Westminster Christian School Chapel Blog The Standard for Excellence in Christian Schools

Secret Society

10/7/2025

by John Bishop, Director of Spiritual Formation, based on this week's MS/HS Chapel

A student who had recently become a Christian once asked me, “What sect of Christianity should I be?” After clarifying a bit, I realized they were asking whether they should be Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, or something else.

I don’t like to answer that question too directly, because the differences between denominations can be both profound and subtle. Sometimes you might deeply connect with a set of beliefs but struggle to feel at home among the people who hold them. Practical considerations also come into play—like how far you have to travel, your musical preferences, what you’re expected to wear, or whether the people you want to go with you will feel welcome.

I clarified that Westminster Christian School is rooted in the reformed tradition (or Presbyterian Church) and gave some examples of great churches in the area they might try. But then I went on to share more generally about the Church. I pointed them to Acts 11:26: “For a whole year Barnabas
and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”

We had a conversation about being a Christian first. When Jesus calls us to Himself, we become part of the Church— with a capital “C.” This Church is not defined by a building or a brand. It’s the global family of people who have placed their faith in Jesus. It exists within and beyond every denomination, in every city, school, workplace, and nation. It’s like a hidden network of those whose hearts are set on Christ and who strive to align their lives with His will.

So, if you’re wondering where you belong, start with Jesus. Seek a church where He is honored, His Word is taught, and His people are growing in love. Denominations can be helpful, but they are not the destination. Jesus is. And when you find Him, you’ll also find your place in His Church.

The Secret Place

9/30/2025

Much of our relationship with God—like much of life—is often experienced in solitude, not in public. Think for a moment about how much time you spend alone or even surrounded by others yet still lost in your own world. Truly being present and connected with others is surprisingly rare. We often find ourselves caught up in our own thoughts and distractions, even when we’re with people.

More often than not, we are surrounded by people yet still feel distant or isolated. This isn’t always a bad thing, though. Each person’s inner life is unique and complex. No one can tell, just from being in the same room with you, that you’re still anxious about a comment someone made last week, frustrated over a grade in English, or distracted by the smell of lunch. These thoughts, and a thousand others, shape your mood and experiences throughout the day. Our minds are constantly moving, shifting between past regrets, present concerns, and future worries.

We are like small boats tossed by the waves of life, and those waves can often leave us feeling adrift and insignificant. The constant motion of our lives can feel overwhelming, and we may struggle to find solid ground. But Jesus invites us into a secret place with Him—a place where we are fully known, understood, and loved. In this place, there is no need to hide, no need to pretend to be something we’re not. He knows the deepest parts of us and loves us completely, despite our imperfections.

Spending time with God anchors our souls (Hebrews 6:19). It gives us a steady place amid life’s motion, a quiet harbor where we can rest in the presence of the One who knows us completely. In that stillness, we find peace. We are reminded of who we truly are—God’s beloved children, deeply cherished and cared for. When we make space to spend time with God, we allow Him to calm the storm in our hearts, bringing clarity and direction during life’s chaos.

Coming Together

9/24/2025

In my early experience as a believer, I struggled to understand my place in the Christian community. I began attending church with my girlfriend (Heather—now my wife) at First Baptist Church in King’s Mountain. The people there were kind, and it was a wonderful church. Still, I didn’t fully grasp what it meant to live in genuine community with other believers.

After a couple of years, we changed churches and joined a small church plant. That only lasted a year before I found myself growing restless again. The next church we discovered was full of promise and hope, and for the first time, I began to truly settle into my role as a member of the body. We built strong relationships, formed accountability with trusted friends, and started contributing meaningfully to the life of the church.

But then things changed. Quiet meetings started happening behind closed doors. Whispers of discontent filled the air. People were unhappy—and they made their opinions known. Eventually, a large group of people left, including many of our friends. We stayed, hoping to be part of the solution and to preserve unity.

Sadly, our experience is not unique. Ever since the fall in the garden, every relationship has come at a cost. And the blessings that healthy God-honoring relationships bring into our lives are found through pain, resilience, and humility. And yet, despite the brokenness that began in Eden, Jesus has made a way for us to come together in a community marked by love and unity—His Church.

When we follow His commands and allow Him to heal our hearts, we are blessed with relationships that testify to His presence in our lives. As Jesus prayed in John 17:21, “...that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you... so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

It should not surprise us that those without Christ are divided. What should startle us more is when division exists among those who know Him. May our relationships with one another, rooted in His Church, reflect the life-changing presence of Jesus—and stand as a living testimony of His grace.

Trust God, Love Others

9/17/2025

I was working with a team of directors once, and I was having a difficult time getting everyone to agree on an important next step. Time was slipping away, and we were in danger of falling behind. Despite my efforts, I couldn’t get everyone on the same page. To make matters worse, side conversations were happening that created confusion and division. I was frustrated and felt completely stuck. Perhaps you’ve been in a similar situation doing a group project or planning for an event. It’s a frustrating and helpless feeling.

I got to the point of throwing my hands up and asking God what I needed to do differently to earn the group’s trust. His response surprised me: “I didn’t ask you to trust people—I told you to love them.”

The Bible is filled with commands for us to love one another—to go the extra mile, to turn the other cheek, to give away the shirt off our back. But it never commands us to place our trust in people. In fact, Scripture warns us about it. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” This powerful verse reminds us that to trust others without reservation is unwise and will lead to disappointment and hurt.

When the health of a relationship is built solely on trust expressed in something like, “I am counting on you to keep your word and do what’s right,” disappointment and hurt are often inevitable. Trust is fragile. That’s why our relationships need to be built on self-sacrificial love expressed in something like, “you and I are made in the image of God and worthy of love and honor,” we then see our need to trust God and rely on Him rather than others. This kind of love sees beyond imperfections and opens us to grace. Love, not trust, becomes the anchor that holds everything together.

If you’re dealing with brokenness in a relationship because of a violation of trust, ask God to help you love with the kind of love He’s shown us. You may just find that He is the one who proves trustworthy in the end.

Watch Your Back

9/10/2025

by John Bishop, Director of Spiritual Formation, based on this week's MS/HS Chapel

Imagine working all summer to earn a spot in a group. Maybe it’s a job, a competitive team, or even just a tight-knit circle of friends. You’ve made smart, strategic moves. You’ve prepared. You feel ready for the challenge. Then come two grueling days—an intense, high-pressure experience clearly designed to test and eliminate those who don’t measure up. But you push through.

You give it everything you have. Finally, someone with authority pulls you aside and says the words you’ve been hoping to hear: “You’re in.” Your heart leaps. You did it. Relief and excitement flood in as you begin to imagine the benefits, the camaraderie, the recognition that comes with being accepted. But then, just as you’re settling into this moment of triumph, a seasoned member of the group sits down beside you. They glance around, lean in, and say quietly, “Hey, congrats on getting in… but just a heads up—watch your back.”

Trust Fall

9/3/2025

You’ve been hurt by someone, right? Maybe your mom, overwhelmed by the pain of a broken marriage, chose a new partner and left you to navigate the confusion of divorce. Or maybe a friend posted something hurtful on Snap, leaving you to carry the weight of betrayal and embarrassment.

Unfortunately, these kinds of experiences are all too common. Trust is hard to build and incredibly easy to break. But why is that? Why can’t we all just get along?

The Bible gives us a sobering answer: we can’t—not on our own. In Genesis 3, we’re told how this all began. With one act—taking the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—humanity gained wisdom but lost its innocence. From that moment on, the ability to naively trust others disappeared. Suspicion, shame, and blame became part of our story.

When I was in college, I joined a program to develop my leadership skills. As part of that process, I did a “trust fall.” Blindfolded, arms crossed over my chest, I stood on a platform and was told to fall backward into the arms of my teammates below. Thankfully, they caught me—and this story doesn’t end with a trip to urgent care.

The reason exercises like that work is simple: trust is built through experience. We learn to rely on others when they consistently show themselves to be dependable. For most of us, our default setting is “don’t trust.” It takes effort, time, and intentionality to rewrite that script—especially with people we don’t know.

But here’s the hope: while humanity may have broken trust, God never did. And through Christ, He’s not just rebuilding our trust in Him—He’s showing us how to rebuild trust with each other. Healing begins when we move toward others not in blind naivety, but in grace-fueled courage.

Trust, once lost, may be hard to recover—but in God’s hands, it’s never beyond redemption.

Blessed in My Mess

8/27/2025

by John Bishop, Director of Spiritual Formation

Last week, we explored the foundation of our identity—that before we are anything else, we are deeply known and unconditionally loved by God. From this secure place, we are invited to grow in love for others.

But this week confronts us with a harder reality: the tension between that divine love and our undeniable brokenness. We all have moments—perhaps more often than we’d like to admit—when we feel unlovable. Our lives, yours and mine, are messy. Even with the best intentions, we fall short. We try to do the right things, at the right time, for the right reasons— and still, we stumble.

So, what do we do with that?

Life doesn’t pause to let us sort it all out. It keeps moving without our permission. The world doesn’t stop when we struggle, and it doesn’t wait for us to heal. But as followers of Jesus, we aren’t left to navigate the mess alone. He’s with us, and He’s made a way through the chaos.

The question isn’t if we’ll struggle—it’s how we’ll move through it. And the answer isn’t found in perfection, but in grace.

How can we be blessed in the middle of our mess? By leaning into the truth that God’s love isn’t earned by our success or lost in our failure. His love is constant. It doesn’t waver based on our performance. It doesn’t depend on how “together” we have it. It’s unchanging, unfailing, and it meets us right where we are.

When we choose to keep walking—humbled, dependent, and willing—He meets us there, in the mess, with grace. This is how we are blessed: not by perfection, but by His presence.

This week let’s explore what it means to be blessed in the mess—to live loved, even when we don’t feel lovable, with the hope that through this experience, we can extend that same grace to others.

Blessed to Be Me

8/19/2025

by John Bishop, Director of Spiritual Formation

When asked to name the greatest commandment, Jesus responded immediately by quoting Scripture from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind—and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37–39)

In this message, we’re focusing on the second part: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

This raises an important question: How can we love others well if we don’t first understand how to love ourselves?

Let’s be clear—this isn’t an invitation to selfishness or self-centeredness. Instead, it’s about recognizing the true foundation of your identity: you are made in the image of God.

Before you are male or female, short or tall, Hispanic, white, Black, Asian, or anything else...
Before you are athletic, smart, artistic, musical, funny, driven, or talented...
You are first and foremost an image-bearer of God.

This truth is foundational. When we accept this, we begin to understand what it really means to be loved. Not based on what we do or who we are in the eyes of others, but simply because we are God’s creation.

When you truly embrace this identity, you begin to see yourself through the eyes of God—perfectly loved and perfectly accepted. And as we grow in our acceptance of being known and loved by God, we become more able to love others with that same unconditional love.

This is a profound and freeing truth. It doesn’t puff us up with pride, but it fills us with gratitude. It frees us from the need for constant validation and comparison because we already have everything we need in Him.

It allows each of us to say—not with arrogance, but with deep gratitude: “I’m blessed to be me.”

When you know who you are in Christ, you can love others as Christ loves you. You can give love freely, without needing to take anything back in return; you can truly love your neighbor as yourself.