When it comes to going to a private liberal arts university, going to Chapel is a part of our contract. In fact, it is required we fulfill a certain amount of credits to pass each semester. Being forced to go to Chapel has definitely changed my perspective on what I take in from certain “authoritative” speakers. At Northwest University, there is a plethora of speakers who come through each week and none of which really stay around— unless, of course, they are faculty. All of these speakers hired by Campus Ministries come for about a 30-minute segment one time in the school year. We almost never see these speakers again due to the different cultural relevance and just because you wouldn’t want to repeat speakers. These speakers most of the time have great things to say about the Lord and some great ways to be able to make social change. There are “amens” and great hollering for the good words that are being spoken. The students even leave talking about how good it was and how much they needed it; of course, that doesn’t happen every time and most of the time actually we fall into the routine and can actually tune the speaker out.
The issue is not that people are influenced every single Chapel by what these speakers are saying, but by the fact that nothing happens after these speakers come to speak to us. Caitlin Modine, senior ministry student at Northwest University, spoke to me about her experience and feelings on the speakers who have come through in her years.
“They're here one day and gone the next. Sometimes we continue to talk about a guest speaker for a few months, but that usually ends fairly quickly and has to do with if they were saying crazy things or if they were truly interesting.”
Modine has been at Northwest University for 3 years now and has seen many speakers come and go and never see true change. With this in mind, one can’t help to wonder how these Chapel experiences are supposed to help us in our Northwest Community. As said before, Chapel of course is supposed to expose us to God in big and small ways. Ashley Hernandez, another Northwest University senior and who also was on Campus Ministries last year, spoke with me also on chapel and its many perspectives.
“After a speaker comes, Campus Ministries just wants to know people heard from God and their relationship with Him grew deeper in some way, big or small.”
Hernandez told me about how Campus Ministries is trying to make an impact, but as long as the students are able to see God two times a week at least than that is the least they can do. On the other hand, there is always big talk about what world changers we are and how that culture is cultivated here. The only problem, continually, is that where is the follow-up? Where is the continuing check-up on how we are taking what this speaker told us to do—whether for our own hearts or for our community.
Modine, when asked whether she saw this connection of Chapel to short-term mission trips said, “Yes, They come and then they leave without a commitment to our community or a general understanding of our community.” Modine also suggested that instead of having guest speakers come more often there should be more student speakers.
“I think they are trying to get outside perspectives, but I think student speakers would be far more effective because they are aware of the day-to-day occurrences on campus. Outside perspectives are great and should not be stopped, but it is just as important to honor the perspectives we have here on campus. We are all from different places, but we have all ended up here at Northwest. Isn't that cool? Why don't we celebrate that?”
Short-term mission trips are not very well taken either. Most places are trying to end them because they find they are not actually doing any good for the community, but are only good for the people who participate in them. Just as short-term missions are not really seen as effective for foreign countries, neither does Chapel feel very effective. When it comes to Chapel, there are two options: we either as a community make more of an effort in applying the changes that we see or we start implicate the changes and suggestions we hear from the students. Either way, this will change Chapel from being seen as a short-term mission trip and more as a worth-while community investment.
