his people." Chapell's approach is to raise the FCF in the sermon's introduction, while the body of the sermon responds to the FCF by giving its redemptive purpose. Zack Eswine suggests that the FCF "helpfully urges the preachers to account for Christians in a fallen world," but that it is "equipped primarily as a tool for churched contexts."
Writings
Chapell has written several other books, including:
*"Unlimited Grace"
*"Christ-Centered Worship"
*"The Gospel According to Daniel"
*"The Promises of Grace"
*"Using Illustrations to Preach with Power"
*"Each for the Other"
*"Commentary on Ephesians"
*"The Wonder of It All"
*"1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: To Guard the Deposit (with R. Kent Hughes)"
*"Holiness by Grace"
*"Praying Backwards: Transform Your Prayer Life by Beginning in Jesus' Name"
*"The Hardest Sermons You'll Ever Have to Preach"
*"I'll Love You Anyway and Always, a children's book"
He has also written many academic and devotional articles as well as lyrics to several hymns.
Religious Service
Chapell is a founding member of
The Gospel Coalition
The Gospel Coalition, or TGC, is a union of evangelical and Reformed churches.
History
It was founded in 2005 by theologian D. A. Carson and pastor Tim Keller. TGC describe their mission as being “deeply committed to renewing our faith ...
and continues to serve with its leadership.
Chapell has served with the
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) is a non-profit Christian outreach organization that promotes multimedia evangelism, conducts evangelistic crusades, and engages in disaster response. The BGEA operates the Billy Graham Trainin ...
both in national crusades and in ministries to China.
In November 2009, Chapell signed an ecumenical statement known as the
Manhattan Declaration Manhattan Declaration can refer to:
* Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience, an American Christian cross-denominational declaration addressing a number of political issues in 2009
* Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change, a d ...
calling on evangelicals, Catholics and Orthodox to support the religious right to address issues that go against religious conscience such as human trafficking, abortion, same-sex marriage, etc.
Chapell has served in numerous roles of academic leadership, including the Standards Committee of the
Association of Theological Schools
The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
History
It was founded in 1918. The associ ...
.
In the national life of the
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presb ...
(PCA), Chapell has served as
Moderator (2014), a member of the Constitutional Business Committee, the Standing Judicial Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Credentials Committee, and numerous local and regional offices.
Chapell has served on the boards of Serge, byFaith Magazine, God's World Publications, Cass Information Systems, Inc., and in advisory roles for numerous boards, churches and academic institutions.
References
External links
Grace Presbyterian ChurchUnlimited Grace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapell, Bryan
American Calvinist and Reformed theologians
Presbyterian Church in America ministers
Living people
1954 births
Clergy from St. Louis
Presidents of Calvinist and Reformed seminaries
Covenant Theological Seminary faculty
Covenant Theological Seminary alumni
Medill School of Journalism alumni
Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni
20th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
21st-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
American Presbyterian ministers
People from Peoria, Illinois