Spiritual Formation Event Credit Requirement

One aspect of being a student at ACU is the experience of spiritual formation. It is the responsibility of the Spiritual Formation/Chapel office, as well as individual students, to honor and maintain the integrity of this requirement. In an effort to do so in a meaningful way, the Spiritual Formation Office works to provide a structure that is flexible and offers multiple expressions of worship. This is so students might explore and engage their spirituality as it relates to a relationship with God. A list of approved opportunities is offered on the SFE Calendar.

Credit Requirements

Please click here to see changes to the chapel requirements for the Fall 2020 Semester. 

Undergraduate students under the age of 25 are required to earn 55 Spiritual Formation Event Credits each semester of full-time enrollment (12 or more hours). Exemptions may be granted to students who meet the exemption criteria which you can find here.

A typical student would need to attend about 4 credits per week for 15 weeks of the semester to complete his/her requirement.

• The 11:00-11:30 am time slot is reserved for daily chapel experiences M-F at ACU. Many students choose to attend Moody Chapel three days per week at 11:00 am to earn most of their credits. If a student chooses to attend one (1) Small Group Chapel each week in addition to attending Moody Chapels, meeting the requirement is simple.
• Other approved Spiritual Formation events are offered each week at times other than 11:00-11:30 am. These programs are approved in advance by the Spiritual Formation/Chapel Office and are listed on the SFE Calendar.

Daily Spiritual Formation Events at ACU

It is the university's desire for Spiritual Formation events to be a significant part of students' educational experiences while attending ACU. ACU’s Board of Trustees has prioritized daily opportunities for students.

Spiritual Formation Event Schedule and Attendance Procedures

Moody Chapel meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. during the fall and spring semesters, except on university-approved holidays (Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Spring Break, and Good Friday). Chapel on the first day of classes during the fall semester is the official Opening Assembly for the university.

Attendance for Chapel in Moody Coliseum is registered by sliding a student ID through one of the card readers between 10:45 and 11:03 a.m. and again within 10 minutes after Chapel is dismissed.

Small Group Chapels of all sizes and interests are permitted to meet on Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. as well as any day of the week outside of the 11:00 o’clock hour.  A detailed list of these events can be found on the SFE Calendar..

Consequences for Failure to Fulfill Spiritual Formation Event Credit Requirements

Students are responsible for monitoring their credits online through banner.

The Spiritual Formation/Chapel Office strongly recommends that students check their credit balance on a weekly basis.

Students who have questions or concerns regarding their credit balance are encouraged to contact the Spiritual Formation/Chapel Office by phone (325-674-2407), email (chapel@acu.edu), or in person. The office is located in the lower level of the Campus Center room 42.

Upon the completion of any semester, students who did not attain sufficient credits will be placed on Chapel Probation and notified by email to their ACU email account during finals week. Students placed on Chapel probation may contact the Spiritual Formation/Chapel Office with any questions. This process is outlined in the email.

Chapel Attendance Probation

Failure to meet the credit requirement will result in Chapel Probation. When a student is placed on Chapel Probation, this status is in effect for the following full semester. During the semester of probation, a student will be restricted from participation in certain extracurricular activities, including but not limited to all student productions, intramurals, leadership positions, and/or award nominations.

Chapel Integrity Violations

Students are not permitted to slide someone else’s card to indicate attendance, slide their own cards and not attend all of Chapel and leave, or sign-in for someone else who is not in attendance.

Additionally, students are not permitted to sign into Chapel locations remotely using ACU Connect while not in attendance.  A “slide and glide” or signing in remotely as a first offense will result in a mandatory meeting with the Spiritual Formation/Chapel Office and may result in being placed on conduct probation. Upon a second occurrence, a student will be placed on conduct probation and be required to meet with the Dean of Students.

Special Requests for Spiritual Formation Event Credit

Any curriculum-based, special, or non-small group requests for spiritual formation credit must be submitted online by a faculty or staff member using the Spiritual Formation Event application.