GCU Arena

Story and photos by Laurie Merrill GCU News Bureau For stage manager Jennifer Estrada, the message of Ethington Theatre’s “Our Town” is both poignant and personal. “The show talks a lot about living life to the fullest and how every minute could be your last,” Estrada said. “I’m a senior graduating in December, so it’s even more sentimental for me.” Our Town, which follows the loves and lives of Emily and George of Grover’s Corners, N.H., from 1899 to 1913, is an intimate experience that packs a powerful reminder: Pay attention to the wonderful things in life — before it is too late. “As a parent, it’s hard to get through without weeping,” said director Michael Kary, College of Fine Arts and Production instructor. “Coming from this side, all that time is gone, but now I have kids and I want to hug them and open their eyes and let them know that I love them because I never know when my final comment will come.” The 1938 play by American playwright Thornton Wilder is the second Pulitzer Prize winner in a row that COFAP has produced, following the musical political satire, “Of Thee I Sing.” Our Town is unusual in […]

Kent DelHousaye, the teaching pastor for Bethany Bible Church in Phoenix, spoke about love at this morning’s Chapel in the Arena. “If we had a slogan as Christians, what would it be? I think it would be ‘Love One Another,’” said DelHousaye, citing teachings found in 1 Peter 4:8, 1 Corinthians 13:8, John 15:12-13 and John 13:34-35. DelHousaye said love for others must neither give up nor run out. “Love is borne out in commitment and proven in faithfulness,” he said. “We need to do better on love.”

In a message that was about as subtle as an oncoming freight train, pastor and author Francis Chan called on Christians to leave their comfort zone and take the business of making disciples seriously. Chan, speaking at a packed GCU Arena on Friday night, didn’t sugarcoat what he described as “the failure of the church” to adequately equip believers to advance the Gospel message. “We haven’t been training people to stand on their own two feet,” said Chan, who for the past year has been planting churches in an especially tough part of inner-city San Francisco. “Your gifts are to equip you for the work of service. The goal is for you to be able to make disciples.”

Throughout the Bible, people do crazy things for the glory of God,” says Chan’s 16-year-old daughter, Rachel, a high school junior and musician who will perform before her father’s speaking engagement Friday night in GCU Arena. “Jesus calls us to deny ourselves. If we’re really living for eternity, these things aren’t crazy at all.” On Friday, she will perform three original songs and also join the Irish band Rend Collective Experiment onstage.

By Jennifer Willis Communications Staff Chapel and the Gathering got a burst of energy when they moved into the new arena this fall semester and Dean of Students Pastor Tim Griffin hopes to capitalize on that momentum by continuing to bring in some of the best pastors and Bible teachers the Valley has to offer. “I’m excited to pick up right where we left off last semester with our chapel experiences,” says Griffin. “Our worship teams will continue to lead the music portion of the services and our list of communicators will challenge us from their own personal life stories and God’s Word.” Some of the faces at chapel will be familiar favorites, including Pastor Tim and CEO Brian Mueller. Others, including the new College of Christian Studies Dean Steve Gerali, will be introduced for the first time. Additional speakers include Kent DelHousaye from Bethany Bible Church, Courtney Cleveland from Women of Faith, Darryl DelHousaye from Phoenix Seminary, Glenn Packiam from New Life Church, Jeff Gokee from Phoenix 1 and popular author and speaker Josh Riebok. The focus of the Gathering will change slightly this spring. While there will continue be a few outside faces, such as Cleveland and Riebok, Hudson […]

A GCU holiday tradition became more expansive than ever Sunday afternoon with the move of Canyon Cares Christmas to the Quad and Arena. The University’s three campuses collected toys for 750 underprivileged children, and a team of 150 enthusiastic, green-shirted volunteers — students, faculty and staff — helped dispense them to neighborhood families. “This is one of those great opportunities we have to express our love and support for our community,” said Dean of Students Pastor Tim Griffin as he surveyed the hustle and bustle outside the Arena. “It’s a wonderful time of year to do that, a chance to capture the moment. This is Grand Canyon at its best.”

George Frideric Handel’s 270-year-old “Messiah” met GCU’s 3-month-old Arena on Thursday night, and each was better for the experience. The Christmas classic, which takes nearly two hours to perform but took Handel only 24 days to write, has been heard in churches and concert halls the world over, in a multitude of variations. However, a 400-voice choir accompanied by the Phoenix Symphony breathed new life into the old warhorse, thanks in part to the Arena’s high-definition video screens and a pair of GCU vocalists who demonstrated why the College of Fine Arts and Production has made it all the way back.

Chapel heard a message about social justice from Palmer Chinchen, lead pastor of The Grove church in Chandler. Chinchen, who was born in Liberia, has written a book (“God Can’t Sleep”) about the need for Christians to wake up to the world’s social concerns. “A lot of people put the name of Jesus Christ on their lives but they don’t live that way, and that’s what bothers me,” Chinchen said, citing Ephesians 5:14. “Justice is the raging heartbeat of the Bible. … If we have a God that can’t sleep, then I hope you can’t, either.”

Is there a better front man in Christian rock music than Mac Powell of Third Day? First, there’s the look. With his shoulder-length brown hair, full beard, flannel shirt, jeans and boots, this might be what Jesus would look like if He were in a band. Third Day and Powell have been making music for going on 20 years now, but it’s hard to imagine band and lead singer sounding any better than they did on Sunday night at GCU Arena. A 95-minute show packed with 17 songs and two encores showed that there’s still plenty left in the tank for the four-time Grammy Award winners from Atlanta.

Phoenix, the fifth stop on a 21-show arena tour, is a favorite place to play for country act Lady Antebellum, and the trio reminisced Thursday night about past performances — none of which, they said, compared to playing in the new Arena.