Each Thursday at 9 p.m., the sound of live music fills the amphitheater as students gather at The Well. Previously known as Thursday Night Worship, The Well is a growing community on campus, and the new name has sparked fresh hype over the weekly gathering.
The Well hosts more than 200 students each week and features live worship music and a message, usually given by Campus Ministries leader Thomas Fitzpatrick. This semester, the message series is going through the book of Daniel, looking at how lessons from Daniel can apply to the lives of college students.
Although The Well has been around for more than a year, the name change has given additional meaning to the event’s purpose. “The Well name comes from the John 4 story of a broken, lost and lonely woman who meets Jesus at — of all places — a well,” Fitzpatrick said. “She was the first evangelist, and we like the idea that people leave here changed and inspired to go out and do something. Our goal is to unite Christians on this campus, to excite them and to send them out to serve and to be light and salt.”
While some students are returning, many attended The Well for the first time this semester. Freshman Michelle Sastraatmadja said: “I just transferred in from New York. People here are very different from other schools. People here are more supportive and really friendly, and that’s reflected even in The Well.”
Fitzpatrick said that’s exactly the goal: “There didn’t seem to be a central or unifying thing that said, ‘Yeah, this is Pepperdine.’ We started last year, and we aren’t affiliated with any church or ministry on campus, so everybody is welcome. We want it to be a place where all Christians can feel welcome.”
In other words, The Well is meant to be more than just another church service. Both students and faculty involved are aiming to create a space where all Christians can feel at home, no matter their background.
According to Fitzpatrick, the driving idea behind The Well this semester is to create a positive environment as well as cover topics that are relevant to what students are going through.
“We’re going to have more students sharing and speaking this semester because students know what’s going on in each other’s lives. Hopefully this gives a lot more people an opportunity to serve and belong,” Fitzpatrick said.
Among the plethora of events and activities offered at Pepperdine, The Well is a unique experience, giving students the opportunity to spend time with God and in fellowship. Created as an opportunity for students to connect with God and one another in a positive and music-filled environment, the ambition for The Well goes beyond gathering once a week.
“We want this to be a funnel into small groups and Bible studies, and also moving people toward church, as this is not the end goal.” Fitzpatrick said. “When you can direct a large body of people toward something, you can start a movement. It would be cool for that shockwave to start at The Well.”
The hope is for The Well to be a catalyst for change in campus culture and to forge a sense of community across the student body. With more students coming together every week, the movement is growing.
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As published in the Jan. 16 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
