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Volume 32 | Issue 5 Tuesday, September 30, 2014
ser ving those who ser ve
Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion
CONVO — Kirk Cameron reveals movie.
Actor visits
Cameron talks Christmas conflict Emily Brown erbrown@liberty.edu
Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion
APPRECIATION — Military families enjoy a day at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre.
Families hit slopes Liberty’s Snowflex hosts Military Family Day Quinn Foley qfoley@liberty.edu
Military personnel are on the frontlines every day in order to protect the United States and the freedom of those who live there. Many times, family members of those serving must make sacrifices as well. The Office of Military Affairs
celebrated these families by hosting its semiannual Military Family Fun Day at Liberty Mountain Snowflex Center (LMSC) Saturday, Sept. 27. Kathi Edinger, Liberty University’s military outreach coordinator, highlighted the goal of the semiannual event. “The purpose of this event is to show appreciation to our military
members and families who have served or who are serving in the United States Armed Forces,” Edinger said. The event allowed military members and their families to enjoy theday by tubing and skiing at LMSC.
See FAMILY, A2
Kirk Cameron, a familiar face and supporter of Liberty University, visited Friday, Sept. 26 to encourage students during Convocation and to give advice to cinematic arts students. “I kind of feel like your Uncle Kirk,” Cameron said as he took the stage in the Vines Center. “… I’m not just an invited speaker. I feel like I’m part of the family.” Cameron spoke to students about one of his newest projects, a movie titled “Saving Christmas.” Cameron is the mastermind behind the movie, coming up with the idea after considering all the negativity that surrounds the Christmas season. “I love the Christmas trees. I love the characters. I love the songs. I love the food. I love the season,” Cameron said. “… But if you notice, there are some people that really want to put a big, wet blanket on this. They want to snuff out a lot of what I love and I know you love. … I decided that it was time for someone to speak up and settle these things once and for all and save Christmas from the pagan Scrooges and religious nitpickers.” Cameron is the executive producer and one of two main actors in the film, which is set to release in 400 theaters Nov. 14. According to Cameron, the movie features friends and family of Cameron and is aimed at enlightening people about the meanings behind major Christmas traditions while maintaining the aspect of entertainment.
See CHRISTMAS, A2
Homecoming welcomes alumni Former students to see changed campus during weekend of reminiscing Felicia Hudson fphudson@liberty.edu
Liberty University will welcome alumni from across the nation to the ever-changing campus landscape at this year’s Homecoming Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4. The weekend will be packed full of events for alumni and current students to enjoy. Homecoming is one of Liberty’s largest annual events, according to the Homecoming website. This year, Liberty’s Alumni Relations Office anticipates 6,000 registered guests for Homecoming weekend. “I think that there’s a
level of excitement for the alumni to come back and see what’s happening here,” Tyler Falwell, alumni director, said. “They were here some time ago, and they have a very clear picture of what Dr. Falwell’s vision was, and I’m excited to have them come back to see the vision that President Falwell has. It’s exciting because it follows the same core principles, but it’s obviously bigger.” Falwell expressed excitement for hosting alumni on campus, allowing them an opportunity to appreciate where current leadership is taking the university. “There’s no doubt that
those who were here under Dr. Falwell are going to look today and just be proud of our current leadership, be proud of where we are,” Falwell said. Falwell said it has been exciting to see the amount of guests at Homecoming continue to grow every year. He said he expects this number to grow even more as the number of alumni increases. This year, Alumni Relations has partnered with Liberty University Online to invite current online students to attend Homecoming.
Tomorrow: Sunny
OCTOBER 3-4
O CT. 3 7 p.m.: Hockey Game: Flames vs. U of Arizona - $5 9 p.m.: Bonfire | Fields next to Dorm 28 6-9 p.m.: Carnival | Behind LaHaye Ice Center
O CT. 4 8 a.m.: Deep Hallow Marathon and 5K 12-6 p.m.: Carnival | Behind LaHaye Ice Center 4 p.m.: Parade | University Boulevard 7 p.m.: Football Game: Flames vs. Richmond Spiders | Williams Stadium
Sports
Feature
News Opinion
Men’s soccer bounces back from loss and shuts out Howard. B1
Bus driver shows compassion to all who step on board. B8
Sports Feature
INSIDE THE CHAMPION
WEATHER
SUNNY HIGH: 81 LOW: 59
See ALUMNI, A3
HOME COMING
News
Campus transforms into state-of-the-art university in “Then and Now.” A7
A1 A4 B1 B6
news
A2 | September 30, 2014 | Liberty Champion
Professor’s design selected Monique Maloney honored in recent logo contest of 30,000 submissions Sarah Williams sbwilliams1@liberty.edu
Kari Moye | Liberty Champion
PICKED — Monique Maloney’s drawing included in anthology.
Monique Maloney, an assistant professor of graphic design in Liberty University’s department of Studio and Digital Arts, created a logo that was featured as one of 2,000 other designs in the best-selling logo book, “Logo Lounge.” Growing up enamored by Massachusetts’ trees and the bright yellow sun, Maloney said she quickly found her outlet through art. Influenced by several artists in her family, Maloney was encouraged to pursue this passion, whether through doodling as a toddler or designing for companies after college. Her logo, which she calls the “Paisley Nest,” was created through a long process of imagining, sketching, calculating, inking and printing. Maloney said the inspiration for the logo came out of
a desire to combine patterns and nature while still telling a story. “Logo Lounge” hosted its annual logo-entry contest in which 30,000 logos were submitted. Out of these, 2,000 were chosen to be published, one of them being the “Paisley Nest.” Although having projects published is part of being a professional designer, Maloney said she feels particularly honored this time around, since the logo holds personal meaning. “Being published affirms I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing,” Maloney said. “We are called to create, not just because, but for a purpose.” Maloney is motivated by artists such as Jessica Hische and Anna Bond, two young, professional, women artists who have taken their passions to higher levels of work. Maloney describes her art
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CREATIVE JUICES — Logo selected for publishing. as “soul-searching” and “church-like,” since she feels that art gives life. According to Maloney, she has several projects in store in the near future, and she hopes to receive more licensing to be able to publish other designs, finish up her master’s of fine arts and work in product design. In the
meantime, Maloney plans to continue teaching and encouraging her students at Liberty.
WILLIAMS is a feature reporter.
FAMILY continued from A1 There were games and activities for younger children as well. Edinger explained how important it is to celebrate the families of those in the military, because they also have a difficult job. “Often when the military member deploys or works longer hours, the military spouse becomes dad and mom and keeps the homefront together while their spouse serves our country,” Edinger said. “This special day allows our family members to feel appreciated and know that they are not forgotten.” Edinger said the Office of Military Affairs has been hosting this event since fall 2011. “It’s a special honor for us to serve our military and their families at this event,” Edinger said. “We appreciate each of them for the sacrifices they have made on behalf of our freedom.” Not only did this event allow military members and their families to enjoy LMSC, but it also
Courtney Russo| Liberty Champion
RELAXATION — Families were able to relax and enjoy the view. gave them an opportunity to meet other military families, have conversations with each other and encourage one another. “It’s such a joy to meet in person so many of the military and their families who attend Liberty University,” Edinger said. “It’s also wonderful to see military families interacting with one another and making new friends.” According to Edinger, the Office of Military Affairs has held the event twice a year
because of the large turnout. “We are very happy to be able to provide this day twice a year to show our appreciation to those who have and are serving,” Edinger said. For more information about the Office of Military Affairs and its events around campus, visit liberty.edu/administration/militaryaffairs. FOLEY is a news reporter.
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CHRISTMAS continued from A1
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CAMPUS CALENDAR 10/3 - Homecoming Bonfire 9 p.m. | Field by Dorm 28 - Communications Homecoming Alumni Panel 4 p.m. | DH 3397 10/4 - Homecoming Carnival 12 p.m.-6 p.m. | Behind LaHaye Ice Center - Homecoming Parade 4 p.m. | University Boulevard - Homecoming Football game: Flames vs. Richmond Spiders 7 p.m. | Williams Stadium 10/6 - CSER Add/Drop Deadline 10/7 - All Sons and Daughters Concert 7 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space 10/9 - Scaremare begins 7:30 p.m. | 2300 Carroll Ave., Lynchburg, VA 24501 10/14 - Indelible Grace Concert 8 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space 10/17 - A Man for All Seasons Premiere 7:30 p.m. | Tower Theatre COLOR KEY:
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Courtney Russo| Liberty Champion
EXHILARATION — Tubes provided plenty of fun for guests.
“It educates people and teaches, but it’s also meant to be fun and funny and inspiring,” Cameron said. According to Cameron, the film focuses on the myths and traditions of Santa Clause and the Christmas tree and addresses the nativity as well. “I know that if people will watch, it will result in them being able to embrace all of Christmas, all of our traditions, and just be able to lean into all the joy it should be,” Cameron said in an interview. “It’s so easy to get stressed out, … and I want to show them that all of our traditions, even the fairy tales, even the things that the pagans have perverted … all point to heroes of the faith and point to God’s creation and point to the glory of Christmas. And so we can embrace all of it, by knowing what it’s really all about.” During his Convocation address, Cameron encouraged students to “make the most of Christmas” without getting caught up in all the complaints. “(D)on’t miss one opportunity to share the joy of the season this year,” Cameron said. “And don’t buy into the complaint about commercialism this Christmas. …. Remember, this is a celebration of the eternal God taking on a material body, so it’s right that our holiday is marked with
material things. … Our rich Christmas traditions are so full … of truth, if only we had the eyes to see them. … We need to infuse old symbols with new meaning. Forget what the pagans want us to see. You tell them what they need to see.” In addition to his Convocation appearance, Cameron shared practical advice for entering the film industry as a Christian with approximately 100 cinematic arts students. During the session, Cameron fielded questions from Assistant Professor of Cinematic Arts Scotty Curlee as well as students in attendance. For more information about “Saving Christmas,” including a list of theaters showing the Nov. 14 premiere, visit savingchristmas.com.
BROWN is the editor-in-chief.
FYI “Saving Christmas” will premiere in 400 select theaters across the nation Friday, Nov. 14. For theater information, visit savingchristmas. com.
news
Liberty Champion | September 30, 2014 | A3
Wu emphasizes CSER choices Christian/Community Service offers opportunities to help local community Haley Jones hjones20@liberty.edu
Every academic year, thousands of students on Liberty’s campus invest in the community of Lynchburg, providing thousands of hours of service to a host of volunteer organizations. Christian/Community Service (CSER) is a graduation requirement for all residential Liberty students. All four-year students must complete 20 hours of community service for six semesters, and transfers must complete 20 hours for every semester they attend Liberty. “CSER provides opportunities for students to participate in helping the community and getting involved in ways that will benefit not The CSER only othadd/drop ers, but deadline is also the students Monday, t h e m selves in Oct. 6. the fu-
FYI
ture,” Darren Wu, Christian/Community Service coordinator and assistant professor in the school of religion, said. CSER provides various opportunities for students to complete their service requirements, ranging from work in churches, the community, athletics and special projects approved by the CSER office. “CSER allows students to get involved with community service that applies to their major or future job choices so that they can experience what that job may be one day,” Wu said. “(For example), I encourage education majors to volunteer at a local school and see firsthand the responsibilities that go along with being a teacher.” CSER’s mission statement is based on the idea that faith without works is dead, as found in James 2:17. The statement says that “in fulfillment of the Great Commission of world evangelization found in Matt. 28:18-20, the Christian/Community Service component of the
curriculum serves to affirm the Christian worldview and provide a practical expression of God's love for mankind.” CSER provides an opportunity for students to branch out and improve the overall well-being of the local community and its citizens. Wu emphasized the fact that many outgoing students realized the importance of CSER and what it did for them. “We have had alumni give feedback that, although they may have seen this requirement as something of a burden, looking back, they have realized that CSER brought valuable experience to their lives, and by giving to others, they actually received a blessing themselves,” Wu said. One recent CSER opportunity involved students serving at a memorial in downtown Lynchburg Sept. 13 in remembrance of 9/11. Fifty students participated in the first annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at the Bank of the James building
Rj Goodwin | Liberty Champion
SERVICE — Students reach out to kids at the Yoder Neighborhood Center. on Main Street. The event honored the 343 New York City firefighters who lost their lives in the terror attacks Sept. 11, 2001. “I was proud to be a participant of an event like this that could honor heroes of our country,” senior Libby Campbell, one of the students who participated in
ALUMNI continued from A1
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
FESTIVITIES — Homecoming 2013 welcomed Liberty alumni.
“It’s exciting to get the online students engaged with us as well, because they’re important to what we do,” Falwell said. “They’re important to alumni. They’re important to the university.” Some of the events and activities planned for Homecoming weekend include a carnival, bonfire, parade and football game. For
this effort, said. “Martin Misjuns definitely had a vision when he organized this effort that benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Central Virginia Burn Camp.” For more information about how to get involved with CSER or to learn more about its benefits
this year’s Homecoming game, the Flames will play the Richmond Spiders, coached by Danny Rocco, formerly Liberty’s head coach. Guests will also be able to attend a performance by Guy Penrod, a Liberty graduate, Oct. 3. They also have the opportunity over the weekend to see the Alluvion stage company’s production of “The Little Mermaid” in the Tower Theater. According to Alluvion’s website, ticket
for students and the community, visit the CSER page on Liberty’s website, email them at CSER@ liberty.edu, or visit Green Hall 1880.
JONES is a news reporter.
prices range from $5 to $20, with a $3 discount available to Liberty students, seniors 60 and over, those with a military ID and children 12 and under. “It’s definitely a jampacked weekend, but it’s always exciting,” Falwell said. “People live so far away. They can only make it back one time a year, and so … we try to make sure that they are able to put as much in there as they can.” For more infor-
mation on activities during homecoming weekend, visit liberty. edu/homecoming. HUDSON is a news reporter.
FYI
Alumni tickets purchased via the Homecoming registration Web page can be picked up at check-in.
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OPINION
A4
September 30, 2014
Offering love amidst evil Why despicable acts of terrorism should be met with abounding prayer Tré Goins-Phillips dgoinsphillips@liberty.edu
As I think about the thousands of people who file into worship centers every week, lifting their hands in worship to songs like “How Great is our God,” I cannot help but imagine what it would be like to hear or read those very words, much less sing them, as an Arab Christian right now. Then my thought progressed a bit further. You see, as a Christian, I hear “How Great is Our God,” and I immediately think of the greatness of God’s grace. However, when a non-Christian hears those same words, maybe he or she wonders if God really is great. Or maybe he or she considers God’s greatness to be his wrath. For the Christian, God’s grace has totally eclipsed that wrath. For the non-Christian, God’s wrath has wholly eclipsed that grace. Naturally, after thinking through all of these things, I felt a sense of urgency to share the gospel with those non-Christians. But, I have to wonder, would I feel that same sense of urgency to share the gospel with those non-Christians who are beheading journalists, the Islamic State radicals who are orphaning Iraqi and Syrian Christians and threatening genocide? If I am honest, often, my only wish is for them to experience the greatness of God’s wrath. After all, they are terrorizing Christians and other minorities in horrendous and unspeakable ways. “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the followers of Jesus. I caused many of the
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RADICAL — Islamic State rebels have forced Arab minorities to flee their homelands. believers in Jerusalem to be sent to prison.” These are the words the Apostle Paul wrote in Acts 26:9-11 (NLT). Paul, whom many Christians revere as the greatest Jesus follower to ever live, once hated Christians. His testimony challenged my thinking. “I cast my vote against (Christians) when they were condemned to death,” Paul wrote. “Many times I had them whipped in the synagogues to try to get them to curse Christ. I was so violently opposed to them that I even hounded them in distant cities of foreign lands.” Even at the onset of Paul’s journey to Damascus — where his heart was
changed — his greatest desire was to see Christians persecuted, much like members of the Islamic State today. Paul’s story of conversion answered my questions as to why such despicable evil should be met with inexplicable love. In his conversion to Christianity, the gospel spread like wildfire. Enemies of Jesus hated him. Paul was hunted down and chained for his faith. But it was when he was in chains that he wrote the letters to Philemon and the churches at Colossae, Ephesus and Philippi. “Everything that has happened to me here has helped spread the Good News,”
Paul wrote in Philippians 1:12, 14 (NLT). “Because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.” God’s greatness is best showcased when the worst of all come to faith in Jesus. This is why Paul’s message resonates so deeply with Christians. The Bible calls believers to pray for their enemies — those who drive the marginalized into the mountains, execute them in the name of religion and displace Arab minorities. It may have been those very prayers for the enemies of Jesus that set the trajectory for Paul’s conversion. Western Christians often forget the power prayer has over their enemies. What if one of the current terrorists was a future Paul? The reaction to the gospel in the Arab world is vastly different from its reception in the West. “Satan reacts to the growing presence of God,” Nik Ripken, a missionary to the Middle East, said in a talk on foreign missions. “This whole culture says when the persecution comes, you do two things: stop the persecution and punish the persecutor. But what if the number one cause of persecution on the planet is people coming to Jesus?” In the midst of the persecution, in the midst of the suffering, we must hold fast to the truths of the gospel. After all, what if a modern-day jihadist were to have a biblical conversion like Paul on the road to Damascus? GOINS-PHILLIPS is the opinion editor.
Pope Francis displays grace Catholic leader shifts from church tradition, marrying cohabiting couples Tré Goins-Phillips dgoinsphillips@liberty.edu
Grace, by human standards, is a tricky concept. “If you want to make people mad, preach law,” Dr. Doug Kelly, professor of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, said. “If you want to make them really, really mad, preach grace.” Pope Francis was faced with this dilemma when he married 20 couples earlier this month in St. Peter’s Basilica. Historically, the Church — both Catholic and Protestant — has been known to the secular world as a society of rule followers and naysayers. Naturally, as Francis led the marriage ceremony that betrothed cohabiting couples — one of which already has a grown daughter — the media sounded off in headlines everywhere that the Church was making a statement, transitioning away from its “traditional” and “outdated” theology. While I disagree with that conclusion, the media’s shocked coverage of this signals a greater problem within the Church: an absence of grace.
The wedding ceremony, the first of its kind since Pope John Paul II presided over a wedding 14 years ago, was not a statement endorsing premarital cohabitation or premarital sex. Rather, it was an extension of grace to people that have made mistakes. “This is what marriage is all about: man and woman walking together, wherein the husband helps his wife to become ever more a woman and wherein the woman has the task of helping her husband become ever more a man,” the pope said at the ceremony. “Here we see the reciprocity of differences.” Following the media storm that has been brewing over Seattle pastor Mark Driscoll’s barrage of mishaps, this is the kind of news that needs to be shared. This is the kind of grace that should be commonplace within the Christian community. When Jesus encountered an immoral woman, his reaction was not one of exclusion. Instead, it was celebratory inclusion. Pharisees, angry with Jesus for his inclusion of sinners and his extension of grace, were con-
by Emily Brown Three weeks ago, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, the duke and duchess of Cambridge, grabbed the world’s attention with their latest news. Prince George is going to be an older brother. Almost immediately, news outlets from Europe and America latched on to the information, disseminating it to audiences enthralled with all things royal. Within minutes, #royalbaby was trending worldwide. It is no surprise people responded so
fused by his willingness and desire to love. In Luke 7:41-43 (NLT), it is recorded that one such Pharisee was disgusted by the grace Jesus extended to an immoral woman. Jesus answered with a parable. “A man loaned money to two people — 500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other,” Jesus said to the Pharisee. “But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt,” the Pharisee said. I commend the pope for his decision to perform the wedding ceremony. The ceremony showed not a judgmental unwillingness to accept the mistakes of others — no matter the size of the debt — but, instead, a willingness to allow love and grace to eclipse those mistakes. “The love of Christ, which has blessed and sanctified the union of husband and wife, is able to sustain their love and to renew it when, humanly speaking, it becomes lost, wounded
quickly to the latest news, especially given the fact that more than 20 million people in the U.S. alone viewed the royal wedding on television — an ocean away from where the ceremony took place. When news about Middleton’s first pregnancy came out, fans were just as enamored. But it is not merely the news of the pregnancy that is interesting to me. It is the word attributed to the situation that is intriguing to me. Four letters. B-A-B-Y. Not royal fetus. Not royal blob of tissue. Not royal product of conception. Baby. All of a sudden, and once again, that thing inside the belly of the duchess is a baby. Nothing less. Search-engine-generated results for news articles surrounding the couple’s pregnancy announcement all had at least those two words — “royal baby” — in common. Not a single search returned anything but “royal baby” when referring
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ICON — Pope Francis presided over first papal wedding since 2000. or worn out,” Francis said. Rather than establish unreachable regulations, this wedding sought to establish a reconciliation of unreachable perfection and the human condition. The extension of grace reminds us of our need for redemption, and this effort of forgiveness propels people toward righteousness, instead of distancing them through judgment.
to the fourth member of this family. Can you imagine a headline on the topic that reads, “Middleton pregnant with second royal blob of tissue?” No legitimate news outlet would actually refer to the duke and duchess’ smallest family member as anything other than “royal baby.” That would be insulting, embarrassing, rude and simply wrong. And yet, so often when someone is pregnant, the word “baby” is not even used. It is a fetus. It is just tissue. It is not a person. Therefore, it is OK to get rid of it if it is unwanted, unplanned or too difficult. Why does the whole world agree that Middleton is carrying a baby, and yet thinks every other person is carrying a non-person, non-baby thing in the womb? Why such a blatant double standard? I would argue that there is no difference. A claim to the throne does not determine personhood.
Grace only becomes a tricky subject when we ascribe infallible merit to our fallible thinking. The Church should not be known as an elite club of naysayers, but a motley crew of grace givers.
GOINS-PHILLIPS is the opinion editor.
While some may say that the use of one particular word is insignificant, it carries with it the whole idea of personhood and the resulting abortion arguments. The words we use matter. They can mean the difference between life and death in this case. No one would ever dream of telling Middleton to abort her “clump of cells,” but for those who have no claim to royalty, it is more than OK to get rid of their “blob of tissue,” because it is not a baby at all. Author Eric Metaxas summed up the issue well in his response to Middleton’s first pregnancy. “The Brits are clearly — and rightly — treating the royal baby not as a clump of cells to be disposed of for any reason but as fully human, as a person,” Metaxas said. “Yes, friends, the language we use matters. Is the life in the womb a ‘product of conception’ or a person, maybe even a prince in waiting?”
opinion
Liberty Champion | September 30, 2014 | A5
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EMBATTLED — Members of the Israeli Defense Forces train for battle as mounting attacks from surrounding nations continue to threaten the Jewish state from every direction.
Political infighting distracts As war continues in the Middle East, Jewish Christians need safe haven Kimberly Stefanick kmstefanick2@liberty.edu
Tensions between different religious groups continue to rise at events in Washington, D.C., and around the world. According to the Washington Post, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was booed off the stage at the In Defense of Christians (IDC) Gala Solidarity Dinner Program at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., Sept. 10. Cruz made many strong comments during the event that angered numerous attendees. “Tonight, we are all united in defense of Christians,” Cruz said. “Tonight, we are all united in defense of Jews. … If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you,” he said before walking off the stage. After Cruz made comments supporting Israel, many unidentified audience members began booing and heckling. According to Newsweek, most of the world leaders and representatives in attendance are concerned with aiding in stopping Christian persecution. In a statement released referencing a “disruption” at the event, but not naming Cruz, IDC President Toufic Baaklini shared his perspective of what happened. “In this case, a few politically motivated opportunists chose to divide a room that for more than 48 hours sought unity in opposing the shared threat of genocide, faced not only by our Christian brothers and sisters, but our Jewish brothers and sisters and people of all other faiths and all people of good will,” Baaklini said. Actions of the hecklers were
inappropriate and unwarranted. This event comes during a time when tensions in the Middle East are running high. This is made clear nearly every day with anoth-
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Psalm 122:6 illustrates this. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may those who love you be secure.” War has plagued Israel this
Every five minutes, a Christian is killed because of his faith. — FATHER GABRIEL NADAF
er story of bombings or murders making headlines, often in retaliation to religious differences. With such atrocities as beheadings and mass murders occurring in the Middle East, it is almost as if Americans have become numb to the violence that plagues the area, especially in Israel. Measures need to be taken to assist our ally. If we do not stand for Israel, who will? According to the National Archives, President Truman was the first to recognize Israel as an independent state in 1948. As stated by CNN, the relationships between U.S. and Israeli leaders have seen brighter days. “It’s probably the worst relationship between a leader of the United States and a leader of Israel since all the way back to the Eisenhower days,” David Gergen, a senior political analyst for CNN who was an advisor to multiple U.S. presidents, said. “The relationship has gotten rockier over this period during the war.” Support for Israel is now wavering in a time when it should be stronger than ever. In a time when Israel, God’s chosen nation, is being threatened, it is essential for Christians, in particular, to unite and stand with Israel.
past summer. According to the Washington Post, a waterfall of events led to the 50-day war in Gaza. This war quickly developed into one of the bloodiest conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians. More Christians are needed to minister to groups in the Middle East so violence like this can be prevented. To many Christians, religious freedom is not an option, but rather an ideal they may never know. Some even give their lives for their faith. World Watch Monitor reported that more people were “killed for faith” in Syria in 2013 than in the whole world during 2012. This statistic is unnerving and frightening. Christians have an obligation to protect the marginalized and work toward giving people of faith a safe place to practice where they can be free from persecution. In the Arab region, Israel is that safe place. Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council Sept. 23, Father Gabriel Nadaf, a Greek Orthodox priest from Nazareth in northern Israel, described Israel as a safe haven in the Middle East, according to The Blaze. “In the Middle East today, there
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DISRUPTED— Ted Cruz was heckled for pro-Jewish comments. is one country where Christianity is not only not persecuted, but affectionately granted freedom of expression, freedom of worship and security,” Nadaf said. “Israel is the only place where Christians in the Middle East are safe.” Nadaf went on to estimate that 120,000 Christians have been killed in the Middle East over the previous decade. “That means that every five minutes, a Christian is killed because of his faith,” Nadaf said. Western Christians need to protect this safe haven and help forge the same freedoms they enjoy for the rest of the Middle East, for the Christians who fight for their faith, as well as their lives, every day. Peace should be known to these people. The petty political fights within
CONVO CONNECTION Christian theologian Dr. Darrell Bock brought a powerful, culture-confronting message to Liberty students to start this week’s Convocation. Bock focused on how passages in both the biblical books of Romans and Acts profiled the Apostle Paul engaging and confronting the dysfunctional culture of his day. He challenged us to be aware of the conflicts and tensions in sharing the gospel and explained how we KELLY can boldly yet graciously represent Christ as we participate in the battle for truth. There are obvious gaps in our culture’s knowledge of God. Bock encouraged us to understand who we are and who Jesus is so we can fill in the gaps. As I pondered this, I realized that I had been content to sit on the sidelines of the faith-and-
culture war. I suppose I had just assumed that someone else was more spiritually equipped to take up the sword of the Spirit and go to battle. The truth is, I am called, and so are you. We have the one who is the “gap” filler in us, and it is not by our might or power, but by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we have everything we need to leave the sideline comfort zone and get into the battle. Besides, we already know who wins. Convocation took an interesting yet thought-provoking turn Wednesday when comedian and Pastor Mark Gungor candidly discussed relationships. With the on-stage help of campus worship Pastor Justin Kintzel and his wife Ashley, Gungor discussed the many differences in the way men and women think, feel and act. While there are certainly exceptions, men are generally compartmentalizers able to focus on one particular thing at a time. In stark contrast, women are driven by emotions and tend to chain link or connect
everything together. It was obvious by the crowd’s response that most of what Pastor Gungor shared resonated on some level. And then, with conviction, Gungor said; “Every man’s basic interest in a woman is ultimately sex.” I must admit I was tracking with Gungor until that last line. Maybe he was referring to ungodly men, but he did not say that, so I do not think that was the case. Why does his statement bother me? Well, because I believe a man saved by grace, living to glorify God, would not fit the stereotype or norm, but would be the exception. Therefore, his basic interest would be to honor Christ and love the woman God has given him. Not only that, the gift of sex in the context of a godly marriage is shared with mutual longing and appreciation rather than in a one-sided pursuit. Certainly, I have a lot to learn. My hope is that someday I would not only find the right person but that I would be the right person.
our ranks need to end. When it comes down to it, Christians believe in a loving God and that Jesus died for their sins. We should unite over these facts. Differences between Christian groups will always exist. However, instead of heckling a speaker from the stage, Christians should present a united front against such great persecution. No more senators should be silenced, and more importantly, no more Christians should die for their faith. We are one body, united by God, saved from sin, searching for a future when everyone can know the love we feel on a daily basis from our Savior. STEFANICK is an opinion writer.
B Y: E R I N K E L LY emkelly2@liberty.edu
The week ended with an address by acclaimed actor and producer, Kirk Cameron. His new movie, “Saving Christmas,” is set to open in theaters Nov. 14. Cameron gave us a sneak preview of the film while explaining its overarching meaning. Many Christians look down on Christmas as a pagan holiday. The legalism and controversy have caused many believers to lose sight of the real reason we celebrate Christmas. It is the never-ending battle between the sacred and secular. So how do we respond to the war on Christmas? We simply rejoice and share the joy we have in Jesus. Ultimately, nothing else matters apart from this. It is all about Jesus. He is Christmas. The world is desperate. We need people ready and willing to challenge the status quo. People unafraid and unashamed to proclaim his name, live what they believe, and pay any price to do so. This world needs what you and I are being trained to become — champions for Christ.
opinion
A6 | September 30, 2014 | Liberty Champion
Google Images
TRAVESTY — Pro-Russian protestors tear down Ukrainian flag and replace it with a Russian flag in front of the Donetsk Oblast Regional State Administration building.
Russia bullies Ukraine
Vladimir Putin seeks to establish an empire with Eastern Europe annexation Ash Brownd ebrownd@liberty.edu
Near the middle of the 20th century, a disgraced nation rising to power attempted to annex land from a weaker nation. The world powers of the time consented with little fuss. Unfortunately for them, this appeasement played a heavy hand in hastening one of the worst wars in human history. Now, almost 70 years after World War II ended, history is beginning to repeat itself. The world failed to make a stand then, and I fear we may be about to make the same mistake once again. Seventy-six years ago today, Sept. 30, 1938, the Munich Agreement was signed between Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. According to the historical records, the agreement gave Nazi Germany the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia predominantly populated by ethnic Germans. The agreement also gave Germany full control over the rest of Czechoslovakia on the condition that they did not press further into Europe. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain left the meeting believing the issue was truly settled. “My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor,” Chamberlain said in his speech at Heston Aerodome, announcing the outcome of the deal. “I believe it is peace for our time.” Eleven months later, Sept. 1, 1939, the day now recognized as the start of World War II, Germany shocked the world by invading Poland. The annexation of the Sudetenland had not stopped the Nazis thirst for power as the world had hoped. Instead, it had only served to whet their appetite. Today, a similar situation is unfolding again in Europe. The role of Germany has been recast for Russia, with Ukraine now playing Czechoslovakia. The Ukrainian region of Crimea now stands in for the disputed Sudetenland, its future waiting to be decided. In March of this year, Russia annexed the region of Crimea. According to a USA Today article, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Russian troops
seized the area to support citizens wishing to “take destiny into their own hands” by retaining ties with Russia. Fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists began in April, and since then, there have been more than 3,200 casualties, according to the BBC. Russia has repeatedly denied they have any military personnel on Ukrainian soil. However, NATO said it has uncovered evidence of Russia moving artillery units and soldiers across the border to fire on Ukrainian soldiers. President Barack Obama told
“
two days, be not only in Kiev (Ukraine), but also in Riga (Latvia), Vilnius (Lithuania), Tallinn (Estonia), Warsaw (Poland) and Bucharest (Romania),” Putin told Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, according to the EU Observer. While Putin’s words were meant to show that Russia had made no serious move to use its substantial military power against Eastern Europe, they sound to me like an unveiled threat. The world failed to take Hitler seriously, and the result was a war that devastated Europe and cost millions
Russia without Ukraine is a country. Russia with Ukraine is an empire. — DAN DREZNER
the United Nations General Assembly that there is also evidence of Russia sending weapons to separatist fighters in Ukraine. Having lived in the former Soviet Union, I was not at all surprised to learn that Russia was actively trying to undermine Ukraine. The peoples of Eastern Europe have long known that Russia never fully let go of the power the Soviet Union held during the Cold War. Much like Germany at the end of World War I, Russia mourns the loss of its empire and is forever scheming to reclaim it. Crimea has long been on Russia’s radar as a territory to be reclaimed. In 1994, shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian President Vladimir Putin, then deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, said the USSR had given up territories which had historically been Russian and that Russia could not simply abandon its citizens, according to a New York Times article. One of the areas he specifically mentioned was Crimea. He stated that the world had to respect the interests of the Russian state and the “great nation” of the Russian people. Now, Putin is not hiding his goal to restore the former Russian empire. “If I wanted to, Russian troops could, in
of lives. We cannot afford to make the same mistake with Russia. To be fair, the world has handled Russia’s annexation of Crimea somewhat better than it did Germany’s annexation of the Sudetenland. Economic and military sanctions have been leveled against Russia by the United Nations, the U.S. and Japan, according to a New York Times article. However, Obama told the UN General Assembly that sanctions against Russia would be lifted if Russia supported the ceasefire that came into effect Sept. 5. On the surface, this might seem fair. However, Russia has since found another way of hurting Ukraine without violating the ceasefire — the economy. Much of Ukraine’s gas comes from Russian pipelines. With a harsh winter fast approaching in Ukraine, Russia is threatening to cut off the gas and leave Ukraine without the energy it needs to heat its homes, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Business Insider said Russia has also raised claims that Ukraine owes billions of dollars to Russia — a claim Ukraine insists is false. While the ceasefire may have put a stop to the fighting, it has by no means discouraged Russia’s attempt to retake Ukraine.
“Ukraine makes or breaks Russia’s image as a great power, which has fared poorly since the fall of the Berlin Wall,” journalist Max Fisher wrote in an article for the Washington Post. Dan Drezner, political scientist at Tufts University, agreed with that assessment. “For all of Putin’s Middle East diplomacy, Ukraine is far more important to his great power ambitions,” Drezner said. “One of the very first sentences you’re taught to say in ‘Foreign Policy Community College’ is, ‘Russia without Ukraine is a country. Russia with Ukraine is an empire.’” It is for this reason that we cannot afford to lift the sanctions against Russia. They already possess a long enough leash to choke Ukraine into submission. To give them more rope would be not only nonsensical, but also potentially dangerous. Russia has made it clear that they possess the will and the military power to retake what they lost in the collapse of the Soviet Union. If they are allowed to do so, they would emerge even stronger, just as Germany did. Once Russia has tasted that intoxicating power again, who is to say that they will stop there? After the signing of the Munich Agreement, F. L. Lucas, a King’s College fellow, wrote a letter to the Manchester Guardian, calling the British celebration of the deal “the funeral of British honor.” He decried the sacrifice of weaker Czechoslovakia and called the British government to action. “… Unless we propose to barricade ourselves behind pieces of paper signed by Herr Hitler, we shall look a little better to our defenses,” Lucas wrote. The world now finds itself in precisely the same position it was in 76 years ago. Perhaps the outcome will be different. Perhaps history is not in fact doomed to repeat itself. Perhaps, as the world dared to hope with Germany, the annexation of Crimea would be enough to appease the Russian bear. But do we dare to take the risk? I believe the answer is a resounding no.
BROWND is a copy editor and lived in Eastern Europe for six years.
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news
Liberty Champion | September 30, 2014 | A7
THEN
NOW
A look around the campus of the past and the campus of the present
Photo Provided
DeMoss Hall in the 80s
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
Building the stadium tower
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
Hancock Athletic Center
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
Construction on new library
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
DeMoss Hall current day
Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion
Completed Williams Stadium
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
Hancock Welcome Center
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
Finished Jerry Falwell Library
news
A8 | September 30, 2014 | Liberty Champion
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news
Liberty Champion | September 30, 2014 | A9
Campus makeover Construction alters the look of Liberty’s landscape David Van Dyk dvandyk@liberty.edu
As the year transitions into a cooler season, construction crews on Liberty University’s campus will be gearing up to reach construction goals before winter hits the hills of Lynchburg. With several projects underway and a number of them just beginning, the campus is rapidly taking on a new form. Two construction projects across from Reber-Thomas Dining Hall are currently taking shape. The new Science Hall, being built directly across from the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall, will relieve the Circle dorms of their current use as classrooms. The second project is the new School of Music building. Nearest to the Jerry Falwell Library is a recently started project that will expand the Center for Music and the Performing Arts and the Center for Music and Worship. According to Charles Spence, senior vice president for construction planning, the new facility will be split up into two sections, one mainly to house a large performance hall and the other strictly for academics. “The Concert Hall will be used for some academic function, but it’s a 1,600-seat room,” Spence said. “It’s really more about performances and venues. The main portion of the (School of Music) will be lab after lab after lab after classrooms after teaching studios and practice studios. All of those things will reside in the newly named Center for Music and the Worship Arts building. It’s really the academic hub of the entire School of Music.” Spence noted that the School of Music will be fully operational in approximately one year. Until then, the classrooms that are currently housed in the Circle dorms will remain there until the end of the academic year. Dr. Vernon Whaley, dean of the school of music, emphasized his enthusiasm for the new facility. “At the heart of the new Center for Music and the Worship Arts is a new, world-class, state-of-the-art concert hall that will prove to be the epicenter for arts presentation in South Central Virginia,” Whaley said. “The building of this concert hall makes a powerful statement to the entire arts community that Liberty University is serious about preparing students for arts careers.” The second construction project across from the ReberThomas Dining Hall is the
new Science Hall. The building is currently undergoing a big push for the “C-wing,” the section closest to DeMoss Hall, to be completed by January. According to Spence, the rest of the building will reach completion in March, providing students new opportunities to explore and expand their careers in the field of science. Directly behind DeMoss Hall is something that has taken students by surprise. Where there used to be a courtyard filled with bushes, trees and a flowing water fountain, the area is now home to ripped up trees, large swaths of dirt and a new view of the Jerry Falwell Library. In the future, a large student center will occupy the area. The Student Center, which is planned to take residence directly behind DeMoss Hall, will be a place of enjoyment and interaction for students looking to take a break from studies. The Student Center will house a large retail food court on the first floor with the possible appearance of ChickFil-A and four to five other food options. According to Spence, the basement of the Student Center will accommodate an eightlane bowling alley, as well as meeting rooms for Liberty clubs and organizations. Spence noted the need for a large venue to serve as an event area for Liberty. “On the second floor will be a ballroom for those larger events that will seat up to something over 600 people,” Spence said. “We have been trying to get the (ballroom) at Liberty for a long, long time. We’ve been needing one of those.” According to Spence, once the School of Music is completed, the Circle dorms will be taken down. The number two Commons dorm has already broken ground, and the third Commons dorm should begin to take form around June, according to the most recent plans. As fall moves into Hill City, the push for projects to be completed has taken firm hold around campus grounds. Once the winter arrives, the labors will slow down to a crawl, and then ramp back up again in the spring. To view live construction around campus and for more information about campus improvements, visit liberty.edu/ aboutliberty.
VAN DYK is the news editor.
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
NEW IMAGE — Liberty’s campus has been transformed by various construction projects.
Election 2014
Register to vote in the upcoming midterm election Register by getting a form at the Student Conduct Office, where someone will be able to answer questions and help with the process.
What you will need... You will need to know your social security number as well as your MSC box number. You should also know your previous registration address when switching to Liberty’s address. The deadline for students to hand in registration to the Dean of Students Office for this year’s general election is Oct. 8. After that date, students will need to bring their forms to the city registrar office or by registering online at vote.virginia.gov by Oct. 14.
news
A10 | September 30, 2014 | Liberty Champion
Sodexo serves the community Liberty partners with Daily Bread to feed homeless and hungry citizens Tazjhi Lewis tlewis38@liberty.edu
In addition to the task of feeding thousands of Liberty University students, Sodexo, the university’s dining provider, is extending its services to feed the homeless of Lynchburg and the surrounding area. Liberty and Sodexo are fulfilling the task by partnering with one of Lynchburg’s soup kitchens, the Lynchburg Daily Bread organization. The partnership began August 2014. “The idea started from Lee Beaumont, senior vice president for Liberty,” Anthony Delligatti, the resident director of Sodexo said. “He saw this partnership as a way to reach out to the community as one of the many ways Liberty does. When Sodexo has leftover food, we properly cool and store the food, and every Wednesday, Lynchburg Daily Bread collects what we have saved for them.” The Daily Bread is an organization that provides free and unlimited hot meals to the needy seven days a week, including holidays, with the help of its volunteers. “Here at the Daily Bread, we are dedicated to helping others, but we couldn’t do it without the help of our outside contributors,” Daily Bread Executive Director Tracey Dixon said. “In 2013, we were able to give out 51,369 meals.” According to lynchburgdailybread.com, Daily Bread opens at 10:50 a.m. and stays open until 12:20 p.m. Recipients are served by volunteers and can receive as many servings as they wish. Dixon said the Daily Bread goes to Liberty at 7:30 a.m. every Wednesday to get food not used by Sodexo. The organization also
Alanna Mitchell | Liberty Champion
WASTE NOT — Sodexo donates extra food from Liberty dining locations to the Lynchburg Daily Bread soup kitchen. gets food on Mondays following large catering events. Daily Bread takes their own containers and serve the food throughout the week. “It’s been such a tremendous help and blessing to our guests that Liberty pays Sodexo for its excess food used to feed students and shares its services to us,” Dixon said. According to Dixon, local recipients who partake with the Daily Bread have expressed that they enjoy the new food. They also mention their appreciation for the kind gestures. Since Sodexo has
offered its services, guests have noticed positive changes. “(The recipients) like the good quality of the food and can’t get enough,” Dixon said. “They are always hugely appreciative. Here at the Daily Bread, (our volunteers) are overwhelmed with joy for what Liberty has done not only for us, but (for) the people we are committed to serving.”
LEWIS is a news reporter.
Alanna Mitchell | Liberty Champion
CHARITY— Daily Bread feeds the needy of the community.
9/26
ANDREWFREE BELLE for Students
8:30 P.M. $5 for the Public
10/7 ALL SONS & DAUGHTERS $7 for Students $10 for the Public
7:30 P.M.
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Concert Ticket required for all admission 8 P.M. FREE
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LAHAYE EVENT SPACE CONCERTS
For ticket information, call (434) 582-SEAT or purchase online at www.Liberty.edu/SA. For more information, email studentactivities@liberty.edu or call (434) 592-3061
SPORTS
September 30, 2014
Football
W. Soccer
B1
M. Soccer
W. Soccer
D2 Hockey
ISU
Liberty
Liberty
CSU
Liberty
Campbell
Winthrop
Liberty
Liberty
W. Ches.
38
19
4
1
0
0
2
0
7
1
Extra offense
coming back
Changes to ball should produce more runs Dalton Britt dbritt10@liberty.edu
There will be some changes this year in college baseball, starting with the ball itself. In an attempt to boost offense in Division I baseball, the NCAA voted unanimously to switch from the raised-seam baseball to the flat-seam ball used in the minor leagues. According to the NCAA, this switch was a result of several studies showing that the flat-seamed ball travels on average 20 feet further than the raised-seam ball. By lowering the seam height from .048 inches to .031 inches, the ball has a tighter spin, which results in the ball traveling faster and farther. “The ball definitely gets on you a lot faster and jumps off the bat more,” junior outfielder Austin Bream said. “It seems like it’s going farther than the old ball, and you need to make sure you’re ready to react faster.” The flat-seamed ball has also resulted in changes on the pitching mound. Breaking pitches like curveballs and sliders may be a little harder to throw, but the spin and speed of the ball has increased. “Overall it feels better,” senior pitcher Ashton Perritt said. “I feel like it comes out of my hand better with all of my pitches.” Some summer leagues across the country used the new ball in preparation for the upcoming change. The Cape Cod League, in which Perritt played, was one of them. “I didn’t like it at first, but after a summer of playing with it, I’m glad there was a change,” Perritt said. To help the Liberty baseball team in the transition to the new balls, coaches have been stressing that the new balls be used extensively this offseason. “To help the players get used to the baseballs, we have ordered several dozens of the new baseballs to allow the pitchers and hitters to practice with them this fall,” Assistant Coach Jason Murray said. “I can feel a difference in the ball just throwing batting practice to the guys.” In 2011, the NCAA changed the bat used in college baseball to be more similar to the wood bats used in the MLB. The change resulted in bats having to be the safer Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution-certified rather than Bat Exit Speed Ratio (BESR)-certified. In 2010 at the College World Series, there were 32 home runs hit. In the past four tournaments, there have only been 25 home runs hit total. The move to the new ball should promote offensive production similar to the days of BESR-certified bats without any of the safety concerns. BRITT is a sports reporter.
WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME
Ruth Bibby| Liberty Champion
REDEMPTION — The Flames will be looking to avenge a road defeat at Richmond last season, where they lost 30-21.
Ready for Rocco
Flames prepare for former head coach’s first game back Joel Schmieg jaschmieg@liberty.edu
This Saturday, Liberty Football Head Coach Turner Gill and the Flames will face off in a much-anticipated Homecoming matchup against the recordsetting former Liberty Coach Danny Rocco and his Richmond Spiders. Rocco was the head coach for the Liberty Flames football program from 2006 to 2011. He came in after a 1-10 season and quickly turned things around for the football program. “They were coming off such a bad season, 1-10 in 2005, so to be able to be
that spark that helped generate and create more enthusiasm for football and ultimately success for football was great,” Rocco said. “I think I left that program in much better shape than it was (in) when I got there. I can remember Dr. Falwell saying (there were) more fans at the high school game than at the Liberty game during the interview process.” While many people would call this game special, the players do not seem to think so, at least not for the same reasons. “He wasn’t really my coach that long, so it doesn’t really mean anything to me,” Josh Woodrum, starting quarter-
back for the Flames, said. “Everyone on the team now was only with him for a max of a year and a half. I think people try to make a bigger deal about it than it actually is.” While they may not be too excited about Rocco’s return, coaches and players alike are excited to show off the campus and the facilities to the players who came before them. “I’m pretty excited for the alumni to be able to see the university and how God has definitely worked here and changed the program,” Flames starting
See RETURNS, B3
Flames burn Bison Sachem Wilson’s two goals lead the way to a dominant home win Nate Haywood nahaywood@liberty.edu
The Liberty Flames men’s soccer team (5-2-1, 0-1 Big South) shut out the Howard University Bison (0-10-1) 4-0, Sept. 23 at Osborne Stadium. The Flames began the game with aggressive attacks. They amassed two early corner kicks and multiple shot attempts, none of which were successful. However, the Bison defense was caught out of position when redshirt junior Jamie Foxwell sent a spot-on pass to midfielder Jovanni Chavez, who snuck the ball under the extended arm of Howard goalie Eric Hamilton, giving
Liberty the one-goal lead. This was Chavez’s second goal of the season. Liberty had one more opportunity to increase the lead in the first half when forward Tyler Bullock crossed it to forward Sachem Wilson, but Wilson’s shot just missed the inside of the crossbar, leaving Chavez’s goal as the only score of the first half. While Liberty went into halftime with the lead, Head Coach Jeff Adler was not too pleased with his team’s performance. “(In) the first half, there was still some residue from us losing to Davidson the other day because
See BURN, B2
Field Hockey Football vs. Richmond vs. Longwood
Oct. 4 @ 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 @ 4 p.m.
Liberty 4, Howard 0
Leah Seavers| Liberty Champion
ASSISTED— Junior Connor Flemming prepares to set up his teammate for a goal.
W. Soccer vs. UNC-Ash.
W. Soccer vs. Presby.
Field Hockey vs. App. St.
Oct. 1 @ 3 p.m.
Oct. 4 @ 12 p.m.
Oct. 5 @ 2 p.m.
Follow @LUChampSports for Flames athletics coverage
sports
B2 | September 30, 2014 | Liberty Champion
Tich’s Take
‘14-’15 MBB nonconference schedule Nov. 14, 2014 Nov. 17, 2014 Nov. 19, 2014
Alex Tichenor atichenor@liberty.edu
Nov. 22, 2014
I do not have kids. I have no wife, fulltime job or house. I am not ready to raise a child. But I already know what sport he or she will be playing. So what, I like to plan ahead a little bit. It is not a bad thing for me to be looking out for my future children, right? Almost every child who grows up playing a sport dreams of playing that sport professionally at some point during his or her naïve childhood. Very few of those kids end up playing that sport in college, let alone going pro. For most, making the professional ranks is an impossibility, TICHENOR but for some, it may have been the wrong choice of sport. If a six-foot-seven dude with a 42-inch vertical leap chose to be a hockey player, he probably picked the wrong sport. My athleticism genetics trend more toward Jack Black than LeBron James. I am a notch over six feet on a bad hair day. Hibernating bears have better agility than me. Unless I marry Elena Della Donne — which I am very open to — my children will never sniff playing basketball past high school. What about football? Considering I would like my child to remember my name when he comes home from school, I would say football is out of the question. With every new horror that concussion studies bring to light, the more I want to keep any child away from football. I remember getting knocked out in practice when I was 9 years old after a helmet-tohelmet hit and it was treated like it was no big deal. Sports that do not involve losing consciousness are ideal. Baseball is a possibility — it was always my best sport — but there are so many things that could go wrong. Unless the hatchling Tichenor has world-class handeye coordination and vision, he will never be able to hit elite pitching. And just about every kid who pitches blows his elbow or shoulder out without the precisely correct care. The big three American sports are out. So which other sport has minimal injury risk? Which sport can people excel at despite being limited athletically? The answer: golf. Many people find golf boring, but most of those people have never golfed. There is nothing quite like standing up on the tee box on hole one, surveying the expanse of the course and smelling the freshly groomed grass. Even the most seasoned golf curmudgeon could fall in love with the course itself. One small problem — golf is not a sport for children. No matter what, young kids are probably not hitting the ball more than 100 yards. But there are many different aspects of golf children could work on before hitting their drives like Bubba Watson. Tiger Woods’ dad taught him how to putt before he learned anything else. So while it was impossible for little Tiger to make the ball fly very far, he was already on his way toward mastering putting before he ever touched a driver. Just like young baseball players begin their careers hitting off a tee, young golfers must begin with the very basics. Not to mention, if a golfer wins a single pro tournament, he becomes an instant millionaire. Pops probably could use a new car by then. Yes, I have put a lot of thought into this. But to be clear, I will not force my children to play golf while they are clutching a basketball or baseball, screaming to play those sports. I have been around kids who are forced to play a certain sport and it not only ruins their passion for the sport, but their relationship with their parents. That is the last thing I want. But if my kids ever have dreams of becoming a professional athlete, they should adhere to the old adage of “father knows best.”
Nov. 25, 2014
TICHENOR is the sports editor.
Nov. 26, 2014 Dec. 1, 2014 Dec. 6, 2014 Dec. 13, 2014 Dec. 17, 2014 Dec 19, 2014 Dec 22, 2014 Dec 28, 2014
Randolph College Delaware Virginia Tech Miami (Ohio) North Florida Morgan State/Elon Furman Saint Francis (N.Y.) Bluefield UNCW Central Penn Princeton Cincinnati Christian
Lynchburg, Va. Lynchburg, Va. Blacksburg, Va. Oxford, Ohio Cancun, Mexico Cancun, Mexico Lynchburg, Va. Lynchburg, Va. Lynchburg, Va. Wilmington, N.C. Lynchburg, Va. Princeton, N.J. Lynchburg, Va.
Ready for tipoff
Layer’s annual training camp helps squad build conditioning Ryley Rush rarush@liberty.edu
“You have to go through something to be something.” Those words, spoken by Head Coach Dale Layer, are the heart of Liberty men’s basketball’s annual “boot camp” week. It is a tradition that marks the start of preseason each year: seven days of 5:55 — not to be confused with 6 — a.m. strength and conditioning sessions designed to toughen the players mentally as much as physically. “It’s a lot of running,” senior forward and boot camp veteran Tomasz Gielo said. “But what gets you tired is all the stuff that we do before the running part.” “All the stuff ” includes individual sessions designed to strengthen players’ particular weaknesses, increase overall fitness and improve mental toughness. There are conditioning stations for traditional workout moves like jumps, lunges and weight work. Much of the work comes in the form of basketball drills that do not involve the ball itself, such as lane slides, rim touches and defensive moves. Teamwork-related elements are included throughout to build unity. After each morning session, players go about their day and regroup in the evening for standard practice. According to Layer, the mastermind behind the Flames boot camp, the concept is hardly a new one in the college basketball world. It originated with and
BURN continued from B1 we fought so hard and unfortunately, we didn’t close that game out,” Adler said. The Flames played a close game and fell to the No. 25 team in the nation, Davidson College, earlier that week. Winning that game could have potentially placed Liberty in the top 25, according to Wilson. “I knew … that (this game) may be ugly for a while,” Adler said. “We started off and scored a great goal right away, and we got on top of the game, which is what we wanted, but then we just didn’t take care of the ball (for) the rest of the first half. … In the second, we got the guys refocused. I thought we came out with great energy.” Within two minutes of the second half, the Flames put another past Hamilton, increasing the lead to 2-0. This time, it was Wilson. “It’s definitely a weight off the shoulders,” Wilson said. “As a goal scorer, you always want to score. I definitely credit (scoring) to the teammates. Every goal that’s scored is credited to everyone.” The offensive resurgence for the Flames did not end there. Three minutes later, midfielder Khalil Karl sent a corner kick into the box. Foxwell maintained inside position on a defender, then elevated to head the ball into the back of the net. His second goal of the season gave Liberty the 3-0 lead. Later in the half, a Howard defense-
was made popular by Bill Self at the University of Kansas and was passed down and around coaching staffs from there. Buzz Williams, head coach at Virginia Tech University, introduced Layer to the idea during their time together at Marquette University. “It certainly was new to Liberty when I came as a head coach,” Layer said. “It combines a lot of different things — strategy, teamwork, communication, a lot of running — and things they’ve got to bind together to accomplish. These guys have embraced it, and it’s kind of part of our culture now.” Gielo agreed, not denying the difficulty of the institution, but buying into its many benefits. “It’s been four years, and each year it’s been different with little tweaks here and there,” Gielo said. “And it’s a lot of work and a lot of chaos, but that’s the time when the team is forged.” That forgery has perhaps never been more crucial to a Flames basketball club than it is to this 2014-15 squad. Of the 14-man roster, a remarkable 10 are firstyear players. “There are a lot of new guys this year — guys who are learning new roles,” Gielo said. “Even since the first day of boot camp, you can tell a lot of things have improved. I think it’s a good way for (the new players) to get to know what we’re about here at Liberty, what our team culture is about, and I just hope they keep working hard like they have been.”
Redshirt senior James Johnson, a transfer forward out of San Diego, California, is one of the 10 learning the team, its culture and his role within it in his first season with the Flames. “My first (session), I was a little bit nervous coming in, because I’d heard some horror stories from guys in the past,” Johnson said. “But we have a really good group of guys here — real strong-willed — so combined, I knew that we could do anything as long as we work together. I’ve found the more you encourage your teammates, the easier it goes. ... We lean on each other when we’re tired and stick together when we’re struggling.” In other words, precisely Layer’s goal. “They’ve had to learn to talk,” Layer said. “They’ve had to learn to listen. They’ve had to learn to strategize on the fly and they’ve had to learn to do all that together while they’re tired or sleep-deprived. Those are things I think will translate to what they may experience during the season.” And the season will be here before the Flames know it, with their Nov. 14 season opener versus Randolph College just weeks away. With that in mind, they focus on building physical fitness and team identity in boot camp 2014 and beyond, willing to go through the struggle to become something greater in the process.
man fouled one of the Flames in the box, giving Liberty a penalty kick. Wilson lined up to take the shot. Without hesitation, he struck it past the goaltender for a fourth goal on the night for the Flames. With that goal, Wilson took his total to four goals in Liberty’s first seven games and became the current goal-scoring leader for the Flames this season. He has also amassed a conference-leading 29 shots for the season. “Sachem had a big night tonight,” Adler said. “… I’m very proud of him.
He created a real good chance on his own for his first goal. And his second goal, he stepped up with poise and took a great free kick.” The Flames will travel to Radford, Virginia, for their next contest as they take on conference opponent, Radford University, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.
RUSH is a sports reporter.
HAYWOOD is the asst. sports editor.
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
GIVER — Freshman Bay Kurtz chipped in against Howard with an assist.
sports
Liberty Champion | September 30, 2014 | B3
Not cooling off Field hockey continues winning ways, extends streak to five Liberty 5, Ohio 0 Liberty 2, Louisville 1
Liberty vs. Indiana St.
By the Numbers
Cierra Carter cmcarter18@liberty.edu
Lady Flames field hockey (6-4) continued an impressive homestand with a 5-0 defeat over the Ohio University Bobcats (2-6) Friday, Sept. 26 and a 2-1 upset of the No. 11 University of Louisville Cardinals (8-2), Saturday, Sept. 28. Liberty got off to a bit of a slow start in the first period against Ohio before exploding in the second period with 17 shot attempts and four goals. Sunday’s game saw a stark contrast, with all of the game’s goals being scored within the first 20 minutes. Four games into their current six-game homestand, the Lady Flames are undefeated and have showed stability on both sides of the ball. The Lady Flames have been impressive on offense, outscoring their opponents 16-3 during that stretch. Lady Flames junior forward Sarah Gipe is continuing to have quite a season, scoring in five of the last six games, including one against the Bobcats. Gipe currently leads the team with six goals and 14 points, but she was quick to credit the work of her teammates. “I like the fact that I contribute to the team in this way,” Gipe said. “The other team definitely had my number right away. I scored a goal, but we had four others that scored, too.” Despite Gipes’s contributions, the offensive success of the team is not all coming from one place. Liberty has had 12 different goal scorers this season. “We have a lot of girls that are playing good hockey right now, and we’re sharing the ball well,” Murphy said. “We’re passing the ball, moving the ball around. We’re not relying on just one player.” Liberty midfielder Rachel Suter was able to contribute to Friday’s win as well, scoring the third goal of the game in the second period. It was the freshman’s second goal of the season, but her first on home turf. Hannah Goldsborough, Serena and Beth-
RETURNS continued from B1 running back D.J. Abnar said. Along with the facilities, the Flames wish to show how far the program has progressed as well. “As far as where (the football program is) going, I don’t think it has ever had a brighter future,” Woodrum said. “We are doing everything we can right now to make sure it just keeps climbing and getting better.” Despite most of the staff having changed since Rocco’s days, two still remain, Marshall Roberts, the defensive backs coach, and Charlie Skalaski, III, director of player personnel/recruiting. “It was great working for Rocco,” Roberts said. “I learned how to run an organization
1-7
Liberty’s record in nonconference road games since Turner Gill took over as head coach in 2012.
10
Turnovers by the Flames in their two losses this year — four against Indiana State and six against North Carolina.
0
Turnovers by the Flames in their three wins this season.
340
Passing yards Indiana State quarterback Mike Perish piled up against the Flames secondary on Saturday.
195
Leah Seavers| Liberty Champion
PRECISION— Sophomore Bethany Barr scored her second goal of the season against Ohio. any Barr also knocked in goals during Friday’s shutout performance, while Goldsborough and Ashlee Krulock did the scoring against the Cardinals. The Lady Flames defensive presence has been a key factor to their success as of late, giving up only three goals in the last four games. The Cardinals sent a flurry of shots at Flames junior goalkeeper Mallory Cuccio, but she responded by saving eight of the nine shots put on goal. “It’s been neat to see the deproperly, how to expect great effort each and every day, and how to really identify every aspect of making sure your kid is prepared.” Roberts had high praise for Rocco, but seeing him again is not what he is most excited about. “What I really look forward to is not specifically Coach Rocco coming back,” Roberts said. “I look forward to seeing all the players come back. I look forward to seeing them really enjoy the fruits of the hard labor they previously did. There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears left on those fields from a lot of guys who weren’t fortunate enough to play in front of crowds like this.” Not only is this a highly anticipated game for the reasons given above, but it is also a game
fensive structure has been maintained and our defense is really not allowing a lot of attacking opportunities with only two shots on goal against us (Friday),” Murphy said. The Lady Flames leave the weekend with momentum, ahead of a torrid mid-October stretch in which they face three of the nation’s top 10 teams in the University of Virginia, Duke and UNC. But after defeating 12thranked Wake Forest Sept. 19, the Lady Flames are confident that
they can compete with the best. “I think having won the Wake Forest game last weekend really did help us,” Murphy said. “Knowing that we can play at this level and win at this level is really encouraging.” Longwood and Appalachian State will journey to Liberty today and Oct. 5 as the Lady Flames conclude their homestand.
Passings yards allowed by the Flames in their previous three contests.
1,375
Receiving yards Darrin Peterson is on pace to finish the season with, which would shatter the previous school record of 1,081 set by Chris Summers in 2010.
CARTER is a sports reporter.
between two very good football teams in the state of Virginia. “I think it’s going to be critical for both teams,” Rocco said. “As for a nonconference game, I think this game is as critical as a game could be. Both teams are floating on the back end of the top 25, and we are trying to create resume builders for the postseason.” Along with simply wanting to defeat Rocco, the Flames do not want to fall short on Homecoming. “Richmond is a big game,” Woodrum said. “Everyone knows what that game sort of has around it. You never want to lose your Homecoming game. Ironically, Gill was not the one who scheduled this matchup. It was Rocco himself. Not only was
he responsible for the LibertyRichmond matchup, he was also responsible for recruiting his opponent’s quarterback. “I recruited Josh (Woodrum),” Rocco said. “We loved him. He was a huge get for us when we were putting that recruiting class together. I liked everything about him.” Rocco said that coaching for a long time provided him with the opportunity to experience many unique situations. But he also iterated the importance of separating things that are meaningful from preparing his team. He said none of these things have to do with his feelings or emotions toward the game. “It’s going to be a very special night, and I think the reality for us coaches is you always have to be
able to separate those things that are personal from those things that are specific to your team playing to win the game,” Rocco said. “And there’s no correlation between the two events. Our preparation will be as it always is.” Abnar spoke for the entire team with his message to Richmond’s head coach. “Welcome home Coach Rocco,” Abnar said. “… I can’t wait to see you head to head.” The Flames will kick off Saturday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at Williams Stadium.
SCHMIEG is a sports reporter.
sports
B4 | September 30, 2014 | Liberty Champion
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
all photos by
Courtney Russo unless otherwise noted | Liberty Champion
WINNERS — All Flames and Lady Flames fall sports teams have enjoyed successful seasons thus far, with every team posting winning records heading into conference play.
sports
Liberty Champion | September 30, 2014 | B5
Turnaround continues Lady Flames pass last year’s win total with victories over Virginia, Radford
Liberty 3, Radford 1
Sarah Rodriguez srodriguez70@liberty.edu
In the first match of Big South Conference play, the Lady Flames volleyball team (13-5, 1-0 Big South) defeated the defending conference champions, the Radford Highlanders (10-5, 0-1 Big South), in four sets (25-21, 23-25, 26-24, 25-13) Sept. 26. “It is always great to come out and start conference play really strong,” redshirt junior outside hitter Caroline Douglas said. “We have a very strong conference this year, and a lot of teams can do a lot of things. So every single win counts.” The Lady Flames victory over the Highlanders was Head Coach Shane Pinder’s 198th victory, putting him in a tie for the most wins in program history. He now shares the spot with Chris Phillips (199297, ’99-’03). The last matchup between the Lady Flames and the Highlanders was in the Big South Conference semifinal and resulted in a Lady Flames loss. Junior setter Caila Stapleton said last year’s loss provided plenty of motivation for the Lady Flames this season. “We definitely had a little chip on our shoulder from last year,” Stapleton said. “It was the toughest loss I’ve ever been in, in the semifinals.” Friday night, the Lady Flames began strong, winning the first set, 25-21. The Lady Flames never gave up the lead after starting off the set with a 5-1 advantage. The Highlanders were held to a hitting percentage of .050. The Highlanders responded to the early deficit as Pinder predicted, winning the second set, 25-23. But the Lady Flames made defensive changes to combat the Highlanders offensive attack and took the third set, 26-24. “In the second set, I knew (the Highlanders) were going to pick it up,” Pinder said. “We went in the locker room and made some defensive adjustments in terms of positioning and served a little bit tougher and gave us some more
Courtney Russo| Liberty Champion
SWAT — Freshman Sirena Vorster (21) had her best game of the season against Radford, tallying a season-high 13 kills in four sets. opportunities to win the third set.” With a victory in sight, the Lady Flames began the fourth set strong. Fueled by three early aces, the Lady Flames took the early 15-4 advantage. The Lady Flames offense proved to be too much for the Highlanders, as Liberty won the final set, 25-13. Stapleton led all players with 48 assists, and senior libero Gabrielle Shipe totaled 24 digs. Doulgas led the Lady Flames with 21 kills. Pinder pointed to Douglas’ leadership and offensive production as keys for Friday’s game and the season thus far.
“She is anchoring our toughness,” Pinder said. “She is making good decisions. She is scoring the balls when we need them to get the pressure off us.” Entering Friday’s match, the Lady Flames had won three straight games, including a thrilling five-set victory over the University of Virginia (UVA) Cavaliers on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at the Vines Center. It was the first victory for the Lady Flames over UVA since 1979. Douglas led the way for the Lady Flames, totaling 27 kills, 13 digs and five blocks. Riding a four-game winning streak and with the first Big South Conference
victory under their belt, the Lady Flames believe their best play is yet to come. “I think there is a lot more out there for us,” Stapleton, who recorded a careerhigh 25 digs Friday, said. “They didn’t even see the best we have. I’m excited to just stay focused on the next match.” The Lady Flames will return to Big South action when they take on GardnerWebb Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.
RODRIGUEZ is a sports reporter.
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feature
B6 | September 30, 2014 | Liberty Champion
Kerr sees growth Josh Janney jjanney@liberty.edu
Liberty University’s Spirit of the Mountain Marching Band has come a long way since its inception in 1977. Dr. Stephen Kerr, director of bands at Liberty, has been a part of the program from the very beginning and has watched it evolve over the past few decades. “(Before 1977) there was a group that did play on the field that was very limited from anything you would consider to be marching band,” Kerr said. “But ’77 was really the year it started, and that is meaningful to me because that was my first year as a student. I did my undergraduate here, and I was in the band for that initiatory year.” Band membership has grown substantially since the ’70s. According to Kerr, the band is in the first year of a three-year campaign to recruit 300 players in three years. “We were significantly under (one) hundred when I first started,” Kerr said. “We are at 230 this year. Last year, we had 203 or something like that. So by the fall of 2016, our goal is to have 300 in the band.” Kerr has been on the marching band staff for 25 years and has served as the director for 15 years. He took over as director of the band in 2000 from director Ray Locy. Before that, he spent 10 years as a brass instructor and director. “It’s gone from a staff (of) one, me, to bringing other faculty members and staff members and student members on board to help lead the band,” Kerr said. According to Kerr, the five staff members include himself as director of bands, Associate Band Director Kathryn Voelker, Assistant Marching Band Director Christopher Coker, Assistant Director of Athletic Bands and Percussion Tyler Loftin and Colorguard Instructor Bryanna Tester. The staff has expanded to include six technicians who have graduated and serve as instructors, nine cabinet officers made up of current students with full-time responsibilities who organize the other students and 11 people who each lead particular sections of the band. In addition to the increase in staff, the nature of the program has become more complex over the years. “Like most college bands, (our) intent is to entertain the audiences at football games,” Kerr said. “And while our focus is to do that, … we also have our feet in a Corps style marching, which is a highly acclaimed style for marching bands now. The Corps style is to develop a really highly complex show, and to continue to add to that in its length and complexity throughout the fall season until about halfway through … when you’ve got your show in place. So we do music that entertains the crowd, things like Justin Timberlake in ‘Mirrors’ and other pop tunes that college students know and appreciate and enjoy.” Kerr said he hopes to see the band perform at special events in the future, including NFL events and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Les Schofer | Liberty News Service
JANNEY is the asst. news editor.
MUSIC — Kerr reflects.
Lauren Glossner | Liberty Champion
Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion
MOTIVATE — The Spirit of the Mountain marching band pumps up onlooking fans and intimidates opposing teams.
Firing up the fans Marching band encourages crowds to cheer on the Flames Lauren Glossner lbglossner@liberty.edu
Walking into Williams Stadium the day of a Liberty football game is marked by the sea of red, the indistinguishable roar of thousands of Liberty fans, the smell of concession-stand food and the surge of energy and excitement that transforms people into football fanatics. There are several components working together to create this ambiance, each element adding fuel to the fire — the focused football team, the enthusiastic fans and shouting cheerleaders, along with the motivating marching band, The Spirit of the Mountain. The band plays an integral part of each Liberty football game. It not only performs at halftime and before the game, when it excites the audience for what is to come and welcomes the team to the field with “Fan the Flames,” it also performs throughout the game in the stands. The job of the band during the game is to intimidate and distract the opposing team, as well as pump up Liberty fans. “There is a combining of goals we have through the marching band — both to support the students’ desire to participate in the marching arts as well as supporting the athletic events here,” Dr. Stephen Kerr, director of the Spirit of the Mountain, said. Each year, the band attends all home football games and one away game. According to Kerr, they have traveled to the Coastal Carolina (CCU) away football game for several years, but will instead be traveling to the Appalachian State University (ASU) football game in Boone, North Carolina, this year. “I am really excited that we get to go cheer on the football team at the Appalachian State game,” senior band member Anthony Giannini said. “Away games are always so much fun.” According to Kerr, attending the ASU game instead of the CCU game stems from
the latter contest conflicting with the first weekend of Thanksgiving break, as well as the personal request from Athletic Director Jeff Barber’s office for the band to accompany the team to the North Carolina game. “Having the band go to the Appalachian State game is a great thing for the football team,” Head Coach Turner Gill said. “Appalachian has the home-team advantage, so anything we can do to help change that is great. Having the Liberty songs being played and having the band to spark enthusiasm in the fans is great for our student athletes.” The ASU game will be Saturday, Oct. 11, which is the weekend of fall break. Kerr said he is planning many exciting events for the band students so they can have a memorable trip. The band will head to Boone Thursday, Oct. 9 to perform at other locations in the area. Kerr hopes to perform an exhibition for a nearby high school marching band
competition if the game’s schedule permits. “I know we will make memories on the road and also in performance,” sophomore band member Elizabeth Rupert said. “I have a few friends that go to Appalachian, so it will be nice to show them what Liberty is all about, not only in football and marching band, but also as a student body.” Kerr instills in the band members the need to constantly strive for excellence. He reminds them they are representatives for Liberty University and also for Christ. Kerr desires for the band members to use their talents to minister to those they come into contact with, not only at Williams Stadium, but anywhere they have the privilege to perform. For more information on Liberty’s marching band, visit The Spirit of the Mountain’s Web page at liberty.edu. GLOSSNER is a news reporter.
Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion
EXCITE — Band members bring energy to games through their performances.
feature
Liberty Champion | September 30, 2014 | B7
Acting off the stage
Theatre Professor Chris Nelson starred in a feature film over summer break Emma Jane Maurer emaurer@liberty.edu
Joel Coleman
It is often said how important it is to form connections with people in college and on the job, because they may prove useful later. Such is true for Chris Nelson, an assistant professor of theatre arts at Liberty University, who starred in the film “As It Is in Heaven,” which was filmed in July. Nelson became involved with the film beNELSON cause he worked with the director, Joshua Overbay, in graduate school at Regent University. “I worked with him on a couple short films,” Nelson said. “He called me and said, ‘I’m doing this project out here in Kentucky (at Asbury University),’ gave me the dates and asked me what I thought.” Several factors contributed to Nelson’s decision to star in the film. “It was perfect timing, because the filming dates were the only dates that fit in my schedule because of running the summer (theatre) camps here (at Liberty),” Nelson said. “I also knew the director in terms of his work. It was also an opportunity for me to continue to refine my skills, which is important as a professor, because we’re out there continually doing as much as we can, while teaching at the same time. It gets tough to reconcile both schedules, but this was one time it
worked out really well.” Nelson said it was the personal connection that helped him land the job. “Even though it had been five years since I last talked to him, I was reminded of how important it is to create strong, working relationships with people, because smaller projects in the past may lead to bigger ones in the future,” Nelson said. “A lot of times in the arts and entertainment world, that is usually how things work out. I try to remind my students to keep that in mind. The relationships you made in the past can still come back and be a part of your future.” In the film, Nelson portrays David, a recent convert to a religious sect. After the sect’s leader unexpectedly dies, David becomes the leader, all in the course of a year. The leader, Edward, names David his successor, even though his son Eamon is capable of doing the job. “It’s a Cain and Abel type of thing,” Nelson said. Nelson said one of the challenges of filming “As It Is In Heaven” rested in how he portrayed his character. “I couldn’t make him the stereotypical, evil cult leader like most people think of, but to find the humanity in him,” Nelson said. “It was definitely a challenge to bring a level of true humility, faith and devotion to what David really believes he is hearing from the Lord. As an actor, you are trying to find the positive, the negative and the human in characters because you want to be relatable in some respects. Otherwise, there’s a distance between the audience
that never gets crossed.” Nelson said one of the rewards of filming “As It Is In Heaven” was playing a character who had the chance to develop. “My experience in film has mostly been supporting players and not so much playing a character that a lot of the story rests on,” Nelson said. “One of the most rewarding things for an actor is to have the opportunity to create a character with an arc and to hopefully maintain the audience’s attention throughout. That and working with people you trust and (who) understand the craft really well is what’s most rewarding for me.” According to Nelson, there were some differences between acting on stage and in film. “The principles behind the craft of acting do not change from stage to film,” Nelson said. “What changes is more of the proportions. It’s more simplistic on film.” To illustrate his point, Nelson compared film to making a cupcake and the stage to making a three-tiered cake. “(And) when it comes to vocal projection, I have to make sure I reach the last of the balcony on stage,” Nelson said. “On film, the screen is maybe two inches to a foot away from your face. It’s like talking to a friend. It’s a cool challenge. I love seeing students deal with that in my film acting classes.” To learn more about Nelson’s film and its upcoming releases, visit asitisinheaventhemovie.com.
Photo Provided
ROLE — Chris Nelson played a main character in “As It Is In Heaven.”
MAURER is a feature reporter.
Trial | Bipolar Depression Clinical TrialClinical | Asthma Study
Do You Have Asthma? Asthma Study Participants from Liberty University Needed
Volunteers are needed for a study about asthma and the common cold.
You must have asthma, not smoke and be 18-40 years old.
Will you be the difference? You can make a difference in this year's election, but you have to register first!
Screening at UVA is in progress now and involves 2 visits ($40 for the 1st visit; $60 for the 2nd). $30 reimbursement for gas mileage for Liberty University participants will also be provided. Those who qualify can participate with payment of up to $1,870 for completing the study. For more information, please contact the UVA Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center via email at ddm9q@virginia.edu or 434.982.3510. (HSR#12656 and 14427)
In hall meetings on Tuesday, September 30, You will have an opportunity to register to vote. Your RA will be able to help you with basic questions about the form. Plus, the voter registration drive will continue on Wednesday, October 1 at convocation.
The on campus deadline to register is October 8. For more information see vote@liberty.edu
UVA Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center ddm9q@virginia.edu | 434.982.3510
feature
B8 | September 30, 2014 | Liberty Champion
Serving on the road Liberty bus driver Rick Edwards shows the love of Christ during his daily route Rachael Graf rgraf5@liberty.edu
Richard Edwards is no ordinary bus driver. He is a counselor, teacher, encourager and friend — all from behind the wheel of a white Liberty University bus. He also happens to be a husband, father of four children and grandfather of three grandchildren. Edwards, who prefers to be called “Rick” or “Bus Driver Rick,” did not start out as a bus driver, though it is something he said he always dreamed of doing. “I love driving big things,” Edwards said. “It’s one of my earthly passions.” Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Edwards left his hometown at age 17 to pursue ministry, something he believed God was calling him to do. Passionate about both youth and music ministry, Edwards worked with Life Action Ministries (LAM) for 10 years as both a music director and camp director. LAM is also where Edwards met and married the love of his life. The two are preparing to celebrate their 35th anniversary Oct. 12. After 21 years of ministry, Edwards, his wife and his two youngest daughters moved to Romania as missionaries with Friendship International. There, Edwards helped a group of Romanian pastors develop Light House Camp in Buteni, Romania. He also worked with a group of Hungarian and Romanian students traveling, singing and sharing the gospel. Three years later, the Edwards family moved back to the United States, and Edwards assumed a pastorate in Wyoming for four years. It was then time for yet another move, this time to North Carolina, where Edwards was a pastor and chaplain for the Williamston fire department for three years. He and his wife, who is a floral designer currently working with bloom by Doyle’s in Lynchburg, also owned a floral and antique shop in Williamston. Even with years of ministry under his belt, Edwards said he did not really consider himself a pastor. “I never really felt like a pastor,” Edwards said. “I am an encourager. … I love building lives, and I love doing anything I can to bring a smile.” Following the short time spent in North Carolina, Edwards moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, after Friendship International asked him to take over their program, which operates in Romania, Hungary, Scotland and Chile — all places Edwards has visited. However, the Lord had a different plan in mind. At the time, Edwards and his wife were reading “Abba’s Child,” by Brennan Manning. The book changed Edwards’ life.
Kari Moye | Liberty Champion
MINISTER — Rick Edwards leaves a lasting impression on the students he drives. “Brennan was a man who … never got over the fact that he was loved by Christ,” Edwards said. “It just seemed to permeate everything about him. That grabbed my heart like nothing (else) had in 37 years of ministry.” The Edwards family realized there was no difference between full-time ministry and not being on staff at a church. “I wanted to be working where people needed Jesus,” Edwards said. “I just wanted to be a light.” For Edwards, being a light involved driving buses. Lots of them. Edwards, who had always wanted to drive a motor coach, started driving for Grayline Tours of Colorado Springs and began a new kind of mission work. “My desire was to be different,” Edwards said. “That’s what Jesus calls us to be.” After a short time as a driver in Colorado, Edwards relocated to Virginia to be with family. Within two days of the move, God opened the door for
Edwards to drive for Liberty University. Edwards began working second shift Monday through Friday from 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. for the Cornerstone apartments route, and 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for Main Campus, something he struggled with at first. “When I got here, I was so angry at the Lord (because) I had to give up motor coach,” Edwards said. “That’s how much I loved it.” Slowly but surely, God began to change his heart. “The spirit of God just hit my heart with, ‘Rick, you don’t know who’s coming through the door, because one day, one of these kids could be a follow-up to Billy Graham, a follow-up to Bill Gates, a wealthy businessman (or) a nurse,’” Edwards said. That was Edwards’ turning point. And, after one semester on the job, Edwards had the opportunity to live his dream again — driving a motor coach. “Any day in a motor coach seat
is a great day,” Edwards said. The best part of bus driving for Edwards is the passengers. Bruno Yupanqui, a graduate student at Liberty, said Edwards radiates positivity. “I always ride around campus with headphones on. … Even with them on, you can still feel his presence emanate a positive environment within his bus,” Yupanqui said. “While I choose to be antisocial at the wrong times, this guy is pretty cool.” Edwards said he loves talking with his passengers about anything and everything. “I love it when they ask questions,” Edwards said. “I love knowing where they are. You can’t meet somebody until you know where they are.” Topics range from marriage to missions to majors. If someone wants to talk, Edwards will listen — sometimes for two or three rounds. Edwards’ encouraging efforts are not just limited to bus rides, however. He also has a Twitter page (@busdriverrick) and encourages students to follow him for words of encouragement throughout the day. He currently has 875 followers. “Rick has gone the extra mile in creating a Twitter account,” Timothy Spencer, assistant director of Charter Services at Liberty, said. “He has exemplified the kind of person we want working at Liberty. His love for Christ first, his family, the students. … I would say Rick doesn’t come to work, he comes to his mission field.” Edwards knows that life, like bus driving, is not without its challenges. “The kids may look at me and think that I’m always happy,” Edwards said. “But that’s not life. Life has its challenges. But we always have the privilege to experience joy.” Life is exciting for Edwards because he said he is living for an audience of one, “driving the king’s chariots around.” Edwards said he is honored to be a part of the Liberty transit staff, a group he described as both diverse and fun, and a group that has taught him so much. “Mr. Edwards is a very hard worker, very passionate for what he does,” Ted Sweet, transportation and transit manager for Liberty, said. “His passion is (for) the students, and he’s very helpful with the transit department.” Having been a driver for a total of 35 years, Edwards knows that on the road trip of life, God drives the bus. He is just along for the ride. Bus driving is not a job for Edwards, but a ministry. It is a passion. A calling. A privilege. And he simply wants to let people know how much God loves them right where they are. “I don’t care what color, shape, height or width (the passengers) are,” Edwards said. “I try to love them when they come through the door, and just be a bright spot in their life.” GRAF is a feature reporter.
How ’bout them apples As the fall season begins, many nearby orchards offer a host of fall activities Carly Koenig cbkoenig@liberty.edu
The cooler weather has arrived, and with it comes many outdoor activities and seasonal dishes, along with a staple of the fall season — the apple. Central Virginia is home to a number of apple orchards, including Seaman’s Orchard in Nelson County and Gross’ Orchard in Bedford County. Seaman’s Orchard, located at 415 Dark Hollow Road in Roseland, Virginia, offers a variety of produce, including apples. Customers can choose from many different types of apples, such as pink lady, honey crisp and gala. The orchard also offers pumpkins, blueberries, cherries and strawberries. Additionally, customers are invited to pick their own pumpkins from the Seaman’s patch Oct. 4-31. Seaman’s also hosts an Apple Butter Makin’ Festival Oct. 4 and 18 at its packing facility in Tyro, Virginia. Festival attendees will be able to visit food vendors, crafters and a corn maze and experience games, pumpkin patches and apple butter making.
Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion
AUTUMN — Students can enjoy nearby apple orchards such as Seaman’s and Gross’ Orchard. Gross’ Orchard in Bedford County, which is a familyowned-and-operated business that sits at the foot of the Peaks of Otter, also offers the fall fruit. There are 24 varieties of apples grown on the land, including red delicious, golden
delicious, fuji and black twig. Gross’ Orchard is located at 6817 Wheats Valley Road in Bedford, Virginia. Ronnie Gross, co-owner of Gross’ Orchards, explained that October is the busiest month of the year for the business due
to the increase in the number of products sold, which include country ham and bacon, apple cider and different types of jams and jellies. The orchard offers a “UPick” program, allowing customers to pick their own
apples from bushel baskets. Gross’ Orchard will host its 24th Annual Apple Harvest Festival Oct. 18. The festival consists of food vendors, wagon rides and apple butter made in copper kettles. Gross said one of his favorite parts of the job is taking visitors on tours around the orchard and letting them experience the beauty of the orchard. “I enjoy giving tours and meeting new people, especially people who haven’t been out in the country before,” Gross said. “I love being out here in the country and looking at the mountains and coming to work here every day. There really isn’t a part of the job that I dislike.” For more information on festivals and other activities held at Gross’ Orchard, visit grossorchards.com or call 540-586-2436. To find out more about Seaman’s Orchard, visit seamansorchard. com or call 434-277-8130.
KOENIG is a feature reporter.
feature
Liberty Champion | September 30, 2014 | B9
Singer stars in film Anthem Lights’ Alan Powell steps off the stage in order to act in Christian movie
Sam Campbell scampbell75@liberty.edu
Liberty University alumnus Alan Powell, who graduated in 2007, is used to performing onstage. He is used to the lights and screaming fans. As a member of the Christian pop band Anthem Lights, he is used to touring the country and singing his heart out. But this past year, Powell took on a new challenge, something he had never tried before. Powell was recently cast in his very first feature film, “The Song.” This new adventure began with a single email. “I have an agent in Nashville, and I just got an email (from him) one day about this film,” Powell said. “They were looking for a character named Jed. I read the character description, and I felt like I really understood this guy.” Powell decided to audition. After his initial performance, he received a callback and was cast as the lead character shortly thereafter. Powell said he earned the role the “regular, old-fashioned film way.” Powell was never hesitant to join the cast. He said he was excited about the film, which is loosely based off the biblical story of Solomon, and strongly believed in its message. “I believed in what they were doing, the story they were trying to tell,” Powell said. “I’ve always had a passion for film, so the opportunity to be a part of this one was something very exciting.” According to Powell, getting into character was a day-to-day challenge. Some days were heavier scenes, others were lighter, but he said he just had to wake up and “get into that head space.” Powell said he and Jed share certain similarities, which helped him relate to his character. “Jed goes through a lot of different emotions and a lot of different situations,” Powell said. “But he’s a musician, and I am as well, so I understood that aspect
Photos Provided
PERFORM — Anthem Lights member and Liberty alumnus Alan Powell added “actor” to his résumé. — being gone a lot, traveling a lot and being an entertainer. He’s a father and a husband, as am I, so there’s a lot of connection between Jed and me.” Out of the entire filming experience, there was one day that stood out for Powell — the day his wife came on the set. “We doubled my wife in for the kissing scene and did 18 or 19
takes, so that was a really fun day,” Powell said. While he enjoys both performing onstage and performing for the camera, Powell said there is a definite difference between the two. “When you’re performing for the camera, there are a lot of people around, but you’re supposed to pretend that they’re not there,”
Powell said. “When performing on stage, you’re really playing up to the fact that the audience is indeed there.” Powell said he hopes those who watch the film will realize the importance of friends and family. His desire is for audiences to reach out to their loved ones and show them how much they are appreciated, even if it is only
Eating on the go New food trailer offers big selection of breakfast and lunch items Ashley Bunner abunner@liberty.edu
Recently rolling into Lynchburg, Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee is one of the newest food trailers in the local area offering a wide variety of coffee drinks and breakfast foods. According to Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee’s Facebook page, Sept. 1 marked the first week of operation. According to co-owner Diane Williams, the food trailer is a partnership between three parties, one of those partners being June Smith, the owner of Sweet Frog on Wards Road. “We decided that it was a good idea,” Williams said. “These trailers seem to be quite profitable.” Williams said she thinks the bagel and coffee trailer has been growing since the opening. “We’ve been slowly building,” Williams said. “It keeps getting better and better every day and every week.” Located at 3405 Candlers Mountain Road in the parking lot of River Ridge Mall, Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee is not in the busiest area of town, but people are becoming more familiar with it. “A lot of people don’t know we’re there,” Williams said. “We’re kind of on the back side of the mall, and so people are slowly finding us.” According to Williams, there are a variety of people that come to the food trailer, but she has noticed that a significant amount of the customers are employees at Liberty Uni-
Lauren Adriance | Liberty Champion
MENU — Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee offers coffee, smoothies and a variety of quick meals. versity Online, which is located in the River Ridge Mall. Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee offers authentic bagels from New York, as well as 100 percent organic coffee that comes in bold, mild and day selections. Williams said Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee is unique in the fact that it is the only food trailer in the area that offers more than just desserts and coffee drinks. The menu has more than 70 items to choose from, including bagel sandwiches, a variety of spreads, such as cream cheese and homemade pesto, waffles with fresh fruit, lunch sandwiches and hot or iced specialty coffee drinks and smoothies.
“Mr. Goodies is ice cream, and the Monkey Joe’s on Forest Road is ice cream and coffee, and the one (trailer) on Timberlake is smoothies and coffee, so this is the only one that actually specializes in breakfast and lunch,” Williams said. According to Managing Partner June Smith, Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee offers catering and delivery to office meetings with 24hour notice. While there are several other coffee trailers in the area, Williams said she believes Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee will stand out because it has a double drive-thru and walk-up window and also accepts Flames Cash.
Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee’s official app allows users to view the menu on the go, unlock coupon rewards for frequent visits, receive exclusive mobile coupons, and win prizes by using the food camera to email photos. Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee’s hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7 a.m.-7p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. The shop is closed on Sundays. For more information about Datz “A” Bagel & Coffee Company, visit facebook.com/ DatzABagelandCoffee. BUNNER is a feature reporter.
through a simple text message. “The Song” opened in theaters Sept. 26. For more information about the film and where it is playing, visit thesongmovie.com.
CAMPBELL is the feature editor.
PROFILE continued from B10 married,” Falwell said. “It would just be boring, I think.” Liberty’s growth in recent years has given Falwell the opportunity to exercise his eye for architecture. Falwell shared that he is most looking forward to the construction of Liberty’s Landmark Tower and the new student center behind DeMoss Hall, describing campus construction planning as “almost like playing ‘SimCity.’” “All those years, I remember walking around campus and saying, ‘It would be nice if we had a different type of building here,’” Falwell said about his time as a student at Liberty. “To see those changes actually taking place is something I’ve dreamed about for years.” In this season of dreams becoming realities for Falwell, Liberty is gaining traction, becoming a model campus for other religious institutions around the nation. “I was talking to the president of another large Catholic university and they were saying that they have watched Liberty’s growth and they want their university to become for Catholics what Liberty is for evangelicals,” Falwell said. “We always said the same thing about Notre Dame, and I thought it was funny that another school was using us as what they want to become.” Passionate about creating and sustaining a world-class university, Falwell has dedicated his efforts to advancing Liberty’s role in Christian education. “That’s what I wake up every morning trying to do — to move Liberty toward that ultimate vision and dream. I’m just humbled to be part of it actually taking place now.”
GOINS-PHILLIPS is the opinion editor.
FEATURE
B10
September 30, 2014
Finish strong Catherine Hardee enjoys success Shae Weyant sleitz@liberty.edu
Ty Hester | Liberty News Service
VISION — President Jerry Falwell reflected on all of the changes and special moments that have taken place during his seven years as president.
Presidential profile
A conversation with the university’s most sought-after leader Tré Goins-Phillips dgoinsphillips@liberty.edu
“Okay, Tré, you can come on back now,” his secretary said. For a moment, I felt as if I was back in the eighth grade. I walked through the door and rounded the corner. “Hi, Tré,” President Jerry Falwell said. All of a sudden, memories of my days in grade school left my mind and I felt as if I was seeing an old friend again. We sat at the end of a long conference table in his office, surrounded by maps and campus mockups, a tangible example of Falwell’s passion for campus updates. I never felt as if I was interviewing an executive, separated by rank. Describing his summer pastimes, our conversation proved to be both down-to-earth and engaging. As he began to describe his newfound hobbies, wakeboarding and wake-surfing, I quickly realized that behind the title “president” is a man to whom we
can all probably relate. “(My kids) taught me how to wakeboard this year,” Falwell said. “So, at 52 … I mean, I’ve waterskied my whole life … (but) I’m learning how to wakeboard, wakesurf. I’m learning some new tricks in my old age.” Watersports and all, the Falwells spend much of their time on their family farm in Bedford County, Virginia. With a lake on the property, the home serves as the perfect place for wakeboarding and water-skiing. Falwell said the farm serves as both a house and a vacation home. From summer to winter, the family keeps busy. “Every Christmas on the farm, we shoot mistletoe out of the trees,” Falwell said. “The last few years, I’ve been bringing it to Convo and making an exception to the kissing rule for that one day. When we hand it out at Christmas, it disappears in a few minutes, even if we bring a big bag. But the only easy way to get it out of the tree is
to shoot it down with a shotgun.” Through the years, many different traditions have defined what it is like to grow up as a Falwell. When his kids were younger, they would often venture out on motor home camping trips. “We had some neighbors that also had motor homes,” Falwell said, leaning back in his chair, legs propped up on the seat next to him. “One summer, we all went out West for three weeks, drove 5,000 miles and saw a lot of the national parks.” With busy schedules and a big farm, the Falwells do not travel quite as much these days, but they do enjoy spending their down time in the area. Some of their favorite weekend getaways include taking a hike up Peaks of Otter or enjoying dinner at Jimmy’s on the James, the Millstone Tea Room or Main Street Eatery. Spending more time at home was not always something that came naturally to Falwell. For years, Liberty was fighting fi-
nancial struggles and in need of constant attention. “I was so busy for so many years,” Falwell said of lessons he has learned. “I was probably spending more time than I should have working. In the last two or three years, I’ve tried to change that. … I finally learned just to turn the computer off when I take off work. I’ve found a whole lot better balance in recent years.” Falwell and his wife, Becki, have been married for 27 years. As he shared stories of his time dating Becki, I wondered what lessons he may have learned after nearly 30 years of marriage. Falwell spoke very highly of Becki, telling me “she sees things that I would never see or notice, and I see things she would never see or notice.” He said their differences have complemented each other in their marriage. “I can’t imagine how two people just alike could enjoy being
See PROFILE, B9
kiss the girl
Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion
SPLASH — Performances of “The Little Mermaid” will continue in the Tower Theater through Oct. 5. For ticket information, visit alluvionstage.com.
With her buzzer in hand, Liberty University alumna Catherine Hardee took on the opportunity to win big bucks Sept. 23 as she played her first round on the television game show, “Jeopardy!” After exhausting all of the questions her first day, Hardee’s winnings came to $12,401 — a result of being the only contestant to answer the final jeopardy question correctly. After stringing together a series of wins, Hardee tied for co-champion at the end of Friday’s episode Sept. 26, allowing her to return for the Monday-night showing Sept. 29. Hardee finally gave up the title of “Jeopardy!” champion Monday after winning four out of five shows. Her winnings from the show totaled $95,201. According to Hardee, she plans on spending some of that money on a trip to New Zealand. Hardee studied history during both her undergraduate and graduate years at Liberty, receiving her bachelor’s degree in 2012 and her master’s in May 2014. According to Hardee, her time at Liberty helped to prepare her for her appearance in the nationally televised trivia contest. Hardee was also a member of the debate team during her freshman year and the Quiz Bowl team during her junior and senior years of undergraduate study. She participated in the Quiz Bowl team during her two years of graduate school as well. “I know Liberty played a huge role in preparing me,” Hardee said. “Of course, all my professors in the history department also played a massive role, and I can’t thank them enough.” Hardee described her experience taping the show, not forgetting to mention even the smallest details. “‘Jeopardy!’ records five shows per day, two days every other week,” Hardee said. “I got to the studio at 8 a.m., in time to fill out some forms, get my makeup done and rehearse on the set. Then, the taping began. I ended up being on the second show of the day, which was great since I had the chance to watch one show being taped before I was on the spot.” According to Hardee, she also prepared for the show by seeking advice from previous champions and studying past games in order to gain insight into the types of questions that would be asked and common topics that come up frequently. Hardee said she was pleased with her success on the show. “I was thinking, ‘Oh my word, I’m a “Jeopardy!” champion,’” Hardee said. “No matter what happens, I’m a ‘Jeopardy!’ champion.”
WEYANT is a feature reporter.