Students speak up about the chapel system: Part 4

Editor’s Note:

On Dec. 11, 2021, Oklahoma Christian University President John DeSteiguer announced the discontinuation of small breakout chapels. Since then, a petition to bring small chapels back garnered over 1,800 signatures, the University created a chapel task force, and Big Chapel resumed with a new schedule.

To amplify student voices on the issue of the chapel system, the Talon is publishing a series of question and answer interviews with students under the condition of anonymity. These interviews were aggregated by a group of five students in a Journalistic Storytelling course.

Reporter’s Methods, Reasons and Rules:

My method for finding interviews was being spontaneous. When conducting the interviews, I used the voice memos app on my phone to record and capture every second. I told the interviewees they could say whatever they wanted to under the condition of anonymity.

Female, sophomore

How did the discontinuation of small chapels make you feel? 

“There are a lot of dimensions to how it made me feel. On one aspect, it made me really angry because it’s such a drastic change that was done with no notice and no opportunity for us to be able to input. 

The damage they (the administration) did can’t be undone, even if they bring small chapels back, there was so much anger, frustration, confusion. It hurts too. A lot of the ways DeSteiguer responded in the beginning felt like we were being told just to be quiet. It’s not good for our spiritual life, not good for our community.”

What are some solutions to fix chapel now? 

“I would like to see a return to the small chapel system. I feel like changes could be made. We could have spent a semester gathering information on how students felt about Ethos and what works for them, and then made changes afterwards instead of axing everything and kind of retroactively going back.

They keep saying look to the task force, but they haven’t told us who is on the task force or what they are actually doing. Are they evaluating which chapels to bring back? Are they bringing back chapels? Are they trying to find a way to change the previous system to make it  better? Are they talking to people? This should be information that is made available to us since it affects us so deeply.”

Will community groups fill the chapel void?

“No. We have these clear days on Tuesdays and Thursdays to meet. There are a couple problems with that: one, it’s not enough time. If I have five groups I would like to attend, I just have to pick one and not be able to go to all of them. Two, having Kudos does add a dimension of incentive. 

If it’s a community group, you have to already be in it to know about it. How are new students going to find these? It’s eventually going to fall off to the point where people on Tuesdays and Thursdays just go to lunch. The void just can’t be filled the same way.”

Does this change Oklahoma Christian for you?

“In some ways, yes. Not as much for me than for some people I know. My most important Ethos groups continue to meet because we are all really stubborn. It has given me a sense that the administration is not for us. I still love this place. I talked up the small chapel system all the time because I thought it was so great. Now, I’m less likely to push people towards OC. We don’t have this thing that makes us unique anymore.”

How does this affect you spiritually?

“If I’m only in the habit of going to chapel with everyone else, that’s not challenging. It doesn’t serve me at all. Spiritually, I feel more lukewarm this semester. I need to take responsibility for my spiritual life, and I’m not going to suggest that whatever chapel system that is happening is entirely responsible for my spiritual health. I do think that the chapel system should support and help me be able to grow my spiritual health, and it is not doing that.”

Female, freshman

How did the discontinuation of small chapels make you feel? 

“It made me feel saddened. I definitely think small chapels are a big part of community here because it’s getting closer to people in a more intimate setting while worshiping the Lord.”

Does this change Oklahoma Christian for you?

“It changes things to some extent. I love our school. I love being here. I’m definitely where the Lord wants me to be, but  it also does make me sad as someone who is very involved in small chapels. I think I just have to trust the Lord is moving in this. If this is the way it’s supposed to be, He (the Lord) is going to do new big things for our school — maybe just in a new avenue than we all expected. Yes, I am saddened by it, but also I have a lot of hope for what the Lord is going to do.”

How does this affect you spiritually?

“I think small chapels are a way for us to spiritually connect with people we might not normally. We all have friend groups we can share our hearts with and pour into, but small chapels I think push us in an intimate setting. We might spiritually connect with people we might not see in other places, like a department chapel. It pushes me to be more intentional with my relationships with people and try to go out of my comfort zone to connect with people spiritually.”

Female, sophomore

How did the discontinuation of small chapels make you feel? 

“I think it has affected how I feel connected with people outside of my department, class or club. There were times I would sit with people and hangout with them and chapel was the opportunity to do that. It has affected me day to day with my classes and honestly affected my opinion on the school, like, where they stand. My view on my school’s leadership has changed.”

Does this change Oklahoma Christian for you?

“It doesn’t change OC. Obviously, I’m not leaving OC, but I feel like it’s a step backwards. I can understand where they (the administration) are coming from because the Ethos concept is giving a ton of people agency to represent OC and when you’re doing that, you’re taking a risk. But, it’s disappointing to know they don’t trust people with that agency. I feel like going this new way, it makes it (chapel) feel like a checker box spiritual life organization instead of individualized.”

What are some solutions to fix chapel now?

“I think the only way to fix it is to bring it back, but that’s probably not going to happen. I think it really needs to open communication, and I know they talk about this group (the task force) they have for fixing it, but I feel like the way to fix it is to give people that agency back. It just feels like a lack of trust.”

How does this affect you spiritually?

“I went a month without chapel, and I didn’t notice. I’m not actively thinking about my spiritual aspect of my college career as much as I was before. I’m not blaming that all on the changes, but it has changed my routine. I think it has affected my overall mindset.”