I attended chapel for the first time here at Central today. Chapel is held twice a week for an hour and it's mandatory. They have attendance and everything. However, after going to chapel today, I have to wonder why you would ever want to skip out or be somewhere else. The reasons are completely beyond me.
We sang worship songs and it was a beautiful experience to hear over four hundred young voices singing praise to God. I've never been part of something like that. Even on mission trips, the most people we had gathered at one time was maybe one hundred and fifty or so. My home church's congregation is pretty large, but during the traditional service (the most attended service), the experience of singing (whether it's contemporary praise or traditional hymns is irrelevant) and praising God by doing so is completely different. The atmosphere is not the same. The energy isn't quite there like it was this morning at chapel. It's not vibrant.
Does that make it any less acceptable?
No.
Does that make it any less affective?
No.
God doesn't care about the how, the when, or the where. And that's what makes true worship so attractive. I've learned this past year that worship is not going to church. Worship is not singing praise songs. Those are aspects of worship. Worship is living your life for God. Giving everything you've got to Him - all day, every day. Don't get me wrong, going to church and singing praise songs is seriously an awesome thing to do, if it so appeals to you and you enjoy participating in those acts of worship. Some say they are not necessary on your walk with Christ, others would disagree.
But it all comes down to loving God above all else and giving Him your heart. That's what truly matters.
Chapel is definitely a bonus, though.
'Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name.'
[Hebrews 13:15]
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