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Volume 31 • Issue 9

Lynchburg, Va.

Family banquet

Appreciation

Tiffany Samuels tksamuels@liberty.edu

Students and their families gathered for Liberty University’s Fall Family Banquet as a part of Fall Family Weekend Friday, Nov. 1.

The dinner, held at the Tolsma Indoor Track Center in Green Hall, allowed the parents, families and friends of Liberty students to hear from President Jerry Falwell, Jr., who spoke about the individuality of the university and its mission.

“We’re so glad that you chose Liberty University,” Falwell said. “We have something very special and very unique here.”

The emphasis on the specific values of the school allowed visitors to hear about the differences between Liberty and other colleges. Falwell said Liberty offers more than most institutions because of the emphasis on Christian values.

“The goal here in the beginning was not just to create another Bible school, but to create a world class university,” Falwell said.

Falwell also shared the plans for the expansion of Liberty’s campus, saying he wants Liberty to be a school that gives prospective students a well-rounded college experience.

“Back when Liberty was created, a young person had two choices: Go to a Christian college and have a small college experience, or go to a major university and have a big college experience with no Christian emphasis at all,” Falwell said.

During the banquet, the Parent and Connections Office also presented the annual Parent of the Year award to junior Andrea Giovanetto,

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

RECOGNITION — Students and soldiers display a giant American flag covering most of the field during halftime of the Liberty vs. VMI football game.

OMA honors military Military Emphasis Week pays tribute to US Armed Forces and veterans Kristen Hines kahines@liberty.edu

Liberty University is hosting Military Emphasis Week Nov. 2-9 to honor and respect those who have fought and are currently fighting for the United States of America.

The events began Saturday with a tailgate on the front lawn of the Hancock Welcome Center. Members from every branch of the military gathered around tables with their spouses and children, enjoying food and concessions provided by the Office of Military Affairs

(OMA), according to Military Outreach Coordinator Ashley Eskridge.

Families then attended the Military Appreciation football game, where the Flames defeated Virginia Military Institute 17-7.

The Liberty marching band, the Spirit of the Mountain, welcomed the crowd at the beginning of the game and continued their tribute during halftime, when Lt. Clebe McClary received the George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award.

This award is presented annually to a man or woman who “went above the call of duty, displaying ex-

traordinary heroism while serving,” the Liberty News Service reported.

McClary was given this award due to injuries sustained on his 19th reconnaissance mission in Vietnam.

He was critically wounded, losing an eye and arm, and was told he would never walk again, according to the Clebe McClary website. He also received the Silver Star and the Bronze Star by the president of the United States for his acts of bravery under fire.

See FAMILY, A3 See MILITARY, A7

Habermas speaks overseas Professor Gary Habermas lectured 42 times over a two-week period in Europe Joshua Janney jjanney@liberty.edu

Distinguished researcher, seminary professor and Chair of the Liberty University Department of Philosophy Gary Habermas traveled to Europe Oct. 1328, giving lectures and presentations at several Swedish universities.

According to Habermas, he spoke 42 times during his two-week tour and was constantly on the move. He presented at the Swedish Parliament as well as several

of Sweden’s colleges, such as The University of Stockholm and to University of Lund.

During his tour, Habermas said he primarily focused on two topics — evidence for the resurrection of Jesus and a speech titled “Filling the Naturalistic Void.” Habermas first presented the latter speech at the annual Liberty faculty meeting in 2012.

“Naturalism is the philosophical parent from which atheism, agnosticism and a lot of secular views come,” Habermas

said. “And so I gave that lecture where I argued that naturalism is being disproven. There’s a lot of evidence that’s going against it. Christians need to step up to the plate and be a worldview that can assert itself as able to fill the gap left by the fall of naturalism.”

According to Habermas, the people of Sweden responded well to his speeches and appreciated hearing topics that were rarely discussed in their secular culture.

See HABERMAS, A2

INSIDE THE CHAMPION News

Sports

Feature

Liberty students act in a zombie music video.

The Flames defense dominates in a 17-7 win over VMI. B1

The Costume Fun Run took place Oct. 31 at Camp Hydaway.

B8

A8

Courtney Russo| Liberty Champion

FOOD— Families gather at Green Hall.

News Opinion Sports Feature

PUT CHRIST IN A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS Helping In Jesus’ Name *Photo: Pratham Books

Drop off box in Demoss Room 1035 by Nov. 15

A1 A4 B1 B8

NEWS

A2/Liberty Champion

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Students give back Lindsay Benton lbenton8@liberty.edu

This November and December, Liberty University is partnering with local branches of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Samaritan’s Purse and the Salvation Army to provide for the needs of the Lynchburg area public, according to Darren Wu, the Liberty Center for Christian Community Service Coordinator.

The Liberty students staff and faculty are partnering alongside Sodexo and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank for a food drive happening now until the Nov. 20 Convocation. Donations may be made in the form of any non-perishable items, Wu said.

According to Wu, early donations by students can be dropped off at the ReberThomas Dining Hall. A second location to donate is located at Thomas Road Baptist Church. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank will collect items when the drive ends at Convocation and distribute them to the Southside Tobacco Commission Counties.

“The main thing I want to highlight is that Sodexo has generously agreed to match student, faculty and staff donations pound for pound,” Wu said. “Basically, if the students give the same way they have in the past, they are already going to double their donations because Sodexo is going to match it. The past two years, the students have raised about 600 pounds.”

This is the third year Liberty has partnered with Sodexo’s Stop Hunger Foundation, according to Julia Pfeifer, area marketing coordinator for Sodexo. Their purpose is addressing and meeting the needs of local children suffering from starvation.

Liberty volunteers will help the Salvation Army bell ringers from now until Dec. 24 to gather financial donations for individuals within the Central Virginia area, Wu said. The collection site is located outside the Wal-Mart store entrance located on Wards Road. Online donations are also possible through the Salvation Army website.

According to Wu, students, faculty and staff have taken turns ringing the bell for this event in the past. Many of Liberty’s volunteers are student athletes. “(Bell ringing) is the Salvation Army’s primary fundraiser for the entire year,” Wu said.

Collections will fund the Salvation Army’s emergency shelter, summer camps and Christmas family assistance for more than 2,000 individuals, according to The Salvation Army’s website. They also provide year-round feeding programs and assist women and children through the Hope House shelter, according to the Virginia Salvation Army online page.

According to Wu, students are encouraged to participate in National Collection Week Nov. 18-25 for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse.

The operation sponsors children in more than 130 countries using shoeboxes filled with gifts.

Students have the chance to pick up and drop off their boxes at the Champion office in DeMoss Hall room 1035 until Nov. 20. According to Omar Adams, advertising director for the Liberty Champion, students can also get shoe boxes at the Office of Student Leadership.

According to Ashley Wilkes, media associate of Operation Christmas Child, more than 100,000 volunteers in the Unites States alone and another 500,000 overseas volunteers package gift-filled shoeboxes throughout the year.

“For many of these children who are living in the midst of war, poverty and disease, this is the first gift they have ever received,” Wilkes said. “A lack of school supplies is the only thing restricting many kids from attending school, but a simple shoebox gift with the most basic supplies can have a lasting impact.”

Wilkes explained that the empty shoeboxes are filled with school supplies, toys, letters of encouragement, and hygiene items and are dropped off to nearby collection sites. Once the shoeboxes are collected by Samaritan’s Purse, they are examined for content before shipment overseas.

“Regardless of geographical or situational background, we can all relate to the joy experienced from the simplest gifts as a child—crayons, hair clips, a soccer ball,” Wilkes said. “Full circle stories of those who received a shoebox in their home country and are now living in the U.S. are testaments to the power of a simple gift.”

To find out more about each of these charities, email cser@liberty.edu.

BENTON is a news reporter.

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

MEET — Newt and Callista drew a large crowd Nov. 2 to sign their new books, “Breakout” and “Sweet Land of Liberty.”

Gingriches socialize

Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista, visited Nov. 2 to promote their new books Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista Gingrich, visited the Liberty University Bookstore Saturday, Nov. 2 for a book signing in order to promote their new books, “Breakout” and “Sweet Land of Liberty.”

Callista Gingrich began the event at noon by reading “Sweet Land of Liberty” to a group of children with the help of Ellis the Elephant, the main character of her book series. After story time concluded, Newt and Callista Gingrich began the book signing with the line stretching through the store.

“Breakout,” one of 27 books that Newt Gingrich has written, focuses on the “prison guards of the past,” people who prefer to defend the status quo in American politics, and the “pioneers of the future,” people who are working to help America advance in all areas of life.

According to Newt Gingrich, changing the face of American politics in a way that allows pioneers of the future to prosper will be the key to the country’s future.

“This is actually a project that I began thinking about in 1981 … because it was clear that you couldn’t solve the problem of big government inside the Washington model, and they haven’t,” Newt

HABERMAS continued from A1 “Every once in a while someone would challenge me,” Habermas said. “But for the most part, I met with skeptics, folks that came up to me and said, ‘I’m a naturalist,’ and they were really easy going.”

During his various “Filling the Naturalistic Void” speeches, Habermas explained that he addressed many topics including modern-day miracle claims, near-death experiences and intelligent design.

“Like (the U.S.), the Swedish culture is a scientific culture,” Habermas said. “We pretty much only respect

Gingrich said. “… That’s how I began to think about how you could find the pioneers of the future and then break out from the Washington stalemate.”

Callista Gingrich’s “Sweet Land of Liberty” marks the third of her patriotic children’s books following the adventures of Ellis the Elephant, named after Ellis Island, the place many American immigrants first stopped upon their arrival.

“I write my books because I really love America,” Callista Gingrich said.

“I think our country is an exceptional nation, and I believe it’s more important now than ever that our children understand why our country is so special.

That’s my inspiration for writing these books.”

According to Liberty Bookstore Trade Manager Brian DiGia, “Breakout” was not scheduled to be released until Monday, Nov. 4, but Regnery Publishing gave special permission for the store to sell copies of the book at the signing.

“It does add to the excitement because it’s the only place you can get it,” DiGia said.

Although Newt Gingrich admitted the event was designed to promote the new books, DiGia said he noticed their interest in talking with every person who passed through the line.

“The Gingriches are very hospitable,”

scientific arguments. Some leading scholars have already said naturalism has died, it’s a goner, and there is going to be a fight for what’s going to be the most dominant worldview.”

While speaking at a medical school in Gothenburg, Sweden, Habermas said he gave a different form of the lecture titled “Reasons to believe the worldview is changing.”

“One fellow characterized the lecture after it was over and said, ‘When you brought up your 10 points, anybody who was skeptical, they could have been skeptical of a point or two,” Habermas said.

“You brought up so many

1. MORE APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREES ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT LU.

DiGia said. “They like meeting people, so it’s not about the book.”

Newt Gingrich estimated that he has visited Liberty’s campus more than 10 times since its inception in 1971.

“It’s a great institution that has grown unbelievably from when I first came here,” Newt Gingrich said. “It’s really remarkable every time we come.”

According to DiGia, Saturday’s book signing attracted almost as many people as the couple’s first book signing at the Liberty Bookstore the previous year.

“Mr. and Mrs. Gingrich specifically requested to come back on Parents Weekend,” DiGia said. “They were here last year on Parents Weekend, and they enjoyed it so much that they wanted to come back on Parents Weekend.”

With elections approaching both in Virginia and across America, Newt Gingrich gave a word of advice about how Americans can contribute to their country’s breakout from the status quo, which he discusses in his book.

“Try to find candidates who have some sense of the future and some sense of what can be done to change government,” Newt Gingrich said. “And if you can’t find one, run yourself.”

LEASURE is the editor-in-chief.

categories and so many types of evidence, nobody wanted to take that on.’”

According to Habermas, he was proud to share his beliefs with younger Swedes who were eager to hear what he had to say.

“I felt really good leaving there because the people there probably averaged 25 years old, and a lot of these are brilliant young researchers,” Habermas said. “I think the main response I saw was a lot of people were really excited to hear there was something worth believing in.

That there was some reality beyond this world.”

Despite the fact that less than three percent of the

2. HISTORY DEPARTMENT IS HOSTING SPEAKERS THROUGH NOVEMBER.

Swedish population regularly attends church, Habermas said he feels there is a willing audience for similar speeches.

“Apologetics has grown like crazy in Sweden because Christians realize that, by spreading their faith with evidences, people will listen to them,” Habermas said.

“There is a revival right now with apologetics.”

Habermas said he is currently considering the possibility of returning to Sweden for a similar tour.

“I’d go back in a heartbeat,” Habermas said. “I loved it. It’s a great country.”

JANNEY is a news reporter.

3. THE ELKS NATIONAL HOME IN BEFORD IS BEING SOLD.

NEWS

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Liberty Champion/A3

Chappell ‘Kickstarts’ campaign Sam Chappell is fundraising in order to film a documentary about the effects of the 2014 World Cup on Brazil Dylan Friberg dwfriberg@liberty.edu

“I will reach my goal, even if I have to sell my car to get there.�

That is how Liberty University senior Sam Chappell responded 10 days before the funding deadline when asked if he had doubts about his project’s fundraising succeeding on Kickstarter, a website that gives entrepreneurs the chance to collect donations but only keep the funds if they reach a certain goal before their deadline. If Chappell’s fundraising is successful, it will send him to Curitiba, Brazil to film a documentary about the effects of the 2014 World Cup on Curitiba’s local community.

According to his project page, Chappell currently sits at 38 percent funded.

Chappell said he is partnering with the humanitarian aid organization Lionsraw to document stories from the Curitiba community. He said he hopes to meet and network with locals through Lionsraw’s projects, specifically through their soccer training camps and tournaments. “One major goal will be telling the story of a family in one of these communities,� Chap-

FAMILY continued from A1 whose essay was chosen from written entries submitted by students. Giovanetto spoke to attendees about her family and shared her story with the crowd. “But Jesus heard the prayers of this brokenhearted child in Colum-

pell said. “How the World Cup has impacted the father in terms of job opportunities, how it has affected the mother in her dayto-day commute, how it has affected the kids as they look up to these players or see rich foreigners coming to their city. I would love just to see how one major event can impact an impoverished family as a whole, both the good and bad.�

According to Chappell, the idea for the documentary sprung from interacting with a friend, Thad Taylor, while interning with The Washington Fellowship, a Liberty-affiliated program connecting students with internship opportunities in Washington, D.C. Chappell said that, while he was in D.C., he fell in love with documentaries and had the idea to try one of his own. “Thad Taylor asked me if I wanted to join him in Brazil for a year with Lionsraw to coach and do some humanitarian aid work,� Chappell said. “At the same time, the news was blowing up about the World Cup preparations and how people were being impacted. So basically, my idea for this project came from all of those things coming together at the same time.�

bia,� Giovanetto wrote. “Even when I thought he abandoned me, Jesus was giving me the family I prayed for.�

Giovanetto also said she has enjoyed the start of Family Weekend so far, adding that having her parents there made it special. “Today is my dad’s birthday, so it is exciting

Photo Provided

GOAL — Chappell hopes to meet Brazilians and share their stories.

According to Chappell, he needs to wait on funding to complete a lot of necessary preparation. Chappell said without the funds, he will not be able to buy a plane ticket to get to Curitiba, and he will not be able to afford the necessary camera lenses for filming. “Thankfully, Lionsraw is establishing so many contacts in Brazil that I don’t have to spend any time reaching out to people until I get down there,�

Chappell said.

If funded, Chappell said he

to have my parents at the banquet,� Giovanetto said.

At the end of the banquet, Falwell said Snowflex and the other current features of the university are all part of a dream and a vision. He told families that, before Liberty grew into the college that it is today, the only person who believed it would become what it is now was his

will spend the greater part of a year living with 10 volunteers from the United Kingdom while he films. Chappell said these volunteers will be running the soccer projects for Lionsraw.

According to Chappell, these projects are how he hopes to meet locals and get plugged into the community.

Chappell said he has been playing soccer since he was a child and is a senior goalkeeper on the Liberty men’s soccer team this year.

According to Chappell, while

father, Jerry Falwell, Sr. “I had a reporter recently ask me what my dad would say if he came back now and saw the growth that Liberty has seen the last six years,� Falwell said. “I told him he would say, ‘I told you so.’�

SAMUELS is a news reporter.

in Curitiba, he would be living in a poor neighborhood and would need to use caution. “My main concerns are just getting mugged or my house getting broken into,� Chappell said. “I just plan to avoid those things through prayer and making sure I’m with a big group and being smart about when I walk around.�

Along with local violence, Chappell said he is not sure how or if regional authorities will react to his filming project. “I honestly have no idea if the local government is going to let me film or not,� Chappell said. “I would love to get connected with a government official once I get connected in the area to get their side of the story, so hopefully they can support my project.�

The funding deadline for Chappell’s Kickstarter project is only four days away.

For more information on the project, contact Chappell at sdchappell@liberty.edu. To donate to the Kickstarter campaign, go to kickstarter.com and enter ‘Sam Chappell’ in the search field.

FRIBERG is a news reporter.

Activities Family weekend also included other activities for families. Student Activities offered a double feature family movie night Saturday, featuring the films “Planes� and “Monsters University.�

Visitors also enjoyed watching the Flames football team Saturday take on Virginia Military Institute, as the Flames won 17-7.

Many families traveled to the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre to observe the lodge and its features.

"*(" %$% &)# ##'#

Visit  our  homepage  frequently  for  weekly  menus,  calendar  of  events  and  news  you  can  use.

Sodexo to match food donations

POUND-FOR-POUND! Leading up to the November 20Úth convocation, we will be accepting early donations in Reber-�Thomas Dining Hall. All food donations are going to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to feed hungry families this Thanksgiving.

www.sodexofoundation.org

OPINION

A4

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Christians in politics and culture EDITOR’S NOTE: In lieu of the Champion’s weekly “From the Desk” article, we present a debate on the topic of Christians in politics and culture. Arguments stem from recent statements by Southern Baptist Convention leader Russell Moore, who declared evangelicals should tone down their rhetoric and pull back from politics. The views presented are solely the views of the writers and do not reflect the official viewpoint of the newspaper or Liberty University.

PRO: Christians should lead in affairs of the state Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu

Omar Adams oadams2@liberty.edu

Russell Moore, leader of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and its Ethics and Liberty Commission, made headlines Oct. 21 by suggesting that Christians should step back from the political front lines and avoid becoming “mascots for any political faction.”

Christians, as well as other politicians, ADAMS/LEASURE have recently come under fire for not supporting certain issues such as the legalization of gay marriage.

Instead of fighting in the political arena for what Evangelicals believe in, Moore suggested that they should avoid being involved in culture wars.

Moore is correct in his view that Evangelicals should be “kind, winsome and empathetic” toward those who might not believe the same things. But to suggest that Christians should avoid politics altogether seems to be a foolish, and potentially dangerous, non sequitur.

Americans have been blessed with a radically different government than the first century church fathers. Citizens in the United States are able to express their opinions and choose their civic leaders without reaching for torches and pitchforks. America was designed as a federal republic to ensure that all people have representation in the government.

The importance of informed citizens taking an active role in democratic government cannot be overstated.

Alexis de Tocqueville wrote plainly of this in his seminal work “Democracy in America,” which analyzed the unique political philosophy and practice in the fledgling United States. “…Local assemblies of citizens constitute the strength of free nations,” he wrote. “Town-meetings are to liberty what primary schools are to science — they bring it within the people’s reach, they teach men how to use and how to enjoy it. A nation may establish a system of free government, but without the spirit of municipal institutions, it cannot have the spirit of liberty.”

As Moore said, Christians should be

involved in their communities, but politics are an integral part of those communities. How much damage would Christians do by pretending that loving their neighbors and doing their civic duty are mutually exclusive concepts?

Is Moore really suggesting that Christians cannot engage in political debates and hold their ground without becoming caustic and dogmatic?

His goals could be better achieved by engaging others in political discussion from a position of mutual respect.

The apostle James was not speaking of politics when he wrote in James 1:19 that every person should be “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Nevertheless, his rule should apply to every area of the Christian life, including civic involvement.

How much good could be accomplished if Christians exemplify integrity and respect in the realm of governance?

Passionate debate is inevitable when people have a shared influence and interest in their government. It is important to realize that those with differing opinions have serious reasons for believing the way they do. Perhaps it would be better to stop and listen to why someone supports or opposes a piece of legislation and seek an acceptable compromise instead of shouting them down with dogmatic partisanship.

Obviously there are some areas where biblical values prevent compromise — abortion and gay marriage are chief among them. Should Christians then hold their tongues and not vote to avoid offending anyone? Of course not.

Christians should explain why they cannot support such things — for more reasons than simply, “The Bible says so” — while still showing empathy and respect to those who disagree.

As with all things, there is a balance to be desired. Moore should encourage Christians to have firm convictions while demonstrating humility, respect and love for others. Laws reflect the values of the society that writes them.

Maybe instead of withdrawing from politics until they “fix” society, Christians should try to engage in politics while simultaneously demonstrating the love of Christ in their communities.

LEASURE is the editor in chief.

ADAMS is the advertising director.

CON: Christians are more effective in community Gabriella Fuller gfuller2@liberty.edu

In his recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Russell Moore, leader of the Southern Baptist Convention, boldly stated that it is time for evangelicals to pull back from politics and culture. As head of one of the country’s largest evangelical activist groups that has long been on the forefront of fighting America’s culture wars, the comments were cerFULLER tainly unexpected.

Now, after more than three decades of activism, Moore plans to take a less aggressive approach on social issues and political involvement, supporting what he calls “engaged communitarianism” — a middle ground between the evangelical extremes of triumphalism and complete cultural separation.

Though the announcement caused shock among many conservative Christians, I for one am in agreement with Moore. It is time that Christians stop fighting the wrong battles.

As Moore warned in his interview, Christians need to be wary of becoming “mascots for any political faction.”

Jesus is not concerned with reestablishing America as a Christian nation or restoring conservative biblical values to the majority’s party platform.

In fact, the story of the early church is not a story of Christians fighting normal societal powers. When you read Acts, you find instead that Christians did not have governmental power, and they never pushed political agendas.

On the contrary, most Christians were seen as enemies of the state.

No one looked to the first Christians and thought they would change the world. But they did.

Rather than fighting to legislate morality and vote issues in and out of government, the early Christians recognized that the power of Christ was most recognized through forgiveness, reconciliation and sacrificial love.

Instead of fighting our society, Christians ought to be actively serving it.

What if you took in a pregnant teen confused about her choices rather than

complaining about a government that fails to protect life? What if you invited a gay neighbor over for dinner and had meaningful conversation instead of doing everything in your power to vote gay marriage down?

As in Acts 17:6-7, the world would be turned upside down by a minority more interested in showing personal love than in winning political battles.

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also ... and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

I am not advising that we divorce religion from politics and culture. But like the men in the New Testament, I am proclaiming that there is another king besides the transitory laws of this nation and its Congressional rulers — Jesus.

Moore, like so many others, has witnessed the upward trend of Christians who are walking away from the church because its members are weary of the culture war. And in response, Moore is not shunning politics entirely or compromising his beliefs, but he is looking beyond immediate American culture in the fight for justice.

“We must remember that we are not Americans first,” Moore said. “We belong to another kingdom.”

The church is to emphasize an allegiance to the kingdom of God over an allegiance to a single political party.

If stepping back from the front lines of politics and toning down the rhetoric in the culture wars means rediscovering this truth, then I am with Moore.

The tides have changed in our nation — Christians are no longer the moral majority, but rather the prophetic minority. As such, we are not called to be sin-managers, but to be Christ-exalters.

Cliché as it may seem, the answer is Christ. The electing of politicians and the passing of new laws will never mend a broken world. And while government victories should be sought after and celebrated, the fallen world will remain fallen until Christ’s return.

Like every generation before ours and every generation after, deep down, we long for Jesus.

It is time the world knew what the church stands for rather than what it stands against.

FULLER is the opinion editor.

Thousands anticipate Graham’s address The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will release the “My Hope America” video series Tuesday, Nov. 5 Jessica Kramer jkramer22@liberty.edu

The upcoming evangelical campaign “My Hope America” by Billy Graham is set to sweep the nation this month.

With more than 22,000 churches signed up to view the premier, many have heralded the effort as Graham’s last crusade.

According to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), “My Hope America” is a 30-minute video that portrays the testimonies of lost individuals who came to know Christ and accept him as their personal savior. The special is a look at different people and their divergent backgrounds in faith.

Graham is a household name among Christians and non-Christians alike.

His influence over America is something miraculous — and even though he is 94, he is not finished yet with

proclaiming God’s word.

“It could be our last chance to see our country turn back to God,” Graham said in a statement released earlier this year in reference to the upcoming campaign. “The hour is late and the need is urgent. The eternal destiny of many souls — and the future of our great nation — is at stake.”

Consider the 11 consecutive relationships Graham has had with U. S. presidents, from Harry Truman to Barack Obama. According to Michael Duffy, Washington bureau chief and executive editor of Time magazine, Graham’s relationships with U.S. presidents is fascinating.

“These meetings were far more than photo opportunities,” Duffy said.

“In fact, many of the most important meetings between Billy Graham and the presidents were private — the ones that mat-

tered are the ones that we didn’t know about. They knew Billy Graham was someone they could trust.

His friendship was a safe place for them — almost sacred. They knew that their conversations would remain private.”

Regardless of political affiliation or spiritual walk, presidents knew they needed divine help in their endeavors, and who better to relay the ageless truth than Graham?

Consequently, during the 2012 presidential election, Graham released a nationwide advertisement campaign in support of voting for biblical values and for promoting candidates who protect the sanctity of life and the traditional definition of marriage.

Graham has left an incredible impact on our generation, and he has helped to shape our modern evangelical church.

He has formed our foundation on how to reach the lost and spread the gospel to the masses.

“During my lifetime, I had the privilege of seeing God move across America in powerful ways, yet we have seen our nation steadily sliding into moral and spiritual ruin,” Graham said about his upcoming broadcast. “As I approach my 95th birthday, I believe that, unless God sends a sweeping revival, America as we have known it — a nation rooted in biblical values — will be a thing of the past.”

Graham is the heart and soul of the evangelical church. He has proven his tireless service and faith in our Lord and remained true to the word.

Graham has shown us what stepping out in faith can really do.

Invite your friends and neighbors to participate in this campaign. As Graham

Google Images

INSPIRATION — Graham continues his ministry after more than 70 years of evangelism. states, reaching your community with the gospel of Jesus Christ begins with the individual.

“We can and should pray for America as a whole, but remember that when God sets out to change a nation, he begins by changing people,” Graham said. “It starts with

individuals. The more I pray, the more deeply I feel that ‘My Hope America’ is the right outreach for this country today.”

KRAMER is an opinion writer.

OPINION

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Liberty Champion/A5

Facebook allows violent videos The social media giant has amended its previous ban on graphic content based on member feedback David Van Dyk dvandyk@liberty.edu

Facebook has for a long time been at the forefront of social media, garnering hundreds of millions of users on its website. According to Internet World Stats, Facebook recorded 1.11 billion users in March 2013, reaching more than 130 countries.

However, amid Facebook’s apparent success, the social media giant is in a dilemma over whether or not it should allow graphic videos to be posted on its website.

Following Facebook’s announcement declaring that it will lift a ban on graphic videos, including beheadings, the social media site has now gone back on its statement, removing a particularly violent video of a Mexican woman being beheaded by a masked man.

According to Alexei Oreskovic, a journalist for Reuters, Facebook admitted its imperfections.

“Facebook acknowledged on Tuesday that its previous approach, which permitted the video of the woman’s killing in Mexico to remain on its site, was flawed,” Oreskovic said.

In a recent press release highlighting its policy change, Facebook acknowledged a change in procedure when dealing with violent content. In the release, Facebook said it permits such videos

on its website so that users may condemn such acts of extreme violence, not celebrate them.

“First, when we review content that is reported to us, we will take a more holistic look at the context surrounding a violent image or video, and will remove content that celebrates violence,” it said. “Second, we will consider whether the person posting the content is sharing it responsibly, such as accompanying the video or image with a warning and sharing it with an age-appropriate audience.”

After the upset regarding the particular beheading video, Facebook representatives released follow-up commentary.

“Based on these enhanced standards, we have re-examined recent reports of graphic content and have concluded that this content improperly and irresponsibly glorifies violence. For this reason, we have removed it.”

As I watch Facebook attempt to regain control of its image, I wonder what our world will be like 10 years from now. If the largest social media site needs to figure out whether it should allow beheadings to be posted, what will I see in the next few years?

I could not help but question why we need to watch a beheading to condemn it. It is almost comical when you think about it.

Only if our users condemn the

action will we allow it. Any celebration, and we zap the video, okay?

I believe this is only a warning flare of a deeper problem our society is facing. Even though Facebook is making human interaction more possible in places thought impossible, it is doing something that is not so readily recognizable. I believe it is leaving us lonely and incomplete, replacing face-to-face time with something far less substantial.

Only when we become aware of the corrosion that is eating its way through our culture will we realize our flaws and turn toward what we were founded on as a nation — that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Like Rand Paul said in his quote of author and social critic Os Guinness at Liberty University’s Convocation last Monday, Oct. 28, there is something that jeopardizes our nation beyond enemies across the waters.

“I believe that America is in a full blown spiritual crisis,” Paul said. “The problem, as Os Guinness puts it, is not wolves at the door, but termites in the floor.”

My prayer is that, as a nation, we will once again find what made our country so blessed.

Not arguing over what to post on

Google Images

DISLIKE — Facebook struggles to keep its image amidst controversy.

Facebook or who is more popular than the other person, but what makes a person a unique individual capable of great things. “…Those of us who love freedom must realize that freedom is not a license to do as you please,” Paul said. “Freedom can only be

realized when citizens know selfrestraint or, put another way, virtue. What America needs is not another politician. What America needs is a revival.”

VAN DYK is an opinion writer.

Alleradd promises academic success College graduates create healthy, over-the-counter alternative to combat the abuse of prescription drugs Tyler Beaston tbeaston@liberty.edu

The new drug Alleradd has hit the markets, thanks to the work of two former financial engineers, Lucas Siegel and Matthew Piskorz, according to a press release from Alleradd.

The drug, which sounds suspiciously like its prescription counterpart Adderall, is supposed to be a legal, healthy stand-in drug that helps people focus and “gain a competitive advantage,” according to the press release.

I have no doubt that Siegel and Piskorz made the drug with good intentions, but I think it could cause more difficulties. They saw what they thought was a problem and concocted a solution. The problem is that students abuse prescription drugs in order to help them focus and, consequently, receive better grades.

Enter Alleradd, the over-the-counter, memory-enhancing, stress-reducing, energy-producing drug. According to the press release, it contains 18 essential ingredients that, “when combined together in correct quantities, resulted in the perfect balance of elevated focus, mood and mental drive.”

Siegel and Piskorz used their own bodies to test the various mixtures until they found the right one. There was no mention of additional test groups or doubleblind studies with placebos. Their next step was to send the newly created product to businesspeople and CEOs who reportedly gave the drug rave reviews.

I really cannot bring myself to make a moral judgment on the rightness or wrongness of Alleradd. Obviously, some people

Google Images

ABUSE — Prescription study aids have become a popular option among students. take medicine to alter their minds in a positive way — as in, it helps people with serious mental or emotional disorders.

But Alleradd is not meant for people with mental or emotional disorders. So, I can make an analytic judgment.

Truly, I think it is a cop-out. Alleradd makes a person falsely focused and falsely responsible. It is a drug for people that lack self-control and have little desire to gain it.

I want to know why it is necessary.

Why should I take it? In the past, people have rarely relied on medicine to help them focus. They just forced themselves to focus.

But according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “The

percentage of children with a parentreported ADHD diagnosis increased by 22 percent between 2003 and 2007.”

I seriously doubt that so many people live with ADHD. I think the statistic represents a decrease in the threshold for an ADHD diagnosis.

I decided to click the link provided in the press release to see how Alleradd’s website would answer my question.

Alleradd actually has a pretty remarkable website. I expected to find a rinky-dink site with dead links and popups, but was met instead with a smoothly operating, modern layout. It even has a high-quality, introductory video embedded on the homepage.

I also found the list of 18 special ingre-

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dients that contribute to Alleradd’s apparent quality. Out of the scientific jargon and overwhelmingly long names, I only recognized one — caffeine. All the ingredients had little blurbs eulogizing the unique benefits offered by each, along with an impressive and utterly worthless chemical diagram for added visual appeal. Most ingredients, I think, can be found in other food sources.

Of course, there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen that says, “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.” And, for what it is worth, only 179 people like Alleradd on Facebook. Further poking around led me to scamadviser. com. Do not worry — Alleradd’s website seems safe. Scamadviser showed that the website is 206 days old as of Oct. 29. Further, it says, “The website has been newly registered with a short life expectancy, which follows the pattern used by many fraudulent websites. Please be vigilant and take extra care before providing any payment information.”

The site’s life expectancy is only a year, according to scamadviser, a website designed to expose fraudulent websites.

It appears this alleged panacea pill lacks the popularity and business oomph to make its creators rich. And I almost feel bad for Siegel and Piskorz, because the press release says they quit their careers to make Alleradd.

BEASTON is an opinion writer.

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NEWS

A6/Liberty Champion

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Men’s class dress code changes President Falwell approves new policy allowing male students to wear T-shirts in academic buildings Ryan Fowle rfowle@liberty.edu

President Jerry Falwell, Jr. approved a change in the Liberty Way Thursday, Oct. 21, allowing male students to wear collarless shirts so long as they otherwise remain in the dress code.

Dean of Students Keith Anderson explained that Liberty University’s dress code policy, among others, is reviewed annually, and that Falwell made this decision after receiving several pieces of Student Government Association (SGA) legislation and the recommendation of Anderson himself based on opinions expressed by the students.

“Over the past three or four semesters, we’ve heard the request for the ability to modify the dress code,” Anderson said. “One of the things that I heard most from men was that they would like to wear collarless shirts.

The request was sent to the senior administration, and the (president) heard that request and granted it.”

According to the SGA, the driving force behind this change was students identifying what they saw as an issue and having their voices heard by administration at the Student Body Town Hall meeting.

Joshua Warner, SGA president, explained that one of the influences toward the policy change was legislation passed by members of student government.

“Over the past couple years, we have crafted legislation … that talked about allowing there to be T-shirts on campus for men and also maybe allowing there to be shorts for guys as well,” Warner said. “We brought this up to the (president), and after we passed multiple pieces of legislation … the (president) decided that it would actually be more beneficial to allow the male student population to be allowed to wear T-shirts that are Liberty appropriate.”

According to freshman Luke Guseman, student opinion is split on the matter. While most of the male

Quote from President Falwell:

“ Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

ATTIRE — Alex Argyropoulos enjoys being able to wear a collarless shirt. population on campus seems to be in support of the recent change, others have expressed concerns over how this policy change will affect the future.

“I think it’s a deviation from where we are and what we are,” Guseman said. “I really think (the old policy) allows us to be unique and allows us to at least look nice and give a good self-image.”

Freshman Michael Loerop holds the opposite opinion.

“I’m happy with the dress code change because it allows for us to have more freedom,” Loerop said.

According to Warner, some students have expressed concern that a change in dress code could be marking more drastic changes to come in the near future, but Warner also explained that any changes that take place will undergo a significant amount of scrutiny, with the ultimate decision left to Falwell.

“This has been in deliberation since even before I’ve been here, so I think a lot of good thought has gone into it and understanding that, a Tshirt and polo, whether a student

wants to wear that, I don’t think it’s a fair comparison to say that Liberty will be heading down a slippery slope like other universities,” Warner said. “As Christians, we will do our best for Jesus whether that’s in dress or any type of standard. We will do our best as Christians to do great things for Jesus.”

Students are often the first members of a university body to identify problems and are highly encouraged to voice those concerns to the SGA or during Town Hall meetings, according to the SGA. “(Students) can understand those issues best, and they just need to know where to voice — the proper way — their opinions,” Warner said. “That’s what we really look for, is making sure the students are involved civically and also making sure that they have a proper way to voice their opinions to the administration.

If we’re doing that, SGA is happy, and we’ve accomplished our goals.”

When I was a student at Liberty, men had to wear ties to class, and curfew was 10:30 p.m. with lights out at 11 p.m. My father approved various rule changes over the years as traditions and customs changed in the culture.

Some were surprised when he approved jeans and flip flops for students about 10 years ago.

He explained repeatedly that many of the rules in the Liberty Way were only meant to teach young people discipline, and that they were not rooted in Biblical mandates. He stressed that, while Liberty will continually review, revise and update the Liberty Way in order to keep it culturally relevant, it will never compromise its doctrinal statement or its commitment to the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

It is important for students to remember that following the Liberty Way doesn’t make them a better Christian than anyone else.

The Liberty Way is a tradition at this university and is part of what makes us unique, but it is not what makes Liberty a Christian university. There are so many other factors, including the faith in action that I see here every day ­­— Christian faculty and students demonstrating their love for God by loving others and serving others in need — that confirm Liberty is as spiritually healthy as it has ever been.”

FOWLE is a news reporter.

Gamers play 25 hours for charity Video Game Club raises funds for children Mary Helen Norris mhnorris@liberty.edu

Sam Chappell | Liberty Champion

COMS — Students met with potential employers Oct. 29 at the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall.

Career fair offers jobs

Tobi Walsh

twalsh12@liberty.edu

The School of Communication & Creative Arts students gathered in the back hallway of the Reber Thomas Dining Hall Oct. 29 as they networked with potential employers at the communication job fair.

Businesses from all over the Lynchburg area talked with students, accepted résumés and even did on the spot interviews.

“We had over 200 students signed up to attend today,” Career Center Director Richard Glass said. “This event is one of two communication career fairs we do throughout the school year. We will have another again in the spring.”

Glass said businesses love coming to Liberty to look for interns or employees in any area of study.

“There are three things that I keep hearing from employers when they come here,” Glass said. “That our students are prepared, professional and polished. A lot of students get on the spot job offers.”

Glass said career fairs, like this one, help students reach out to employers with the support of their school.

“At Liberty, we try to build

relationships with companies all over the country,” Glass said. “Then we invite these companies to come to our campus and recruit. That way, it’s easier for our students to build relationships and find a job without having to go out themselves and try to network.”

According to Glass, Liberty is a primary source of interns for several organizations.

“Second Baptist Church in Houston has spots for 17 interns every year,” Glass said.

“They came to Liberty to look for interns, and they ended up filling up all their spots and then offered more positions just to Liberty students.”

Katelyn Shutt, the human resource assistant from the News & Advance, said she was impressed with the turnout.

“I’m so surprised by the amount of graphic designers I had stop by our table,” Shutt said. “It’s really hard to find good graphic designers.”

According to Shutt, the publication, which is a daily newspaper designed for Lynchburg and the surrounding areas, looks for students who are interested in journalism, advertising and graphic design.

“We come to Liberty to look for students because we

feel like they’re always coming to the table with new ideas,” Shutt said. “We were also here for the business fair because we were looking for students to work for our sales team.”

Adam Miller of Hello Studios, a motion graphics company based in Lynchburg, said his company comes to Liberty to look for students because of the strong sense of Christian values Liberty teaches.

“I graduated from Liberty, so I know that most students that graduate from here have a good moral sense,” Miller said. “I like the parallel between the Christian lifestyle and how to be professional in the workplace. When I hire someone from Liberty, I know that there’s not going to be shenanigans in the studio.”

Jana Duckett and Angela Guzman, who represented Beliefnet, an inspirational website, said they were also impressed with the students at Liberty.

“We have so many students who are graduating in 2015,” Duckett said. “We would love to see students who are graduating now to work for us.”

WALSH is a news reporter.

Video games reigned supreme in the fourth floor of DeMoss Hall Nov. 2 as the Video Game Club gathered to play video games for 25 hours in an effort to save kids’ lives.

The gaming session was part of an international event known as Extra Life.

“Extra Life started in 2007 with Texas radio personality Jeromy ‘Doc’ Adams raising money by playing video games for Tori Enmon, a young girl battling cancer,” Jack Whisler of the Centra Foundation said. “Tori lost her battle, but the spirit of raising funds to help sick and injured children caught fire across the country.”

According to Whisler, gamers can participate in the fundraiser as individuals or, in the case of the Video Game Club, groups.

“Due to the ease of access and simple way to become involved, participation has reached global proportions and increased exponentially every year,” Samuel Adams, president of the Video Game Club, said.

According to Whisler, the groups raise money online by asking for friends and family to support them as they play video games for 24 hours. Due to the end of Daylight Saving Time, this year’s event lasted 25 hours.

Along with financial support from friends and family, the Liberty Video Game Club rallied the donations of nearby restaurants.

“We have been reaching out to local businesses to acquire spon-

sors, and Dominos and Buffalo Wild Wings told us they would provide food,” Adams said. “What better way to draw college students than fun and free food?”

The event began with 10-15 people at 8 a.m. on Saturday, according to Adams. Over the course of the day, more students arrived to participate in multiple games and tournaments.

According to Whisler, the funds raised by the club will stay in the local community, “Donations selected for Centra Lynchburg General are earmarked to help build a new pediatric pod in the emergency department at Lynchburg General Hospital to provide a child-secure, child-friendly, newly-equipped facility to better treat children brought to the emergency department,” Whisler said.

According to Adams, he believes the efforts of his club will greatly improve the hospital environment for Lynchburg’s children.

“Currently, they are being treated with everyone else, sometimes next to drug addicts and alcoholics, so this separate facility would be very beneficial in their treatment and comfort,” Adams said.

According to Whisler, an estimated 40,000 gamers around the world played for 25 hours and raised approximately $4 million.

For information about becoming involved in Extra Life, visit exralife.org.

NORRIS is a news reporter.

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

NEWS

Aviation dominates SOA flight team brings home ninth consecutive NIFA Region X title

Mark Tait mtait@liberty.edu

The Liberty University flight team brought home its ninth consecutive National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) Region X championship after competing Oct. 16-19 at Franklin Municipal Airport in Franklin, Va. “The NIFA team has once again demonstrated their prowess to compete successfully at the regional level,” David Young, dean of the School of Aeronautics (SOA), said. “They are superb aviators and worked diligently to secure this honor.”

According to Kyle Dillon, the head coach of the team, 18 pilots represented Liberty in individual competitions and accumulated enough points for the team victory.

Zach Floto, a member of the flight team, said the points were the result of many hours of preparation by his teammates.

“There are many long nights and weekends spent at the airport flying and studying for the competition,” Floto said. “Team members are at the airport every evening preparing for tests, as well as all day on Saturday for flight practices. Every time I am at the airport, someone is up in the air practicing.”

In addition to many hours of preparation, Dillon said the SOA’s newly acquired Cessna 150 was influential in the victory. According to Dillon, the aircraft flies a more consistent descent pattern and can maintain a lower speed than the team’s Cessna 172.

“With these events, you’re essentially trying to hit a line with an aircraft so, the slower you go, the more likely you are to be accurate,” Dillon said.

According to Dillon, he appreciated Liberty providing the plane and was proud that his team

Photo Provided.

VICTORY— Pilots of the NIFA team pose with awards from the win. could represent the university in what’s number one,” Dillon said competition. he told his team.

“I believe that the success of the He said he believes he has seen NIFA team is a very close reflec- his pilots demonstrate their highest tion of the (SOA), and I believe priority in several ways. At comthe reflection of the (SOA) is a petitions, pilots move their planes very close one of Liberty Univer- around the tarmac by hand in sity itself,” Dillon said. “It all steps preparation for competitions, and back to how God has blessed Lib- Dillon said members of Liberty’s erty University, and that blessing flight team helped other teams has really come all the way down with the task. to the NIFA team.”

“I never even have to … tell According to Dillon, he was them to do it,” Dillon said. “They excited to see his team win the actually just do it on their own.

SOA’s ninth consecutive title, but Honestly, we have 18 different serhe was even more grateful for the vants on the team, and they’re all improvement of the team’s indi- just doing what they can.” vidual pilots.

With the regional win, the Lib“I don’t really know if I would erty flight team qualified for the feel more proud doing it for the national NIFA competition, which ninth time or doing it for the first will be held in Ohio this spring, actime just because, personally, I’m cording to Dillon. He said he bemore interested in each competi- lieves the team has the potential to tor’s progress than the school’s do well. progress overall,” Dillon said.

“I think we’ve got the talent, and According to Dillon, he enjoyed I think we’ve got the leadership seeing the improvement of his pi- within the students to go out there lots and representing Liberty, but and to put us in the top 10 in the the highest goal of his team was to nation,” Dillon said. exemplify Christ through humility For more information on the and servanthood.

SOA, visit liberty.edu/academics/ “Let’s look at this as a mis- aeronautics. sion field and never get so proud of ourselves that we lose focus of TAIT is the asst. news editor.

Liberty Champion/A7 MILITARY continued from A1 Halftime included members of each branch standing as the crowd thanked them with applause for their service, a short clip from Jerry Falwell, Sr.’s speech “The American Solider” and Charles Billingsley performing “I’m Proud to Be an American.”

Military Emphasis Week continued with 10 other scheduled events that will conclude Saturday, Nov. 9 with the Valley View 5 Miler, according to Eskridge.

A Candlelight Vigil was held Monday at 7 p.m. on the steps of DeMoss Hall in honor of the students killed in action, as well as a luncheon in the Grand Lobby following Military Convocation and a webinar hosted

by Associate Vice President for Military Outreach Maj. Gen. Robert F. Dees, Eskridge said.

“His topic is very relevant,” Eskridge said. “It was about helping veterans make that transition when they are leaving the military and making the transition into civilian life, as well as getting the job in the civilian workplace.”

According to Eskridge, it is the goal of OMA through these events to thank those who sacrifice to give American’s freedom.

“The goal of Military Emphasis Week is definitely to honor our military students, whether they are active, whether they are veterans, just really coming together and showing them how we support them by having this whole week dedicated to them,” Eskridge said.

According to Joseph Gay, who serves in the United States Armed Forces, OMA has achieved its goal of showing respect and assisting those transitioning into civilian life.

“I thoroughly enjoy these events and am happy that Liberty shows respect to the veterans … ” Gay said. “I am very happy to be a student here. OMA is overachieving in how much help they give us.”

Likewise, Joshua Teague, who is also a member of the United States Armed Forces, said OMA has helped make his transition easier.

“I’ve always heard that Liberty was outstanding in the military affairs department, but I never experienced it for myself until now,” Teague said. “It’s nice to call and have an advisor that can cater to me … that is the best part, for them being able to relate to me as a military member.”

Eskridge said it was Falwell’s passion to honor military members who “paved the way” for the creation of OMA. “It really all started with the (president),” Eskridge said. “He was huge. Dr. Falwell was huge on the military so he really set the basis for that, just having that heart.

When we first started, we were an office of six people.”

Since then, the need for more people solely dedicated to military members has grown , Eskridge said. The office has now grown from only six to more than 50.

“It is just amazing that all of those people really have that heart for military students,” Eskridge said.

According to Eskridge, the OMA also hosts other events throughout the year, including a Spouses Luncheon, Military Family Fun Day, which is hosted at Snowflex, and Student Connection, an event that welcomes military students at the beginning of every semester.

HINES is a news reporter.

NEWS

A8/Liberty Champion

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Students star in music videos Osterhus and Sundheim play key roles in films for Blood of the Martyrs’ songs “H.E.L.P.ER” and “Swiftly” Emily Webster ewebster@liberty.edu

The zombie apocalypse has made its way from TV shows to music videos through the making of Blood of the Martyrs’ “H.E.L.P.ER” and “Swiftly,”with the help of a current Liberty University student and a Liberty graduate.

Senior Rachel Osterhus and graduate Jeff Sundheim acted as the main characters in the music videos for the band Blood of the Martyrs, which were filmed during the beginning of the fall semester, with the latest video published on YouTube Oct. 30.

The members of the Christian heavy metal band contacted Osterhus and Sundheim after a mutual friend recommended them for the video, according to Osterhus. The music video portrays the two struggling for survival after the zombie apocalypse.

Osterhus, who is a theatre arts major, said she had never worked in film before and thought it sounded like a good experience. She described the two days of filming in Farmville, Va., as interesting, even though she was not fully aware of the story behind the music video before working on it.

“It was hard to jump right in and to not really have a background,” Osterhus said. “We didn’t create a backstory … It

was hard to put all of those conditions on myself (for the apocalypse).”

Sundheim said he mentally prepared for the long hours of filming before arriving each day.

He also said it took him some time to get used to all the zombies and the fake blood used during filming.

With the five members of the band also involved in the filming, Osterhus said she and Sundheim were able to talk with them and get to know them over the course of the two days.

“I’ve never really interacted with people who are into the screamo music, but they were so endearing, so kind, so welcoming,” Osterhus said. “They brought us water and snacks, and they just thought of everything. They didn’t have everything planned out, so they were flexible. … They were really encouraging.”

Sundheim said the extras used in the video showed him the extent of the band’s fan base.

“So many people showed up to help these guys out with their video, so you know they are doing something right,” Sundheim said. “They are reaching people for Christ in a way that isn’t really the norm in the music industry. You don’t hear of many good metal Christian bands, and they are, which is so awesome.”

Realizing that heavy metal and a zombie apocalypse are not

Photo Provided

ZOMBIES — Sundheim (left) and Osterhus (right) run for their lives in the Blood of the Martyrs’ video. typically seen in the Christian music industry, Sundheim said the band and music video sheds light on how Christians are not the cookie-cutter people that others make them out to be. “(Christians) have different likes and dislikes from each other, and it is shown in this band,” Sundheim said. “I personally am not a fan of heavy metal music, and I am a Christian. But these guys are serving the Lord

in a way that people sometimes judge and don’t realize is making a huge impact. I, as a Christian, applaud them for using this unique gift of music for (God’s) glory.”

Describing the zombie world as beyond her understanding, Osterhus said this experience helped her grow not only as an actress, but also as an individual.

“I ended up coming out of those two days really learning the

value of loving people, the value of getting to know people,” Osterhus said. “We can always love each other no matter (the) different opinions and different things we enjoy. It was cool getting to know new people … and to love on new people and to be available and to just trust that they are following their call, whatever that may be.”

WEBSTER is a copy editor.

Experience Law The School of Law hosted an open house Kristen Hines kahines@liberty.edu

Photo Provided

WRITE — The 18thWall Publications seeks to put the art back into the publishing industry.

Book publisher opens

18thWall seeks to promote artistic style in literary industry Mary Helen Norris mhnorris@liberty.edu

Filling the void that has been growing over the last few years, 18thWall Publications started with the dream of putting the art back into the publishing industry.

James Bojaciuk, an English major at Liberty University, along with his friend Ben Kasson, started 18thWall this past March.

Bojaciuk said he started this venture because books have become “an industry, not an art.”

And Bojaciuk and Kasson believe it should not be that way.

According to Bojaciuk, starting a publishing company was not an easy task, but it will soon pay off with the release of their first book projected to hit shelves around Christmas.

“Lying in a Wounded Wood,” according to Kasson, brings together all the best modern fairy tales. The collection will include a reinvention of Snow White and a twist on dragons that Bojaciuk says “does not release you, dear reader, until you believe in dragons.”

Nikki Petit, an author signed by 18thWall Publications, will be making her debut with a story that, according to Bojaciuk, “will introduce us to a folk hero.”

“It’s just such a coincidence,

and I didn’t expect it,” Petit said about being published.

“It’s exciting. He came up to me and said, ‘You write well.

Write us a story.’”

The second collection, entitled “Those Who Live Long Forgotten,” includes stories which strip something from the past — be that something mythic or fictive — and adapts it to the present. One of the stories will include a tale about Sherlock Holmes, and another reapplies the vampire myth to a post-“Twilight” world.

Bojaciuk also said they have a number of novels in the works, but titles and details are not yet available.

“Two novels involve the legacy of Sherlock Holmes,” Bojaciuk said. “In one instance, a case long unsolved, in another, the diseased remnants of the Moriarty family, and a third takes a stark look at English folklore and what an old woman’s myths might do to the world.”

According to Bojaciuk, his writing style is to “beat your nightmares into submission and catalog them for the public.”

He shared that he has been published in Thought Catalog, Tales of the Undead: Suffer Eternal (both volumes two and three), Another 100 Horrors, LAMP, Cease, Cows, Wold

Newton Beyond, The Television Crossover Universe, and Sundry Publications. Formerly, he was fiction editor at Cease, Cows.

Kasson, a former poetry editor for Cease, Cows, once found himself the winner of a writing contest conducted by Horror Tree.

18th Wall Publications encourage writers to send in their creations, saying that submitters have a great chance of being published. And even if they get rejected, there is an upside: They never send form rejections.

“Send in-depth analysis of the submitter’s story — we get into the nit, into the grit, into all the dirt and mud and help to the best of our ability,” Bojaciuk said. “We give them the editing they need to become a great writer.”

LaRue Photography provides their cover art and, according to Bojaciuk, their work is vital. “We’re blessed to have the team we do.”

For more information about 18thWall, including future publications and how to get involved, visit their website at 18thwall.com or facebook. com/18thwall.

NORRIS is a news reporter.

The School of Law opened its doors Nov. 2 to welcome visitors the second time this semester for their Experience: Law event.

The event began early Friday morning with a continental breakfast at 8:15 a.m. Visitors were then able to attend a class, where they could get a feel for how a law class at Liberty would work.

“Students are able to attend a live class session to see how a Christian worldview is integrated into the classroom, which sets Liberty apart,” Director of Admissions Annette Pettyjohn said.

Visitors were then taken to a financial session, which, according to Pettyjohn, informed them of how to obtain financial aid and the answers to other questions regarding payments during law school.

This was followed by a presentation entitled “What to expect during your first year of law school” and gave four principles to guide and encourage those pursuing law.

Led by Director of Center for Legal Writing Susan Patrick and Director of Academic Support Caleb Sweazey, both alumni of Liberty School of Law, the session covered things such as how law classes are different from undergrad, how to make a schedule that would ensure one’s success, and how to prepare for classes ahead of time.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Rena Lindevaldsen spoke briefly of the Israel study tour, a 10-day trip that takes students to places such as the Garden of Gethsemane, the Valley of Jezereel and the Israel Supreme Court. She also discussed the internship and clinical opportunities available to students of the School of Law. The day concluded with a tour of the classrooms, facilities and various elements of the School of Law, and a social with faculty, staff and current students. Visitors were also able to set up oneon-one meetings with faculty to discuss financial questions Overall, the day provided in-

formation and experience for the visitor.

“In one day, from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., you have a really good idea of who Liberty University School of Law is. We feel like you can make an educated decision of what school you would like to attend,” Pettyjohn said.

Many visitors felt that this information was exactly what they needed, according to Justin Amos. This was his first Experience: Law event.

“It really gave me a view of how law actually is,” Amos said.

“I was able to sit in on a class … The event has really been informing, fun and interesting.”

Alexis Brewster said this visit will be the first of many.

“The Experience: Law event really made the school stand out to me,” Brewster said. “The skills training here is phenomenal. We have visited several law schools in Florida, and Liberty stands out by far.”

According to Pettyjohn, Experience: Law is available to anyone interested in the university’s School of Law. The event occurs twice a semester and is only $10.

For more information regarding the Experience: Law event or Liberty’s School of Law, visit liberty.edu/law.

HINES is a news reporter.

FYI Liberty University School of Law is a law school committed to academic and professional excellence in the context of the Christian intellectual tradition.

SPORTS

OCTOBER 29, 2013

M. DII Hockey FGCU 7

Liberty

Liberty

3

7

Reston 1

Clean sweep

Field Hockey

M. Soccer

W. D1 Hockey

Coastal

Liberty

1

0

B1

Liberty App. State 6

0

tabrahamsen@liberty.edu

Haley Jones

Football players spread discipline

hjones20@liberty.edu

The Flames (12-1) continued to stay hot over the weekend, improving on their five game home winning streak. Liberty outscored its opponents 11-3 in two games to defeat the Rochester Warriors (4-5) twice, Oct 25-26.

See SWEEP, B4

Liberty 166, Mich. St. 133, Illinois 157, Liberty 142

Living in the word

going all in

Tory Abrahamsen

LU 4, Rochester 2 Liberty came out of the gates looking very “complacent … expecting it to be easy,” according to Head Coach Kirk Handy.

“Rochester College played well,” Handy said.

“They’re going to battle, and we need to battle for all 60 minutes in order to be successful.”

Both teams played good defense and received solid play out of their goalies during the early portions of the first period. However, Rochester broke the scoring drought with 6:45 left in the first period when forward Brock Malatches fed the puck to forward Doug Lindensmith, who put it in the net. The two teams then continued their solid defensive play, bringing the first period to a close with the score 1-0 in favor of Rochester.

After 15 minutes had passed in the second period, defenseman Cam Bakker put Liberty on the board. The Flames stormed down the ice and pushed ahead of the Rochester defensemen. The Flames got three quick shots off, including one by Robert Ward and another by forward DJ Dinnison,

Swimming

Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu

Steven Abbott | Liberty Champion

JUMP BALL — Lady Flames goalkeeper Holly Van Noord tries to catch a ball between multiple Lady Flames defenders and a Lady Chanticleer.

Seniors shine at home Jacob Tellers

jtellers@liberty.edu

The 21st time was the charm for the Lady Flames (12-5-1, 7-2-1 Big South) soccer team, as they scored on their 21st attempt to take a 1-0 lead in their match Saturday, Oct. 26 against Coastal Carolina (9-8-1, 6-4 Big South).

Junior midfielder Rebecca Smith placed the ball into the

back of the net after a shot by fellow midfielder Brittany Aanderud hit off the right post. This lone goal was all that Liberty needed for the win in its last regular season home game of the year.

The win clinched a top-four seed for the Lady Flames, ensuring at least one more home game this season for the quarterfinal match of the Big South Championship.

“Last year was the first year the conference decided to go to a quarterfinal,” Head Coach Jessica Hain said. “The top four teams in the conference will host a quarterfinal game … All four of the teams who hosted were the teams who won. So, in my opinion, it’s a huge advantage and it was really exciting to get the win today.”

See SENIORS, B2

On the trip back home from Boiling Springs, N.C., the Liberty football team c e l e brated a 24-0 victory over Gardn e r We b b.

Exhausted and w e a r y FREEMAN f r o m Saturday’s game the following day, the team prepared its game plan for Virginia Military Institute.

After preparation, most players headed home, but some stayed behind.

For the entire football season, a group of football players meet on Sunday nights. Tired, bruised and battered from Saturday’s games and Sunday’s practice, they come together for a few hours. During this time, senior defensive lineman Cory Freeman leads the group in Bible study.

No matter if the team wins or loses the day before, the group comes together to worship God and keep teammates, friends and family in prayer.

“Last week was a struggle (with Coastal Carolina University),” Freeman said.

“It was my first (home) conference loss in about five years. We haven’t lost at home since 2006. But regardless, you

See WORD, B4

Beatty, Bulldogs held in check by Flames D Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu

A complete game is what the Liberty Flames (4-4, 1-1 Big South) strived for after a homecoming loss, and pitching a shutout on the road against the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs (4-4, 0-2 Big South) was exactly that.

Last season, GardnerWebb’s redshirt junior quarterback Lucas Beatty threw for 383 yards. But the Flames held Beatty to 200 passing yards and sacked him a season-high six times in a 24-0 victory.

WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME

“We have great leadership on our team,” Head Coach Turner Gill said to Liberty Flames Sports Network (LFSN). “Our coaches do a great job giving our guys the opportunity to show what our team is all about. Our character was revealed after these last two ballgames.”

This is the first time Gardner-Webb was shut out two games in a season since 1985.

“We were relentless,” defensive lineman Jibrelle Fewell said to LFSN. “We all worked together today, and it showed.”

M. Soccer vs. Longwood Oct. 29 @ 6 p.m.

Gardner-Webb was unable to move the ball during the game, gaining only 230 yards of total offense.

They went 3-16 on thirddown conversions.

Defensive lineman Toby Onyechi led Liberty with 1.5 sacks. Fewell, along with linemen Cory Freeman and Erwin Dessources, also planted Beatty to the ground, recording one sack each.

After allowing 235 yards on the ground to Coastal Carolina, the Flames gave up 30 yards on 29

See CHECK, B3

Volleyball vs. Radford Nov. 1 @ 7 p.m.

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

CONSISTENCY — Brandon Apon (82), who had a nine-yard touchdown reception against Gardner-Webb Saturday, grabs a pass against Coastal Carolina.

M. DI Hockey vs. Eastern Mich.

Nov. 1 @ 7 p.m.

Field Hockey vs. Radford Nov. 2 @ 1 p.m.

Football vs. VMI Nov. 2 @ 3:30 p.m.

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

M. DII Hockey

Liberty St. Joseph 2 6

W. D1 Hockey

N’Eastern Liberty 3 2

M. Soccer

Liberty

Campbell

3

1

B1

W. DII Hockey

Villanova Liberty 3

2

Field Hockey

Liberty

Radford

3

0

Look ahead

now you see me

W. Lax releases spring schedule Derrick Battle dbatle2@liberty.edu

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

DETERMINATION — Sophomore running back D.J. Abnar ran for 72 yards in the Flames victory over VMI.

Defense key against Keydets The Flames allowed only 204 total yards and 14 first downs in their 17-7 victory over VMI Emily Brown erbrown@liberty.edu

The Liberty Flames football team (5-4, 2-1 Big South) came up just short of making school history Saturday, Nov. 2 in its 17-7 victory over the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Keydets (1-8, 0-4 Big South) in Liberty’s military appreciation game.

In the 13th meeting between the fellow commonwealth teams, the Keydets snatched a second straight shutout from the Flames by scoring a touchdown in the last two minutes of the game. The Flames would have posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time in Liberty football history.

“I’m more mad about this win than maybe some of the losses I’ve had in my career,” linebacker Nick Sigmon said. “So

I think when you’re getting mad about wins, you’re really taking a step in the right direction, because you’re trying to demand perfection of yourself and your team. And to have something like that happen, it hurts, but at the same time, it’s a win, and we gotta enjoy it.”

However, despite the last-minute score

by VMI, Liberty’s stingy defense was key in the Flames win. Although the Keydets only trailed the Flames by approximately six minutes in time of possession, Liberty allowed the Keydets to gain only 204 total yards of offense with 58 of those yards coming in their final touchdown drive.

Liberty also limited aggressive 230-pound Keydets running back Derrick Ziglar to 58 rushing yards. “(Ziglar) has such great balance,” Sig-

mon said. “I compare him almost to (Liberty running back Desmond) Rice, maybe a little less moves, but add 40 pounds onto him, and (you’re) talking about a heavy guy that has great balance and (is) hard to bring down.”

On the offensive side of the ball, the Flames sputtered in the first half.

On their second drive of the game, the Flames marched down to the VMI 22-yard line. On third down, Woodrum’s pass into the end zone to wide receiver Gabe Henderson was batted down, forcing Liberty to go for a field goal. Kicker John Lunsford’s 39-yard attempt went wide left, leaving the Flames with nothing to show for a drive that ate up 4:02, and the first quarter

See DEFENSE, B3

Liberty University women’s lacrosse has announced its 2014 schedule under first-year Head Coach Kelly Nangle.

The Lady Flames will open their season with three games on the road before playing their home opener against Elon Feb. 21.

Liberty finished last year with an 8-10 record (4-3 Big South) for its best season in four years playing against NCAA Division I competition.

This season, the Lady Flames will play 17 regular-season games, including five against opponents who were ranked in the top 50 last year.

During nonconference play, Liberty will play rematches against Virginia Tech and preseasonranked No. 12 Navy. The Lady Flames will also play the University of Richmond Spiders and the Vanderbilt University Commodores in two other notable nonconference games.

In April, Liberty will begin its Big South Conference schedule, which includes key matchups with High Point University and Davidson University.

A full 2014 schedule is available at liberty.edu/ flames.

BATTLE is the sports editor.

Lady Flames advance to semifinals Jacob Tellers jtellers@liberty.edu

The Liberty Lady Flames soccer team advanced to the semifinal round of the Big South Conference Championship with a 1-0 home win over the Presbyterian College Blue Hose Sunday, Nov. 3.

Sophomore forward Crystal Elmers’ goal late in the first half gave the Lady Flames all the offense they needed for the afternoon. Elmers tapped the ball in from near the left post after midfielder Brittany Aanderud weaved in a diagonal through ball, setting Elmers up for an easy finish.

“Most of the credit needs to

WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME

go to (Aanderud),” Elmers said.

“She had a beautiful cross, and I just got a foot on it.”

The goal was Elmers sixth on the season, and she now leads the Flames in scoring off of only 19 shots.

Just prior to Elmers’ goal, Presbyterian had its best chance to score denied by Flames keeper Holly Van Noord, who posted her 13th shutout of the season after recording two saves on the day.

Facing a one-on-one matchup against Blue Hose forward Sarah Simpson, Van Noord advanced past the goal box and then made a diving deflection as Simpson attempted to put the ball into the right side of the net.

M. Soccer vs. Radford Nov. 6 @ 5 p.m.

“I was excited I got the opportunity to actually stop (the breakaway),” Van Noord said. “I think it is just something I have been working on this past week really hard, and it’s just awesome to see what you put into practice actually translate to the game. I just got set for the shot and thankfully I reacted correctly.”

Presbyterian College had one final chance to tie the game in the second half, earning a free kick opportunity after forward Tori Lopez collided with a Lady Flames player.

With 14 seconds remaining, the Blue Hose lobbed the ball into Liberty’s penalty box only

M. Volleyball vs. Longwood Nov. 6 @ 7 p.m.

See ADVANCE, B2

Leah Stauffer | Liberty Champion

MOVING ON — Brittany Aanderud (7) provided the gamewinning assist for the Lady Flames in their quarterfinal triumph.

Field Hockey vs. Cal Nov. 7 @ 1:30 p.m.

Swimming vs. Vanderbilt Nov. 8 @ 5 p.m.

M. Basketball vs. Randolph Nov. 8 @ 8 p.m.

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Liberty Champion/B2

Roster reloaded Tom Foote tfoote2@liberty.edu

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

CROSSOVER — Davon Marshall (1) set a new school record with 107 threepointers last season.

Searching for repeat Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu

Last season, the Liberty Flames men’s basketball team shocked not only the Big South Conference (BSC) but the entire country, being only the second team to win its conference tournament and make it to the NCAA tournament with 20 losses since Coppin State University did it in 2008.

With the regular season approaching, the Flames have a deeper and healthier squad than in years past. Liberty brings back four out of five starters from a year ago and wants to prove that they can win the BSC for the second straight time.

“Guys came a lot closer in training camp,” senior guard Davon Marshall said. “We are injury free, so that’s a plus. We are looking to build off of our chemistry and continue to get better heading into our first game.”

Marshall and guard John Caleb Sanders return as the top two leading scorers on the team.

While Sanders averaged 14.4 points per game last season, Marshall was ranked third in the BSC in three-point shooting

with a percentage of 43.1 percent.

“I have been reading the game more,” Marshall said. “I have been finding guys more in open spots. I have been using my shot more to get into the paint.”

Marshall came to the team as a junior college transfer and spent his first season with Liberty learning Head Coach Dale Layer’s offense. After a year, he said that he feels more composed in his scheme.

“I feel a lot more comfortable,” Marshall said. “(Layer) has a lot more confidence in me, so I just feel good going into the season with the offense this year.”

The BSC voted the Flames to finish second in the North division behind the High Point Panthers. While forwards John Brown and Allen Chaney lead the Panthers, Liberty brings back a solid frontcourt with an old face emerging from the fold.

After missing the 201213 season due to a foot injury, senior forward Antwan Burrus brings more depth to the Flames front line.

“This is going to be the best season for our frontcourt,” Burrus said.

ADVANCE continued from B1 to have it cleared away as time expired.

Liberty had previously defeated Presbyterian College 2-1 in an Oct. 5 matchup. The game went into a second overtime before the Lady Flames were able to pull off the away win with a penalty kick goal by Aanderud.

This time around, the Lady Flames outshot Presbyterian 203, and the Lady Flames held the Blue Hose to zero shot attempts in the second half.

“One of our defensive keys is how we were going to defend all over the field with all 11 players,

“I feel like this will be our strongest year with depth.”

In 2011, Burrus averaged 11.3 points and six rebounds per game. He also shot above 50 percent from the field.

“I feel really good,” Burrus said. “I’ve been working out the whole summer. I feel 100 percent and ready to get back out there. I’ve gotten quicker and learned to face up more on offense.”

Along with Burrus, the Flames have a core of veteran leaders that includes six seniors, such as Marshall, Sanders, forward JR Coronado and center Joel Vander Pol. Liberty has 15 nonconference opponents that features the University of Virginia. Key conference games against High Point and Charleston Southern will be pivotal matchups late into the season.

The Flames begin their campaign for a second straight Big South title when they host the Randolph College Wildcats in their season opener Friday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.

BATTLE is the sports editor.

and they did an excellent job with that,” Lady Flames Head Coach Jessica Hain said.

The quarterfinal matchup was the first home playoff game for the Liberty’s women’s soccer team. “(The crowd is) extremely important. It gave us a lot of momentum, a lot of confidence,” Hain said.

The Lady Flames will travel to Coastal Carolina, who is hosting the Big South Championship tournament. Liberty will play sixth-seeded High Point in a semifinal match Friday, Nov. 8. at 7 p.m.

If the Lady Flames win, they will play in the championship

Despite losing three starters from last season’s Big South Championship team, including the second-leading scorer in program history, Devon Brown, the goals for the Liberty women’s basketball team remain the same.

“Our goal is not just to win the conference,” Head Coach Carey Green said.

“Not just to get into the NCAA (tournament). Our higher goal is to honor and glorify God.” Liberty has won the Big South Conference 15 of the past 17 seasons and was picked to win the conference for the 16th time in 17 years by the head coaches and media members of the Big South Conference in a preseason poll.

The Lady Flames return only four upperclassmen in redshirt junior point guard Emily Frazier, junior guards Reagan Miller and Ellee Rollins and the lone senior, forward Jasmine Gardner. However, Green is excited to see what the young players have to offer the team this season.

“Obviously we have got to develop a new identity,” Green said. “(W)e’ve got some very good scorers on the team. We have some good athletes on the team, but it’s always hard to replace a 2,000-point scorer (in Devon Brown). …

We’re working as a team, and hopefully that scoring punch will be picked up from a team dynamic.”

Frazier, who averaged 5.3 points per game and led the team in assists with 4.7 per game, is one of the players expected to be a team leader this season.

Frazier was named to the Big South preseason all-conference team by the conference coaches and media. However, Frazier said she does not feel any added burden from her preseason accolades, but instead feels the need to be a team leader for the inexperienced Lady Flames. “(I have) my experience in games and tight

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

FACILITATOR — Emily Frazier led the Lady Flames in assists last season despite missing the final eight games. situations, so I hope to help them know it’s the same pressures as high school, and just don’t let the hype of college mess with you,” Frazier said. “So I feel a lot more pressure to be a leader, but we have a lot of leaders on this team.”

Despite the youthfulness from the squad, both Green and Frazier emphasized the unity and chemistry the team has already built.

“If we can bring the unity and chemistry we have off the floor to the floor and everyone stay conditioned … I think we can be one of the best teams Liberty has ever been,” Frazier said. “I’m really excited about all of our new players.”

Sophomore center Ashley Rinninger is the team’s returning leading scorer from last season, averaging 6.9 points per game. She is also the second leading rebounder returning from last season with 6.4 per game, only trailing Gardner, who averaged 7.3 rebounds per game.

Liberty’s nonconference

schedule includes multiple matchups versus teams that reached the NCAA tournament last year, such as Fresno State and Saint Joseph’s. Other noteworthy matchups include the University of Virginia, University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Seton Hall University.

“I’ve been here for 15 years, and we’ve played better teams, but not a collection of better teams,” Green said. “Game after game, we (play) several teams that were in postseason tournaments. … So it’s going to be critical that some freshmen grow up really quick.”

The Lady Flames will kick off their season in search for a third consecutive Big South title Friday, Nov. 8 as they travel to take on the Charlotte 49ers.

FOOTE is the asst. sports editor.

game, Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. against the winner of the matchup between first-seeded Radford and fourth-seeded Winthrop.

TELLERS is a sports reporter.

FYI

Holly Van Noord extended her single-season progam record for shutouts, earning her 13th of the year.

Leah Stauffer | Liberty Champion

KEY EFFORT — Forward Geena Swentik provided a spark off the bench in the Lady Flames 1-0 win against the Blue Hose.

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Liberty Champion/B3

Women’s volleyball eyes conference title Liberty hopes to continue its ascent up the Big South leaderboard after defeating the Radford Highlanders

Courtney Tyree cntyree@liberty.edu

The Lady Flames volleyball team beat Big South Conference leader Radford University in a five-set match Friday, Nov. 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-9). The Lady Flames moved within one match of first place in the conference.

“At this point, we do not care if you are No. 1, 2, 8 or 9, we are working on working as a team, blending and getting ourselves to peak at the right time,” setter Jade Craycraft said.

Liberty led the match with a season-high 14 blocks, and held Radford to a .127 hitting percentage, its lowest of the season.

Craycraft notched her fourth triple-double of the season with 42 assists, 10 kills, 11 digs and three aces. Senior outside hitter Lillie Happel recorded her eighth double-double of the year with 10 kills and 12 digs. Happel is now ranked 10th in program history with 1,171 kills.

Redshirt sophomore Caroline Douglas recorded a season-high 14 kills and a careerhigh nine digs. Junior Melissa Racz set a new season-high in kills with 12 and recorded five blocks.

The Radford Highlanders gained a four-point lead in the first set at 16-12, but the Flames fought back to take the lead 21-20. After nine ties and four lead changes, the Highlanders surged through to take set one.

With set two tied at 22, Happel recorded a solo block to give the Flames the lead. Liberty was able to hold the lead and clinched the second set, tying the match 1-1.

“We thought we were going to have to win some battles at the net, and we know that they are a very good defensive team,” Head Coach Shane Pinder said. “I knew certain moments of the game would come down to some offensive kills, because both teams are really hard to score on.”

The Flames gained momentum early in the third set with a 7-1 lead. Liberty’s momentum grew and the Lady Flames doubled the Highlanders score to make it 18-9. However, Radford did not give up trimming Liberty’s lead to four (2319), before the Lady Flames pushed for the final points and the third-set win.

With the fourth set tied at 23, the Lady Flames were looking for a set win to take the match. Highlander outside hitter Jordan Watson’s back-to-

back kills led Radford to a win, sending the match to a fifth game.

Liberty took a 5-2 lead in the second set, but Radford cut the lead to one. The Lady Flames then posted a 4-0 rally and the Highlanders were unable to fight back as Craycraft sent her 10th and final kill down to win the match.

“We have been preparing all week, and what we talk about is how we are going to be the tougher team when the lights come on on Friday night,” Craycraft said.

Despite a slow start to the season, the team has been able to bounce back and now has a chance to collect another Big South Conference title.

“I have to give credit to my staff,” Pinder said. “They have done an unbelievable job in this time. Through all of this, the kids have stuck together.

They have stuck with the right heart and have answered the call in so many ways that does not show with wins or losses, (but) in their attitude every day and their work ethics.”

The Lady Flames next matchup will be against High Point Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Vines Center.

TYREE is a sports reporter.

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

COMEBACK— Kendle Rollins (1) helped lead the rally for Liberty.

DEFENSE continued from B1

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

ONE STEP AT A TIME— Midfielder Erin Dombach brings the ball up the field.

Undefeated in NorPac Alex Tichenor

atichenor@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s field hockey team (14-4, 8-0) won its ninth straight game as the regular season concluded with a 3-0 home win over Radford (5-14, 3-5) Saturday, Nov. 2.

The Lady Flames struggled out of the gate, not launching a single shot on goal in the first half, but things turned around in the second as they scored on three of their six shots on goal.

The first goal of the game came just a few minutes into the second half, when Helen Doolittle rocketed a shot from a penalty corner past Highlanders goalkeeper Sidney Encarnacion. Sisters Bethany and Natalie Barr got in on the action later in the half with Natalie Barr notching her 17th goal of the year, while Bethany Barr secured her third. Abbey Basom, Bethany Barr, Ashlee Krulock and Micailah Sloman each recorded assists on the afternoon.

“Coming out of halftime, we were angry in how we played (in the first half), and that Radford was outplaying us when we know we should have been (outplaying them),” Natalie Barr said. “We came out (in the second half) with much

more intensity.”

Goalkeeper Ann Jefferis came away with her fourth consecutive shutout on her senior day behind a revamped defense.

“About four games ago, we took a hard look at our defense, and we made a few adjustments,” Murphy said. “And I think that discussion has really paid off.

That group has a definite deeper sense of conviction to not let the ball into our defensive third, and as a result, we’ve had those four shutouts.”

During their nine-game winning streak, the Lady Flames have outscored opponents 46-7 and have posted shutouts in the last four games.

Natalie Barr, who leads the team in scoring, has been a force during the streak, scoring 13 goals and distributing six assists. The team’s last loss came more than a month ago to thenfourth-ranked University of Virginia Sept. 29.

The Lady Flames finished with an undefeated record in the NorPac East Division, winning the regular-season title for the second straight year. They will now focus on the NorPac conference tournament, which will take place at Liberty this year. The Lady Flames will host the University of California at

Berkeley Thursday, Nov. 7 at 1:30 p.m. in a rematch of a game the Lady Flames lost 1-0 early in the year.

“There is extra motivation for our Cal matchup,” Murphy said. “When we traveled out West to play them, we took that trip so that we would get more comfortable playing those West Coast teams before the (NorPac) tournament.

It’s worked out well that we get to face them again, and hopefully it will be a different score.”

Stanford knocked off the Lady Flames in the final of last year’s tournament, winning 3-0 and securing a spot in an NCAA tournament play-in game. The Cardinal will again be one of the favorites, winning the NorPac West Division with a 4-1 division record. “(Last season) we might have peaked too early, and I think we were tired when it came around to the championship,” Natalie Barr said.

“But I don’t think that’s the case at all this year. We’re peaking at the right stage.

We were slow to start the season, but we’re definitely peaking and peaking at the time you want to peak.”

TICHENOR is a sports reporter.

ended with two zeros on the scoreboard.

On VMI’s second drive of the second quarter, Liberty defensive lineman Chima Uzowihe came up with a big sack against quarterback A.J. Augustine on third down, forcing the Keydets to punt. “(The sack) felt great,” Uzowihe said.

“It felt awesome. I can’t really describe it. It was just a lot of excitement.”As Liberty took over with 6:12 to go in the half, running back D.J. Abnar split out to the left for a 32-yard gain. Two plays later, Woodrum’s pass was deflected and intercepted, giving the ball back to VMI. After gaining possession again on an interception by safety Jacob Hagen, a 20-yard run by Rice put the Flames in good position. The next three downs resulted in gains for nine total yards, leaving the Flames short of the first down.

A Woodrum pass to tight end Brandon Apon on fourth down was incomplete, but the Flames were bailed out by an offsides call against VMI, resulting in a first down.

In one of Liberty’s best chances to score in the half, an incomplete pass too deep for wide receiver Darrin Peterson and two false starts plagued the Flames, forcing them to again go for a field goal.

Lunsford’s 59-yard attempt sailed wide left, sending both the Flames and Keydets into halftime scoreless.

Woodrum completed four of 14 attempts for 50 yards in the first half.

“I went in (the locker room), and I told the offense, ‘I’ll take all the blame for that first half,’” Woodrum said. “I’ve never played that bad, and I was just kind of out of it really. I couldn’t seem to get out of the funk. Every time we’d have an easy throw, I’d overshoot it, and I kept missing my deep shots … (But) I think I played a lot better in the second half.”

After a halftime show that honored past and present military members, Liberty came out of the locker room with a pick by Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens on VMI’s first possession of the half.

As the Flames took over in VMI territory less than 45 seconds into the third quarter, a 28-yard catch by Henderson gave Liberty a first-and-goal from the one-yard line. Rice’s failed attempts to get into the end zone left the Flames at third-and-one when Woodrum rushed over the right tackle to score. Lunsford’s point after was good, allowing Liberty to gain a 7-0 lead.

On the last possession of the third quarter, Peterson came down with a 56yard bomb from Woodrum to take Liberty down to the VMI 28-yard line. A few plays later, Apon made an acrobatic catch for six yards as he was going out of bounds along the right sideline. An incomplete pass to Henderson on third down ended the quarter, but Liberty maintained possession.

At the start of the final quarter, Lun-

sford converted a 27-yard field goal attempt on fourth down to cap off the 9-play, 75-yard drive and push the Liberty lead to 10-0.

On the ensuing VMI possession, Sigmon came up with an interception when the ball fell into his arms as he was lying on his back.

“I was just sitting there talking to it the whole time, ‘Please just come down.

Please let me get this right now. Please,’ Sigmon said. “The whole time I was just (thinking) oh my goodness, let me get this.”

But Liberty’s chance to take advantage of the turnover was squashed by broken plays and another missed field goal by Lunsford, this time from 44 yards. “(Lunsford) just hasn’t been following through and hasn’t been consistent,” Head Coach Turner Gill said. “Maybe … it’s kinda like the old baseball deal.

He’s in a slump, and you gotta find a way to get out of it.”

With 6:57 left in the game, Liberty took over at its own 42-yard line. The Flames strung together several plays for two first downs before Woodrum ran 27 yards for a touchdown on third-andone to put the Flames up 17-0.

In the last four minutes of the game, Augustine overcame two sacks and helped VMI to convert a fourth-andeleven for its first score in the game. A 34-yard pass to the end zone was caught by wide receiver Samuel Patterson for the touchdown to make the final score 17-7 in favor of Liberty.

Despite Liberty’s offensive woes, particularly in the first half, the Flames earned a total of 377 yards. Woodrum finished the game 13-26 for 190 passing yards, and Rice and Abnar combined for 31 rushes and 159 yards. Peterson pulled down nine catches for 118 yards.

But it was Liberty’s defense that was the determining factor in the game.

The defensive unit recorded four sacks for 43 yards and the Flames pressure forced three interceptions. Uzowihe recorded two of Liberty’s four sacks and Aikens recorded eight total tackles and an interception for the Flames.

“Our … defense played extremely well throughout the game,” Gill said.

“Our offense, finally in the second half, made plays when they had to make (them). It shows character in our guys to be resilient.”

The Flames will host Presbyterian College for their next game Saturday, Nov. 9 at 3:30 p.m.

BROWN is a copy editor.

FYI

Liberty moves into the top 20 in total defense in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), holding opponents to a total of seven points in the last two games.

SPORTS

Liberty Champion/B4

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Flames skate to seventh straight victory

Saturday, Nov. 2.

The Eagles scored the first goal of the game midway through the first period when Kyle Astalos put in a rebound off a shot from Bobby Gasser.

However, freshman forward Charles Williams responded and scored Liberty’s first two goals of the game in the same period.

Williams’ first goal came on an assist from Mitsal. Williams slid the puck past Eagles goaltender Andrew Duff for his second goal, putting the Flames up 2-1.

The Eagles then tied the score at two, but Liberty took a 3-2 lead later in the period when Brandon Cox scored on an assist from Williams. “(Cox) really capitalized on the scoring opportunity and performed great on the penalty kill.”

Junior forward Ryley Egan scored the fourth Flames goal, and Bakker added a fifth to secure a 5-2 victory over Eastern Michigan.

The Flames will next be in action at the LaHaye Ice Center Friday, Nov. 8 versus the Delaware Blue Hens.

Jonathan Husker jhusker@liberty.edu

Haley Jones hjones20@liberty.edu

The Liberty University men’s Division I hockey team swept the Eastern Michigan University Eagles in a weekend series Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2 at the LaHaye Ice Center.

LU 4, Eastern Michigan 1 In the first-ever meeting between the Flames and the Eagles, Liberty extended its winning streak to six straight wins, defeating the Eagles 4-1.

The first game of Liberty’s doubleheader against Eastern Michigan was a dead heat through the first two periods.

Although they were unable to capitalize on several early scoring opportunities, the Flames got on the board first, as senior defenseman Jackson Kuhn scored on a power play halfway through the first period.

The Flames held on to the 1-0 lead until late in the second period, when Eastern Michigan tied the game at 1-1.

The score remained tied until early in the third period, when the Flames put up

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

BIG HITS — Liberty outscored Eastern Michigan 9-3 during the weekend series. two back-to-back goals.

Early in the third, junior defenseman Cam Bakker scored on an assist from freshman forward Robert Ward, giving the Flames a 2-1 lead.

Just three minutes later, Bakker’s shot from the point was deflected into the goal by freshman forward Brandon Mistal, giv-

ing the Flames a 3-1 lead. Junior forward Ryley Egan secured the win for the Flames with a final goal, giving the Flames a 4-1 victory.

LU 5, Eastern Michigan 2 Liberty defeated Eastern Michigan 5-2 in their second matchup of the weekend

HUSKER is a sports reporter.

JONES is a sports reporter.

Running down Big South title Liberty’s men’s cross country team win its ninth straight conference title Tory Abrahamsen tabrahamsen@liberty.edu

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

GLORY — Liberty sophomore Sam Hibbs placed ninth at the Big South Championship.

The Liberty men’s cross country team ran to their ninth consecutive Big South Championship Saturday, Nov. 2, while the Lady Flames took second place in their race.

The Vista Links Golf Course, which was the site of this year’s championship races, found a way to frustrate some of Liberty’s top runners.

“The men’s race did not go at all as expected,” Liberty Head Coach Brant Tolsma said. “A few of our expected frontrunners had a very tough day, but fortunately, our normal 4-7 runners really stepped up when we needed them to.”

Those 4-7 seeded runners were sophomore Jeremie Bourget, junior Josh

MacDonald, sophomore Sam Hibbs and senior Zach Barker, all of whom finished in the top 10 and helped defeat a strong High Point team.

“High Point continues to commit the energy and resources to end our streak, but it is hard to see a nine-year streak die, and Hibbs, Barker and (Jarred) Cornfield ran especially well to make sure that didn’t happen,” Tolsma said.

In the women’s race, the Lady Flames were severely handicapped, according to Tolsma. Two runners were out sick with mononucleosis, and one of the team’s best runners, Jacy Christiansen, was nursing an injury she suffered Oct. 19. However, Christiansen was able to run through her injury, finishing in third place. The rest of the team followed suit, pushing through to earn second place.

“(Christiansen) was blessed with a surprisingly good race under the circumstances and Jessie (Proehl), Chelsea (Page), Lyndi (Fieltz) and Kat (Bouton) all performed better than I would have expected a few months ago. They all embraced our history and the importance of leaving our best effort out there. I feel confident this effort and unity will help us build for the future,” Tolsma said.

The Flames will compete in the Hokie Open Nov. 8. According to the Liberty Flames website, Liberty’s top seven men’s and women’s athletes will be competing in regionals with the hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.

ABRAHAMSEN is a sports reporter.

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FEATURE

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Liberty Champion/B5

Lynchburg Bridal Expo offers ideas

Produced by Capture It Events, LLC, the event exhibited many different options for weddings of future brides Melissa Skinner mjskinner@liberty.edu

When women are little girls, many dream of the day they will be able to slip into frilly white dresses and walk down the aisle into their prince charming’s arms. However, before that moment arrives, there is a vast array of tasks to accomplish, including selecting a venue, preparing invitations and deciding on a caterer.

The biannual Bridal Expo at the Holiday Inn in downtown Lynchburg, Va., Oct. 20 offered a variety of booths and helpful tips for brides planning their upcoming nuptials.

At the event, local brides connected with various bridal shops, cake artists, caterers, florists, premarital counselors, photographers, venue representatives, videographers and wedding magazine representatives.

Kim Jennings, owner and producer of the Lynchburg Bridal Expo, started the expo five years ago.

“I started this show because I saw the need for a quality bridals show in the area,” Jennings said. “The shows have grown by leaps and bounds every year and vendor spaces always sell out. This event hosts 65 of the areas finest wedding professionals.”

According to Jennings, the expo hosts two shows per year in February and October, and these shows always have record attendance. This show had 228 brides registered.

Jillian Springer| Liberty Champion

VOWS —Katelyn Diehl, intern for the Clutch Magazine, helped give brides advice to make their dream weddings a reality.

“

Brides can actually plan their entire wedding in one day by coming and meeting with vendors.

“The whole goal of the expo is to connect brides with quality wedding professionals,” Jennings said.

“Brides can actually plan their entire wedding in one day just by coming and meeting with vendors.”

Brides who preregistered for the event were admit-

— KIM JENNINGS ted for free, and brides who did not were required to pay $5 at the door.

One recently engaged bride, Camille Black, is planning her summer wedding and was seeking tips on venues in the area as well as catering.

“I have just started plan-

ning my wedding, and coming to this expo has helped me already decide on a location and a caterer that I would like to have,” Black said. “Every vendor is so helpful in offering tips and advice and with answering my questions.”

Black also had her fiancé

Peter Wilson with her. According to Black, Wilson has a strong passion for photography. He attended the event with her to help decide on the best one.

“I have loved taking pictures since I have been a child,” Wilson said. “Thus, I wanted to help my fiancé (Black) select the best possible photographer to capture our special day with accuracy and precision.”

Each vendor at the event was willing and available to accommodate anxious brides by answering their questions and

reassuring them that they would be the best fit for their special day.

Registered brides could also enter to win a free honeymoon giveaway and various vendors gave away door prizes to brides that stopped by their booths throughout the afternoon.

For more information on upcoming expos and wedding tips, brides can visit lynchburgbridalexpo. com or email info@captureevents.com.

SKINNER is a feature reporter.

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

FEATURE

Liberty Champion/B5

Photos Provided

CONSTRUCTION — Liberty funded the building of a preschool in Rwanda and donated clothes, shoes and laptops (top left and bottom left). The preschool originally adopted 39 children from the widow’s village. The first group of students has been promoted to first grade (top right, middle left and bottom right).

‘Restore Rwanda’ plants preschool

Liberty has provided funds for a new preschool for 39 children along with clothes, shoes and laptops Zachary Pinkston zpinkston@liberty.edu There stands a building in the African country of Rwanda that is different from every other building. The structure may not look any different to the naked eye, but there is one large distinction. The structure was built by Liberty University.

Almost 20 years ago in the country of Rwanda, 800,000 people were murdered because of their ethnic background in a civil war between the two ethnic groups of Rwanda — the Tutsi and the Hutu. The genocide destroyed the country, and even today, the country is still recovering.

Liberty University introduced “Restore Rwanda,” a project with a goal of making a change in the lives of the people affected by the genocide, in February of 2012 during Missions Emphasis Week.

According to the Liberty University News Service, the vision to make a change in Rwanda started when 19 Liberty students visited Rwanda on a mission trip in November of 2011. They visited one village where 40 widows of the Rwandan genocide and their children lived in extreme poverty. The families did not have running water, the children did not go to school and electricity was nonexistent in the village.

The mission team prayed that they could somehow provide this village with clean water. God answered, and the village received clean water. They then realized that the children would grow up uneducated, and that their lives could be improved by education.

“We wanted to have a viral campaign across the Internet with our friends and our family that started from here in Lynchburg, Va., that would change the destiny of some kids in Rwanda whose fathers and families were affected by this tragic event,” Liberty’s Vice President for Communications Johnnie Moore said.

“Restore Rwanda” is the realization of that vision.

According to the Liberty University News Service, Liberty University, partnering with

the nonprofit organization World Help, had raised $24,000 through the “Restore Rwanda” campaign as of April of 2012.

The $24,000 was used to construct a preschool building near Kigali, Rwanda.

Along with the construction, the funds provided school supplies, uniforms and the oneyear salary of a teacher and an assistant.

“Our prayer is that the Lord will provide funding to do two additional buildings like (the preschool) to capture all those other children in that immediate surrounding area, giving them opportunity,” Cyrus Mad-Bondo, Liberty alumnus and Africa regional director for World Help, said.

According to the Liberty University News Service, the school building was built on the Star School campus in Masaka, a small town approximately 45 minutes outside of the capital city of Kigali.

Thirty-nine children from the village attended school for the first time July 2 of last year.

Mad-Bondo, who has overseen most of the projects in Rwanda, was in Masaka for the building’s dedication. The building is the only building dedicated to preschoolage children, and Mad-Bondo believes this will help the school’s retention rate of its students.

“Many of these mothers would never have been able to send their kids to school,” Mad-Bondo said. “The dropout rate for older, (previously) unschooled children is quite high. When these children enter school very early, they are likely to stay in school. These children can make life-altering decisions very quickly.”

It is harder to get older children adjusted to the school routine when they have never before been exposed to the school structure, Mad-Bondo explained.

“When you get them in school very early, they have a better chance of getting a better education,” Mad-Bondo said. “When kids have not come to school until they start getting older, they tend to be embarrassed and drop out of school.

So ‘Restore Rwanda’ was an effort to say what do we do to capture those kids very early. And by building a preschool, you

are able to address that.”

This building is not only for the children of the genocide victims. Mad-Bondo went on to explain the future of the preschool building. “(The preschool had) originally adopted 39 children from the widow’s village… and have already spent one full year at the Star School in that preschool building that was completed last March,” MadBondo said. “The first group of children from the widow’s village are currently attending school, but have been promoted to first grade. So you now have the building that was built by Liberty, capturing children of that same age range from the surrounding communities.”

The preschool will promote education and provide material that will allow children attending the school to continue in their studies and hopefully stay in school, Mad-Bondo explained. But this building is not the only thing Liberty is doing to impact Rwandan lives.

According to the Liberty University News Service, on Liberty’s last trip to Rwanda in November of 2012, 1,000 pounds of clothes and shoes were given to the widows and children.

Liberty also donated laptops to be used at the Star School so that students could learn essential computer skills needed for this day and age, the Liberty University News Service said.

But the ministry in Rwanda did not end when the missionaries left the country.

“The team brought back 500 bags made

by Rwandans in a vocational school,” the Liberty University News Service said.

“The students from the school were either prostitutes or orphans that were taken off the streets and placed there to learn a trade and receive an income.”

These bags are now being sold at the Liberty Bookstore.

“Restore Rwanda” has not only affected the lives of Rwandans, but has also affected the lives of those who have been involved with the campaign.

An example of the impact of the “Restore Rwanda” initiative can be seen in

Liberty alumna Laura Yockey, who went on the mission trip to Rwanda in November of 2011. After finishing her Master of Arts in professional counseling, Yockey moved to Rwanda.

According to the Liberty University News Service, Yockey started a nonprofit organization called ‘Love Alive International,’ which uses 100 percent of its proceeds to meet the daily needs of Rwandans.

According to lovealiveinternational. com, the goal of the organization is to show the love of Christ through sharing the gospel and humanitarian aid.

The “Restore Rwanda” campaign is an ongoing campaign, and Mad-Bondo hopes that this is just the beginning of Liberty University’s involvement in Rwanda.

“On the 16 (of November 2013), a group of almost 24 people from Liberty are going to Rwanda,” Mad-Bondo said.

According to Mad-Bondo, Admistrative Dean for Graduate Programs Kevin Corsini will be leading the group, and Assistant Professor of Nursing Kathryn Miller, will also be going. They will be assessing what Liberty can continue to work on in Rwanda.

The nursing program is hoping to begin including the “Restore Rwanda” idea into their curriculum, according to Mad-Bondo.

“They want to assess and see what areas should be considered for adoption for the nursing program, so that students in the nursing department can do follow-up internships (there),” Mad-Bondo said.

According to Mad-Bondo, God’s calling for Liberty students to make an impact in the world is at the heart of the “Restore Rwanda” campaign.

“Our prayer is that the Lord will provide funding to do two additional buildings like that to capture all those other children in that immediate surrounding area, giving them opportunity,” Mad-Bondo said.

Liberty continues to send student help to Rwanda, along with additional financial support.

PINKSTON is an opinion writer.

Liberty Champion/B6

FEATURE

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

“

LIVE PERFORMANCE — Students are given the chance to showcase their talents on the Vines Center stage through biannual shows.

Participating in Coffeehouse is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any musician, actor, dancer or performer.

Your talent is showcased to a group of more than 6,000 people.

— STEPHANIE WARD

AUDITION continued from B8 a particular act must be Liberty students.

In groups of three or less, all must be current Liberty students, according to liberty. edu/campusrec/studentactivities.

According to the SA website, musical acts may not sing with a track but must provide their own instruments, amps and cables. A cappella groups are welcome, but no solo a cappella performers can audition. It is also crucial that everyone in a group be present at the tryouts, or they will not be allowed to audition.

Students interested in entering a Christmas-themed video can submit their projects via a flashdrive or CD to the SA office during their office hours (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) or during the audition times. All videos must be submitted by 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15. Videos can be as short as necessary but may not exceed seven minutes. Students must also save their videos as a .mov file, 16x9 HD and-

DVCPRO720p60. Any videos with footage of “illegal or unlawful activity” will not be considered, according to the website rules.

For drama or other performances, being prepared will significantly set those who audition apart from other acts. Full costumes, sets or props are not necessary at the audition, but lines should be completely memorized and delivered just as they would at the real event.

Not everyone may have a talent in one of the three categories above. However, SA encourages everyone interested in being showcased at Coffeehouse to audition.

“Participating in Coffeehouse is a oncein-a-lifetime experience for any musician, actor, dancer or performer,” Ward said.

“Your talent is showcased to a group of (more than) 6,000 people who want to be unified together through the show.”

Students who prefer to be spectators can buy their tickets now. Tickets are $3 in advance and can be purchased at the

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

SHINE — Students perform a variety of songs, dances and other presentations at Coffeehouse.

Vines Center ticket office or can be purchased at the door for $5.

“Christmas Coffeehouse gives students a break from exam weekend to build relationships with other students around them and prepare them for the Christmas season,” Ward said. “Also, what else is packed with so much fun, talent and excitement for only $3 here in Lynchburg?”

So come all ye faithful students to SA’s winter wonderland spectacular. And while they bring joy to the world, you’ll get to have yourself a merry little Christmas.

For more information about the rules, audition times or ticket purchases, visit liberty.edu/campusrec/studentactivities.

ROSHETKO is a feature reporter.

FEATURE

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Liberty Champion/B7

Hot and Cold Café offers Indian options

Owned and operated by Uday Muhkerjee, the restuarant’s success is solely attributed to God’s influence Dillon Sherlock djsherlock@liberty.edu

Hannah Lipscomb | Liberty Champion

WELCOME — The Hot and Cold Café opened in 2007.

The Hot and Cold Café, located in downtown Lynchburg, provides unique food options and a homey atmosphere to visitors.

Owned and operated by Uday Muhkerjee, Hot and Cold Café has been serving the Lynchburg area as the exclusive IndianMediterranean fusion restaurant since 2007. The restaurant is located at 205 Ninth Street, between Main and Church Streets.

Muhkerjee moved to New York from India in 2000, then down to Lynchburg in 2002 where he continued working in the restaurant business. In February 2007, he and his wife, who helps with the logistical side of the restaurant operation, took over the Ninth Street Mediterranean Deli and turned the restaurant into what it is today.

“Virginia is for lovers, so I got my love here, and this is where I settled,” Muhkerjee said about his wife.

The restaurant is small in size but boasts an impressive menu of Indian and Mediterranean food, as well as an environment that makes visitors feel welcome, according to Muhkerjee.

The menu features a number of culturally traditional meals that include gyros, pita and hummus, falafels and a variety of curry dishes. After the main course, customers can enjoy Indian and Mediterranean desserts that include baklava and rice pudding, among other items. And according to Muhkerjee, when customers visit on their birthday

Hannah Lipscomb| Liberty Champion

OWNER — Muhkerjee specializes in organic dishes. or for the first time, he treats them to a free dessert.

“My specialty is that I don’t use any artificial color, flavor or anything,” Muhkerjee said. “Everything is natural and organic.”

Although he is a vegetarian, Muhkerjee said that some of his most popular dishes include chicken, lamb and goat that he prepares in-house.

Hot and Cold Café offers a daily buffet that costs $7.99 between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and is $8.99 from 12-2:30 p.m.

Saturday.

“The customers always like my lunch buffet because of the good quality and affordable price,” Muhkerjee said. “There are no other buffets around here that offer this kind of food.”

According to Muhker-

jee, he strives to show good service, and he makes an effort to get to know each one of his customers.

“Everything I make, I try to make for the customers’ satisfaction, not my own,” Muhkerjee said.

Hot and Cold Cafe is rated No. 6 among 237 Lynchburg restaurants, according to tripadvisor. com. The rating system takes into account food, service, value and atmosphere. The cafe scored well above average in all of these categories in many reviews. Special pricing is also available for takeout and children under 8.

For more information on Hot and Cold Café, visit hotcoldcafe.com or call (434)-846-4976.

SHERLOCK is a feature reporter.

Scaremare staff celebrates salvations Sara Warrender sewarrender2@liberty.edu

Scaremare, Liberty University’s student-run Halloween evangelism outreach, had 25,315 people walk the trails and rooms associated with the event this year, while 3,422 people said they made a salvation decision for Christ, according to Richard Brown, an assistant professor of youth ministries. Scaremare took place on the nights of Oct. 1012, 17-19 and 24-26.

According to Brown, Scaremare had a theme this year of Jesus being able to take on the cares of the world, which was represented by heavy backpacks. Visitors who entered Scaremare’s second house saw a skit performed by YouthQuest, a student-based ministry team that is an extension of Liberty’s Center for Youth Ministry.

The skit incorporated backpacks, and students presenting the gospel

at the end of Scaremare were told to highlight the same theme.

Brown, who is in charge of the ministry part of Scaremare, including the gospel presentations, highlighted the fact that students who speak have been involved in several youth ministry classes at Liberty and have developed relationships with those who run Scaremare. The students who present the gospel have spent time gaining a favorable reputation before they are given the monumental task of presenting the gospel, Brown said.

“We are very selective (about) who speaks,” Brown said. “They are given a script.”

According to Brown, Scaremare has recently gained a new direction. The event has been more focused on scaring visitors without using demonic references. Despite the term’s popularity, those running Scaremare prefer that the event not be called a

“haunted house.”

“While we understand scripturally that there is the spirit world, we don’t want to necessarily lean toward using the demonic side in order to do ministry,” Brown said.

Scaremare uses death to show those who walk through Scaremare that they are faced with a future after death.

“Jesus himself used some heavy preaching to get some reality checks,” Brown said.

The staff who works to prepare Scaremare each year has expanded their vision for the future of the event. Brown said he wants to make Scaremare more frightening and put into place the ideas of those who wish to see Scaremare grow.

“We would love to see more of our Liberty students (and) other students, getting involved to help, because we have big dreams and … we need more people to help,” Brown said.

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

CLOWNTOWN — The Scaremare staff hopes the event will grow.

Brown said in order for Scaremare to be a success in the future, more involvement from Liberty students is needed. To learn more about how to get involved, contact the Center for Christian/

Community Service (CSER) office at liberty.edu/index.

WARRENDER is the feature editor.

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FEATURE

B8

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Liberty values staff Dillon Sherlock djsherlock@liberty.edu

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

MASKS — Students show off their costumes for the Halloween Fun Run at Camp Hydaway.

SA hosts annual fun run

Camp Hydaway’s glow stick-lined trail provided the location for this year’s 2k race Melissa Skinner mjskinner@liberty.edu

Every year, people of all ages dress up as superheroes, fairy-tale characters and ghosts to receive free candy and celebrate Halloween.

Liberty University’s Student Activities (SA) invited students to take part in the annual tradition by participating in the Costume Fun Run at Camp Hydaway Halloween night, Thursday, Oct. 31.

According to Joshua Yeoman, an SA employee, this is the third year SA has hosted the race.

The 2k race began at 8 p.m., and participants ran along trails that were marked with glow sticks at Camp Hydaway. Participants were asked to bring flashlights or headlights in order to easily maneuver in the dark.

According to SA, the race was a fun race in which students were not judged on their times. At the event, students were able to enjoy dressing up in costumes and running together.

Students were required to pay a $5 fee, and they received a T-shirt with their registration.

Prizes were given to best male costume, best female costume, best couple costume and best group costume.

Joy Lawrence, a Liberty senior who participated in the race, dressed up as Cinderella, and her partner dressed up as Prince Charming.

“Student Activities has been hosting this race since I have been a sophomore, and I enjoy it each and every time I attend,” Lawrence said. “It is a great time for friends to come together and celebrate Halloween and have fun at the same time.”

Lawrence’s partner, Jacob Tangen, is also a senior at Liberty.

“Being able to dress up and come out to Camp Hydaway and run with my classmates added a fun spin to my Halloween this year,” Tangen said.

Robert Stringer, a freshman participant, dressed up as Spider-Man. “This is my first year at Liberty, and I have been attending all of the events that SA puts on since I have arrived,” Stringer said. “This

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

POSE — Student Activities events provide students with the chance to bond. is by far my favorite event. I think it is an entertaining experience to be able to run with friends who are dressed up in fun costumes.”

According to Yeoman, there were approximately 85 runners and 100 total in attendance.

“Our mission at Student Activities is to provide a variety of activities to the student body to help connect them to their friends, campus and culture. We believe events like this help to foster relationships and build community within the university,” Yeoman said.

SA provides students with many different opportunities to come together thoughout the semester. They offer a variety of races and Open Mic Nights, present the semiannual Coffeehouse and host various game nights.

For more information on SA, visit liberty. edu/studentactivities.

SKINNER is a feature reporter.

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

RACE — Students ran a 2k race as a part of the Costume Fun Run.

Auditions begin for Coffeehouse Katey Roshetko kroshetko@liberty.edu

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

DANCE — Students perform at Coffeehouse in 2012.

Christmas Coffeehouse is the last Student Activities (SA) event of the semester. Get ready for anything but a silent night. SA is looking for talented people to rock around the Christmas tree. This year’s theme is Winter Wonderland.

Christmas Coffeehouse is a one-night-only, campus-wide talent show that will take place Dec. 6 at 11:30 p.m. in the Vines Center. Auditions will be held in the Tilley Student Center Nov. 11-15 from 5-10 p.m., and sign-ups will be first come, first serve.

“We’re looking for (different) acts that are Christmas related,”

SA Associate Director Stephanie Ward said. “Bands, groups, dances, skits and videos are awesome, but variety is important to the show as well.”

Ward said that anywhere from 50-60 acts audition and more than 20 videos are submitted, but only about 30 acts and videos are chosen.

According to the SA website, there are several requirements for all performances and videos, including that each one must be Christmas-themed.

Because it is a Liberty University event, most participants in

See AUDITION, B6

Throughout each day at Liberty University, students come in contact with many employees. From food service workers to bus drivers and custodians, Liberty employs people that work day and night to maintain and improve the face of Liberty.

Some employees are currently students at Liberty as well, and others are at Liberty because they appreciate the positive environment.

Lyvic Gilbert, a Sodexo employee who cooks at the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall, praised Liberty students for creating an encouraging workplace.

“Students often approach me while I’m working and take a genuine interest in my life,” Gilbert said. “They ask me if there’s anything going (on), and then they pray for me right then.”

Gilbert has been a Sodexo employee for five years and said that it is the students, as well as fellow employees, that keep him coming back each day.

Marc Jackson, a senior at Liberty, frequently attends the dining hall and makes a conscious effort to be a blessing to the employees in return for all of their hard work.

“My personality pushes me to be an encouragement to the employees here, even when they aren’t having the best day or being the friendliest in return,” Jackson said.

Joe Shepherd, a supervisor at Jazzman’s and a biblical studies major, also spoke highly of Liberty students’ interactions with him and his co-workers.

Shepherd believes that the students at Liberty are upholding Dr. Jerry Falwell’s mission of “If it’s Christian, it ought to be better.”

“The majority of people are very well-mannered and polite in the way that they order their drinks,” Shepherd said. “If there is a problem with their drink, they are usually very understanding and friendly as they wait for it to get fixed.”

Working behind the scenes at keeping Liberty clean are the facilities workers.

Jonathan Lucas, who is a facilities worker in the education and music halls to pay tuition, enjoys the interaction that he gets with students.

“For the most part, the students are incredibly friendly and respectful in their interactions with me,” Lucas said.

“But of course, there are always the bad apples that make my job more difficult.”

Although he works alone the majority of the time, he said that talking with students offers a window into their lives.

“When I go out, I treat employees with more respect than ever because I understand the stress of long days and hard customers that they go through,” Lucas said.

SHERLOCK is a feature reporter.