AFTERDARK makes stop at IU

For one night, IU students were able to experience a lively and powerful presentation on Jesus’ relevance today.

The IU Auditorium presented AFTERDARK on Wednesday night, a one-night event designated to spread religious messages to college students on campuses from coast to coast.

The event featured a concert performance by Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, along with an enthralling presentation by world-renowned motivational speaker Joe White.

The evening focused on the spiritual topic “is Jesus still relevant today and does he matter?” The introduction focused on the truth of Jesus and his gospel.

Alternative singer and songwriter Holcomb and his wife Ellie Holcomb opened the event, performing their songs “Anywhere But Here” and “I Like To Be With Me When I’m With You.”

Then White took the audience on a visual adventure of the biblical tale of Jesus sacrificing himself on the cross for all mankind.

White actually portrayed himself as a Roman cross builder on stage by chopping and nailing two large cylinders of wood together to form the holy cross.

“The followers of Jesus are still growing today, with over 22,000 followers getting baptized all over the world ever single day joining his alliance,” White said. “I hope by sparking conversation about Jesus today, this will allow people to find the honest search for truth of Christ.”

His presentation showed a concern for Jesus’ death, comparing it to deaths of fathers all over, even comparing it to his family history.

IU student Katie Pittman attended an AFTERDARK event at Ohio State, and she said she thinks students will obtain a powerful message from the event.

“AFTERDARK is an opportunity to tell the biblical story of Jesus’s death and resurrection in a more authentic way for students of non-Christian backgrounds to understand,” Pittman said. “This assembly provided a captivating, reassuring and unforgettable message that people will be talking and thinking about for weeks after hearing it.”

A student who said she is faithful to her Christian religion, sophomore Bridget Dotson said AFTERDARK was a great way to get the word out about Jesus so other students could build a strong relationship with God like she did.

“Events like this don’t happen all the time at a secular University like IU, so I feel like so many hearts are going to be touched tonight and that God is seriously going to do something big with this campus,” Dotson said. “The students tonight have obtained a mighty opportunity, and this allows them to meet Jesus and truly encounter his presence and love.”