Hey Friends! I’m coming at you with a blog very near to my heart, because I feel that it is one of the most important aspects of life at Biola: Chapels. 

It is human nature to dread something that you are required to participate in, but Chapel has been one of the greatest gifts to me Biola. We offer many chapels at Biola--around 9 per week--and all of them are unique and amazing in their own way. However, it’s hard to not have a favorite few chapels that you attend every single week. 

1. Singspiration (Biola students nicknamed it ‘Singspo’)

Singspo is offered on Sunday nights at 8pm, and serves as a night of worship led by a chapel band! Biola students gather in the Chase Gym to pray, worship and gather in community to worship King Jesus. Sinspo is a special time for students to cultivate an atmosphere of worship on campus. The chapel bands do an amazing job of leading us in the Spirit, and letting the Lord guide the night of worship.

2. Afterdark

Afterdark is offered on Wednesday nights at 9:15pm in Sutherland Auditorium. Afterdark is led by students, but also sometimes features sermons from outside speakers and/or professors. A chapel band leads worship, and they also allow students to stay late for extended worship. One of my favorite Afterdarks was when one of our professors, Matt Williams, spoke on the topic of Shame and how to deal with it from a Christian perspective. He brought in a Biola alumni who shared her story of heartbreak and how she ran away from God, but the Lord redeemed her and took away her guilt and shame. Extended worship is my favorite part because it is a free, spirit-led time and I am able to enter into a place with just me and Jesus through song.

3. Biola Hour

Biola hour is one of my favorite chapels because we get to hear from extremely unique speakers. Some of my favorite Biola Hours have been students speaking on their struggles with same-sex attraction and a woman from Guatemala speaking about the Spanish culture within churches. Biola encourages perspectives on different cultures, religions, political and social backgrounds and careers — Biola hour is a wonderful time of engaging with these views, asking the big questions of life and expanding your mind!


Peace!

Jessie