Required chapel in Seminary

What I find interesting is how many said they were very busy. I would wonder how many are that busy studying today to feed the people they preach to each week.

 

As for me, I went to chapel much of the time when it wasn't a speaker with an agenda, but much of the time I had to go to the library to locate reading assignments due for the next class session and/or locate and check out materials for papers that I had to write late at night and on weekends. I worked second shift most of the time I was in seminary, so it wasn't easy to use the library during the limited hours they kept.

Some of my worst experiences in "worship" had to do with chapel at SWBTS. And as others have noted, "Exegetical Fallacies" played out before us on a regular basis.

 

rbell, could you explain why a chapel service led by your seminary's school of music equated with students not being able to "stand" chapel? Style of music? Performance standards? Or what?

 

The Baptist college I attend (this is my last semester) has a once-a-week required chapel for all students. We get 4 skips per semester, and after that we are fined 50 dollars for each skip. I guess you don't have to go to chapel if you have the extra cash!

 

We werent "made" to go at NOBTS. However, I do recall becoming frustrated at the "lounge lizards" that liked to camp out in the student center during chapel time. They eventually had to lock the student center and close the library during chapel time. I think I understand what some are saying here - it IS frustrating when they see ministers doing exactly what we see many church folks do by only doing what seems to be the bare minimum.

On the other hand, there are seminarians who are barely having enough hours in the day to get everything done. They are serving churches, often working other jobs in addition to that, and trying to balance family and studies. Its a difficult life for some.

Lets be sure not to lump everyone together negatively. There is already enough of that going on out in the real world.

 

I experienced much the same thing in chapel when listening to those who have not studied.

Personally I would like to have heard more professors speak.

 

I saw many who did not attend church on Sunday and were studying for the ministry.

When I was in The Navigators as leaders we were required to be actively involved in the local church.

 

I think this is a far greater concern for ministry than someone who is trying to make ends meet.

I noticed above a reference was made to the lounge lizards who would hang out in the student center during chapel. With my experience I too had serious problems with these guys, particularly because I was forever rushing off to work while they hung out for the majority of the day and never did much to really grow their faith (for the most part.) If we've made a seminary degree just an meaningless qualification for ministry (which I think we have) we're doing far more harm to our churches than people missing a chapel service.

 

I was very busy in seminary and rarely went to chapel. Instead I made time for the ministry I volunteered for at my church. That took a lot more time and seemed a lot more important. I really do not understand how you equate chapel with sermon preparation.

"Busy" is really a statement of priorities. I'm not saying chapel is not important, but for me, back then, I was juggling work, church, class, and a new wife. Yes, chapel was way down on my list of priorities, but that does not mean that learning was not, worship was not, and ministry was not. Those things were much higher on the list.

The thing is that in seminary there are a million opportunities for learning and growing in Christ. Chapel is one, and there are others. I don't know of anyone that could find the time to take advantage of every opportunity offered. So why isn't student government, campus youth Bible study, inner city mission groups, etc equated to sermon preparation?

Just to set your mind at ease...I spend a lot of time now on sermon preparation. Thanks for the concern.

 

This is a much greater problem. I new students who attended chapel but were hardly active in church. I new students who would not attend a church if they didn't have a paid position. Ironically, these same students would criticize me for not attending chapel.

Chapel is great but it is not church. The local church is why we were in seminary to begin with...or maybe it was for jobs...sometimes it was hard to tell.


TaterTot,

when were you at NOBTS? I remember when they locked the coffee shop, but I never remember being made to go.

Dr. Millwood once told me he was touched that I attended his chapel service but was concerned that I had not skipped his class yet in the semester. I guess he understood the life of a student.

 

I always made a special effort to go to chapel when one of the professors spoke. I heard some memorable and transforming preaching from SWBTS professors like:

-Keith Putt
-W.R. Estep
-David Garland
-John Newport
-Bruce Leafblad
-Jack MacGorman

Unfortunately for us, half of those folks are seeing Jesus face-to-face now.

 

Missing chapel is not like missing church. Chapel is an entirely different thing.

Now, if ministers in training aren't attending church anywhere, then we have a big problem.

 

I graduated in 2000. We lived on campus from 1998-2000, and my husband has been a perpetual student since that time, lol. Closing in FINALLY on a doctoral graduation date.

When were you there?

Oh, also, I dont believe anyone was ever "made" to go to chapel. But there were some undergraduate classes that gave credit for going I believe.

 

I like the idea of requiring chapel.

 

What amazes me is that seminaries will require quite a number of things they consider important. I know of none that require any of their students to have proven their effectiveness in ministry by obedience to the command Jesus gave to make disciples. So many seminaries are willing to set all kinds of requirements but making disciples is not one of them.

 

Most of the time those in seminary are studying to be in a ministry somewhere. They should be at least as far along in their Christian life as what scripture teaches every Christian ought to be doing. They should not accpet any student who has not discipled at least one person and those who have never shared their faith. That would put a lot of pressure on the churches do that kind of training. The seminary should be a place to train leaders for leading others in ministry not to train people what the church should have already done.

 

So true brother . . .

 

Didn't say that...maybe you've got me confused with another rbell! :tongue3:

 

very well said. Doesn't excuse chronic "loungers" yet addresses that there can be more important things than daily chapel...maybe not a million things, but there are things.

I agree completely.