California Baptist University Community Life office held another successful Campus Nite Oct. 18, with about 500 students in attendance to watch the performance of Beautiful Eulogy, a hip-hop inspired Christian rap group.
Campus Nite is an event put on by Spiritual Life four times a year and always draws a full house at the Van Dyne Gymnasium.
“Each event is a little bit different (to) cater to a different population in school and this one was a creative event,” said Libby Otten, junior communication disorders major who works for Community Life.
Joshua Hernandez, sophomore mechanical engineering major, said he always comes to Campus Nite since he transferred to CBU last semester.
“I love Campus Nite. I always loved the events and I’ve never heard of (Beautiful Eulogy) but I’m gonna definitely dig in deeper. I was really listening and I caught phrases and thought, ‘Wow, this is really good stuff,’ said Hernandez.
Members of Beautiful Eulogy said they were happy to be able to come to CBU and share their love of music with the students. They shared their ultimate goal and inspiration for their music.
“The reason we make music to be quite honest is we want to encourage people in their walk with Jesus, so we write songs to give God praise to give God glory and we write songs from a posture of worship,” said Beautiful Eulogy member Braille after the show. “We write songs so that people might engage with God in a way that is true and honest that is rooted in his word and how Jesus has revealed himself.”
Geoffrey Ceoghegan, sophomore chemical engineering major, said he went to the first Campus Nite as a freshman because it was advertised well.
“I didn’t really get in to it as much as a freshman, but this year I’ve been to both of them and I love the opportunity it gives us to meet new people, new artists and people in their fields,” Ceoghegan said.
Thomas Terry, lead singer of Beautiful Eulogy and lead pastor of Trinity Church of Portland, said that seeing the need for music that speaks theological truth motivated them to record their album.
“We saw people as we were doing songs, people were worshiping and we saw people reciting lyrics and declaring these truths of who God is and what he’s done for humanity,” said Terry. “Whenever we see people worshiping — not just being spectators or consumers of the art, but actually participating in worship — that is a great satisfaction for us because that is why we make it.”
Terry said that college is a time where many students are wrestling with their faith and he hopes that they will choose to anchor themselves to the word of God.
“Our hope is that when they walk away from this experience they have a bigger view of who God is, they would have a bigger fidelity to His word, that they would appreciate the beauty of the local church and that they would feel encouraged as Christians,” Terry said. “For those who were here tonight who don’t know Jesus, our hearts, desire and our prayer is that they would come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior that they would come to trust in Him for life and liberty.”=
The passionate words from Terry highlighted another successful Campus Nite. Beautiful Eulogy brought students together with their music and used their words as a gentle reminder of life’s purpose.
Photo: Elijah Hickman
