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Activities

Spiritual Formation

Overview

Weekly chapels and worship coupled with daily prayers and devotions contribute to Westminster's mission to prepare students to serve as ambassadors for Christ. Westminster's faculty, staff and administrators are fully committed to supporting students and families in their faith by providing an excellent, reformed Christian education.

John Bishop, Westminster's director of spiritual formation, oversees the development of elementary, middle and high school chapels where a wide-range of faculty and staff, students, and guests provide worship and bring age-appropriate Bible messages. Read the blog below to learn how this year's theme verse, Jeremiah 17:7, influences the weekly messages. High school students also kick-off every school year with a week-long spiritual retreat that takes place in the mountains of Jasper, Georgia known as Warrior Week. Middle school students also enjoy GR8 Escape, a three-day spiritual retreat that takes place during the first few weeks of the school year.

Elementary school chapels embody Westminster's mission of "preparing hearts." Students are encouraged to serve their communities through "noisy offerings" and hands-on advocacy. The theme verse comes to life through the book, "Wandering Through WorldWonder," chapel mascot, engaging skits, and lively worship.

John Bishop, Director of Spiritual Formation

"Westminster is committed to supporting students in their spiritual growth by engaging them in biblical teachings, walking with them through life's challenges and calling them to a higher standard of living for Christ."

Chapel Blog

Chapel Devotion Guide

List of 1 news stories.

  • Peacemakers

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

    This week, we continue with the seventh beatitude found in Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
     
    What makes someone the “alpha?” Is it strength? Size? Intelligence? Speed? Charm?
     
    I once heard a statement from a psychologist that really stuck with me. In discussing the traits of effective leadership, he referenced research on primates—specifically chimpanzees. He said, “The chimpanzee who is most successful in leading the troop is not usually the biggest or strongest, but the one who is best at building consensus.”
     
    That insight is powerful. It reveals that real leadership isn’t about intimidation or control—it’s about influence. It’s about creating unity. True leaders are those others want to follow, not those they’re simply afraid to disobey.
     
    History echoes this point. A tyrant may rise quickly through fear, force, or manipulation, but their power is usually short-lived. Dictators are often overthrown, and their legacies marked by destruction. Respect, by contrast, can’t be seized—it must be earned. And over time, only those who lead with wisdom and compassion are truly honored.
     
    Jesus takes this one step further. He says that peacemakers—those who intentionally seek to bring people together, to mend brokenness, and to resolve conflict—will be called children of God. Not just respected leaders. Not just good people. Children of God.
     
    That’s a sacred title. And to bear it, we must learn the art of peace—not just keeping it but making it. That means stepping into tension, being a voice of calm in the chaos, choosing understanding over escalation, and seeking restoration where others seek revenge.
     
    Being a peacemaker doesn’t mean avoiding hard truths or pretending everything is fine. It means working for healing when relationships break, and for unity when differences divide.
     
    Are you building peace in your world? Do others experience more harmony, more grace, and more unity because of you? Because Jesus says those who make peace reflect the very heart of God—they show the family resemblance.
     
Westminster Christian School, located in Palmetto Bay, Florida, is a private, college-preparatory school for children from preschool through twelfth grade.