The music in Chapel is disappointing.

While chapel music has improved some since I came to Bluefield College, there are several things about it that disappoint me. To start with, this semester the sound seems a bit off. I can only really hear the drums most of the time. Additionally, I usually can only hear one of the vocalists. I do not think that chapel should feel like a concert or performance unless a guest is performing. I often find that the attempts to entertain the students are actually a distraction and feel forced. An example would be the ‘rap’ like verse paraphrase from a few chapels ago. It was off-putting and strange, and the football players clearly didn’t want to be up there. Even just the simple idea of paraphrasing the Bible in that way felt wrong to me. I will say that the Wednesday Christian Emphasis week chapel music was an exception and didn’t feel forced at all.

I do like that they are finally doing different songs every week instead of the same three every time. That being said, when you are doing songs everyone knows, don’t change the speed or melody only a little. Speeding it up slightly or slowing it down throws everyone off. A bigger change is more acceptable to me than a small one.