by Kelli Blackshear | Feb 22, 2012 | News Slider
Slavery. It’s a term that may remind some of their middle school social studies class, the Civil War, or figures like Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Tubman. What may shock people is that slavery still exists. Not only that, but there are more slaves today than ever in history. People all over the world, including in the United States, are victims of slavery in its various forms including domestic slavery, bondage slavery and sex slavery. Lipscomb students interested in exploring this issue and helping eradicate slavery have the opportunity to get involved. Every Thursday night at 7:30 a group that ranges from five to 15 people meets to discuss this very question. They are known as the International Justice Mission, a chapter of the Washington-based IJM. This is the third year IJM has been on campus and is being led by Cooper McCullough. His time as IJM president has had ups and downs. “My stint as president has been both encouraging and discouraging. Some of the ideas that we’ve brainstormed, as well as the genuine passion I’ve seen in people, has been amazing,” he said. “Discouragement can creep in, though, when I feel like I’ve done a poor job providing people an outlet to combat injustice or when people make it clear that their passion for justice won’t translate into action.” Among the successes are IJM fundraisers. McCullouogh said that some of the organization’s big past events have included a dance party, bake sale, prayer vigil, student recorded album, concert and several chapels/documentaries. He said the meetings begin with “good news,” which is usually a story of rescues by IJM, and a prayer to...
by Emily Snell | Jan 20, 2012 | News Slider
Donald Miller, Christian author and speaker, gave students his “rules to living a meaningful life” in The Gathering on Thursday. “The things it takes to live a good story are the same things it takes to live an interesting life,” Miller said, explaining that he learned a lot about storytelling while working with experts to produce the movie version of his book Blue Like Jazz, which will appear in theaters April 13. Miller said people have the ability to choose to live an interesting, enjoyable life or a boring, meaningless one. “The things that we’re doing with our lives actually shape whether or not we appreciate it,” he said. According to Miller, the first step toward living an interesting life is “you need to want something.” Miller said the reason people get bored during movies is the same reason they feel that life is meaningless–it’s unclear what the protagonist wants. “If I paused your life right now,” Miller asked, “and came to your closest friends and asked, ‘Ok, what do they want?’ Would anybody know?” Miller said he thinks people believe they have to want only God’s specific plan for their lives. But, Miller said he believes God doesn’t always have a detailed plan but allows people to choose what they do with their lives. He said too many people view God as “a dysfunctional dad who is controlling.” “I just see this picture of God as a dad, and He rolls out this big piece of butcher paper on the floor and He gives you a box of crayons,” Miller said, sharing his perspective. “And you and God get to...
by Emily Snell | Nov 8, 2011 | News Slider
A bus accident killed one Abilene Christian University student and left at least a dozen passengers injured Nov. 4 when the driver lost control on a curve, crashing the bus into a concrete culvert, causing it to roll and eject several students. ACU, Lipscomb’s sister school in Abilene, Texas, annually sends agriculture students to serve at a children’s home in Medina, a town about 230 miles from the university. The bus was carrying 12 students, three faculty and one faculty member’s wife. Anabel Reid, a 19-year-old student, was killed in the crash. Monday afternoon, Nov. 7, the ACU Optimist reported that two people were still in critical condition, three others were listed in good condition and three more were in fair condition. Seven had been treated and released. Several members of the Lipscomb faculty have ties to ACU and responded with heartfelt concern for the community. Kent Gallaher, chair of Lipscomb’s Department of Biology, taught at ACU from 2004 to 2008. He and ACU Professor Emmett Miller started the annual trip to Medina Children’s Home. “My dear friend Emmett Miller experienced major head trauma and a broken arm,” Gallaher said. “His wife, Pat, was very badly injured and, as of this morning, continues to be in a coma. “I’ve been in close contact with folks in Texas since Friday evening. It makes my heart ache,” he continued. “The annual Medina trip was something that Emmett and I did together. If I were still teaching there, I too would have been on that bus.” Lipscomb’s Jackie Halstead, associate director of the Institute for Christian Spirituality, worked at ACU for 12...
by Emily Snell | Nov 3, 2011 | News Slider
Retired astronaut Capt. Mark Kelly received a standing ovation before a single word had come out of his mouth Thursday morning when he spoke at The Gathering.Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut who has piloted four space missions, is also husband of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords and Kelly were thrust into the national spotlight in January when Giffords was shot in the head during an assassination attempt in Tucson, Ariz. Kelly said he never expected his wife’s political position to be more dangerous than his own unpredictable career. “I didn’t contemplate how risky of a profession that would be,” Kelly said, thinking back to when his wife began her work in Congress. “I never considered that she was the one with the risky career … but as it turned out she would be the one to nearly lose her life serving our country.” Kelly encouraged students to pursue their dreams and not give up, even when it seems like failure is inevitable. He gave an example of his experiences in Navy flight school, which he “barely passed.” “We all don’t learn at the same rate,” Kelly said. “How well you do in the beginning of anything you try is not a good indicator of what you can become. I am a prime example of someone who was able to overcome a lack of aptitude with practice, persistence and the drive to never ever give up.” Kelly told students that he has one-year, five-year and ten-year plans that help him stay focused on his goals. Sometimes plans change, he said, but it’s good to have an aim. “A plan plus...
by Leah Raich | Nov 1, 2011 | News Slider
When Katie Davis told Lipscomb students how she went from being a homecoming queen in one of the nation’s most affluent suburbs to becoming a mother to 13 Ugandan orphans, it struck a note. “Katie came to speak in chapel last week, and I was truly inspired for the rest of the day,” said Megan Crawford, a senior elementary education major from Bartlett, Tenn. Four years ago, Davis was homecoming queen at Ravenwood High School in Brentwood. Her life was full of good friends, a loving family and boyfriend, and a cute yellow convertible. She was planning to go to college with her boyfriend in the fall of 2008 and study nursing. But God had other plans. After graduating high school, she went to Uganda for a year to teach kindergarten at a local orphanage. She saw this as a temporary move, but God didn’t. Today, Davis is living in Uganda sharing her home with 13 orphaned or abandoned girls, ages 2 to 15. Davis is the legal guardian or foster mother for all of them and hopes to one day adopt them. “As someone her age who has been to Africa, I could relate to a lot of the poverty and emotions she has experienced while living there,” said Crawford. By law, Davis is too young to adopt in Uganda, said child welfare officer Caroline Bankusha. The rules say an adoptive parent must be at least 25 years old and at least 21 years older than the child being adopted. Davis has also started a nonprofit organization called Amazima Ministries. With support from U.S. donors, Amazima helps 400 children go...
