PREACHING IN CHAPEL

It isn't very often that I get to be invited to speak at my alma maters' chapel services.

A couple of years ago at the university where I studied, I delivered a sermonette followed by a silent meditation at the Chapel of St. Andrew to a group of students of liturgics and some seminarians at a solemn evensong in the Anglican tradition where I had to wear an alb. The songs were sung in the tradition of high church Anglican chants that made me have goosebumps; the worship mood was so solemn that I felt like I was talking to myself. Good thing the students came up to me at the cloister coffee time to say they were blessed, otherwise...

A few weeks later, I was asked to preach in community chapel in Bible College. Speaking on The Burden of Nehemiah, the energetic Wesleyan-Methodist chapel service was invigorating to say the least- perhaps because it was closer to my Baptist tradition.

On Thursday, I will yet again deliver a message in chapel at the behest of the Bible College chaplain. The chaplain sent me a text message asking if I could preach on "Don't Just Do it" (giving your best in doing your homework). Firstly, students don't need to be told that- that's a given! A student is supposed to study just as a burger is supposed to be eaten! (I have no idea why I used burger as an analogy to students--I don't even think they're analogous), but you get the point! Second, I think that kind of a sermon topic is more of a rebuke than an encouragement to them. I don't want to stress them out in chapel! Chapel services in Bible college are supposed to be times of refreshing for students. But then, the Word of God is "inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness."

We'll see what happens as I prepare.

I'm off to the University of the Philippines to watch a concert!