“As Christians, we are all called to serve Christ whether that be through the local church or in some other capacity,” Madeleine Lloyd, one of the 500 students in Ministry Chapel, said.
“I think this semester I feel like Ministry Chapel is not as strictly focused on the School of Religion majors.”
The chapel provides the tools and focus that students in any major can use to prepare for ministry in their lifetime. It offers a focused, intimate and instructional setting that is different from the chapel held in FMA.
Dr. Nathan Crockett, a faculty member in the School of Religion said, “In the past, ministry-related majors would have these opportunities in their classes, but now majors in maybe business, history or accounting that want to go into seminary in the future, have these same opportunities through Ministry Chapel,” he said.
“Through Ministry Chapel, any major, and any gender can receive the instruction they want going into seminary.”
Lloyd said that, as a student not in the School of Religion, she was reminded by Ministry Chapel of her responsibility to be advancing the Gospel no matter her occupation. “Through Ministry Chapel, God has grown my desire to serve others and invest in relationships in the light of eternity,” she said, “Since my first semester attending, I feel more included now than before.”
“The singing, the acoustics, that many people in that room at once, is powerful,” Crockett said, “I’ve had students tell me that it feels very personal and intimate.”
Announcements about upcoming ministry opportunities as well as a regular newsletter help students get even more involved in the local community and beyond.
Examples of these ministry opportunities are camps and churches seeking counselors, piano players, youth pastors and other staff.
“We are often bombarded with requests from churches. Ministry Chapel allows us to announce these requests to students who would be interested,” Crockett said.
All students are welcome to help with the events Ministry Chapel announces, even those who do not attend the chapel.
The newsletter tells of other opportunities that those in Ministry Chapel can help with, such as outreaches, mission trips, and door-to-door witnessing with various local churches.
Jana Raynor, a health science major at BJU said, “Ministry Chapel has improved us as a student body to be more aware that we are to keep our focus on things more important than our own lives,” she said.
“I love that it is open to all majors, and not just those studying in ministry. It’s accomplishing its mission by keeping people aware that we are to keep our focus on those around us and the needs they have.”
Lloyd said ministry chapel has pushed him to participate in more ministry opportunities. “I see a need in my own life to be more involved in ministry because of Ministry Chapel.” Lloyd said, “I believe because of that, it has accomplished its goal.”
