The Bethel Weekend Spectacular is one of the most memorable events held in Bethel’s history. The weekend started with a picnic and concert on the Bethel campus followed by two full days of golf at the Rivermont golf course and later, Bear Trace golf course. Pat Boone, a renowned singer and entertainer, made that possible by dedicating thirty-five years of time and passion to the ministry.
The Bethel Golf Classic began in 1975. Pat was initially invited to play in the golf tournament as a fill-in player. While in Chattanooga, Pat fell in love with Bethel and the mission of the ministry. In 1978, Pat Boone replaced Tom T. Hall as the celebrity host for the golf tournament, and soon after, led the additional weekend events of entertainment. Pat was able to secure many artists to appear for the three-day weekend event including Perry Como and Glen Campbell.
While Pat put a lot of energy into the events, he also invested time with the kids while in Chattanooga. During his visits to the campus, Pat enjoyed dinner with the kids at their cottages, played guitar and sang songs, and read to groups of students at the school. Pat not only spent time with the kids but created lasting relationships with many of them.
In 2019, at the age of 85, Pat visited the Bethel campus in honor of the 65th anniversary. He visited the kids at the school with one wish for his visit, “to have lunch with the kids.” Pat learned each student by name and encouraged them to keep their focus on Jesus to be successful. In an interview with a local news platform in 2019, Pat expressed his motivation for his time spent with the children at Bethel with the passage Matthew 25:40 that says, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Pat has made a lasting impact on the ministry of Bethel, and most importantly, the impression that he had on so many children will not soon be forgotten.