On March 30, the campus organization, Xchange Ministries, took over Club Heat on North Ashley Street and hosted Elevate: The Light Club.
  
The rationale behind the title is to live as people of the light. The light within you produces only what is good and true.

   Elevate provides an alternative for those searching for good, clean fun. It mixed food, music, and a dance floor to worship God in respectable setting.

   For a night, Elevate made it acceptable for Christians to say    “I’m going to the club tonight!”

   Christians were krumping, singing their hearts words, “beefin’ it up” and enjoying being in the Lord’s presence all at the same time. There are not too many clubs where you can praise and worship and have it be pleasing in the Lord’s eyes.

   DJ Sematic kept the records spinning as loud, upbeat music greeted people at the doors of Elevate, but the lyrics of the Christian Rap drifting through the air glorified Christ in more ways than one.

   The music had many in a daze, lifting their hands to the sky and praising the most high. Christian artist, T-Haddy, was in attendance and blazed the stage with songs such as “Holy Ghost Fire” and “Peace Be Still.”

   Other artists, such as Churchboy and Kuntry Keith, attended the event as well and gave hype, inspirational performances.

Some guests that attended, including Darrel Boner, felt instant inspiration.

   “Our high comes from praising the Lord, whether it’s through song, rap, poetry, dance, etc,” Boner said.

   “This is a scenario where God could meet people where they were, even in the club. And despite their initial expectations, they were able to receive something completely different, something very positive and beneficial.”

   When we think of Christians, we think about people who read the bible all day and rarely have any fun, but Elevate disproved those stereotypes.

   “It disproves some of the stereotypes saying that Christians are stuck up or up tight, but we like to have fun while still uplifting the name of God,” Vernique Esther, a member of the Xchange dance team, said.

   “ I enjoyed just being free to worship, dance, jump around, and just have fun without compromising my faith.”

   Police officers came to see what the loud music was all about, but once they saw this crowd of youth on fire for God, they decided to join in on the fun.

   I witnessed one cop bobbing his head to the beat of the music, wearing his bullet proof vest and gun holster on his hip. God brings everyone together and he will surely meet you where you are, just call out His name.