Undergraduate Chapel: Spring 2014 [Video]

Dr. Matt Williams begins the series, "The Story of the Good Samaritan," by explaining the historical context of the parable. He recounts the story, commenting as he goes with historical background information that sheds deeper light on the meaning of the parable. Afterward, Dr. Williams shares his simple conclusion: be like the Samaritan; he offers five points of application.

Dr. Todd Pickett shares five prayers that can be used to present oneself before God: a prayer of worship, honesty, reception, recollection, and discernment. He discusses the focus and purpose of each prayer as well as how one might approach each subject in prayer. Dr. Pickett is joined by members of the Spiritual Development staff who each lead the audience in one of the five prayers.

Spiritual Development staff members Lisa Igram and Chad Miller share the vision for chapels during the Fall 2013 semester. The speakers share that the Spiritual Development department is less interested in reiterating what spritual maturity looks like, and more interested in discussing how a Christian can grow to that point. At its core, they explain, spiritual growth comes from abiding in Christ.

Dr. Barry Corey addresses Biola students and faculty at the Fall 2013 Convocation ceremony. He urges his audience to be "paripatetic" learners and witnesses by walking out the faith and knowledge that they gain over the semester. Dr. Corey encourages his listeners with his experience from India, where he witnessed the powerful ministry of a Christian university president.

Spoken Word Poetry (Spring 2013)

Hillary Olsen, After Dark intern, shares her experiences of trials and hardships that taught her to depend exclusively on God. She explains that during these periods of difficulty she did not understand what God was doing, but having reached a point of dependence on God she can see in hindsight that how God grew her through these experiences. Olsen encourages her audience to experience God relationally, because head knowledge will not suffice.

Proclaiming the Good News from the Beginning / Todd Pickett

Dr. Andy Draycott considers the significance of prophecy to love, as they are closely linked in 1 Corinthians. He explains that Christians must not be cynics, who are "done" with their acquaintances; or consumers, who measure truth against situational needs; or cybernauts, who try to live outside themselves entirely. Rather, Christians must be prophets who proclaim the good news in love right in their immediate situations.

The Spiritual Development staff lead their audience in practicing three types of prayer: a prayer of honesty, a prayer of recollection, and a prayer of reception. The speakers encourage their audience to consider the states of their hearts and to lay their anxieties and preoccupations before the cross. To close, Dr. Todd Pickett asks his audience to receive the truths that God has been pressing into their lives.

Voices from the Asian American Community

Members of Biola's International Students Association share their testimonies and experiences of engaging with unfamiliar cultures and backgrounds. The speakers encourage their audience to look into the deeper significance of cultural diversity. They exhort their audience to love others as Jesus did by valuing the broad range of stories they have to share. To close, Ivan Chung, Director of International Student Services, relays his moment of realization that God embraces and values all nationalities, cultures, genders, classes, and ethnicities.

Professor David Keehn explains the beauty of believers' adoption by God. He relates his experience of adopting a son form South Africa and emphasizes that Christians have been chosen by God. Keehn looks at Scripture to show that God adopts his people so that they can be like him.

Dr. Nancy Grisham shares some of her testimony and urges her audience to realize the importance of their mission as Christians. She explains that the work of Christ is finished and the sins of the world are forgiven, but only if the world hears and accepts Jesus will they be saved. Grisham urges her audience to move boldly in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Andy Crouch begins his message by leading his audience in a gospel spiritual. He explains that the spiritual came from the oral tradition of African-American slaves. Crouch goes on to discuss idolatry and explains how idolatry and injustice are the same issue. In both cases, God is substituted for something inferior.

Andy Crouch urges his audience to embrace the very beginning and very end of their Bibles: where God creates a good world, and where God creates a beautiful new world. He considers the tendency of Christians to pit themselves against culture and explains that humanity needs culture to have meaning. Using Scripture and the music of Bach, Crouch shows that it has always been humanity's responsibility to turn the raw materials of creation into something beautiful that glorifies God.