B1
Football defeats the Blue Hose
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Lynchburg, Virginia
Volume 33 | Issue 9 Tuesday, November 10, 2015
reunited
RJ Goodwin | Liberty Champion
ADVICE — Campus pastor Frank Hickson spoke with and guided students.
More than mentoring Campus pastors work to guide and counsel Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
JOY — A surprise military reunion occurred at halftime of the Military Appreciation Day football game.
DEBATE
Liberty is a potential site to host a 2016 Republican debate Sarah Rodriguez srodriguez70@liberty.edu
Liberty University and the Republican National Committee (RNC) are in talks about having a Republican presidential debate in January 2016, though negotiations are not final. Sean Spicer, the RNC’s chief strategist and communications director, said Liberty and the RNC have been in talks for about a year. Spicer said he has visited the Lynchburg-area college a few times and a production team has also visited campus. President Falwell said it was more than a year ago when he first discussed the possible debate with the RNC. “I first met with Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, about the possibility of a debate at LU in Washington in the spring of 2014,” Falwell said. “We are thrilled to see the final plans for the debate finally taking shape.”
Spicer said Liberty is being considered as a host site due to many different factors. “Number one, (Liberty has) just a world-class facility,” Spicer said. “Number two, they have experience putting on top-notch events. Number three, I think there is a commitment from the school leadership to do something like this on a world stage.” Randy Smith, the executive vice president of Liberty, said there has not been a deal confirmed due to busy schedules of both parties. “In the negotiations, it’s hard to say whose side the delay is on, but we presented everything to them that we would want,” Smith said. “They presented everything to us that they would want. But it’s just taken longer. The main reason it’s taking long is because everyone’s been so busy. When one of the other (Republican) debates takes place, there is a two-week period, (and) they just need to focus on that.”
Spicer said the date of the possible debate at Liberty is not yet confirmed, and it would not be open to the public, although he said Liberty students would not be completely excluded. “We are working with the leadership of the school to ensure that students are involved,” Spicer said. Smith said the debate would happen in part of the Vines Center. “It would not be just open doors,” Smith said. “Obviously there is a tremendous amount of security involved. Secret Service is involved. Ticket distribution is very highly controlled. We don’t know for sure yet how many tickets Liberty University would have. That’s one of the things we are negotiating and haven’t agreed on yet. There will only be a total of 2,500 seats anyway.” Spicer said the next few weeks will be very important in the negotiation process. RODRIGUEZ is the news editor.
Calm in the chaos
LAPD officer Deon Joseph shares his personal testimony Taylor Coleman tcoleman64@liberty.edu
Los Angeles police officer Deon Joseph challenged students at Convocation Nov. 3 to look beyond a person’s circumstance and focus on the heart. Joseph has been a police officer for 20 years and has dedicated himself to serving the people of Skid Row for 17 years. He explained that Skid Row is known as the “homeless capital of the United States of America.” When Joseph began his career in law enforcement in California, he was assigned the Central Division, the heart of Los Angeles where Skid Row is located. Joseph said he was warned that Skid Row would be a difficult area to patrol. “There were rows and rows of people who looked like me, destroying themselves,” Joseph said. “(The smell) grabbed you by the nose hairs and shook you. I said, ‘I’m putting my transfer in today.’” The crime rate is high as gang members descend upon the vulnerable people of Skid Row. Joseph said it is a myth that everyone in Skid Row is homeless but also said many are fighting mental illness. After spending time in Skid Row, Joseph said he started to notice a change in his heart where he felt comfortable being there. He began to look forward to his shift and the people he would see. “While I’m in Skid Row, I realize one thing: I (am) home,” Joseph said. “If ever you feel comfortable in chaos, it’s probably where God called you to be.” Joseph said he developed friendships with the residents of
Skid Row as God began working in him. “You end up developing strange relationships at Skid Row when you open your heart,” Joseph said. “In the Bible, it teaches us, ‘Do this for the least of these.’ What (the Bible) is commanding us to do is to treat people who the world see as ‘the least’ as you would treat anyone else.” Joseph made friends with many of the people of Skid Row, including a woman named Mimi who was able to assist him as an insider when she had information about a crime
See OFFICER, A2
Taylor Frost tfrost2@liberty.edu
The Campus Pastors Office is implementing new tactics to engage students. This semester, members of the staff have been roaming the campus. While these staff members still have offices, they are more likely to be found in the Jerry Falwell Library or joining a student for a Bible study and a workout in the gym. “It’s given us more of a higher profile,” Timothy Griffin, executive director of the Campus Pastors Office, said. “More students are aware of us.” Griffin said campus pastors have done mobile ministry in past semesters, but David Nasser, senior vice president of Spiritual Development, has taken it to another level. According to Griffin, the roaming campus pastors are given the freedom to go anywhere they please. Some of the staff has reserved group study rooms in the Jerry Falwell Library to act as makeshift offices. Griffin said group study rooms give the staff the ability to mentor students and have in depth conversations in private. The goal of the roaming staff is to have conversations with students who would not normally come into their offices. Griffin said they have been able to talk to more students this semester than ever before. The campus pastor team has collectively met with close to 500 students this semester. “Whatever walk of life (they) are in, we want students to be the best Christians they can be,” Griffin said. The Campus Pastors Office is made up of six ordained campus pastors and four women’s life skills coordinators. “Our biggest resources are people and relationships,” Griffin said. The campus pastors are in charge of meeting with students, hospital visits, premarital counseling, marital counseling, leading small groups, and mentoring and discipling students. Griffin compared the campus pastor role to the day-today role of a pastoral staff of a church and said their responsibilities are very similar. The life skills coordinators specifically invest into the lives of women. Their position is very similar to the campus pastors in terms of mentoring and discipling females on the campus. Students have the opportunity to meet with campus pastors or life skills coordinators in one-onone meetings. These provide students with a personalized time to talk through different struggles they are encountering. “Students get to talking and realize we are pretty great to talk to,” Griffin said. Another branch of the Campus Pastors Office is the Prayer Center located in M17. It is run by two of the campus pastors and is open every day. The Prayer Center is where students are prayed for and can come to pray. Online students are also available to access the Prayer Center by submitting prayer requests online, through telephone or texting 434-515-1854. Currently, students can join the 15 Days of Prayer. This initiative highlights different parts of campus and encourages students to pray from different places at Liberty each day. The campus pastors can be reached at campuspastors@liberty.edu or (434) 592-5411. Their office is located in Green Hall 1837.
Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion
PASSION — Deon Joseph expressed his gratitude to God.
FROST is a news reporter.
INSIDE THE CHAMPION
News
A fallen military serviceman is honored with a trail dedication. A7
Opinion
A student gives his opinion on journalistic integrity.
Sports A5
The Lady Flames soccer team captures the Big South Championship. B4
Feature
Young Women for America prepares for upcoming Gala. B7
News Opinion
A1 A4
Sports Feature
B1 B5
news
A2 | November 10, 2015 | Liberty Champion
Feeding the hungry
Students are encouraged to donate to food drives this Thanksgiving season Elizabeth Lapp elapp@liberty.edu
The annual Liberty University Thanksgiving Food Drive is underway as students, faculty and staff work to reach this year’s goal of donating more than 4,000 pounds of food by Nov. 18. The food drive is hosted each year through a partnership between the Center for Christian/Community Service and Sodexo, with all donations going toward the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Darren Wu, Christian/Community Service coordinator, is in charge of this year’s food drive and described how important it is for the Liberty community to participate, as it meets the needs of those in the surrounding area in “a very personal way.” “(Thanksgiving) is a family celebration, and a lot of times it revolves around a huge Thanksgiving meal,” Wu said. “Most of us are in the demographic where we take part in a huge Thanksgiving feast. It demonstrates the blessings that we have, and it’s important that we be very mindful during this time of year of those that don’t have very much.” Wu said this is the third year Sodexo will be matching the donations made by Liberty students and faculty. Last year, Sodexo exceeded the 3,200 pound donation from Liberty students and faculty by donating 3,300 pounds for a total of more than 6,500 pounds of food.
Casey Guise, marketing manager for Liberty Dining by Sodexo, described Sodexo’s outreach programs to fight hunger, stemming from the idea that “we take hunger personally.” “Sodexo is always working hard to end hunger,” Guise said. “Because we are in the food service industry, we have a responsibility to make concerted efforts to end hunger and to set an example to others and to inspire others to fight hunger. We work as a company, but then we are also encouraging students to take hunger personally and to consider the millions of people in the country who suffer from not knowing exactly when their next meal is going to be.” Guise described Sodexo’s commitment to fighting hunger year-round by reducing food waste and through benefits such as the New York City showcase that took place last year. “Throughout the year we make donations a couple of times a week from the dining hall and from Doc’s (Diner) of prepared but unserved food because food waste, of course, is such a huge issue as well, and we are always working to reduce food waste,” Guise said. “We donate food to Lynchburg Daily Bread, and they’re able to use that to serve, and they serve a meal to anyone who comes to their door.” The four main donation sites for this year’s food drive are at the Center for Christian/ Community Service Office in
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
CANS — Students were asked to donate nonperishable foods to help feed the hungry. Green Hall, the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall, Snowflex and Old Thomas Road Baptist Church. Sodexo encouraged students and faculty to get involved by setting up their own drop-off stations around campus. “Our brand new piece for this food drive is the poster that we provide to the campus for students, departments, faculty and staff,” Guise said. “They can print it right at their desk or right in their dorm room and with any old cardboard box just set up a pop-up food donation site so that people can donate there, and then those donations
can be taken to Reber-Thomas Dining Hall.” Even the smallest donations are appreciated as a single can is doubled through the Sodexo match. “Every little bit helps, truly, even a modest, small collection bin,” Guise said. “If it gets someone a meal that wouldn’t ordinarily have one then they’ve made a difference, and that is what it’s all about.”
FYI Food donations can be made Nov. 2-18 at the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall, the CSER Office and the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre.
LAPP is a news reporter.
Ballot box bummer
Less than 10 percent of voters registered in Lynchburg voted in the latest election Quinn Foley qfoley@liberty.edu
Virginia voter turnout for the 2015 elections was lower than predicted, according to the Lynchburg News & Advance. Students were able to vote in the Vines Center Tuesday, Nov. 3 even though all candidates were running unopposed. The Vines Center, which is in the 3rd Ward and 2nd Precinct, showed that less than 10 percent of registered voters cast a vote in the most recent election, according to unofficial results posted on results.elections.virigina.gov. This trend was also seen throughout Lynchburg. Larry Provost of the Division of Students Affairs said although turnout was
below projected estimates, Liberty students are still known to go out to the ballot box and vote. “All elections during this most recent election were unopposed, and turnout across Lynchburg was rather low,” Provost said. “However, Liberty has traditionally led the way in campus turnout across the country and (is) expected (to make) a very large turnout for the fall 2016 presidential election.” The summary of Virginia registration and turnout statistics has not yet been posted but can be found at elections.viriginia. gov once the election is certified. Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion
FOLEY is the asst. news editor.
CHECK — Lynchburg residents marked their ballots to cast their votes on Election Day.
CAMPUS CALENDAR 11/10 11/10 11/11 11/12 11/12 11/12 11/13 11/14 11/14
- School of Divinity Career Fair 12 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. | LaHaye Multipurpose Center Court One - The Chaplains of Gettysburg 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. | Hancock Welcome Center Banquet Room - Veteran Reception 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. | Hancock Welcome Center -Military Appreciation Blood Drive 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. | JFL Terrace Conference Room - Farmer’s Market 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. | Doc’s Diner Parking Lot - Coffeehouse Tryouts 5 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space - Care Package Workshop 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. | JFL Terrace Conference Room - Valley View 5 Miler 9 a.m. | Camp Hydaway - Student Activities Movie Night 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. | LaHaye Student Union Special Event Space
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OFFICER continued from A1 committed. When she became a victim of homicide, Joseph questioned God’s motives in putting her in his life. Joseph realized change needed to happen in the community. He decided to approach each situation he faced with a heart for ministry. “Let tragedy motivate you to make change,” Joseph said. In one instance, Joseph said he had been receiving multiple death threats from a man on Skid Row. One day, Joseph caught the man smoking from a crack pipe and was prepared to arrest him, when he realized God had different plans. “Something in my spirit said, ‘Pray for him,’” Joseph said. “I stuck out my hand and said, ‘Hey, man, stand up. Take my hand.’ By the time I finished praying … there were tears streaming down his eyes.” Months later, the same troubled man walked into the station as a different person. Joseph said the man was visibly cleaned up, had reunited with his wife and kids, and had earned a flap from Narcotics Anonymous acknowledging his sobriety. During Joseph’s time as an officer on Skid Row, he has
successfully been the catalyst for organizations that strive to provide help to victims of crimes who have found solace at Skid Row. One program, Ladies’ Night, is an event focused on helping women who have become victims of domestic violence or rape. On the first night, more than 175 women showed up. Although Joseph is proud of the success in starting these types of programs, he said he does not deserve the credit. “I’m not bragging on me,” Joseph said. “I’m bragging on my God.” As Joseph concluded his presentation, his family joined him on stage as a student prayed over him and his colleagues. Katie Godwin, president of the Liberty University Criminal Justice Club, praised Joseph for his selfless work as not only a police officer but as a Christian. “Recently with all the negative light on law enforcement I think our nation needs to be reminded that law enforcement is here to help,” Godwin said. “I believe Deon, his department and many others are doing a great job showing their care. I hope to be at least half the officer Deon is.” COLEMAN is a news reporter.
news
Liberty Champion | November 10, 2015 | A3
Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion
PRIDE — Veteran Dr. Tim Lee opened Military Emphasis Week when he spoke at Convocation Friday, Nov. 6 about his concern for America.
Amazing-Lee blessed Vietnam veteran speaks to students about having a burden for the U.S.
Jacob Clarke jlclarke3@liberty.edu
Vietnam War veteran Dr. Tim Lee encouraged students to “begin to get a burden for (their) nation like (they) never have” on the first day of Liberty University’s Military Emphasis Week, which began at Convocation Friday, Nov. 6. To kick off the annual event, Director of the Center for Chaplaincy Dr. Steve Keith called for a moment of silence to honor those who serve in America’s armed forces to protect the nation’s freedoms. Lee, a double amputee who lost both his legs because of a land mine in the war, began his address by telling stories about how God has allowed him to present his testimony to thousands of members of the military, many of whom have given their lives to God. He said while he feels hopeful for the future of the country, he is concerned the U.S. is forgetting its heritage as a nation founded on the Word of God. “Our nation was founded on biblical principles,” Lee said. “Our forefathers
weren’t trying to kick God out of anything. Our forefathers wanted God in America, and I believe that is one reason why God has blessed this nation, the most blessed nation on the face of this earth.” Lee read passages from Jeremiah 2 and Lamentations 1, 2, 4 and 5 that dealt with the problem of a nation turning its back on God. He said he believes America is trying
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Lee, who has been a member of Liberty’s board of trustees since 1991, said even though Christians should not neglect their roles in politics, hope for America does not ultimately lie in the government. “Our hope is not in a political party, and our hope is not in Washington, D.C.,” Lee said. “Our hope is in God. And the real hope that we have today is … the God-
We wouldn't have these freedoms and these liberties that we have without someone protecting them and fighting for them. — SARAH RAY
to remove God from the land at an increasingly faster rate, with drastic changes taking place “daily and sometimes even hourly.” “It is a push to try to kick God out of America,” Lee said. “I look around and see what is happening to America today, and it causes me to weep. I’m not an alarmist. I’m a realist.”
sent revival that can come to our churches and our homes and our schools and to our neighborhoods.” Now in his 37th year as an evangelist, Lee said he will continue to travel around the country to spread his message about defending the Christian values of the U.S. but most of all, the message of the Christ.
“My prayer is going to be that some in this room … will seriously begin to get a burden for your nation,” Lee said. “Let us begin to take America back alley by alley, street by street, town by town and city by city so we can once again say, ‘One nation under God.’” Students lined up after Convocation to meet Lee and some mentioned they were thankful for the service of the men and women in uniform who put themselves in harm's way. “We wouldn’t have these freedoms and these liberties that we have without someone protecting them and fighting for them,” sophomore Sarah Ray said. Junior Charlie Wade said he agreed with Lee’s message about the desire to see America turn back to God, and he said without the military “it would be impossible to gather together and worship and grow closer to God.”
CLARKE is a copy editor.
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OPINION
A4
November 10, 2015
Bush continues his fall Presidential hopeful steadily drops in polls but should not drop campaign Leah Depiero ldepiero@liberty.edu
Jeb Bush has a problem. The 2016 Republican candidate hopeful fell from second to fifth place in a recent New Hampshire poll and is now at seven percent in the critical state, according to a CBS News article. Furthermore, Bush continues to fall nationally among Republicans. A Monmouth University poll released Oct. 20 polled Bush at five percent. Bush’s standing has fallen in every successive Monmouth poll since July, where he initially led the GOP field at 15 percent, making his current standing a full 10 points lower than when his campaign began. “The money train may be chugging along for the Bush campaign, but the polling train has been steadily losing steam,” Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute in West Long Branch, New Jersey, said in a statement accompanying the poll. This has led Republicans to speculate about whether he is the next Sen. John McCain, who recovered from similarly low ratings to win the Republican nomination in 2008, or whether his campaigning days are numbered. But has one of the former GOP frontrunners fallen so far down in the ratings that he is unable to make a comeback? Bush only recently began campaigning in New Hampshire and is “expected to surpass his $11.4 million second quarter fundrais-
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CATCH UP — Jeb Bush must make tactful changes to his campaign in order to win the Republican bid. ing total in the third quarter,” according to the CBS News article, but this does not necessarily mean that Bush can make a comeback. Despite his current low ratings, these are both reasons why donors would still consider supporting his campaign and signal that he is not through yet and could still make a strong comeback like McCain. However, if Bush’s low ratings continue, he
might not continue to have extensive campaign funds from donors who may decide to instead back a candidate they think would have a better chance. It is absolutely possible for Bush to make a comeback, but he must first overcome some obstacles. For many politicians, having a familiar last name can help with the campaign and public opin-
ion. But for Bush, the surname may do more harm than good, according to the article. Bush must also face the obstacle of his campaign skills if he is to make a comeback and win the Republican nomination. According to the article, major criticisms are “that Bush is stiff and sometimes goofy on the campaign trail, and that he is a weak debater.” Strong campaign skills
and performances at debates are pivotal for a candidate’s success, and unless Bush decides to improve in these areas, he will not improve in the polls. Bush has yet to fully start campaigning and advertising for his campaign, and he still has time to beat out other GOP candidates in New Hampshire such as Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. John Kasich. A poor attempt at campaigning would completely botch Bush’s hopes of being nominated the Republican candidate, but if he is smart and spends his extensive campaign money wisely, he could have a very strong shot. With the primaries in February still four months away, Bush still has time to increase his standing in the polls, as many voters are still considering who they will vote for at this early stage in the election process. The “2012 exit polls showed that almost 40 percent of voters made up their minds in the final three days of the primary race,” the University of New Hampshire’s polling director, Andy Smith, told CBS News. “And 15-20 percent waited to make up their minds until Election Day.” Polling results may currently look bleak for Bush, but if he changes some of his campaign strategies and has a stronger media image, then he has a chance to beat out other top GOP contenders for New Hampshire. DEPIERO is an opinion writer.
Budget woes on mission field The IMB has cut 15 percent of its workforce this year due to $21 million deficit Brianna Young bdyoung4@liberty.edu
The International Mission Board (IMB) has begun cutting back on funding for its missionaries. As a result, several hundred missionaries are being offered early retirement and asked to voluntarily return to the U.S. According to IMB president David Platt, the IMB has spent $210 million more than it has taken in over the past six years. In an official announcement Aug. 27, Platt said the mission organization will be releasing as many as 800 employees. The IMB is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention that partners with churches to send missionaries all over the world. Platt explained in an open letter the reasons for the drastic cuts, shared how difficult the decision was to make, and announced his plans for changing how the IMB does business. “For many of you, they
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GLOBAL GOAL — Recall of missionaries impacts the spreading of the gospel. are your family, friends, and fellow church members,” Platt said. “They are brothers and sisters whom I love, and brothers and sisters whom I want to serve and support.” As a member of the Christian faith, I find it disturbing that an important
contributor to missions around the world cannot keep up with financial demands. The church, at least in part, is responsible for helping the IMB, and other organizations like it, to stay afloat in a tough economy. Once the recession made an impact on many mem-
bers of the church, the first expenditures to be cancelled were donations to non-profits like the IMB. Because of this, they have struggled to meet their financial needs. During the past year, as the economy has regained some of its ground, the
IMB has seen more donations come through its door. However, they still did not meet their annual fundraising goal of $175 million, according to Tamara Audi of the Wall Street Journal. “The mission board began reducing its numbers through attrition and cut back on the number of new missionaries it sent,” Audi said. “It tapped reserve funds and sold property, but that wasn’t enough to bring the budget into line and stabilize its finances for the long term.” The IMB is a 170-yearold organization that has existed to bring the gospel to the unreached. However, if Christians continue to withhold their donations, the IMB will continue to be forced to cut back on its staff. As believers, we should always be willing to support missionaries. Our tithes and our donations are what are used to reach so many people that have yet to hear the good news of Jesus. If
we cannot give our time or our resources to missions, the unreached may never hear the gospel. It is up to every believer to continue to give generously in order to see mission organizations succeed in the field. Platt said he is encouraged by the support he has received from churches and is assured the IMB can continue to work with what it has been given. “To be sure, IMB is committed to operating within our means in the days ahead, yet we are praying that those means might increase so that we can stop pulling missionaries off of the field and start sending multitudes onto the field,” Platt wrote. “Indeed, the field is ripe for harvest, and the time is now to take the gospel to those who have never heard it.”
YOUNG is an opinion writer.
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opinion
Liberty Champion | November 10, 2015 | A5
Learning from the past Christians ought to be educated and informed about the history of the faith Lee Sutherland lsutherland6@liberty.edu
Every Oct. 31, kids all around the country dress up in various costumes and parade around their neighborhoods, filling their bags to the brim with candy. However, Oct. 31 is about more than just Halloween; it is the day we remember the beginning of the Reformation. The Reformation, which began with Martin Luther’s presentation of his 95 theses, revolutionized the spiritual life of Europe and is the foundation for everything we experience in Christianity today. Our churches, governments and societies would look completely different if the Reformation had not happened. Yet looking back and appreciating those who have come before us is not a part of our culture today. This is true of the church as a whole but is also reflected in the culture around us that is so willing to discard the old and accept the new. “The newer is truer, only what is recent is decent, every shift of ground is a step forward, and every latest word must be hailed as the last word on its subject,” the great theologian J.I. Packer wrote, describing this mindset. C.S. Lewis terms this as “chronological snobbery.” Lewis writes that it is “the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that account.” This is a concept Christians specifically should flee from. Paul, in Ephesians 2:20, is very clear that the Church has “been built on the foundation of apostles and prophets (NLT).” Christians should be studying and learning from the history of the Church. The study of Church history is so important, first and foremost, because it brings perspective to our faith. Christianity was not established in a vacuum but has a rich and deep context. As we look back through our past we come to understand the prices many people paid for the doctrines that we hold so lightly today. Men like William Tyndale died in 1536 because
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REFORMATION — Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 theses was a monumental turning point for the Christian faith. of their attempts to translate the Bible into common vernacular. Understanding the history of Christianity also informs us of errors of the past and how Christians responded to them. The phrase from Ecclesiastes 1:4, “there is nothing new under the sun (NIV),” perfectly describes the attacks from inside and outside the Church throughout history. We should not be fooled into thinking the struggles of our present time — a postmodern rejection of absolute truth — are new and have never been discussed. Christians who lived in the late Roman Empire
provide a perfect model for enduring suffering from and living in a nation hostile to Christian faith. Finally, Church history can provide encouragement as we look at the lives of past heroes. If you are worried about leaving your country and family behind to go to a foreign land for missions, there is no one better to study than William Carey, the father of modern missions. If you are concerned about starting into ministry out of college at such a young age, Robert Murray McCheyne’s short but impactful time as a pastor will be an encouragement. Lastly, if
you are concerned about faithfully holding to your convictions in the public square, Eric Liddell, the great Scottish runner, is a model to follow. God has blessed us today with many great pastors, thinkers and worship leaders, yet he has also blessed us with the writings of or about many of the great leaders of the past. We should be wary of falling into the trap of “chronological snobbery.” SUTHERLAND is the opinion editor.
Postmodern journalism Political film ‘Truth’ is proof of a society dominated by opinion rather than fact Austin Eagen aeagen@liberty.edu
News is the medium through which truth is presented to the masses, or at least it was. Now, media is dominated by opinions and supplemented by facts when convenient. This reality can be clearly seen in the new film “Truth.” The movie follows the account of two CBS News correspondents who reported a story about George W. Bush before the 2004 presidential election. The anchors claimed Bush had received preferential treatment during his time in the Texas National Guard because of his father’s political influence and that Bush had gone AWOL to avoid the war in Vietnam. The story was unmistakably disproven. There was no substantial evidence, no corroboration of facts, and no truth value. As a result, the correspondents were forced to leave CBS. Despite the report’s lack of validity, “Truth” hails the reporters as heroes and portrays them as victims of an
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FRAUD — Dan Rather, played in the film by Robert Redford, lost his job after an erroneous report in 2004. elaborate conspiracy. The only truth that this movie presents is that people will believe what they want to believe. Modern culture is continuously engulfed in a flood of information. A constant barrage of news and opinion has dulled the general public’s sensitivity to truth. Now-
A TES NO It was a Thursday night, Nov. 5. The University of Missouri Tigers fell to a fellow SEC team, the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 31-13. The Tigers dropped to 4-5 on the year and began preparations for next week’s matchup against the HAYWOOD BYU Cougars … or so they thought. Meanwhile, off the field, a crisis in
adays, any millennial with a computer can be a source of news and information. From Twitter to the plethora of blogs scattered across the Web, personal and political sentiment is affirmed as equally valid. Truth has never been viewed more subjectively than it is now. News and
the community was about to boil over as many reports of race-related issues came to light on the University of Missouri’s campus. Amid the reported racial tension and lack of appropriate action to alleviate it, roughly 30 black members on the team vowed not to practice until university president Tim Wolfe resigned. There have been multiple reports of race-related issues, but it is unlikely anyone expected this result. To provide a little perspective, Missouri plays in one of the premier conferences in college football. Despite their 1-5 conference record, should the Tigers win their remaining three games, they are eligible for a postseason bowl game. Essentially, the season was not yet lost.
media have been allowed to devolve into just another product of modern culture’s postmodernity. Truth is not dead, but it has been exiled. The most unsettling aspect of “Truth” is the film’s enablement of journalistic dishonesty. The movie’s support of the CBS reporters sets a dangerous precedent. It empowers journalistic corruption by portraying inept reporting as courageous and bold. While culture may be pushing truth down a path towards inanity, journalism must conform to an elevated standard of candor. The public may care little about what it consumes, but that does not justify the perpetuation of unsubstantiated claims and boldfaced lies. Journalism is in the most precarious position it has ever experienced. It has lost outside accountability. The only checks and balances for integrity in reporting lie within the mainstream media itself. The public at large is no longer concerned enough, or
They still had something to play for. However, these student-athletes boycotted the university until the man who should have fixed the problem was forced out of office. Naturally, this decision drew a variety of responses. Missouri Head Coach Gary Pinkel announced he and his staff were backing his players. He also added the team was united in this decision. However, ESPN reported some of the team was not too pleased with the boycott. A particular athlete said, “Half of the team and coaches — black and white — are (angry). … If we were 9-0, this wouldn’t be happening.” However, the boycott worked. Two days after the boycott began, Wolfe stepped down. He eventually took
competent enough for that matter, to challenge news outlets. Many members of the journalism organization commit themselves to a higher standard of integrity and ethics in their reporting, but the community rests on a slippery slope. If truth and journalistic integrity are to be preserved, society needs to abandon its equivocation of opinion and fact. Journalism is merely a product of culture. Any degradation or elevation of it is a direct result of cultural attitudes and beliefs. As a result, the preservation of journalistic integrity and ethics rests upon the shoulders of society. This responsibility cannot be taken lightly. A culture that supports and maintains integrity in reporting can be the difference between a well read, educated society and one that floods its streets with disinformation and banal opinion. EAGEN is an opinion writer.
responsibility for the current tension on the campus in which he was entrusted to oversee. The Tigers intend to hold up their end of the bargain, as an ESPN report said they will return to practice. Within a span of three days, a group of NCAA athletes were able to remove a man who did not adequately do his job. Amazingly, about 30 football players — who still had much to play for — were willing to put it all on hold for the sake of the institution and its students. This was not a group of boys crying until they got what they wanted. This is a group of young men who stood for something they deserved. HAYWOOD is the editor-in-chief.
news
A6 | November 10, 2015 | Liberty Champion
Revealing the reality Liberty’s Title IX Office works to eliminate sexual misconduct on campus Sarah Rodriguez srodriguez70@liberty.edu
Beneath the glitz and glam that an onlooker may see when visiting almost every university is a different side. A side that is far less talked about. Students and officials would rather not admit it happens, but it exists. It is the reality of sexual misconduct. Liberty University is no exception to this reality. By implementing a Title IX Office, Liberty is doing all it can to make it a priority to halt, avoid and rectify any instances of sexual misconduct Brittney Wardlaw, the director of the office that has been official since April 2015, said she oversees the occurrences of sexual misconduct involving Liberty and the prevention of these acts. “With Title IX and my role as the director, my primary responsibilities are to stop, prevent and remedy any occurrences of sexual violence, discrimination, harassment or even any type of assault that happens,” Wardlaw said. “Anytime that we have any information that it’s occurring, (it’s) our primary response to stop it from happening. (We do) what … we have to do to stop this from happening to a student, to an employee, to a visitor, to anybody that is part of the Liberty community.” According to Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Though Title IX deals with discrimination based on gender, sexual misconduct also falls into this category. “Gender-based discrimination includes sexual violence, harassment, dating and domestic violence, stalking or any genderbased offenses,” Wardlaw said. “So if someone is being bullied and it’s because of their gender, then that would be a Title IX situation. Our responsibility (is to) stop it from happening. We are also responsible for preventing it from happening.” Sexual misconduct, as defined by the Liberty Way, specifically includes sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, non-consensual sexual contact, non-consensual sexual intercourse, bullying, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
IN CHARGE — Brittney Wardlaw directs the Liberty Title IX Office. The office also works on programming and awareness in order to prevent sexual misconduct and violence. “Prevention has a lot to do with education,” Wardlaw said. “It is my responsibility to work on the education piece to the campus as a whole, getting people to be aware of what Title IX is, what it looks like, being able to identify it, knowing how to report it, and knowing what they can do in the situation.” According to Wardlaw, all students are required to attend a session on proper bystander intervention techniques for sexual misconduct. “We’ve done ‘Keeping It Safe’ (sessions) for years, and in ‘Keeping It Safe,’ we talk about bystander intervention,” Wardlaw said. “It’s no longer called ‘Keeping It Safe.’ It’s called Live Healthy Liberty, so that’s done with every incoming student. Every freshman (and transfer student) that comes in then goes through Live Healthy Liberty during orientation.” Wardlaw referenced page 39 of the 2015 Liberty Campus Crime Report as a place for people to find ways to ensure their personal safety at Liberty. She said he or she should trust their instincts, be aware of their surroundings, and tell a friend his or her location and when he or she will return. Wardlaw also said the report includes helpful tips on day-to-day safety and safety while in relationships. According to the Liberty University Police Department (LUPD) website, the police force offers the LU Safe Ride Program for students. It is a 24/7 service in which students can call the LUPD non-emergency line at (434) 592-
7641 and request an escort from one place on campus to another if they feel unsafe. Students must provide their name and student ID number in order to use the service. According to the recently released report of 2014 statistics, there was one report of oncampus rape, one report of offcampus rape and one case of oncampus aggravated assault. According to Wardlaw, if a student feels they have been discriminated against based on their gender, there are two different routes he or she can take to report such an issue. If the student wants to take the administrative route, he or she can email titleix@ liberty.edu, call 434-582-8948, or walk into the office located in DeMoss Hall 1830. The Title IX Office has created an anonymous online reporting form located on the Title IX webpage at www.liberty.edu/titleix. If the person filing a report wants to take the criminal route with LUPD, the person can call the LUPD emergency line at (434) 592-3911 or the LUPD nonemergency line at (434) 592-7641. If a student wants to report to a confidential resource, Student Counseling Services is available. They can be contacted at (434) 582-2651. Additionally, the Campus Pastors Office is also available as a confidential resource on a case-by-case basis. That office can be contacted by calling (434)-592-5411. According to the university’s sexual assault polices located on the Title IX Office website, acts of sexual misconduct are taken extremely seriously and may result in dismissal from the university for at least two semesters.
Wardlaw said people can make reports through either route individually or both routes. If someone makes a report with the Title IX Office, he or she can request the report does not get sent to LUPD as well. Wardlaw said it is her responsibility to decide if she can grant the request. She said the majority of times she respects people’s requests except when there is a major safety concern to them or the university. However, it does limit her ability to respond to the situation. After the act of harassment or violence occurs, the remedy step ensues. “When we remedy, we usually do things like get them into counseling services,” Wardlaw said. “We work with their professors if we need to make some sort of accommodations when it comes to classes. We can work with housing to see if there needs to be any housing changes. We’ll work with them as far as transportation is concerned, if they feel they need an escort somewhere to make sure that they feel safe. We want to do anything that is reasonable to accommodate their situation depending on the circumstances of what they’re reporting or what they are alleging happened.” Wardlaw said the implementation of the Title IX Office at Liberty was not because the services it offers were not available before but rather the services are being consolidated into one department. She said the Dean of Students Office has already been working to stop, prevent and remedy cases of discrimination based on gender. “If you want to do it, and you want to do it well, the best way is with an office that exclusively focuses on
(Title IX),” Wardlaw said. According to Wardlaw, the U.S. government can investigate a university if it believes it is in violation of Title IX. According to an article posted by the Charlottesville Daily Progress Sept. 21, the University of Virginia (UVA) just signed an agreement essentially ending a multi-year review of its sexual misconduct policies. In 2011, the university was found to be in violation of Title IX, and since then a Title IX coordinator has been named and new training programs have begun. Wardlaw said the UVA investigation spurred Liberty to make sure their policies are up-to-standard. “UVA is in our backyard, so that makes us say … ‘This could potentially happen to us,’ but we’re fairly confident it won’t because we have taken every step that we possibly can to make sure that we are in compliance,” Wardlaw said. “A lot of what we are doing under the office of Title IX, we’ve always done, but to make sure that it’s clear that we are in compliance, we are now labeling it. This is Title IX.” Though the Title IX Office at Liberty has been an official department under Wardlaw for only a few months, the office’s main goal is to serve people because of the care they deserve to receive. “(We work with) stopping, preventing and then also remedying (situations), meaning if something did happen to somebody, we want to be able to say, ‘How can we come alongside you to help rectify this the best we can?’” Wardlaw said. RODRIGUEZ is the news editor.
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IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS TO KNOW
LU SAFE RIDE PROGRAM (LUPD Non-emergency line)
(434) 592-7641 TITLE IX OFFICE 434-582-8948 LUPD EMERGENCY LINE (434) 592-3911 STUDENT COUNSELING SERVICES (434) 582-2651 CAMPUS PASTORS OFFICE (434)-592-5411
An impression of Israel The head of Public Diplomacy at the Israeli Embassy speaks about the media Sarah Rodriguez srodriguez70@liberty.edu
Ilan Sztulman, head of Public Diplomacy at the Israeli Embassy, spoke about Israeli diplomacy and the media’s role in the public’s view on Israel at a public forum hosted by Liberty University’s Stand With Israel Club Wednesday, Nov. 4. The event was held at Liberty’s Helms School of Government Round Table Room where Sztulman shared with students and faculty members. Sztulman, whose role is to focus on strengthening the relationship between Israel and the American public, spent time discussing what many public diplomats debate. “(With) all the people that deal with public diplomacy and international relations, there is one question
Photo Provided
DIPLOMAT — Ilan Sztulman fielded questions from the audience after his lecture. that is a big fight between all professors and all practitioners too,” Sztulman said. “‘How much does mass communications have an effect on foreign policy?’” He described two different schools of thought people identify with when
answering such a question — the school of priming and the school of framing. Sztulman said the first line of thought, the school of priming, is exemplified by the lack of information about the Kurds in Syria in the media.
“Mass communications has the power of taking the issue that you don’t talk about and just because (they deal) with the issue, it becomes prime because you talk about it,” Sztulman said. Sztulman went into more
detail about the school of framing, providing multiple examples of how Israel is portrayed. “Mass communication has the power not only to take an issue and bring it (to public attention), like the priming people say, but also frame it in reality,” Sztulman said. “Things are different when you look from different sides. There is also visual framing that can be different.” He shared a story of how a Spanish newspaper headline said, “Bush alarmed, Sharon is preparing the extermination of the Palestine people” followed by a photo of a recent bombing. George W. Bush was the U.S. president at the time and Ariel Sharon was the Israeli prime minister. After reading the headline, it seems that the dead bodies are Palestinians, but the caption reads that the
bomb attack was located in the Israeli city of Jerusalem. “When you frame differently, the reality that you get as a spectator is completely, completely different,” Sztulman said. Sztulman, who was a major in the Israel Defense Forces, said Israel is mostly portrayed in the media only when there is a war or there are bomb attacks. However, he said that is not how Israel should be portrayed. Since the Israeli independence war close to 70 years ago, there have been 24,000 cases of violent deaths. He compared that to São Paulo, Brazil, which has 35,000 violent deaths a year. “I claim that Israel is given a wrong interpretation of the reality that happens … by the whole media,” Sztulman said. RODRIGUEZ is the news editor.
news
Liberty Champion | November 10, 2015 | A7
M i k e D o n a h u e Tr a i l D e d i c a t i o n
Safety issue Police officials discover tree house on East Cierra Carter cmcarter18@liberty.edu
The Liberty University Police Department recently discovered a student-built tree house structure behind the male dorms on East campus and is looking to find the builders in hopes of improving the structure’s safety. Charles Spence, senior vice president of planning and construction for the university, emphasized the importance of student safety over disciplinary action in finding the original builders. “They are not going to get in trouble for building it,” Spence said. “We want to make it a project that can be made safe and usable.” If the builder of the structure cannot be located, the university will have the tree house removed, as it is a safety liability. The university hopes the students will sponsor improvements in the project to make it safe for everyone to use. “Somebody put a lot of effort and creativity into that,” Spence said. CARTER is a copy editor.
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
DEDICATE — Former Liberty AROTC member Mike Donahue, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2014, was honored at the Mike Donahue Trail Dedication Nov. 7 at Snowflex.
Liberty Champion
HIDDEN — The student-built creation was recently found.
Sponsorship secured In 2016, Liberty will begin hosting the annual Virginia Commonwealth Games Shannon Ritter sritter2@liberty.edu
Liberty University announced it will begin a sponsorship of the Virginia Commonwealth Games at Liberty for the next five years, according to a Liberty news release from October. The five-year contract will begin the summer of 2016. Liberty will host and be the official title sponsor of the annual event, which has been taking place for the past 26 years. Peter Lampman, president of Virginia Amateur Sports, Inc. (VAS), said he is very excited for the games to come to the Lynchburg area next year and for the athletes to have the opportunity to use the state-of-the-art facilities Liberty’s campus has to offer. He said he believes participation will continue to increase. “It’s important for us (to have Liberty host the games) because it’s the chance for us to move to another area in the state,” Lampman said. “Having it in Central Virginia may increase our participation. It’s now closer to Virginia Beach, Northern Virginia and Richmond, so people won’t have to drive quite as far.” When Liberty heard Subway was not renewing their contract with VAS for the Commonwealth Games, the university reached out to the non-profit and expressed its desire to be the official sponsor and involve the city of Lynchburg, according to Lampman. “We’re very excited about coming
Joel Coleman| Liberty University News Service
PARTNERSHIP — Pete Lampman (left) and Jerry Falwell Jr. (right) posed at a press conference announcing the deal. to Lynchburg and Liberty University,” Lampman said. “I feel the excitement in the air coming over here. People have been very open-armed and very receptive to our coming over and look forward to working with us.” Lampman has been working for VAS since 1992 and said his favorite part about the Commonwealth Games is working with the people, most of whom are volunteers. “We only have a staff of four, so everybody we work with are primarily volunteers,” Lampman said. “They enjoy what they’re doing and they’re always so positive. There’s always a solution of, ‘Let’s
make this thing work.’” Since the Commonwealth Games thrive and run on volunteers, Lampman said they are always looking for more. He said he looks forward to working with volunteer students, faculty and staff from Liberty and others who live in Lynchburg and the surrounding area to help the process of the 2016 Commonwealth Games run smoothly. “We are so excited about this new partnership with Virginia Amateur Sports and the City of Lynchburg,” President Jerry Falwell said in a news release. “We’ve spent the last decade building (Liberty’s) athletic
and recreational facilities. We wanted to find a way to share these facilities with the local community, with the state and not keep them to ourselves … and thought this was the perfect opportunity to bring these games to Lynchburg, to share our facilities with the Commonwealth Games and with the general public.” The Virginia Commonwealth Games at Liberty is known as “Virginia’s Olympics” and their mission is “to promote awareness and benefits of physical fitness and healthy lifestyles through sports education, training and competition,” according to the VAS official website. The 2016 main Commonwealth Games will take place this year on the weekend of July 22-24. Ranging from ages 4 to 90-years-old, a variety of athletes and competitors come out to the Commonwealth Games each year, Lampman said. “In 1990, the initial Games drew 4,400 athletes competing in 29 sports,” the VAS website says. “In 2015, over 55 sports were offered with approximately 9,200 athletes.” According to the news release from Liberty, more than 225,000 athletes have participated in the Commonwealth Games since its start in 1990, which have consistently taken place in Roanoke, making it the largest multi-sport festival in Virginia. For more information about volunteering for the 2016 Games at Liberty, visitcommonwealthgames.org. RITTER is a news reporter.
news
A8 | November 10, 2015 | Liberty Champion
The light of the world
Students from the Center for Chaplaincy serve at local community center Cassandra Steptoe cbsteptoe@liberty.edu
Students from the Liberty University Center for Chaplaincy volunteer at the Lighthouse Community Center (LCC) in Lynchburg, Virginia where they serve the homeless community several times a week, according to Executive Director of the Center for Chaplaincy Dr. Steven Keith. Though chaplaincy students are not required to serve at the LCC, students do so in order to accomplish the mission of Liberty’s Center for Chaplaincy. “The goal of the chaplain program is to see our students bear the presence and message of Christ in secular and pluralistic places around the globe,” Keith said. “To accomplish this mission, students pick up food from donors (for the LCC), help serve meals … provide scriptural insights, pray with them and share the gospel when appropriate.” In addition to providing a place for students to serve, the LCC helps prepare future chaplains. Working at the LCC places students in scenarios they could encounter after they graduate, according to Keith. He said though the outreach center is a Christian-based organization, its environment gives students experience that carries over to areas chaplains work in that are not faith centered. “Chaplain ministry is exploding in many sectors,” Keith said. “Our graduates are employed as chaplains in the Army, Navy, Air Force, hospitals, hospice, corporations, sports teams, first responder agencies … and recreational enterprises.” Keith said chaplaincy students are willing to do more than just talk about their faith and befriend individuals when they volunteer. They also serve meals to the homeless, gather the donated food, and chop wood to fuel warming fires for the homeless during the winter months. Keith believes the range of duties helps students be more effective in carrying out the Center for Chaplaincy’s mission. “Chaplain students are called to serve, and therefore their training needs to be a mixture of book knowledge and practical experience,” Keith said. “The practical experience gained by serving ignites the
Rj Goodwin | Liberty Champion
MINISTRY — Students served the homeless several times a week at the Lighthouse Community Center in downtown Lynchburg. students’ passion for putting into action what has been gained in the classroom.” The LCC has turned out to be a valuable area of service for the Center for Chaplaincy, though Keith said it was not on top of the list of ministry opportunities when he first began his search of somewhere to send students.
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for chaplain students to serve the needy and gain experience.” Army 2nd Lt. Aaron Fabian is one of the student ministry leaders for service at the LCC and has seen change in not only LCC visitors but also in himself as a result of his volunteer work there.
Chaplains are trained to serve in pluralistic environments, without compromise, and are uniquely equipped to befriend all. — STEVEN KEITH
“I was searching for a ministry opportunity for our chaplain students when the Lighthouse came up in a casual conversation with Dr. Dan Mitchell, one of my colleagues at the school of divinity,” Keith said. “We agreed that the Lighthouse would be an excellent ministry
“A lot of the time we just live in this college bubble even though it is Liberty, and it’s easy not to help the poor and needy,” Fabian said. “Being at a place that specifically targets homeless and underprivileged people is … definitely humbling.” Because chaplains are welcome in some
public and government arenas where other spiritual leaders are not, Keith believes they must be well equipped to “bear the presence and message of Christ.” “While many religious groups are being closed out, chaplains are being invited into secular environments and workplaces at increasing numbers,” Keith said. “Chaplains are trained to serve in pluralistic environments, without compromise, and are uniquely equipped to befriend all.” Though the LCC is a small part of a median sized town in Virginia, Keith said the students from the Liberty Center for Chaplaincy who serve are making a difference in the lives of the people there, as well as in their own lives.
STEPTOE is a news reporter.
NOVEMBER 17 | 8 P.M. L A H AY E E V E N T S PAC E
STUDENT: $8 ADV PUBLIC: $12ADV DOORS: $15 P U R C H A S E O N L I N E AT L I B E R T Y . E D U / S A
SPORTS
November 10, 2015
W. Soccer
Football
Volleyball
Liberty
Campbell
Liberty
1
0
3
High Point
Liberty
Presby
1
21
13
B1
M. DI Hockey (Series) Stony B. Liberty
0
Field Hockey
2
Liberty
App. St.
12
0
macon takes flight
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
AIRBORNE — Sophomore running back Todd Macon continues to see more carries — and touchdowns — after D.J. Abnar’s career-ending injury.
No shoes, no D.J., no problem Flames beat the Blue Hose to go above .500 for first time since September Paul Vandenbosch prvandenbosch@liberty.edu
A late fourth quarter surge sparked the offense and the Liberty Flames football team rallied to defeat the Presbyterian Blue Hose, 21-13, Nov. 7 in the annual Military Appreciation game at Williams Stadium. The Flames (5-4, 2-2 BSC) won their seventh straight game against the Blue Hose (1-8, 0-4 BSC), who have yet to win at Williams Stadium. It was also the first time this season the Flames have won back-to-back games. Senior quarterback Josh Woodrum completed 16 of 33 pass attempts for 213 yards and sophomore running back Todd Macon
had 13 carries for 67 yards and two touchdowns. With his performance, Woodrum (9,827 yards) passed Charleston Southern’s Collin Drafts (9,768 yards) for first place on the Big South all-time passing yards list. Redshirt freshman quarterback Ben Cheek completed only three passes on 18 attempts for 31 yards and was intercepted three times for the Blue Hose. Cheek’s success came on the ground, as he carried the ball 14 times for 68 yards to pace the Blue Hose rushing attack, which outgained the Flames 191-73. “Our offensive line didn’t quite play as well,” Flames Head Coach Turner Gill said. “(Presbyterian’s) defensive line really controlled the line of scrimmage … we knew they had a good defense, but we should
have been able to run the ball better than (how) we did.” In a soggy game where defense reigned, Presbyterian’s offense began with a threeand-out and was forced to punt. Liberty’s offense followed by driving down to the Blue Hose 23-yard line before the drive stalled out. Senior kicker John Lunsford then had his 40-yard field goal attempt blocked and returned all the way to the Flames 46-yard line with 8:02 remaining in the first quarter. It was the fifth time this season Lunsford has had a kick blocked, making him 11-of-22 (50 percent) on field goals this season. On the ensuing drive, the Blue Hose got into the red zone and had first-and-goal from the Liberty 4-yard line, but had to set-
tle for a 24-yard field goal from freshman kicker Brett Norton to take a 3-0 with 4:56 left in the first quarter. The Flames had a chance to answer late in the first quarter after Cheek fumbled on an option play deep in his own territory to set up first down on the Presbyterian 11-yard line. The Flames elected to go for it on fourth-and-one from the twoyard line, but were stopped and came away with nothing. Liberty would not score until the beginning of the second quarter. Freshman receiver Zac Parker returned a punt 23 yards to set up a first down at the
See PROBLEMS, B3
Lady Flames set fire to the lane Women’s Basketball has bigger plans than just a Big South Championship Cierra Carter cmcarter18@liberty.edu
The Lady Flames basketball team will begin the 2015-2016 season once again favored to win the Big South and poised to continue in its winning ways. While being the perennial conference favorite is flattering, it does not change the focus of a team
WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME
looking to continue to show dominance year after year. Head Coach Carey Green addressed the ranking during media day, but left it at that, rallying his team to focus on “WIN” (What is Important Now). “Every year is a fresh new start,” Green said. “You can’t really copy what you did last year for this particular team. … Every year you have to start over.”
After a tough loss against UNC in the NCAA tournament, Liberty said goodbye to seniors Karly Buer, Emily Frazier, Jasmine Gardner and Ellee Rollins. The leadership of the team will feature five seniors leading the way for the Lady Flames this year. Though there are different faces in the locker room, the fundamentals remain the same. The
M. Basketball M. DI Hockey vs. Covenant vs. Delaware
Nov. 13 @ 7 p.m.
Nov. 14 @ Midnight
Lady Flames still have the strength and rebounding of redshirt senior forward/ center Ashley Rininger, Academic All-American and Big South Championship MVP, who did nothing but produce throughout the season. The Lady Flames also bring back redshirt seniors Katelyn Adams and Catherine Kearney, who both provide size and power in the paint.
This year’s squad is posed with a different challenge, as six incoming freshmen look to come in and contribute to what is already established. Senior guard Sadalia Ellis acknowledged the challenge that presents for the team’s veterans. “It’s unique,” Ellis said. “(We’ve) got five seniors
See FIRE, B3
M. Basketball vs. Summit
Football @ CSU
Nov. 14 @ 7 p.m.
Nov. 14 @ 2 p.m.
Leah Seavers| Liberty Champion
W. Basketball
vs. Elon Nov. 16 @ 7 p.m
Follow @LUChampSports for Flames athletics coverage
sports
B2 | November 10, 2015 | Liberty Champion
Senior Day shutout
Field hockey team blanks Appalachian State, 12-0, in record Senior Day rout
Mummau’s goal was scored after receiving
Kallie Britton kbritton@liberty.edu
The Lady Flames field hockey team set seven new program records on Senior Day in their 12-0 shutout against Appalachian State to improve to 12-6 on the season. The squad of 10 seniors who were celebrated before the Nov. 7 game propelled the Lady Flames to victory in their final regular season game. Eight of Liberty’s 10 seniors recorded at least one point while setting a new program record for most goals scored in a contest. Forward Hannah Doherty, midfielder Erin Dombach and forward Ashlee Krulock each set new individual career highs. Doherty had a break out game scoring four goals, totaling 10 points, setting a new program record for most points in a single contest. Dombach and Krulock became the program’s all-time leaders in games played with 84 career games. Senior goalkeeper Mallory Cuccio held down the fort in the goal to earn the win. Sophomore goalkeeper Monica Hernick also saw a significant amount of playing time in goal during the second half, saving three shots. The Lady Flames dictated the pace of the game early on as senior forward Sarah Gipe collected a pass from senior forward Natalie Barr on the right side of the circle for a quick shot across net to take the 1-0 lead in the eighth minute. Just one minute later, Krulock received a pass from Doherty to score her 12th goal of the season as the ball ricocheted off the goalie’s stick to find the back of the net.
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
PUSH — Senior Ashlee Krulock moves upfield against a Mountianeer defender. Doherty notched her first goal of the game in the 14th minute on an unassisted shot that bounced off the far post, landing right in front of Doherty, who quickly shot to find the back of the net. The senior midfielder’s second goal was scored on an open net as she maneuvered the ball around the Mountaineers goalkeeper, who slid out of goal. Doherty wound up and cranked a shot on the open net, bringing the score to 4-0. The Flames finished the half by netting three additional goals, extending their lead over the Mountaineers 7-0. Gipe, Krulock and freshman forward Pippa Best each scored a goal. Liberty came out in the second half with
no intentions of slowing down, continuing to play its style of hockey by controlling the ball in the midfield and taking full advantage of every opportunity on offense. For a second time that afternoon, Krulock found Doherty who ripped a shot on goal, collecting her first career hat trick. In the next offensive play, Krulock set up Doherty once again for her fourth goal as the midfielder redirected the ball across the net, increasing the lead 9-0. Shortly after, senior forwards Erin Bartley and Morgan Mummau scored back-toback goals, each achieving their first career goals. Bartley collected the ball closely inside the circle for a hard shot, tipping off the goalie and into the back of the net.
a pass from fellow senior forward Hannah Goldsborough. Krulock scored the final goal of the contest, collecting a hat trick of her own after being set up by Doherty, recording her 10th point of the game. Liberty finalized its 12-0 shutout against the Mountaineers as Krulock’s 14th goal of the season crossed into the back of the net. Overall, Liberty boasted a new program record for shots in a single contest, outshooting Appalachian State 44-3. “I thought today’s game was great, it was really nice to end in a strong way,” Doherty said. “All of the seniors were really excited about the win.” The seniors displayed their talents and showed up ready to play in Saturday’s monstrous victory over Appalachian State. “You couldn’t have written a better Senior Day,” Head Coach Jodi Murphy said. “I am so proud and pleased of our 10 seniors. Every single one of them made their hard work over the last four years very tangible in today’s game.” Liberty hoped the 12-0 shutout against the Mountaineers would boost their ranking enough to qualify for the 2015 NCAA Field Hockey Tournament, but according to the RPI rankings and the tournament field, Liberty was the first team out of the field. The Lady Flames finished the season with a 12-6 record and a No. 12 ranking in the last released NFHCA Coaches poll. BRITTON is a sports reporter.
Stone cold Seawolves Men’s DI hockey team gets swept in weekend series by No. 7 Stony Brook Denton Day dday26@liberty.edu
The No. 15 Liberty Flames men’s Division I hockey team’s comeback attempt came up short against No. 7 Stony Brook Seawolves Nov. 7 at the LaHaye Ice Center as it fell, 8-5. The Flames started with an early attack, controlling the puck in the Seawolves defensive zone. Early shots from the Flames were stopped by the Seawolves junior goaltender Todd Scarola. A high-stick penalty gave the Flames a powerplay about 12 minutes into the first period. The Flames took advantage, as junior forward Robert Ward put the puck in the back of the net to give the Flames the first goal of the game. “The power play was consistent this weekend, it was really effective for us,” Head Coach Kirk Handy said. Less than a minute later, the Seawolves answered. Junior forward JT Hall had a good look at the net and sent the puck upstairs to tie the game. With three minutes left in the period, the Flames were on the power play again following a tripping penalty by the Seawolves. Once again the
Flames took advantage. Senior defender Ben Hughes fired a shot on net that met the blocker of the goaltender. The puck then deflected to the stick of freshman forward Zechariah Roberts, who tapped it in for the lead. The second period was dominated by Stony Brook as the Seawolves offense scored three times and held the Flames scoreless, taking a 4-2 lead. “Well, I think the effort was there in the second (period),” Handy said. “We just were not as solid as we needed to be. They got some bounces and they ended up in the back of our net.” Stony Brook added to its lead early in the third period, but this time the Flames responded. With a battle in front of the net, senior forward Bram Erickson managed to squeak the puck into the net to give the Flames some life. The Flames found themselves down 6-3, but they still had a sliver of hope. Freshman defender Jackson Giammona fired a shot into the top corner that deflected off of the post and into the net to make it 6-4. Less than a minute later, the Flames struck again. Junior forward
Grant Garvin put the rebound of senior forward Danny Logan’s shot to bring the Flames within one. “Everyone battled hard tonight,” Garvin said. “Not one player took a shift off.” The Flames would not get any closer. Six seconds after the Flames scored, the Seawolves answered right back and put the game out of reach. Stony Brook would take advantage of an empty net to bring the final to 8-5. Four Flames finished with a point. Senior forward Tyson Street, who had two assists, was the only Flame with multiple points. Next week, the Flames will be back in action at LaHaye for their midnight showdown against Delaware, Friday, Nov. 13. “That game will be lots of fun,” Handy said. “The place will be crazy in here, and it will be a great opportunity for us to get a win.”
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
DAY is a sports reporter.
MANEUVERS — Flames freshman Michael Thomas moves around a defender during the Flames loss.
sports
Liberty Champion | November 10, 2015 | B3
The first College Football Playoff ranking came out a little more than a week ago, and caused quite a stir in the college football world. So naturally, as AUL any good sports editor VANDENBOSCH would do, I will give my own top four teams. My No. 1 is undoubtedly Clemson. The undefeated Tigers knocked off Notre Dame, who some might say is one of the more overrated teams in the top 10, and last week they clamped down on Florida State to grind out a tough win at home. The defense is phenomenal and sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson has the offense playing at a very high level. The last three teams Clemson faces have a combined record of 9-18, which should carry the ACC champions to a perfect season. Matching up with the Tigers at No. 4 would be Alabama. Despite the fact that Alabama has one loss this year to an Ole Miss team that has since lost to two unranked teams, Nick Saban’s squad is back to top form, and they proved it Saturday night by dominating LSU. The unstoppable force (Leonard Fournette) was shut down by the immovable object (Bama’s defense). Two of the Tide’s last three games are on the road, but only one of those teams (No. 15 Mississippi State) is ranked, so Alabama should cruise into the playoff with the fourth and final spot. At No. 2 I have Ohio State. It is hard to believe that with all the preseason ex-
FIRE continued from B1 and then ... seven underclassmen, so it’s a little bit of everything. (We’ve) got underclassmen with anxiety, and they’re fresh, and you’ve got seniors all motivated and ready to go. … Everybody’s just trying to work hard.” As the team continues working to get up to speed, Green said they are learning how to play with each other and developing their camaraderie. With no lack of talent, the Lady Flames biggest challenge heading into the season will be getting everyone up to speed and on the
pectations for this team, it sits anywhere but in the top spot, but I do not think that bothers the Buckeyes much. Still unbeaten, the Buckeyes managed to weather the storm of the J.T. Barrett incident and now it seems as though he will be getting a second chance. Their last two games come against Michigan State (Nov. 21) and Michigan (Nov. 28), which will be the true tests of this seemingly unbeatable team. Finally, my No. 3 team is Baylor. The Bears have annihilated their competition thus far, scoring at least 56 points in every game but their last two. Without starting quarterback Seth Russell, this offense has taken a few steps back, but do not sleep on true freshman Jarrett Stidham, who threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns against Kansas State last Saturday. Baylor will have a tough slate in the coming weeks, with matchups against ranked opponents Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU, but since nobody wants to play defense in the Big 12, the Bears should be able to hang on to their spot at No. 3. The best part of all this? As crazy as college football is, this could look completely different in three weeks, or even by next week. With that in mind, enjoy the ride folks.
PICK A SIDE
VANDENBOSCH is the sports editor.
same page. Chemistry will be key as Liberty will face a number of tough non-conference competitors, including NC State, Ohio State, Duke and California. Senior guard Jaymee Fisher-Davis hopes to become more of a vocal leader on the court this season, and she expressed confidence in the group that surrounds her. “We have a really good balance of talent,” Fisher-Davis said. “We pretty much have all the pieces that we need. We have the height, we have good ball handlers, good passers, good shooters. … I think we’re really diverse in that area.” Opening the season ranked
18th in the CollegeInsider MidMajor Top 25, Liberty will look to improve upon last year’s 26-7 record. “Every year you just want to build,” Ellis said. “Every year you want to do better than the previous.” The Lady Flames will begin their season Friday, Nov. 13 when they take on the Appalachian State Mountaineers in Boone, North Carolina. Their home opener will be Monday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Vines Center against the Elon University Rams. CARTER is a copy editor.
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
TIMBER — B.J. Farrow was brought down from behind during the win on Saturday.
PROBLEMS continued from B1 Presbyterian 39-yard line. On the second play of the drive, Macon took a pitch from Woodrum 24 yards down the right sideline and into the endzone to give the Flames a 7-3 lead with 12:24 to play in the first half. “(I was) just being patient with all of (my) runs,” Macon said. “And just trusting my offensive line to pick up all their blocks.” The next score of the game did not come until 6:33 in the third quarter. Cheek led his team on a 14-play, 82-yard drive in which the Blue Hose converted twice on third down and once on fourth down. Redshirt sophomore running back Darrell Bridges capped off the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to put Presbyterian back on top, 10-7. The Flames offense only ran six plays in the third quarter for a total of two yards and trailed, 10-7, heading into the fourth quarter. However, after a 30-yard field goal from Norton to made it 13-7 with 6:58 left in the fourth, the Flames offense came to life. On the Flames following drive, Macon found the endzone for the second time of the night to put Liberty back in the lead, 14-13. The drive was kept alive by a pass interference call against Blue Hose cornerback Steve Osondu, which gave the Flames first-and-goal on the two-yard line. Macon punched it in on the next play.
In light of the first College Football Playoff rankings of the year coming out one week ago, I will be giving my own top four. These rankings are not the four teams that I think will be left at the end of the season, but the four teams that I would put in the playoff if the season ended today. Coming in at No. 1 is the Clemson Tigers. Clemson’s best wins have come against Notre Dame and Florida State. While Notre Dame is overrated as always, it is still a good win for the Tigers as Notre Dame is No. 6 in this week’s AP poll. While the win over Florida State seems impressive right now, Florida State could very well finish the season outside of the Top 25. If the season ended today, I would pair the Clemson Tigers with OSU. No, not that one. Oklahoma State University. The Cowboys deserve the No. 4 ranking for a few reasons. First of all, they are still unbeaten. I am a firm believer that unbeaten teams deserve to be ranked higher than teams with a loss, especially a loss to a bad team. I am looking at you Alabama. Secondly, the Cowboys just knocked off previously unbeaten TCU. The Horned Frogs have been a favorite to make the playoff all season, making the loss to Oklahoma State a big one. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they still have a matchup with Baylor.
“We just started making plays,” Woodrum said. “We had opportunities to (make plays) in the first half and in the third quarter and we just weren’t making them. I played bad all game until the fourth quarter and that’s when I finally started hitting my marks.” The Blue Hose got the ball back with 3:49 left and two timeouts remaining on their own 25-yard line. On second down, Cheek had a quick pass deflect straight up into the air off junior receiver Daryl Wilson and was intercepted by Flames senior linebacker Jimmy O’Grady, who returned it to the 9-yard line. Three plays later, senior running back Desmond Rice, who had been held to zero yards on five carries to that point, powered his way into the endzone to extend the Flames lead to 21-13 with 1:43 left in the game. Presbyterian had one final chance to mount a comeback, but Cheek was picked off again, this time by sophomore cornerback Tyrin Holloway, to seal the win for the Flames. The Flames will travel to Charleston, S.C., next Saturday as they meet the No. 15 Charleston Southern Buccaneers (7-1, 4-0 BSC), who clinched the Big South’s outright bid to the FCS playoffs this past week with a 28-14 win over Kennesaw State. Kickoff at Buccaneer Field is slated for 2 p.m. on Nov. 14. VANDENBOSCH is the sports editor.
Speaking of Baylor, the Bears are my No. 3 team. Granted, Oklahoma State and Baylor will not be in the playoff together, but for now, they both belong in the top four until their matchup OEL SCHMIEG in two weeks. Baylor’s last four games of the season are Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas, so they will get plenty of chances to prove themselves to all the doubters. Matched up with Baylor is my No. 2 team, Ohio State. The Buckeyes have not played their best this season, and that is kind of the point. Ohio State is still undefeated despite their struggles. They are still one of the best teams in the nation, and they still have the most offensive weapons in the country. Trust me, if Ohio State is not as good as I say, they will not make the playoff. The Buckeyes last two games of the season are against Michigan State and Michigan. Neither of those are easy wins. Add in the Big Ten Championship against undefeated Iowa, and this is one of the best schedules in the country. There you have it. No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Baylor and No. 4 Oklahoma State. Of course, these rankings will be outdated after a week. So sit back and enjoy the chaos. College Football never disappoints. SCHMIEG is the asst. sports editor.
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
DISH — Lady Flames senior Sadalia Ellis passes to a teammate.
sports
B4 | November 10, 2015 | Liberty Champion
Fresh start for Flames The men’s basketball team is young and hungry for success early in season Luke Dillard mdillard1@liberty.edu
The Liberty Flames men’s basketball team heads into the 2015-2016 season with Head Coach Ritchie McKay taking over the program once again. McKay served as the Flames head coach for two seasons, from 2007-2009, before leaving Liberty to join the University of Virginia Cavaliers as an associate head coach. “Probably the thing I love most about being back is the people that reside on this campus,” McKay said. “It is just a unique place, and it is a privilege to be a part of it.” During his two previous seasons with the Flames, McKay posted a 39-28 overall record and a 19-13 record in Big South play, according to libertyflames.com. During his tenure with the Cavaliers, McKay helped Head Coach Tony Bennett to an overall record of 136-64 in six years. The Cavaliers notched 30-win seasons in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. “I was very fortunate to have a friend that I worked for in Tony Bennett, who also happens to be one of the best college basketball coaches in the country,” McKay said. “I (had) a chance to learn a defensive system. I think it is going to be a prelude for success in our program because if you get stops and have good players and are able to empower them to play aggressive offensively, I think you can build something special.” The Flames will be one of the youngest teams in all of college basketball this season, as the majority of the roster is composed of underclassmen. “What we are not good at is the numbers,” McKay said. “We lack experience and we lack game success. We only have 12 points a game coming back (from last season) and five rebounds as a team. A lot of things will be new for us this year.” McKay announced Oct. 19 senior guard/ forward and leading returning scorer Theo Johnson is suspended from the team indefinitely for a violation of team rules. “We are prayerful for Theo and his future just as we are with everyone who has passed through our doors,” McKay said. “Theo is a good kid. Sometimes in coaching and leadership you (have) to make
Courtney Russo| Liberty Champion
NEW DAY — Flames redshirt sophomore guard Ryan Kemrite is one of four returning players from last year’s roster. choices that are tough, and we did.” Johnson’s suspension leaves the Flames with 10 individuals who are either freshmen or sophomores and fifth-year senior guard Anthony Fields, who transferred to the Flames this season from Bradley University. If Johnson’s suspension stands, sophomore guard Calvin Hoffman, redshirt sophomore guard/forward Ryan Kemrite, sophomore center Evan Maxwell and sophomore guard/forward A.C. Reid are the only returning players for the Flames who saw significant action on the court last season. Redshirt sophomore guard John Dawson will join the Flames after transferring from Marquette University. Freshman forward Ezra Talbert returns to the Flames after redshirting his first year last season while recovering from back surgery during the season. Freshmen guards Lovell Cabbil, Hansel Atencia, Ryan Heipler and Caleb Homesley all join the Flames’ roster this year and
hope to bring a spark to the backcourt. Regardless of who plays, McKay made it clear what fans could expect from the Flames this season. “I want (Liberty) to be a great defensive team,” McKay said. “I want our program to be marked by how difficult it is to score against us or play against us. I hope (we) put defenses in tough match-ups and (spread) the floor and really have a healthy balance between great discipline and great freedom and empowerment.” Despite the lack of upperclassmen, the team chemistry is still strong, according to players and coaches. “(The chemistry is) the best I have ever seen in my tenure here at Liberty,” Kemrite said. “That is paying dividends on the court from what we are doing off the court.” The coaching staff encourages the players to spend as much quality time together as they can. One way players bond with each other is with three huge televisions, an Xbox One, Playstation 4 and a large leather couch in
the newly-renovated locker room. There is also a leaderboard in the room that shows who is the best in different video games they play. “It is really becoming a family here,” Assistant Coach Omar Mance said. “(The players) are embracing each other and they are getting closer, and that is largely because they are Christian guys and they want to do something special here.” McKay hopes that the support will be strong in the Vines Center this season to cheer on the Flames. “We really need (the fans),” McKay said. “What an advantage it is when you have the home crowd backing you up. We are going to need every point we can get, and our fans have the chance to score some points for us this year.” The Flames open their season Friday, Nov. 13, when they take on the Covenant College Scots at 7 p.m. in the Vines Center. DILLARD is a sports reporter.
Senior night Lady Flames stymie red-hot Panthers Jonathan Husker jhusker@liberty.edu
It was a special night for the Lady Flames volleyball team, as the team honored its seniors on Senior Night Nov. 6, and brought home the upset victory over High Point University, winning 3-1. The Lady Flames were led by senior Caroline Douglas, who recorded a matchleading 19 kills. Liberty outhit the Panthers .200-.186. After falling behind early in the first set, Liberty came alive and won the first set, 25-19. Douglas led the charge in the first set, recording three kills in the midst of a 5-0 rally that led to Liberty’s first set win. Douglas would finish the first set with six kills, as Liberty posted .119 in the first set. In the second set, Liberty fell behind once again. At one point down 18-13, the Lady Flames again went on a run, scoring six straight points. Liberty would take the second set 25-23. Lady Flames junior Susan Babcock served five straight points during Liberty’s six point run. Again, the Panthers held the lead midway through the third set, 17-10. Liberty attempted to rally back, scoring eight points while High Point added just two. The Panthers would close the door, scoring the next four points on their way to a 25-20 win in the third set. Panthers junior Megan Kennedy recorded five kills, as High Point outhit Liberty .355-.148. For the first time in the match, the Lady Flames led midway through the fourth set. The Panthers came within two points of Liberty in the fourth, but that would be the closest they would get, as the Lady Flames took the fourth set 25-18. The match victory was huge for the Lady Flames, as they came into this event
Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion
DEFENSE — Big South Tournament MVP Alex Mack during her final home game.
Champions Lady Flames capture conference title Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion
BUMP — Allie Reynolds starts the play. as underdogs to High Point. The Panthers were coming off a run of eight straight victories, winning 14 of their last 15. This made the win all the more special for the Lady Flames seniors, as they prevented High Point’s ninth straight victory. With the win, the Lady Flames gave themselves a shot at the No. 2 seed in the Big South tournament. The Lady Flames took to the court again Saturday, Nov. 7 against the Campbell Camels, but they came up short 3-2. Liberty will play on the road against UNC Asheville and Gardner-Webb next weekend, before advancing to the tournament. With a hitting percentage of .216, tied for second best in the conference, Liberty’s tournament goals appear plausible as they chase the conference’s top team, Coastal Carolina. HUSKER is a sports reporter.
Joel Schmieg jaschmieg@liberty.edu
The Liberty Flames women’s soccer team is Big South Champions for the fifth time in program history. The Lady Flames beat the Campbell Camels 1-0 thanks to an early first half goal from senior midfielder Brittany Aanderud. Liberty was back in the final for the third year in a row, but was looking for their first win since 2013. “Since last year when we lost in the final I think we had a lot to prove,” Aanderud said. “This has been our motivation since spring.” Aanderud was named to the Big South All-Tournament team along with sophomore forward Jennifer Knoebel, redshirt junior goalkeeper Holly Van Noord and senior defender Alex Mack. Mack was named MVP of the tournament. “Im so proud of our entire team,” Mack said. “We worked so hard. Everyone could see that it was a fight until the end.”
The early goal was crucial to the Lady Flames confidence going into the second half and it allowed the team to not have to take chances, knowing they had the lead. “An early start was great and an early goal was awesome and helpful,” Head Coach Jessica Hain said. “We had a tenacious defense, just throwing their bodies around. It was an unbelievable defensive effort.” The Lady Flames will face the No. 3 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in the first round of the Women’s College Cup. Kickoff is set for Friday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. “When it comes to tournament time, it could be our last game in senior year,” Mack said. “So I’m just trying to enjoy the process.” Liberty is now tied with High Point and Radford for the most women’s soccer Big South Championships. SCHMIEG is the asst. sports editor.
feature
Liberty Champion | November 10, 2015 | B5
Never settle for less David Towles goes “beyond the classroom” to minister and teach students Rachael Graf rgraf5@liberty.edu
“If I would want to say something good about myself, it is that I’m never really satisfied.” It is not that David Towles is dissatisfied with life, it is just that he never settles for less. As the director of the Liberty University Spanish Institute and professor of Spanish, Towles has a full schedule, but he is committed to going “beyond the classroom to truly touch a young person to become all that he or she is called by Christ to be.” In 1976, Towles and his wife were living in California when he heard something that would change the course of his life. He was watching the “Old Time Gospel Hour,” the television ministry of Thomas Road Baptist Church, when he heard Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. make a request for English teachers to come teach at the college that Falwell had founded in Lynchburg. Having taken a couple of graduate level English courses, Towles sent a letter to Falwell and expressed his interest in a position. “I said, ‘God, I’m ready for you to tell me what you want me to do with my life,’” Towles said. “(God used) Jerry Falwell to provide that answer. I had never held a job for more than three years. That was 39 years ago.” Towles began his career at Liberty teaching 100-level English courses before founding the modern languages program in 1980. He completed his doctorate of education from Virginia Tech in 1991. “I came with Spanish. That was before (the university had) French, German, Chinese, Arabic (and) Latin,” Towles said. Shortly after creating the program, Towles toyed with the idea of leading a group of students to Mexico for an immersion experience, but eventually decided against it. He later went on to lead several mission trips throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, including El Salvador in 1994 and 1995, Chile and Puerto Rico in 1996, Honduras in 1997 and 1998, Argentina and Guatemala in 1999 and Guatemala from 1999-2015. Through a connection with a Liberty alumnus, Towles learned of Hope of Life International, an organization founded by Carlos Vargas of Guatemala. According to the organization’s website, Hope of Life International exists to “rescue the future generations of Guatemala and the world through the power of a practical gospel. To never meet a physical need without meeting a spiritual need. Transforming generations from dependency to independence, to become strong leaders for the world and for the kingdom.” In January 2003, Towles visited Hope
Kevin Manguiob | Liberty University News Service
CHAMPION — Towles believes in modeling character and perseverance for his students, whether in the classroom or on the mission field. of Life International for the first time and found what he was looking for. That same year, he founded the Liberty University Spanish Institute (LUSI). “God has blessed me,” Towles said. “He let me work for a man named Jerry Falwell, (who I watched) a man shake a country. And he also let me work with Carlos Vargas, who is (the) Jerry Falwell (of) Guatemala.” In 1999, Towles and a team of students traveled to Guatemala for a month of ministry and Spanish immersion — and Liberty University became the first university to partner with Hope of Life International in its ministry to the Guatemalan people. And, as Towles readily admitted, he was not satisfied. His students were not coming back as fluent in the language as he had hoped, so he stretched the trip to two months the following summer. “When you look at the mission of Liberty University, I don’t think you’ll find a single ministry or program that fits it any better, because it’s academic and it’s
“
majors and more English majors than you would think.” For their first month in Guatemala, students engage in partial immersion: they live on Hope of Life International’s campus, take college level Spanish courses and participate in weekly outreaches including evangelism, medical aid, food and clothing distribution and orphan rescue. The second month, students are fully immersed in the Guatemalan culture and Spanish language by participating in home stays with native families and continuing their various ministries. “The thing that motivates me here is the opportunity to make a difference,” Towles said. “The thing that motivates me in Guatemala is the opportunity to forge leaders for Christ, to forge people who will make a difference.” It is this passion, this vision, that Towles said keeps him teaching at Liberty — hopefully, for another 10 years. “Why do I care? Why do I want to keep teaching? The young people,” Towles said. “The opportunity to make a differ-
Why do I want to keep teaching? The young people. The opportunity to make a difference in a life. — DAVID TOWLES
also sharing the gospel,” Towles said. “We have an array of people who go. We have Spanish majors, education majors, TESL majors, nursing majors, pre-med
ence in a life.” Towles knows well what a difference a teacher can make in the life of a student. He is the first person in his immediate
family to graduate from high school and earn a college degree. Reflecting back on his years as a student, Towles expressed his gratitude to a teacher who never gave up on him, who never accepted less than Towles’ best. The influence of that one teacher made a profound difference in Towles’ life, an influence Towles is determined to imitate. Towles said the decision to major in Spanish in college was an easy one — he was good at both Spanish and biology, but because he was working full time to put himself through school, he did not have time for biology labs. So Spanish won out by default. “It was that simple. There was no great passion for it. But you know what I believe? I think anything you put your heart and soul into will become a passion if God called you to it,” Towles said. For Towles, his greatest joy comes not from teaching Spanish, but from teaching students. He also has the unique opportunity to work alongside his wife, Carolyn Towles, professor and chair of general education English, and his son, Matthew Towles, a professor in the Department of English & Modern Languages. “Spanish is just a tool, it’s just an instrument,” Towles said. “And it’s only important to the degree that it helps a students become what God called them to be. … We faculty are only important to the degree that we make a difference in those lives.” GRAF is a feature reporter.
Beyond the basic drinks A personal guide to local festive favorites to try something new this season Danika Delello dlrichards2@liberty.edu
Imagine yourself standing in line at a coffee shop on a chilly day, gazing at the flavorful menu items listed without a clue what to purchase. This is the coffee lover’s consistent dilemma: to be daring and try something or stay with the always faithful house coffee or favorite fallback (fill in the blank) drink. For anyone wanting to go beyond the basic drinks such as the Starbucks Peppermint Mochas and Pumpkin Spice Lattes and be adventurous, here are some local suggestions for branching out. The White Hart in downtown Lynchburg offers several tempting new drinks. The White Hart’s flavored lattes can all be purchased for $4.00. The Pumpkin Pie Latte contains hints of hazelnut and nutmeg. Their Caramel Dirty Chai is a chai latte with two shots of espresso and a swirl of caramel sauce. White Hart also offers a House Mocha, called the White Hart Snow. Another favorite Liberty stu-
Amber Tiller | Liberty Champion
SAVORY — Several local vendors around Lynchburg sell fall variations of flavored coffees and teas. dent haunt, the Muse, does honor the pumpkin cravings of autumn by mixing pumpkin flavor into their chai latte for $3.73, as well as mixing it with vanilla in the Harvest Latte for $3.68. Also available at the Muse are a spiced white mocha — the Stardust Mocha for $4.49 — and a Wicked Apple Cider for $2.57, which includes caramel,
whipped cream and pumpkin. If perhaps you are not a coffee enthusiast, do not despair of our lovely Lynchburg city and what it has to offer. A few blocks down from the White Hart lies Cao Artisan Chocolates. Besides chocolate truffles, chocolate cake and chocolate fondue (all made from their hand-crafted chocolate), Cao
makes incredible hot cocoa and a European sipping chocolate that comes in several flavors, including Aztec Spice and Lavender, each for $3.50. Fair warning though: Cao’s sipping chocolate and handmade truffles ranging anywhere from $8-$24 are absolutely irresistible, and you may find yourself out of next semester’s tuition money
before you know what hit you. If you can already feel the shrinking of your wallet and the looming presence of school bills coming in with the cold weather, go grab a cup of locally made apple cider for $1.50 at the Farm Basket on Langhorne Road or a coffee for $1.45 from the Drowsy Poet, located in Givens Books on Lakeside Drive. Either one will cost you less than half of what a fancy Starbucks latte would. If the weather is too wet or icy to drive in, there’s a practical and convenient solution. Fix yourself a cup of homemade chai, cocoa, or spiced cider from a favorite recipe online. Picking up the necessary ingredients from an online recipe next time you and your roommate go for a grocery run can make several servings of these seasonal drinks, and can be cheaper in the long run. As you make it through these last four weeks of class (yes, you read that correctly), keep warm and motivated with a cup of your favorite festive fall beverage. DELELLO is a feature reporter.
feature
B6 | November 10, 2015 | Liberty Champion
Recruiter and writer Liberty employee reaches thousands through his controversial online blog Will Young weyoung@liberty.edu
John Reid likes controversy. When Reid, a 30-year-old Christian blogger, sat down to talk, it was one of the first things he said. A man with a soft-spoken tone of voice, it is not first apparent Reid is controversial in nature. Readers of his blog, “John Wesley Reid,” though, will tell you otherwise. Known formally on the internet by the shorthanded “JWR,” Reid is popular among Liberty students for his blog in which he writes on controversial issues including racism, homosexuality and abortion through a Biblical mindset. One of his latest posts, “5 Trends Christian Millennials Must Stop Doing,” garnered 1.2 million views A full-time national recruiter for Liberty University and former marine, Reid said the controversial nature of his writing is meant to facilitate discussions he believes must happen. Ever since Reid started writing for his blog during the fall of 2013, he has directed his posts at both Christians and non-Christians alike, striving to spark what he believes is necessary change. “I write on topics that I believe need to be discussed, topics that need to go beyond the basic talking points,” Reid said. “I want to encourage my readers to use political leverage to fight for social justice and things that they care about.” Reid created his blog when he moved to Lynchburg two years ago. He said he originally gained a love for writing after writing for
the opinion section of the campus newspaper at Biola University, his alma mater, where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science. He later wanted to expand his writing on his own parameters, which led to the inspiration for his blog. “I started listening to the discussions around me to figure out what I wanted to write about,” Reid said. “All of my posts have to pass a three-pronged test. Every post has to be something people want to read about, something people could benefit from reading and something I’m equipped to write about.” When Reid published his first blog post in 2013, it received 28 views, a milestone he said was especially excited for. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘People are actually reading my blog,’” Reid said. “I was ecstatic.” Since then, Reid has built up a large fan base. On his blog’s Facebook page, Reid has accumulated more than 17,000 likes, and his blog has received more than a million viewers more than once. He has also been invited to write for outside publications such as churchleaders.com Reid noted, though, with a large fan base also comes a steady stream of backlash. Along with receiving a large amount of encouraging comments and support for his blog, Reid’s controversial blog posts have accumulated a high amount of negative comments from Christians and nonChristians alike. In a Facebook comment under one of Reid’s most recent blog
posts, a self-described atheist and communist, Joe Montelongo, described his dissent. In his comment, he called Reid a “brainwasher” and said the arguments made in Reid’s post could “be taken down easily.” “It’s inevitable that you’re going to get backlash when you talk about controversial issues because with talking about controversial issues comes a variety of opinions, and a variety of people,” Reid said. “I’ve built sort of a guard against harsh criticism, though it always hurts the most when fellow Christians are harsh in their responses.” With the backlash, Reid said it is very important to him to connect with the readers of his blog. Though he stays committed to replying to most people who comment on his blog, he said he is more inclined to talk to people who disagree with him. For him, it is simple Christian apologetics. “My main agenda in writing about these controversial issues is to reach out to people who disagree because they’re the people who I want to hear my message,” Reid said. “Sometimes it’s a student at Liberty, and we’ll grab coffee the next day and talk about the issue. That sort of thing is important to me because it’s where my heart is.” Reid said he makes it a point to always be sympathetic when writing or talking about such hot topics. In his latest blog post “Dear Sexy Nurse, Remember Your Value This Halloween,” he reminded women they are not defined by their past. In another, “Should I Attend My Gay Friend’s
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
INSPIRED — John Wesley Reid’s passion for writing came after being involved with his alma mater’s campus newspaper. Wedding?” he wrote on how Christians should treat homosexuals with love. In the future, Reid said he wants to continue to write independently, and hopes to one day become a travelling Christian speaker. “The success I’ve had (with my blog) is really affirming,” Reid said. “I realized that this is what
I really want to do for a career. I want to write.” To visit Reid’s blog, go to johnreidblogs.com or visit his Facebook “John Wesley Reid.”
YOUNG is a feature reporter.
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Liberty Champion | November 10, 2015 | B7
To honor the troops
Young Women for America will hold its Military Appreciation Gala Nov. 13
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
BENEFIT EVENT — This is the second year the Military Gala will donate all proceeds raised to the Wounded Warriors Project. Matt Pierce mpierce17@liberty.edu
The Young Women for America (YWA) believe the members of the military and military families deserve to be honored and appreciated, and that is why the Liberty University chapter of YWA is hosting its annual Military Appreciation Gala Nov. 13 from 6 – 8 p.m. in the club level of Williams Stadium, and everyone is invited. Toward the end of Military Emphasis Week at Liberty, up to 250 guests will funnel out of the elevators into a room
SOUL’D continued from B8 high-flying and astoundingly acrobatic athleticism to earn the attention of the audience so they can share what they all know outshines even their most impressive feat. After a half hour of dunking, a different member at each show takes a turn giving his testimony and presenting the gospel. “(We) reach people for Christ through this act,” Bronkema said. “We speak after every show … if it’s a venue where we can talk about Christ, which is places like Christian schools, churches and youth events. We share the gospel every single time. At public schools, sometimes we can’t talk about Christ, but we do a speech on character and integrity. Oftentimes we’ll invite them out to another event at a church where we’ll present the gospel.”
filled with faculty and students, community members and decorated soldiers. The keynote speaker for the event will be former Navy SEAL sniper Scott Taylor who currently serves in the Virginia House of Delegates. “We gained our freedom through fighting for it and we retain it by the willing to do so still,” Ashley Traficant, president of the YWA chapter at Liberty University, said. Although the military is not the only that YWA focuses on, it is an important aspect they celebrate. As for the high school and college branch of Concerned Women for
Bronkema shares the story of the passing of one of his friends who was in his freshman year of college and how he now confronts the reality of death with the assurance of his salvation. “I just remember feeling this peace during this catastrophic time that I don’t need to worry about that because I know where I’m going when I die,” Bronkema said. “After that I share with people and tell them they can know the same thing.” The Grand Rapids, Michigan native also said showcasing difficult and sometimes dangerous stunts and speaking to crowds that have ranged from “nine people, including a baby” to “close to 5,000” carries with it a degree of anxiety, but taking his focus off his own performance and keeping his mind on their mission helps diminish those fears. The chances he gets to
personally speak with the youth who responded to the message are what he said are “the highlights of being on S.O.A.R Dunk.” Bronkema said the group he travels with all year feels like brothers, and each member brings a unique element to the team. Apon said Bronkema’s reserved personality differs from many others on the team, but his collectiveness keeps them all on track. “During the shows, we love to have fun with the crowd and different tricks, but Chandler’s always the one who’s like, ‘Alright, guys, let’s go, let’s get this trick down, let’s focus, let’s think about what we’re doing here,’” Apon said. “That’s a part of the team we need, so we’re grateful for Chandler.”
America (CWA), they stand for seven core issues including sanctity of life, defense of family, education, religious liberty, national sovereignty, sexual exploitation and support for Israel. Members of the Lynchburg community, Liberty University faculty and students and local military members are all invited to attend the event. Tickets for students and military are $15. They are $20 for everyone else and can be purchased through the Liberty University ticket office. Students can purchase their tickets through the myLU Portal. “This is a way for the university and
the community to come together on something that we can all get behind regardless of whatever side of the political aisle you fall on, whatever your religion, whatever your worldview,” Traficant said. In fact, the YWA and CWA are both non-partisan organizations whose mission is to “protect and promote Biblical values among all citizens — first through prayer, then education, and finally by influencing our society — thereby reversing the decline in moral values in our nation.” At the event, vendors will surround the exterior walls of the venue for the silent auction including guests such as Monroe Hill Collective, Live Trendy or Die, Gladiola Girls, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s, Jersey Mikes Subs and more. The silent auction will be held during the gala and all of the proceeds from the entire evening will go to the Wounded Warrior Project. But far from the exterior walls, at the center of the room, will sit a table of remembrance for the military members who were not able to attend the event because of the sacrifice they made for their country. “Because of these people’s sacrifice, who are with us and those who couldn’t be with us is the reason that we have the freedom to gather at the world’s largest evangelical university today,” Traficant said. Students and community members have the opportunity to sponsor a table of eight for $200, either for personal use or to allow eight veterans to attend the event for free. “We’re trying to donate a certain amount of tickets to veterans to come for free,” Nicole Lombardi, a YWA Board Member, said. The evening will play hosts to many guests including current CEO and president of CWA, Penny Nance as well as other local Virginia government officials. The attire for the evening is formal, limited to suits, evening gowns and cocktail dresses. PIERCE is a feature reporter.
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TOURING — The S.O.A.R. Dunk team travels throughout the year sharing the gospel after their acrobatic performances through testimonials and biblical messages.
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FEATURE
November 10, 2015
“Uncomfortable”
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
RAP ARTISTS — Andy Mineo, Propaganda and JGivens visited Liberty’s campus for College for a Weekend, where they performed hits and songs from their current U.S. tour.
Hype for hip-hop artists Andy Mineo and guests performed at Thomas Road Baptist Church Nov. 6 Amber Tiller atiller2@liberty.edu
Gathered in the sanctuary of Thomas Road Baptist Church Friday, Nov. 6, guests packed in near the stage awaiting the arrival of the artists of the evening — Andy Mineo, Propaganda and JGivens. Mineo’s “Uncomfortable” tour made its stop at Liberty University for College for a Weekend. Walking out with a “humble beast” flat bill, special guest JGivens started the night along with Dj Efechto. A newcomer to Lynchburg, JGivens performed songs such as “Lost in Space” and set the energy for the
evening as he trotted and danced around the stage along with the rhythm. Not long after the songs began, JGivens reminded the crowd of the reason behind the event — the gospel. “What’s important is if we come together in the name of Jesus, we can overcome,” JGivens said. Mineo and Propaganda are three-time veterans for performances at Liberty University according to Propaganda. Throughout the night, they also brought the crowd back to the central purpose through lyrics and testimonials as K.j. Washington, a Liberty Masters of Divinity student, testified. “From artistry, people usually look for a surface level mean-
ing,” Washington said. “But every song tonight Andy (Mineo) presented had a deep, Gospel-centered meaning.” Propaganda rehearsed spoken word pieces such as “Crimson Cord” then narrated while Mineo performed songs from his new album, as well as hits such as “Paisano’s Wylin,” “Neverland” and “You Can’t Stop Me” as an encore song at the end of the night. Mineo’s set included using what seemed to a normal box on the stage which turned from bland to busy as animations and scenes from places such as New York City appeared brightly on the digital box. The box added visuals to the performances, and Mineo added to the antics
on stage by using other props such as a hoverboard. Throughout the night, Mineo not only shared the gospel, but encouraged fans to support others through World Vision. World Vision is “a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice,” according to their website. This organization is a partner on the “Uncomfortable” tour. For more information about Mineo’s tour dates, visit andymineo.com. TILLER is the feature editor.
Soul’d out for the gospel S.O.A.R. Dunk team travels during the year to perform and share salvation Jacob Clarke jlclarke@liberty.edu
Chandler Bronkema cannot dunk a basketball. And yet during 70 shows this year, he will find himself high above the rim, weaving the ball “through the right leg, left leg, then right leg,” before slamming it through the hoop for what he deems his favorite trick. The extra boost he needs comes from the trampoline positioned in front of the basket. It is what launches each of the seven members of S.O.A.R. (Soul’d Out and Ready) Dunk into the air for dunks including flips, spins and plenty of bounce passes off the ground to one another before one member finally sends it home. Bronkema, now a junior at Liberty University, hoped from his very first day at school that he could be part of the ministry team someday. “I saw them doing their training camp in the Schilling Center,” Bronkema said. “I thought it was super cool. I told my roommates that if they ever had tryouts, I would try out.” In the spring of 2014, he learned about tryouts, and his roommates held him accountable to his previous claim. He said he felt hesitant at first, but he decided to skip class that day and give it a shot. Tryouts consisted of first learning how to get the right jump off the trampoline without the basketball and then eventually adding
David Duncan | Liberty University News Service
A TEAM EFFORT — Chandler Bronkema (far right), along with the rest of the S.O.A.R. Dunk team, ministers through basketball. the ball and the flare necessary to wow the crowds at schools, churches and other venues up and down the East Coast. The former high school varsity basketball player impressed team captain, senior Luke Seaborn from the start, and soon-to-
be teammate junior Evan Apon called him “quite a natural.” “Chandler was actually very impressive right away,” Seaborn said. “He had a Michigan State shirt on, so we just called him ‘Michigan State.’”
And “Michigan State” made the team. Now in his third semester with S.O.A.R. Dunk, Bronkema and the team use their
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