The SMU Wesley Foundation hosted Christian music artist Phil Wickham Wednesday Night in Perkins Chapel. Hundreds of SMU students and people from the surrounding community filled every pew.

People began arriving at Perkins Chapel an hour early to line up for the evening of worship music. Waiting in anticipation for the concert to begin, students caught up on summer happenings and greeted new-comers.

Standing outside the doors, Jennifer Reed, SMU junior, said, “I’m really excited for Phil Wickham to be here! I think it’s a great way to kick off the school year, worshipping with other SMU Christians.”

Andy Roberts, the director of SMU Wesley, explained the purpose behind the event: “We really wanted to host an event where students could come together the first week of school and worship. We thought that Phil Wickham would be a great guy to come and lead us.”

A contemporary, Christian artist from San Diego, Wickham began his full-time music career in 2003 with the release of his independent album, “Give You My World,” and has since released three more albums.He recently performed in the UK at Soul Survivor, a Christian charity.

When Wickham began singing accompanied by his acoustic guitar, Perkins Chapel was overflowing with people, crowding the pews and aisles. Hundreds of voices and hands were lifted up in worship for the duration of the hour and a half concert. Between songs and through his music, Wickham expressed his passion for God and worship.

Afterword, SMU junior Ali Gatewood said, “I think it’s really cool that they got somebody as famous as Phil Wickham to come here, and that it was free. It was really awesome!”

When asked about the mission of Wesley, Roberts said, “We are a campus ministry of the Methodist Church, and we want to transform students who transform the world for Jesus Christ.”

Wesley’s campus worship service, the Well, gathers in Perkin’s Chapel on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.