In a college landscape where faith and academics are often kept separate, Cedarville University stands out by making worship and Scripture a daily priority — so much so that thousands of students gather each weekday for a chapel service that fuels the heart of campus life.
Often described as the heartbeat of campus, chapel at Cedarville provides an opportunity for students to sit under the daily preaching of God’s word. Students say chapel creates a rhythm of worship, allowing them to orient their days around Scripture despite busy class schedules and extracurriculars.
Cedarville is one of only a small number of evangelical Christian universities that both offers and requires daily chapel attendance for undergraduate students. This commitment reflects the school’s mission to intentionally integrate faith and learning, ensuring that biblical truth remains central to the student experience. The required daily chapel underscores Cedarville’s belief that spiritual development is just as important as academic achievement.
Dr. Thomas White, the president of the university, preaches a sermon series each academic year. This year, White is teaching through the book of Mark in a series entitled “MARKed by Jesus.” White’s consistent presence in the chapel pulpit each week underscores just how central Scripture is to Cedarville’s mission and student experience.
“God’s word transforms lives,” said White. “It is sharper than any two-edged sword. So we gather to worship the Lord through music and the word. It is good for our souls and helps us grow more like Christ.”
Throughout the year, White plans to walk verse by verse through the book of Mark. He hopes to use his sermon series to encourage students to find greater joy and affection in the grace and mercy of God.
“We all benefit from taking a closer look at Jesus,” said White. “Through our study in Mark, we will examine the life of the author and perfector of our faith. Lord willing, we will all look more like Jesus by the end of the year.”
But attending daily chapel will not automatically inspire change in student’s lives. They have a responsibility to listen actively to the preaching of God’s word. And that is what makes Cedarville students unique — they want to sing praises to the Lord with passion and hear the Bible taught and applied to their lives.
“I believe that Cedarville has a strong heartbeat,” said White. “By that, I mean that we have incredible students. Our students have their Bibles open to learn and take notes during chapel. They are locked in on learning from the Word. That encourages my soul and shows me that we have students who genuinely love King Jesus and desire to serve him.”
Chapel would not be the heartbeat of campus without the genuine faith of the student body. While attending chapel every weekday helps students find a rhythm of daily worship, it first requires students to have a heart that beats genuinely for the Lord.
When asked how he hoped to see change in the student body through his series in Mark, White said: “I hope we know more about Jesus and look more like Jesus. I hope we seek to serve others. I hope we walk in humility with our Savior. I hope we cultivate joy in our community and in our personal lives as we discover the grace and mercy God has extended to us.”
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by The Wall Street Journal as being among the nation’s top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
