The Power of Singing in the Hallway

By Finley White

Late June. That’s when I saw the summer homework for AP Computer Science Principles and immediately knew I wasn’t going to survive that class. I had already talked to a few people about how disappointed I was to not be able to take Leadership Development because I felt like I needed another AP, but I realized looking at that assignment that I needed to change classes. I filled out the LD form in the KL airport, sent in my schedule change request in ORD Airport in Chicago, and had Leadership Development in my schedule by the first day of school back in Penang.  

Excitingly, there is an LD retreat that happens only three days after school starts. We went to paintball, ate dinner, had a bonfire, stayed overnight at a retreat center, and had good discussions, but the best thing for me was the worship.  

An important part of our stay was the two sessions we had with Pastor Grom, who taught us a lot about being spiritual leaders at our school and in general. We had deep discussions with each other and got to know each other's relationships and struggles with God. Before and after the sessions we sang songs to worship, but that just wasn’t enough.  

During the course of our evening, we realized that the acoustics in the hallway in between the girls’ and boys’ dorms were crazy good. We started singing hymns as we waited for people, passed by each other, or walked up towards the conference room. ‘Because He lives, I can face tomorrow” is a powerful enough lyric without it being sung in a cool hallway by a bunch of teenagers. But I think that the power of singing in the hallway came not so much from our voices and harmonies, but from the fact that we could have sung any song, and we chose to sing with God in mind.  

Even after our bonfire got rained on and we had to go up early, we sat up in the conference room and sang worship songs right up until we had to go to our respective dorms. “During our small time of worship in that upper conference room, God came, and his presence rested in that room. The very air was thick with it, drawing us to him and together as a team. It was awesome,” says Joshua Conklin (12). 

The awesomeness of God was so apparent at that time that even after we went back to our dorms, the girls chose still to continue worshipping (we had the guitar). Then, some people woke up at 6am to worship more. I woke up, stayed for two songs, then went back to bed. I love the Lord--but even Jesus slept.  

Real worship helps keep our hearts focused on God. I’ve found that I experience a special closeness with God when in a room filled with peers whose hearts are fully set on Him. His presence ‘fills the atmosphere’ to quote the song Holy Spirit buy Jesus Culture. 

Michaela Parsley (12) says, “At the LD retreat, I was able to grow closer with my classmates more than I thought was possible in just 24 hours. …Seeing my friends praise God was an encouragement to me. It was a great reminder of how great and worthy God is of all of our praise.” The element of closeness to each other and to God that she describes is such a valuable aspect of the Leadership Development class that really drew me to it in the first place.  

So, all that to say this year’s Leadership Development class is a group whose hearts are set towards God. We are all excited to go forward in the year continuing to become closer with each other and our peers all while glorifying God. I am eternally grateful to be part of planning student-led worship, chapels, SEW, MEW, and more as I grow and develop as a leader.