Lipscomb students getting prepared for Super Bowl XLVIII

Whether students are avid fans of the National Football League or not, many Bisons are making plans to watch Super Bowl XLVIII between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. “I think the two teams in the Super Bowl deserve to be there,” sophomore Todd Lambeth said. “Seattle has the best defense in the league. Denver has Peyton Manning, and any offense is going to be successful with him.” “I think Denver will win,” Lamberth predicted. “It will be a close game, but I think Denver’s offense will be able to work Seattle’s defense pretty well and be able to put some points up. I think it will be high scoring game, with Denver winning by a touchdown.” Peyton Manning’s record-breaking season may be the reason that students would pick the Broncos to win. Manning is also popular in Tennessee because he played for the Volunteers during his college years. “I’m picking the Broncos to win because I love Peyton, and a Super Bowl win will just put the icing on the cake for the great season he has had this year,” sophomore Eric Dunn said. One student is looking forward to seeing the legendary Manning and Seattle’s dynamic cornerback Richard Sherman face off. “I think the Broncos are going to win if there is good weather,” freshman Tanner Allen said. “Peyton Manning is going to be too much for the Seahawks defense, and hopefully [he will] make Richard Sherman look bad. Both of these teams had very good teams throughout the whole year, so it should be fun to watch.” The Student Activities Board will be hosting a party on...

Adventuring Abroad: Preparation Horrors and the City of Saints

In my experience, I have found the most stressful part of any journey oftentimes accompanies the preparation and anxiety that arises before ever even taking that first step onto the airplane, vehicle, boat, etc.  Knowing something about where you’re going obviously helps, but if your destination is somewhere you have never been before, no amount of reading, packing or studying will keep those fears, doubts and second thoughts from festering in your mind. The key is to channel these oftentimes negative feelings into something positive, like excitement or eagerness. If you keep reminding yourself how fulfilling your trip is going to be, you’ll eventually convince yourself that you are excited and eager to be going. Then, one day, you’ll find that you actually are, just as you were when you first decided to take the trip. This was the process I had to work through when I decided to participate in Global Learning. The minute I saw my new home, though, I felt at peace and reassured. Santiago has been nicknamed the city of Saints for the capital’s deeply rooted traditions in Catholicism. This core essence of the city can be felt everywhere, from the world-famous Metropolitan Cathedral to the hilltop sanctuary “San Cristόbal”, where a 22-meter tall limestone Virgin Mary stands, looking out over her loyal and dedicated city. With its towering buildings and ongoing cityscape, Santiago has the potential to feel like a megacity to newcomers. Nearly half of Chilé’s 14-million inhabitants live in Santiago, giving it a population of over 7-million. The Chileans of Santiago seem to be especially proud and in touch with their European...

Publishing CEO T.B. Boyd shares words of wisdom at Tuesday’s Gathering

A member of one of Ebony magazine’s Coolest Black Families in America stopped by Tuesday’s Gathering to share words of wisdom concerning the philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. T.B. Boyd, III, president and CEO of R.H. Boyd Publishing and a leader in church supplies production, expressed his thoughts about faith and the impact of King’s dream that shaped his conviction to stand against mistreatment. Boyd is a member of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church. He began by speaking about his faith and the role he believes it should play in our lives. “We as Americans must bear witness and live plain to the fact that the Lord must still be in the blessing business, passionately in the blessing business,” Boyd said. “We have a God who blessed us with the ability to dream, and dream we must do.” Boyd then transitioned into the dream of King. “I know that all of us have something in common with the dream of Martin Luther King,” Boyd said. “[He] dreamt of freedom and equality.” He spoke about the scrutiny that African-Americans faced before and during the civil rights movement. The opposition burned buildings and harassed those who stood for the movement. Boyd said that in the face of opposition, King encouraged the protesters to remain non-violent, which was a powerful philosophy to King. “Unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality,” Boyd said. Boyd said that people still must adapt to the change that King presented and to continue to be generous in our everyday living. “Dr. King’s legacy should tell us that we as a nation are going...

HumanDocs begins spring slate with ‘Homegoings’

HumanDocs returns Wednesday night to begin their spring slate with the PBS Point-of-View film Homegoings.  The screening will take place in 8:30 p.m. in Ward Hall. As Black History Month is just around the corner, Homegoings focuses on Isaiah Owens, a funeral director in Harlem, and his experiences through his work in the community. Ted Parks, a Spanish professor and curator of the HumanDocs program, speaks on behalf of the challenging questions that will be covered on Wednesday night. “How do we integrate the end of life into life itself in a culture that prefers not to talk about death?” Parks said would be something to consider. “Can a person’s passing really be a time of celebration as well as mourning?” Following the film, there will be a panel for a brief discussion including people such as Joy Samuels, Jackie Conwell, Greg Rumburg and Donnetta Hawkins. “Our panel includes social workers and psychologists who have not only worked professionally with grieving people, but have experienced loss themselves,” Parks said. “I think Wednesday night will not only be a chance to see an engaging documentary, but to think about who we are, the hope we have and the preciousness of life.” HumanDocs will host another film in February, tentatively selecting Inequality for All, a close look at the growing income gap in the United States. It is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 8:30 p.m., in Shamblin Theatre. Both screening are free and open to the public. Photo courtesy of...

Missions-minded Samantha Gwinn tells of her passion for ministry

The opportunity to take mission trips as a Lipscomb student fits right into freshman Samantha Gwinn’s plans to travel the world and help others. Gwinn is studying elementary education, but her dream is to be a missionary. Already, Gwinn has quite a bit of experience in mission work. A few places she already has visited are Mexico, Honduras, South Africa and Swaziland, as well as many places in the United States. “The summer before my senior year of high school, I knew I was being called to do something more than just a week of mission work,” Gwinn said. “I’ve wanted to be a missionary since seventh grade, and I just wanted more of it.  So, I spent a summer in Swaziland two summers ago with a group of people I had only known for four days.” Gwinn mentioned the joy that she has encountered through the people she has spent time with during her journeys. “I enjoy seeing people from other cultures worshiping God. Sometimes we think that we are the only ones who love God, and that we are such good people for going out and spreading Christ’s love. Well, the love is already there,” Gwinn said. “Often times, it is more there than it is here. The kids seem joyful so much of the time, no matter if they’re wearing ratty, dirty clothes and only eat one meal a day. They have the joy of the Lord inside of them.” Gwinn says that she hopes her mission trip travels continue. “Madagascar is high on my list,” Gwinn said. “I’ve learned about it during a project, and God...