DALLAS—Dallas Baptist University officially dedicated the Patty and Bo Pilgrim Chapel Oct. 16.

Maintaining DBU’s colonial architectural style, and modeled after several classic colonial church buildings, the 80,000 square-foot facility seats more than 1,300 students in its sanctuary.

“It has been the dream of so many DBU faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, students, and donors that Dallas Baptist University would build a chapel building,” DBU President Gary Cook said. “I am thrilled that this building has finally been constructed and that we are able to dedicate this building to the Lord. We are grateful to Patty and Bo Pilgrim and to the hundreds of other individuals who have made contributions for this beautiful new building on the DBU campus.”

The Patty and Bo Pilgrim Chapel at Dallas Baptist University not only contains seating for more than 1,300 students in the main auditorium, but also will house offices, classrooms, a theater and a reception hall.

The service proved to be a special time as donors, trustees, faculty, staff and various other friends of the university came together to pray for God to use the building to further his kingdom. Beginning the service with the university hymn, “To God Be the Glory,” the sanctuary rang with the chorus, “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

Other members of the DBU family came and spoke, and many offered prayers of thanksgiving and dedication. A memorable moment came as Bo Pilgrim, whose generous gift allowed the school to move forward with the building project, offered his remarks on the meaning of the new chapel.

As the service closed, all those gathered sang a final chorus, declaring the chapel was “Holy Ground.”

For decades, prayers have been offered for the construction of a chapel building, and in 1998, the first gift was given for the chapel. Since that time, many supporters have come forward to help make the dream a reality.

“We are grateful beyond expression for the outpouring of gifts we have received from so many for the construction of this beautiful center for spiritual development,” explained Adam Wright, assistant to the president for advancement and coordinator of the chapel campaign. “In the history of DBU, there has never been a building project like Pilgrim Chapel that has received the level of support from so many individuals.”

In addition to hosting chapel services, Pilgrim Chapel is also the new home to the Orville and Esther Beth Rogers Prayer Ministry, the Rogers Baptist Student Ministry offices, as well as the offices of the Gary Cook Graduate School of Leadership, which provides many ministry-related graduate degrees. The facility also houses six classrooms, one seminar room, a 134-seat theater, and Jeannette and Cletys Sadler Hall that holds approximately 250 people for receptions and dinners.

“So much prayer, dedication, and hard work has gone into the planning and construction of this wonderful facility that is dedicated to worship, discipleship and evangelism,” explained Dr. J. Blair Blackburn, DBU executive vice president and project director of Pilgrim Chapel.

“Those who enter the doors of this beautiful facility, view the Christian symbols and verses throughout the building, and step foot in the sanctuary will hopefully be challenged and encouraged in their walk with the Lord. The stained glass windows and the verses that adorn the sanctuary remind us all of the central focus of the Pilgrim Chapel and the university as a whole—that this be a place of worship and that we live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to our Lord.”

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