On a Saturday in April, roughly 70 worshippers gathered at a Design District studio for the pop-up Christian night club Praise Break’s latest event.
The evening began with a prayer. Then, swiftly, as if a volume dial were thumbed to the right, the hushed room burst into noise and movement. Stragglers at the door trickled inside.
Standing on a stage in the middle of the room, emcee LaMondre Johnson warmed the crowd, encouraging them to “let out a radical praise.”
“I don’t care if you scream, holler, throw something at me,” he said. “I just want to hear it on the count of three because the Lord has been that good.”
Guttural sounds rang out into the air and the night – chock full of worshiping, singing, rapping, clapping and writhing – proceeded on.
‘No cliques or circles’ to break into
Praise Break co-founder Elizabeth Cannon-Washington had a “really toxic” relationship end around the time she started the event series in November 2023.
“I was just really lost in the world,” she said. God “dropped in her spirit” the idea for a community-based group, one that would bridge the gap between culture and the kingdom.
Nautica Conwell had previously met Cannon-Washington in a Christian Facebook chat that quickly fizzled out. The duo reconnected at Praise Break’s first event.
Conwell, a former Chicago resident who now lives in Fort Worth, was eager to connect with young faithful people.
She attended Christian mixers, Bible studies and religious conferences, but the events, often organized through a church, felt difficult to make meaningful connections at as a newcomer.
“Yes, I’m allowed to go. But, who do I sit next to? Who can I talk to?” Conwell said.
Attending Praise Break’s inaugural pop-up as a guest, Conwell recalled that “there were no cliques or circles you had to break into.”
“At the first event, no one really knew each other because there wasn’t a home church tying us all together,” she said. “People came with open hearts. What really stood out to me was the intentional follow-up. … I stay connected with so many people.”
She has exchanged contact information via social media and phone with fellow attendees.
After that event, Conwell and Cannon-Washington had a heart-to-heart about the future of Praise Break. “It’s been both of us riding for this vision together ever since,” Cannon-Washington said.
The women try to foster a relaxed environment comparable to a “kickback,” Cannon-Washington said.
Vendors sell faith-inspired products. Emcees field testimonies from audience members. There are games, food trucks and photo ops.
All of these activities are aimed at circumventing a “perfectly churchy or overly formal” setting according to Cannon-Washington. “It doesn’t feel intimidating or unfamiliar for younger people or new believers,” she said.
Beonca McClendon, 32, came to the April 29 event with her nine-year-old daughter and six-year-old son.
“It’s more hip-hop music, more of their style,” she said, gesturing to Nate, her son, who was dancing fervently as bass-heavy Christian rap played during an intermission. “We can be ourselves and move,” McClendon said.
Christian nightclubs? Not an oxymoron
Faith-based nightlife experiences are not a new trend. Before closing in 2017 after a nearly 20-year-run, The Door, a Deep Ellum night club and concert venue, was a hub for Christian rock music.
For those who may raise their eyebrows at the idea of a Christian nightclub, “the word club is nothing but community,” Cannon says, adding “when God is involved anything can turn into a worship service.”
Attendees are meant to have fun and enjoy themselves; it’s a party, after all.
Like its Christian night club contemporaries, Praise Break is drug and alcohol-free. The music is nonsecular. Dancing is modest.
“You’d be surprised who will try to twerk to ‘Holy is thy name,’ ” said Cannon-Washington with a laugh.
If a guest is at odds with their guidelines, say for example, wearing a T-shirt with inappropriate language, it’s less of a faux pas and more of a teaching moment. In that scenario (which did occur), Cannon-Washington and Conwell bought the guest a new shirt from one of the vendors.
“It’s important to show the love of Christ,” Cannon-Washington said.
Beyond fostering interpersonal relationships, Praise Break’s co-founders also hope the group can be a bridge to other faith-based spaces.
“People are not always comfortable to step foot in the church right away. People don’t know what to expect,” Conwell said. “We’re hoping you’re able to have an encounter with Him that night to establish and plant seeds into what’s next for you.”
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