KARLA SHIRVANIAN | staff writter

The 24th annual Night of Champions was celebrated at the Felix Event Center Saturday on March 29th. The event is designed as an outreach for youth and is organized by a team from APU that begins working on it at the beginning of spring semester. In ‘N Out is also a big part of the event, providing food and the items people walk away with at the end of the night, such as a T-shirt and Bible.

“We like to give people something to walk away with that they can be proud of,” senior marketing major Mandy Pohja said. Volunteers made up a large part of the success of the event. Volunteers were not only there the their fi ve MAS credits but many also had a bigger sense of the purpose of the event.

“It is a huge outreach for all the high school kids in the area and it is a great opportunity for them to come and socialize and meet older kids who still care about Jesus,” sophomore communications studies major Christie Osborn said. The event planners continue to look for specifi c types of speakers every year. “Every year we look for entertainers and athletes that could have a positive impact on the students and the students could relate to,” Pohja said.

The night featured activities for every person. The outdoor program featured over 50 classic cars and motorcycles, an obstaclecourse and an outdoor stage, featuring the band S.O.G. Crew and the APU step team. The outdoor event also had the Game Squad, a 40 foot gaming trailer, skaters from the SevenOne action sports camp, two outdoor murals being painted by John Zender with his team and an In ‘N Out bus which provided burgers, chips and soda to all in attendance.

The indoor program featured Phil Wickham, speaker Dennis Weatherby, the ‘men without shirts’ skit, the APU dance team Chozen, and a dramatic skit. Before the event, hundreds stood in line outside the entrance, eagerly waiting for the tape across the entrance to be cut. The moment the tape was cut the crowd rushed in, some even ran. The people quickly grabbed their shirts, put on name tags, and rushed to see the car show, the outside band, or the murals. “Our pastor’s heart is to show young people you can be a Christian and a biker too,” head usher Tom Croom said.

The cars showcased many groups and people which included an APU student and his 1948 Lincoln Continental. “This event is very important because it brings out the local young people and gets them interested in APU and in God,” sophomore history major Wesley Willison said. When the time came for the indoor program to begin, over 3,000 people moved up the steps to get ready to enter the Felix Event Center.

In 20 minutes everyone was inside and the Event Center was almost completely packed out. People were excited for the night to begin and began doing the wave in the stands while they waited for the night to start. When Wickham began playing his wellknown song, “Divine Romance” to start the evening’s events, the crowd exploded in cheering. Wickham also included the crowd in his set by having the people sing back lines to him. The singing echoed through the Event Center.

“I want to facilitate a moment where people can interact with God, whether it be worshipping Him or responding to Him,” Wickham said.After Wickham’s set, Campus Pastor Woody Morwood brought out Zender and his team along with one of the murals that was done through the course of the outdoor program. Zender explained the mural and his purpose and goals when people see his work and his crew’s work.

“You can surrender your gifts no matter what you do,” Zender said. “There are ways to do [graffi ti art] where you can still do it for Christ. God will bless it because you give the glory to Him and not to yourself.” Men Without Shirts, made up of a group of APU male students, kept the crowd laughing. Together on stage, the men acted out scenario skits.

The APU dance team “Chozen” then took the stage and performed a dance routine for the audience. Morwood did a question and answer period with Weathersby about life, hardships and overcoming the odds. Weathersby ended his time with a list of things young people should keep in mind. He suggested students pray constantly.

A skit which featured the Lifehouse song, “Everything,” portrayed a girl who once had a relationship with God but the love of the things of the world drives her to a place of depression, cutting, and suicidal thoughts. In her desperation she reaches out for God once again and God tames her “demons.” To end the evening, Morwood once again went on stage and called for people to surrender and “raise the white fl ag” to God. It was an invitation to make a profession of faith. When Morwood called people to stand if they wanted to make the profession several hundred stood and prayed to receive Christ.

In the end, Night of Champions was a success according to Pohja. “It went smoothly. The artists and speakers all seemed to have a heart for students. The students and youth leaders said [the artists and speakers] impacted them and they were thankful to be there,” Pohja said.