AS PART OF THE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT PILLAR, twice-a-week Chapel services equip the student body with time for worship, biblical instruction, and prayerful reflection. One of the areas in which our students experience the most hands-on ministry training at Highlands College is through Student-Led Chapel. Once per semester, students are given the opportunity to take the lead and execute the full Chapel experience from start to finish. This opportunity to curate an entire service gives students the experience of what they will one day be doing in churches and ministries around the world.
Student-Led Chapel isn’t just an event; it’s a training ground. Students shape every aspect of the Chapel experience by creating the theme, planning the worship set, organizing production elements, selecting student speakers, and choosing message topics. Students also coordinate an after-party for their peers, hosted at student housing, to build community beyond the service.
This semester, the students crafted a Chapel experience around the message series, “Cultivated in Character: From the Inside Out,” inspired by the theme verse, 1 Samuel 16:7: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'”
Through this hands-on training, students crafted an atmosphere for people to experience the presence of God. They created a God-honoring service by managing logistics and designing an environment that reflected intentionality and excellence.
Student-Led Chapel is designed to embody the HC distinctive of practical ministry. This isn’t a mock assignment; it’s a ministry moment led under the mentorship of seasoned leaders who coach and champion students as they grow.
At Highlands College, students don’t just learn about ministry; they do ministry in an environment of high challenge and high support, where failure is never final, and growth is always the goal.
Whether a student takes the stage, runs a camera, leads a prayer, or shares a testimony, they are stepping into the fullness of their calling.
“Student-Led Chapel taught me to work with other personalities and skill sets within a ministry setting. My spiritual walk, character, and relationships with my peers grew. I saw God working through each student in unique ways through the gifts He has graciously given. I left impacted and inspired.”
“Student-Led Chapel was a shaping moment for me, giving me hands-on experience to prep for and deliver a message. I walked away from the Chapel with a deep excitement to continue being molded and developed into the leader God has called me to be. I’m grateful for a school that empowers students to lead not just in the future, but now!”
Content has been edited on June 26, 2026 for republishing.
