Beneath the enchanting moonlit skies of Wednesdays at SNU, the campus comes alive with the vibrant energy of Late Night at Bethany First Church, a weekly event hosted by the iconic Pastor Brixton. This gathering serves as a fun space for students from SNU and the surrounding youth community to express themselves, build connections, and engage in invigorating worship.
For many SNU students, the journey to Late Night is marked by various paths—some driven by recommendations from friends, others ignited by curiosity. Lydia Mitchell says, “I connected through Brixton. Because BFC is so close to the school it is often being advertised, so I was encouraged to go.” Conversely, Ryleigh Rushing, a lifelong attendee, reflects on her ten-year involvement with Bethany First Church, expressing a desire to reconnect with peers her age upon entering college. She appreciates Late Night for its diverse attendance, providing a unique opportunity to interact with people from different schools.
Beneath the welcoming roof of the Family Life Center, a powerful sense of community envelops attendees as they collectively partake in prayer, worship, and fellowship. Darius Petties emphasizes the role of Late Night in fostering consistency in his life, stating, “It’s always important to have a level of foundational consistency that draws you closer to God, even in worship.” Noah Whitman highlights the event’s impact on personal reflection, noting, “It brings new thoughts; sometimes I write down in my notes app and revisit them later to think and reflect on these ideas.”
Consequently, Late Night creates a ripple effect of personal and spiritual growth. Rushing speaks about doing a great job in growing and maintaining a relationship with God, mentioning that, “Having a pastor that cares about people our age who want to find the most powerful and fun ways to invest in us and help us grow has been very special to me.” As members of the community carry these experiences into their daily lives, the spiritual electric touch echoes into their actions, contributing to a more engaged campus community.
From a broader perspective, Late Night plays a powerful role in shaping the overall atmosphere and culture of SNU. A member of the SNU community, Mac Tremmel, expresses, “When you jump from high school to college, and then you go to OU or OSU, everyone gets their little cliques with likewise morals and values. Having a firm foundation isn’t important to them. However, when you jump from high school to a college like this, especially a small one, and go to Late Night on Wednesday, you see a lot of groups hanging out with each other–some that you don’t think would be together anywhere else. I think it’s good for the community. You’ve got the football players over here hanging out with people who study a lot, or you’ve got the musically gifted people over here hanging out with the people who don’t even know how to play an instrument. I think that Late Night brings people of different groups together because everyone has Jesus in common.”
As the quiet hours of SNU unfold, Late Night at BFC resonates as a guiding melody amid the stresses of school. From the initial buzz that draws students to this state of grace to the profound calls to worship, the event and Pastor Brix leave an indelible mark on the campus community. As anticipation builds for the next Wednesday, we eagerly await the unfolding chapter in SNU’s story, confident that Late Night will continue to play a transformative role in the lives of its students.
Photo by José Ramos