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I\u2019ve often heard that chapel is the \u201cheartbeat of campus,\u201d and I would say that\u2019s an accurate description. Chapel is the only time when nearly the whole student body (or all the student body, during Fall Bible Conference) gathers together to worship God and study the Word! It\u2019s what makes Cedarville unique. It\u2019s what unites the students. It\u2019s a little piece of what we can expect in heaven.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What Chapel\u2019s All About<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As the \u201cheartbeat of campus,\u201d chapel is important to Cedarville and, thus, important to engage with. Before I came to Cedarville, I worried that chapel would get old fast: 1 hour, 5 days a week? I wondered \u201cwhat\u2019s the point?,\u201d especially if I was already attending a church service on Sundays. But Cedarville chapel is <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> church; it is something utterly distinct. For one, it is giving God our first of each day. Every person who attends Cedarville has made a declaration of faith. As believers, we have all decided to put God first \u2014 to recognize that nothing is more important than following Him. And what better way to do that than giving God one of the first hours of our day? Especially being busy college students, built-in time to meditate on God\u2019s Word and praise Him alongside fellow believers is wonderful.<\/span> What to Bring<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, chapel\u2019s important. That\u2019s great. But how do you get anything out of it? And how do you focus when you have classes still on your mind? First and foremost, your chapel experiences\u2014 and whether you learn anything from them \u2014 depend completely on you. If you decide to sit in the very back row with your phone on and earbuds in, not listening to anything the speaker says, then you\u2019ll get exactly what you\u2019re putting in: nothing. For chapel to have any effect on you, you must engage.<\/span> Where to Sit<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Just as with what to bring, there\u2019s no right answer. Many students enjoy sitting as close as they can to the stage to make it easier to focus and see the speaker. Others prefer gathering in the back rows to avoid feeling overstimulated from the loud worship music. And most people end up sitting with a group of friends, or at least their roommate \u2014 people with whom they can share the chapel experience, and maybe notes and thoughts later.<\/span>
\nChapel also allows us to become fully surrounded with God\u2019s Word. \u201cFaith comes from hearing\u201d (Romans 10:17) and daily exposure to biblical teaching from Cedarville professors and visiting speakers (on top of Sunday morning church!) helps strengthen our faith. If nothing else, chapel provides an hour each day to remove ourselves from the daily stress and busyness of classes and work; it is time to simply <\/span>be<\/span><\/i> and reflect on God\u2019s blessings. As a current junior at Cedarville who has experienced daily chapel for two years now, I can confidently say it does not get old. If anything, I\u2019ve learned even more how important it is to devote time to learning from God and praising Him.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe best items you can bring to chapel are a notebook and writing utensil. They don\u2019t have to be fancy \u2014 you don\u2019t have to be the student in the front row with 12 different colored markers and highlighters. But taking notes is the best possible thing you can do to focus on God\u2019s Word. Jot down the date, the text, and anything that hits you as significant. Over the next few weeks, months, or years, when you look back on your notes, you\u2019ll notice patterns. You\u2019ll learn what God speaks to you. You\u2019ll see how you\u2019ve learned and grown and become more like Jesus.<\/span>
\nYour Bible should be the next thing you bring to chapel. Especially if you have a journaling Bible and can take notes in the margins, having it with you will help you follow along with the text and take study notes that will benefit you later when you read on your own. However, with students often coming straight from or leaving straight to classes, sometimes you don\u2019t have room for your Bible <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> your heavy textbooks. That\u2019s okay. I often use the Bible app on my phone to follow along with the text instead. Really, there\u2019s no wrong way to engage with chapel; do and bring what helps you listen and follow along best.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cedarville.edu\/studentlife\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Chapel-Inside-4.jpg?resize=700%2C525&ssl=1\")
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\nMy friends and I enjoy sitting in the balcony where we have a high vantage point of the whole building. There\u2019s something exciting about seeing the whole study body worship together or flip their Bibles open in unison from a bird\u2019s-eye-view. Plus, the balcony feels much more private and cozy. But the best place to sit is often wherever is the <\/span>least<\/span><\/i> distracting and <\/span>most<\/span><\/i> engaging for you \u2014 and sometimes that\u2019s just wherever your community sits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n