There are negative Nancys residing here on campus that hate chapel. It’s obvious by those who have groggy faces wearing their hoods and sleeping through the morning chapels, who lean up against the walls during Singspo and check out or by those who “Sabbath” by hitting Starbucks to do homework with friends then come back for the ever-so-desired scan. Negative Nancys complain that our school requires too many chapels per semester, chapel make-ups are too difficult, chapel fines are too high and messages are too boring. It is time to get rid of the negativity surrounding chapels and instill a new optimism and mind set. It is time to believe that chapel is like Chipotle.
In my opinion, Chipotle is one of the best restaurants ever invented by man. Don’t agree? Then I have a theory: If you don’t love Chipotle then you have never found “your meal.” “Your meal” is the meal that you love and that works best for you, satisfying your desires, hunger and needs. My meal is a salad with mouth-watering chicken, corn salsa, hot salsa, medium salsa, guacamole and a sprinkle of brown rice — all washed down with a cool Diet Coke. This meal works best for me; it satisfies my desire for something exciting, curbs my hunger and fulfills my needs.
Chapel is exactly the same. I love chapel. I think chapel is one of the best things about Biola. Don’t agree? Then I have another theory: If you don’t love chapel then you haven’t found “your chapel.” “Your chapel” is the chapel schedule that you love and that works best for you, satisfying your desires, hunger and needs. My chapel schedule is MWF morning Chase chapels and Singspiration. This chapel schedule works best for me. It is exciting because I never check to know who is speaking in the mornings and I never know what God will reveal to me during Singspiration. It fuels my hunger for the Lord and fulfills my spiritual needs. There are hundreds of different chapel options between different chapel speakers, morning or night, Talbot or Chase Gymnasium, Singspiration or AfterDark, Sabbathing or department chapels — it is almost impossible to not to find a combination that works for you.
Granted, some speakers sound like the teacher in Charlie Brown. No matter what they say, it doesn’t speak to us. There have been nights where I’ve gone in to Singspiration with a contrite heart and a receptive spirit, and still have had a hard time worshipping. That being said, we get out of chapel what we put into them. God has put some value into every chapel for us, even if its only one verse or lyric. While we may have to search a little harder to find it, but if you ask, you will receive.
What’s more, our chapels are refreshing for the soul and nourishing for the spirit. People from all around the world would pay to listen to the excellent speakers Biola gets to come and share. Chapels are truly a gift that allows us to be immersed in many different topics and passions. Though they may be early in the morning, or the speaker may not have the most interesting or clear teaching style, they all, each and every one of them, have something to teach us.
Still feel like chapel programs are too strict and require too much? Our school is actually quite accommodating to students in regard to chapels. Stricter schools include Westmont College, Wheaton College and even Azusa Pacific University. Wheaton only allows nine absences for the whole semester and fines students who fall short of completion, according to the school website’s chapel attendance tab. Westmont’s students are only allowed to miss 12 chapels per semester out of a multitude of options, as its website states. Azusa’s attendance policy requires students to attend three chapels per week, according to its website, and there are only three morning chapels and one night chapel available. Biola gracefully requires only 30 chapels out of numerous options and even allows chapel makeups. This is the perfect number to produce spiritual growth while avoiding viewing chapel as a chore.
Negative Nancys are fresh out of excuses to hate chapel. So now it’s time for you to find the chapel schedule of your dreams. Am i saying that every chapel speaker is going to sweep you off your feet? No. I'm just saying it is time to see chapels optimistically, as part of the great makeup of our school. This semester, find the right chapels for you. Start experimenting with different chapels and discover a combination that gives you the most optimism to satisfy your desires, hunger and needs. So the questions are, salad, bowl or burrito? Morning chapels, night chapels or Sabbathing? Chicken, barbacoa, veggie, carnitas or steak? Chase chapels, Talbot chapels, Singspiration, AfterDark or Fives?
