Ellie Holcomb and guests perform at Tokens

Dr. Lee Camp’s Tokens concert Tuesday night was filled with comedy, theological teachings and of course great music from artists like Ellie Holcomb. Tokens is a theological variety show. The night was titled Shame and Presence, and each of the guests spoke about times in their lives where they dealt with shame. All of the talks were done in a light-hearted way. Many Lipscomb students attended the concert thanks to 65 free tickets that were given out after the Gathering on Tuesday. Students could also receive an extra chapel credit for attending. Singer Ellie Holcomb spoke and sang at the Gathering as a preview to Tokens. After hearing her preview, students were most looking forward seeing Holcomb’s performance. “I’m a really big fan of Ellie Holcomb, so I’m most excited to see her sing because I really like her songs and her voice,” Lipscomb sophomore Kasey Gibson said. Camp introduced the show by singing a song before introducing all of the guests, and then Holcomb performed two songs. Following her performance was an array of musical and speaking guests. The Token Radio Players performed a skit about Biblical creation, and Al Andrews spoke next in a discussion format with Camp. Several musical guests followed. Andy Gullahorn performed a song, and he was followed up by Brother Parker, a musical group made up of one college and two high school young men. Odessa Settles closed out the first half of the show with a slow tune. One of the most entertaining speakers of the night, according to viewers, was Brother Preacher, who talked about different stories in the Bible in a comedic...

Lipscomb group abroad in Chile safe from earthquake

Lipscomb students living in Chile this semester were far from the danger zone when the deadly 8.2-magnitude earthquake violently shook the country Tuesday. The university confirmed the group’s well-being in a press release from Assistant Vice President of Communication and Marketing Kim Chaudoin. “Lipscomb University students who are studying abroad in Santiago, Chile are more than 1,000 miles away from an earthquake that struck off the coast of northern Chile …,” Chaudoin wrote. “University officials have confirmed the safety of all team members.” Theology and ethics professor Lee Camp is leading the group while they are away, and he provided insight into the situation for the university in an email at 10:20 p.m. CST. “All is well here,” Camp wrote in the email. “No effects of the earthquake in Santiago.” A 7.6-magnitude after-shock hit the region less than 24 hours after the quake. The after-shock itself is reportedly stronger than any quake to hit the U.S. since the 7.8-magnitude 1906 San Francisco earthquake.     Photo courtesy of...

Dr. Josh Strahan calls students to be inspired by faith

‘The heartthrob of the Bible Department,’ also known as Dr. Josh Strahan, is redefining the Biblical teaching style while helping students harness their interest in their faith. This style brings forth God’s word to students and allows them to search for answers to the questions they encounter through lecture. “I’m really passionate about the material. I really find Jesus to be a compelling character, and I really try to let him speak for himself as much as possible,” Strahan said. “Overall, Lipscomb students seem to be very interested in spirituality. I get a sense of hunger and interest from them.” Strahan graduated from Lipscomb in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Bible before continuing on to earn his Ph. D. in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2011. Despite his position, he says that his recruitment to Lipscomb wasn’t filled with much enthusiasm. “I went to Church of Christ High School in Columbia, Tenn. and Lipscomb recruited from there. Once I got a scholarship to go to Lipscomb, I was lazy, and didn’t apply to any other schools. Once I got in, it just seemed like a natural fit,” Strahan said. Strahan’s walk with Christ didn’t officially begin until after high school. Like many young teens, he knew of God, but didn’t know who or what He was. “I grew up in a Christian family, so I’ve always been taught about God. But I don’t know that I connected with the Christian story,” Strahan said. “As I started listening to lecturers like Earl Lavender and reading books by C.S. Lewis and Richard Foster, that’s when my eyes began...

LGBTQ activist group to host panel discussions

Soulforce, a group that promotes equality for LGBTQ people, will visit Lipscomb on Monday, March 12. The Soulforce visit was announced briefly at the end of The Gathering on Feb. 28. A March 1 email from SGA President Daniel Wakefield further clarified the event. The email stated that students were invited to attend one of three morning discussion sessions in Ezell chapel, involving panel discussions with representatives from Soulforce and university professors. The email reminded students that seating would be limited. “[Soulforce’s] mission is to bring attention to what they believe are unfair attitudes and policies within religious organizations,” Wakefield’s email said. “As a gracious and loving Christian community, Lipscomb seeks to be open to conversation about issues that may be difficult or sensitive,” the email contintued. “In this spirit, we look forward to meaningful dialogue with the Soulforce visitors and hope they feel that they have been graciously, thoughtfully, and faithfully received.” In a two-part panel discussion led by Dr. Steve Joiner, Lipscomb’s director for the Institute for Conflict Management, Soulforce will explore the justice and ethical issues surrounding the subject of homosexual orientation and homosexual practice. On Monday, the university will have panel discussions at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. for the limited number of students who were able to sign up in the SGA office. The justice issues that the panel will likely discuss include bullying and equal and fair treatment under the law. Lipscomb panelists include Dr. Ken Durham, Dr. Randy Spivey and Dr. Norma Burgess. A second panel will include Dr. Lee Camp, Dr. John Mark Hicks and Dr. Charla Long. Soulforce will supply...
Students visit National Civil Rights Museum

Students visit National Civil Rights Museum

To take a deeper look into the history of the civil rights movement, a group of Lipscomb students traveled to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn., at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The one-day trip was led by Dr. Lee Camp, a Bible professor, who sought to give students the opportunity to visit the history of the civil rights movement. Most students had never been to the museum, so it was “an eye-opening experience.” “It’s one thing to hear about it all the time, but to actually be in a place where history happened…it just made it so real for me,” said Natilan Crutcher, a Lipscomb student who went on the trip. The museum takes students through the history of African Americans from the early 1600s to the recent years of 2000-2012. The museum is made up of exhibits, artifacts, sculptures and remakes of events which led to the civil and human rights movement. “I came to this museum as a child, and I didn’t really know much about it,” said John Brownlee, a Lipscomb student from Memphis, Tenn., “but now that I am older I’m starting to appreciate it more, now that I understand the struggle of people like my grandmother and great grandmother.” For some students, the museum opened their eyes to appreciate life and the struggle of so many African Americans reaching for freedom, justice and equality. “I have a better understanding of how things went down,” said Lipscomb student Day Day Wells. Wells said the experience led her to think about the things people often take for granted such...