Written by Lauren Smyth
Between the Old Snack Bar and Hillsdale College’s Dow Hotel and Conference Center are the inconspicuous doors of what students have named the “Baby Chapel.” Few students are curious enough to peek inside, and there’s little to see besides a few rows of chairs lining the walls.
Each Sunday, five unlikely friends arrange those chairs in a circle, trade cookies, and share exam woes. Then they bow their heads for “popcorn prayer.”
“The idea [of popcorn prayer] as we do it in Prayer Lab is that we read through a passage of scripture, and then we … pray about specific portions of the passage,” said Brennan Berryhill, ’27, Prayer Lab leader. “Maybe it’s a bit trite to say the Spirit leads, but that’s truly what we believe.”
Prayer Lab is an offshoot of Equip Ministries, an interdenominational partnership between college staff, local churches, and student leaders. Freshmen who find cookies outside their dorm rooms have Equip to thank. So do readers of the popular campus magazine, Fool’s Talk, and those who enjoy a hot meal at the organization’s weekly Bible study. Student leaders in Equip are mentored by local pastors, who serve on the ministry’s advisory board.
Among the regular attendees: Two members of the ultimate frisbee team, an artist and future law student, a former Marine, and an economics student. Prayer Lab is often the only time their divergent paths cross. It’s also one of the rare moments when their lives slow down enough to feel like a deep breath is possible.
“I sometimes find it paralyzing to figure out for myself how long I will spend in prayer,” said Abby Davis, ’25, Prayer Lab’s graphic designer. “Prayer Lab helps me by taking that out of my control, so … I can just be there and focus on enjoying time with the Lord.”
“Pastors are [our] spiritual guidance,” said Berryhill. “They are older men who have experience leading the church, and they help advise students to lead other students.”
Prayer Lab is Equip’s smallest ministry. Campus-wide advertising campaigns over several semesters have attracted only a few new attendees. But the group’s small size promotes vulnerability among its members and encourages personal invitations. And, for newcomers, this is a comfortable place to explore and grow in faith.
“I didn’t know these people that well, so that made me a bit nervous coming into it,” said Brian Shia, ’27, who joined the group in April. “I think if there was a larger group, then you might have a lot more silence, or you’d just have no chance to talk at all …. With Prayer Lab, it’s nice that it’s a small group.”
Clubs, classes, and athletics have finished for the year, but Prayer Lab keeps up business as usual.
“I absolutely believe the days where I’m busiest are the days where I need prayer the most,” Berryhill said. “Having dedicated time to rest and turn to God puts everything else into focus.”
Lauren Smyth, ’25, is an economics major and journalism minor. Outside of starting arguments in philosophy class, she enjoys curling up on a bench outdoors (sun, rain, or snow) to write novels or articles for her blog, www.laurensmythbooks.com.
Published in May 2025
