Spiritual Life

Some Chapel talks quote Bible verses. Some deliver a message in a creative way. But Josh McDowell’s style centers on a very direct message based on a very difficult personal experience. The Christian apologist and evangelist told a story Monday morning that had the audience’s rapt attention.

Being a part-time Christian isn’t nearly enough, GCU President Brian Mueller told Chapel on Monday. We all are full-timers, he said, and then he explained what that means. “We’ve got to get that word ‘part-time’ out of our vocabulary,” he added.

The spring semester schedule for Chapel includes five first-time speakers, including one who has close ties to the University. Justin Unger, who will sing and speak at Chapel on April 1, has placed numerous GCU students in worship arts positions across Arizona through his Likewise Worship Collective.

Allie Stuckey, whose blog is called “The Conservative Millennial,” drew a big crowd to Howerton Hall on Wednesday evening. While sharing her views about where progressives have gone wrong, she also urged Christian conservatives to gain more knowledge of the Bible and be better able to use it when they discuss their political beliefs.

Ron Merrell has been a regular speaker in recent years and always brings a thoughtful message mixed with an appropriate amount of humor. Monday, he urged students to make sure they’re still connecting with God daily, even when they feel overwhelmed by their end-of-semester challenges. He illustrated his point with a moving story about what happened to him after his father died.

Speakers have brought props to Chapel before, but Robert Watson took it to the next level Monday — he brought a grill. One lucky student got a free grilled cheese sandwich out of it, and his audience got a strong message about how much God values us.

Sean Moore’s Chapel talk Monday was all about relationships — starting with our dialogue (not our monologue) with God. “I found that once I got my relationship with God right, my relationship with God gave me wisdom on what I was supposed to do in my other relationships with other people,” the pastor of Faith Christian Center said.

Suffering is never easy to accept. It’s part of the deal, whether you’re a Christian or not, said Emma Tautolo of Athletes in Action. But she finds the answers to her questions about suffering in Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians and Philippians — a message she shared at Chapel on Monday. She said that when believers participate in suffering, like Christ did, it will lead to resurrection and to light.

Canyon Worship West, the first concert by students whose work appeared on the Canyon Worship 2018 album, drew an appreciative crowd Tuesday at Harvest Bible Chapel West Valley. “These guys came into this church, set up three hours before, and walked in like they’d been playing here for 10 years,” said Genaro “Gin” Giurgiu, the church’s Director of Worship.

Monday’s Chapel was unusual. The Worship Team got the week off, but there still was plenty of great music — oh my, was there ever. Scott MacIntyre of “American Idol” fame was the guest speaker and, in between a half-dozen songs, delivered his message about making the most of the talent God has given you. MacIntyre certainly has — he’s blind.