Chapel argumentative essay PDF

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Fabiola Lopez Professor Allbaugh Writing 110 October 16, 2019 Changes with Chapel

Azusa Pacific University is a Christan based Private University, that values community and God. In order to respect these values, Azusa has Chapel Requirements for the full-time students. Though the intention of having these requirements are aimed to positively impact the student body, the outcome is not what the school plans for. The school board should change the chapel requirements to benefit the school’s mission statement and the students. The mission statement of APU’s chapel requirements is to go to chapel three times a week for an hour and create a bond with fellow students, community, and God. Though these are good causes and goals to have I believe that it is possible to build a relationship with God and those around you in other ways. Chapel can be a good way to do so, yet it is not the only way. I believe that if there was some flexibility in the way students can achieve these goals then more students will feel driven to do so. As a student who grew up in a Christian home, I attended church every Sunday and became involved in the church community. I personally enjoy going to church because it allows for time to get closer to God through worship and scriptures, and it allows us to come together as a community to do so. I remember being excited about the idea of chapel as an incoming freshman, however as the semester drags along, chapel has become more of a chore, rather than something I enjoy. Allowing a set time for students to attend chapel is important in order to help students grow stronger in their faith, however, the more forced it becomes, the more students will dislike it. Despite the positive goals set, the reality of how chapel requirements impact the students is not aligned with what goals chapel is currently outputting. With student’s busy schedules and motivation to graduate with a high GPA, those rules are disregarded and

labeled not as important as their academics. Along with this, many students have complained about chapel feeling like a chore rather than something enjoyable or necessary. Students also find going to Sunday service is pointless due to the overbearing chapel attendance requirement. Personally, I do not feel the need or desire to go to a Sunday service in my local community because of chapel, and the D-Group I have joined. I also have a hard time paying attention in chapel when all I can think about is a homework assignment that I need to do along with the other students surrounding me who appear to not care about chapel or have a total disregard for the rules enforced such as no talking, usage of cellphones, or being a disruption. With many students having the same types of complaints and concerns, it should be considered towards implementing change to the requirements and rules to allow room for growth. Some solutions that APU board members can consider is making chapel requirements from three days a week to only one or two. This would make it more flexible for students, they should be allowed the option to go to chapel once a week while also joining a D-group. This flexibility allows students to feel less pressure along with a bit more freedom with their spiritual life. When chapel feels less like a chore students are more inclined to attend. Allowing students to replace a chapel day with a D-group allows students to be more engaged in their spiritual life by joining a small group that has discussions about God rather than just receiving a lecture or sermon. Although change can be scary or even frustrating, it can also help with growth. If there are multiple concerns and complaints about chapel, then APU should be open to change. Allowing students flexibility and options will encourage more students to view chapel less like a chore. Also minimizing the amount of chapel per week puts less stress into the student's schedule and helps them feel more inclined to want to attend. Change can help APU’s community by paying attention to the areas that need growth and doing something to fix it....