Mandatory Chapel or not Discussion

Tonight Dordt had a campus wide discussion on whether or not chapel should be mandatory? I went with Julie expecting to be slightly bored (brought my poem book to draft in) since I am somewhat removed from the picture of Dordt's chapels. However, boy was I wrong.
The reason this is such an issue at Dordt is that chapel attendance has been way down over the last year and no one really knows why. Julie, faculty, and several friends say the actual services have been exceptional; thematic "Grace for the Journey", both traditional and contempary, meditative, sermons, and guest speakers, basically, all the componets one would expect for such a diversive community of worshippers.
Students and faculty gathered together to discuss and brainstorm ideas to remedy the issue. The discussion had all the basic arguements of how chapel is a spiritual activity, should it be mandated and how to go about doing so. Lots of fruitful discussion and ideas come about, but the one that I was most struck by was this . . . I am going to try to express this more for my remembrance, rather than your benefit, but hopefully you get what I am trying to say because I think it is so truthful and prophetic. . .



The low attendance at chapel was defined as a symptom of a deeper and a longer reaching problem. The problem of spiritual obesity or overfeeding! Just think about this, the idea that our christian culture is so overfeed and stuffed that we cannot even see over our own spiritual stomachs. We can no longer see up from down, the straight nor the crooked. We had lost a sense of priority. Pastor Bajema actually suggested that maybe we need to all take a year away from church, then came back and we would really desire to be in church. I think of the anciet monks and early churches that would memorize whole texts of scripture just to have the word present because the Bibles where so few, yet, the hunger so great. What has happened to us?Why is it that we complain about coming together for worship twice a week? Shouldn't we be dieing for the opportunity! Other Christians are around the globe. Fundametally, we as a culture have lost a seeking heart, and a hungering and thirsting after of God's word. So much so that we nit pick and squable over issues of organ or no organ, red or blue hymnal, etc etc. I am equally guilty of this problem because I often look for ways to read "devotional books" rather than the Bible. In traveling to third world cultures and Latin America I observe there a hunger and thirsting that cannot be found as readily in the US. Why? Not only are we material obese, but also spiritually obese!?
It was said that Dordt's chapel have become prophetic in that Cliff Bajema and other speakers had begun to talk and address the problems in broader culture and therefore also in Dordt culture. Taking the New Testament teachings and applying them to culture and offering the answer as Jesus alone. Maybe similiar to the prophets in ancient Isreal that were hated and rejected by most of Isreal because the prophets were speaking truth that went against what people "wanted to do," that is doing their own thing. So, maybe it is the prophetic voice of Dordt's chapel that is resulting in low chapel attendence!
Overall, there are two underlying themes. One, we as a christian community are apathetic in our desire for corporate worship and God's word in general. Other values of the broader culture have over taken us. Our priorities have place worship and faith near the bottom and on an individualistic level. Is is going to take a rash event, like religious persucution or a huge natural disaster to awaken the spiritual senses of the people. To trim off the fat of our obsessions and gripping. To realize our true dependence on God. To humble us to our knees!
Second, could it be that prophetic preaching is happening at Dordt and as a result the majority of Dordt students are getting turned off because it is so counter-cultural and radical in the sense that Jesus was radical. Just as Isreal turned from God's prophets in Old Testament times. What are the underlieing issue that keep students from wanting to gather for worship and community? Is it really just organ or no organ, or does it cut deeper? Where are our priorities? In fact, shouldn't we as Christian community together despite grippes (meaning sing with a guitar, or organ) , since it is through suffering that we often grow the most, are humbled that most, and can also critizies at least fairly and constructively that way.
Anyways I ramble on to much and must go to bed soon. Any responses would be helpful, similar experiences. Dan P