Northwestern’s prescription for a community rooted in Christ

BY KENNY KING ’10

Chapel services are not a novelty on Christian college campuses, but the unique opportunity for students to gather—everyone, every day—is a Northwestern distinctive.

The mission of Northwestern’s daily chapels is to support the mission statement of Northwestern College by “maintaining a biblically based chapel program which focuses on the worship of God through fellowship, praise and the proclamation of His Word.”

A chapel service today may include informal talks by faculty members and students, sermons, music, times of praise and worship, or messages by visiting scholars or missionaries. Chapels may be part of a series, related to current events or linked to a specific department or office on campus.

As a student, I’ve witnessed firsthand the benefit of daily chapel. Yes, chapels are required and no, I don’t feel like going every single day. However, the Lord isn’t inhibited by our sometimes negative attitude about something that’s required. Even those who sit up in the “rowdy section” (guilty!) have experienced, at one time or another, an incredibly meaningful spiritual encounter that only comes from the Lord; and it happened during chapel.