Although many students at Olivet Nazarene University had classes before 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 26, there was an anticipatory buzz walking into Centennial Chapel as the first big event of the year for the entire campus community commenced.
First day of school photos were snapped in the balloon-lined lobby as post-summer reunion conversations ensued in tight huddles. Friendly faces welcomed newcomers and returners alike, as everyone searched for their chapel seats. While students, faculty and staff filed into the chapel auditorium, a ministry team band of students led the congregation in a beautiful worship set. As the room shifted from nervous energy to a more grounded sense of expectation, students seemed to settle in to receive something good — even if they didn’t quite know what that would be.
The faculty and staff knew what was coming. The previous evening, University President Gregg Chenoweth ’91, Ph.D., sent an email to all employees to announce that because of generous donor funding, every single undergraduate student would be gifted a Bible and reading plan book at the end of the first chapel service. He emphasized that the true gift of putting a Bible in the hand of every student was not just about temporary unboxing fun, but would hopefully lead to transformational life change.
“This is Olivet — a University with an altar; a University standing on The Word,” he said. “Our prayer is that these Bibles will become ‘living stones’ — reminders of God’s faithfulness during their time at Olivet, and companions they will carry wherever God calls them next.”
At the beginning of the chapel service, University chaplain, Ryan Green, started his message with a warm greeting and an acknowledgement that the presence of the Lord was in the room. As he explained the purpose of chapel services, he encouraged the entire campus community to prioritize making chapel a screen-free experience to fully maximize the opportunity to gather, worship, remember who God is and therefore, who we are.
“We stop [for chapel] because we believe something unique happens when the people of God gather in the presence of God to seek the heart of God,” he explained. “For us, chapel is a weekly re-centering of our lives around the person of Jesus Christ…What could God do in your life if we would say ‘God, I am so thankful that I get to gather in this community. What do you want to say to me? What do you want to do in me?’”
In setting the tone for the fall semester of chapel messages, Chaplain Green also offered an invitation and an encouragement to everyone to embrace an attitude of “getting” to attend services, rather than viewing the twice weekly rhythm as an obligation.
“We’re going to help students re-center their lives around Bible Jesus,” he said, emphasizing the need to develop spiritual practices. “We want to help you learn how to simply be with Jesus. The church of Jesus Christ knows full well of how to do for God. I want to help you learn how to simply be in the presence of Jesus, and be connected to him…You cannot become like someone you never spend time with.”
Chaplain Green finally held up a black box and announced that every undergraduate student would be receiving one as they left the service.
He carefully unwrapped box on stage, explaining the purpose of the contents, which included a handwritten card from the Office of Spiritual Life, a bookmark, a Bible reading guide and the gifted Bible.
“This isn’t just another book,” he said, “It’s not intended to be some ancient religious text. This is the truth and the story that we’re choosing to build our lives on…Olivet, there are going to be a thousand voices that try to tell you who you are… but we want to be a people whose lives are increasingly centered around Bible Jesus…that’s the Jesus we want to follow as a campus.”
The service concluded with a final worship song before students were dismissed to receive their Bibles. The building was once again full of excitement.
“Everyone getting a free Bible is just amazing!” said one student.
“This means a lot to me: just that the school connects with us on an individual level,” commented another. “I’ll have this Bible the rest of my life — every time I look at it, I’ll know how much I was cared for at Olivet.”
To live stream or watch previous chapel services on demand, visit Olivet.edu/Chapel. For more information about spiritual development at Olivet, visit Olivet.edu/Life-at-Olivet/Spiritual-Development/.
