NBC Chapel Worship — *Every week students gather for worship and the word during chapel. Freshman Emma Pierce writes on what you can expect.*

As an incoming student, I was curious about what Wednesday chapel would look like. Would it be a second church service in the middle of the week? Would it feel like attending a theology lecture or another biblical studies class?

While you will certainly receive good teaching and fellowship during chapel, it is neither a second Sunday service nor a college lecture. NBC Chapel is a time set aside every Wednesday morning specifically for traditional college students to gather and worship, pray, and hear the Word of God together.

You may be split into groups for activities. You might complete personal challenges. If you are a new student, the first chapel gathering of the school year may be the first time you see the entire student body in one place. It is a great way to get introduced to the people you will be sharing classes or ProDev assignments with. It may also be your first time meeting some of your professors and other faculty members.

Student Lunch NBC — *After chapel, students often pick up lunch from Stateland Coffee and enjoy the day before transitioning to class or ministry.*

What Does a Wednesday Morning at NBC Look Like?

Chapel begins at 8:30 a.m. and runs until approximately 10 a.m. Many students will swing by the coffee shop right next door for breakfast beforehand or grab something to sip on during chapel.

Before chapel begins, one of our staff members or senior students will share weekly announcements. These may include upcoming church and college events, ministry opportunities, student reminders, and other things happening around campus.

Chapel kicks off with worship and prayer, during which students are free to sit, stand, or move about the space. Students are encouraged to pray with and for one another.

Painting Chapel NashBC — *This year’s focus for chapels is spiritual formation. On this particular day we listened to a sermon from James K. A. Smith about “Ordering our Loves” according to God’s.*

Every Chapel Looks a Little Different

What happens after worship and prayer may look different from week to week. Typically, one of our professors or a guest speaker will deliver the main message, focusing on a particular passage or theme in Scripture. The message will sometimes be accompanied by an activity.

For example, one Wednesday we were given blank note cards and told to write the numbers one through ten. We were then given examples of different skills, one by one, and challenged to blindly rank them on a personal scale. A score of one meant we believed we excelled in this area, while ten meant we believed it was one of our weakest skills. The list included making friends, managing time, committing to spiritual disciplines, being a good listener, and more. Afterwards, we found others who excelled in the traits we had marked low and discussed ways to improve.

During another chapel, we walked to the college building, where we were split into groups of three or four and given a canvas and watercolors. We listened to a recorded message about identifying our genuine desires and considering whether they were aligned with God’s will. Each group, without speaking, had to work together to create a visual representation of how they interpreted the message. Our projects were not graded. The results made us laugh, but also brought up important questions and personal reflections.

Chapel at Nashville Bible College — *Students play many roles at chapel, from leading worship, room set up, AV, to even sometimes doing the preaching.*

Opportunities to Serve During Chapel

Chapel is also a great opportunity for musicians or students interested in audio and visual technology to use their skills to serve the Lord.

One member of our worship team says, “Being able to go through rehearsal, perform sound checks, pray before getting on stage, and pause the playing of music for testimonies from the rest of the team allows worship to be more than a rigid event with no room for the Spirit to move.”

A Pause in the Middle of the Week

All in all, NBC Chapel is a much-needed pause in the middle of a busy week. It gives the student body time to gather for fellowship with each other and with professors and advisors, and to remember the reason each one of us is here: to seek the Lord, gain a deeper knowledge of His Word, and serve Him and others.