Beginning this semester, Spiritual Development changed the chapel credit requirement of 30 chapels and eight conferences to 20 chapels and five conferences. They have also decided to cancel chapel and conference makeup forms. While students may disagree with the change, I believe the chapel reduction will benefit students who are heavily involved with activities on campus, ease students’ stress and encourage greater spiritual development.

RELIEVING WORRY

As students we are accustomed to staying up all night cramming for a test, finishing last minute homework, waking up early the next morning for a long drive to school with back-to back classes. We are often found in the predicament of planning when we will attend chapel around our busy schedules. This exemplifies the typical struggle of a Biola student — fulfilling chapel requirements while balancing their academic life.

The decrease in chapel credits eases students’ stress by allowing them to manage their studies and extracurricular activities. Whereas, the previous chapel credit requirement included excessive worrying about paying a hefty fine at the end of the semester.

FULLY ENGAGING

Spiritual Development eliminated chapel and conference makeups, which now requires students to physically attend their chapels in order to receive credit. I believe attending a chapel physically rather than listening to it through a laptop or cellphone screen benefits a student more because they are able to fully engage in the chapel speaker’s message in the moment.

Near the end of the semester I hear complaints from my fellow classmates and friends of having to finish their chapel makeups. I walk through the library and around the SUB to see almost every student with earbuds in their ears as they furiously write on a pile of chapel makeup forms.

The rush to complete these forms defeats the purpose of chapel, which is to grow and learn about God through various speakers preaching about Biola’s yearly theme. Instead, students become only focused on finishing chapel makeups in order to complete their requirement.

LESSENING STRESS

We live in a time where we want everything immediately. Students want to finish their chapels quickly at the end of the year so that they have less stress as they study for finals and work on final projects and papers. The policy change of removing chapel makeups grants students extra time to work at the end of the semester.

The new chapel policy benefits students by lessening stress and adding convenience to their busy lives, and still manages to help students grow deeper in their relationship with God.