Monday convocation ministers to students

Special Music

Liberty University’s ministry team Light performed “Give Love Away” at Monday’s convocation. Light’s mission is to deliver a strong message of surrender and obedience to God and to challenge every believer to discover his or her role in world evangelism.

Members include: Amanda Eldreth, Jamie Joyce, Kevin Klingmeyer, Sam McGovern, Paul McIntyre, John O’Brien, Dave Roberts and Erin Wilson.

Chancellor’s notes

Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. announced that Ben Stein will be Liberty University’s commencement speaker on May 9.

After much deliberation and input from senior students, faculty, staff, consultants, board members and both vice chancellors, Falwell said a decision was made on Friday to invite Stein.

“The speaker has verbally accepted, and we are making final arrangements now,” Falwell said.

Students cheered during the showing of a promotional video clip from Stein’s documentary film, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The film is powerful in persuading viewers that the theory of evolution is partially responsible for the eugenics movement, the rise of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust and portrays advocates of intelligent design as victims of religious discrimination by the scientific community.

The chancellor was also cheered on when he said that this year, being the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, is a fitting time to have Stein give the commencement address.

Miles McPherson motivates students

Miles McPherson, president of Miles Ahead Ministries and pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, Calif., encouraged students to be careful of the deceptions of Satan.

As a former NFL player with the Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers, McPherson experienced his fair share of what the world had to offer him. After years of living an immoral lifestyle filled with drug use, McPherson realized he was empty inside and in 1984 decided to give his life to Christ.

In 1992, he began Miles Ahead Ministries to reach out to youth and in February 2000 the Rock Church held its first service.

Reading the account of the Fall of Man in Genesis 3, McPherson told students Satan is a mastermind in deception. Satan speaks to Eve in the Garden of Eden and deceives her into questioning God. McPherson said her first mistake was speaking with Satan.

“He had no good intentions. His name is destroyer; he wants to destroy you,” he said.

In Genesis 3:7-9 Adam and Eve try to hide themselves from God; McPherson said Satan makes people believe they can sin and hide it from God.

“Every time you sin, you think you will get away with it,” he said.

McPherson said sin is fun for a season but Satan will never tell of the pain that will be endured afterward.

He closed by saying God has a plan for every person’s life and as Christians it is their job to obey Him.

“God loves every single one of you beyond your wildest dreams, he doesn’t want you to hide from him, he doesn’t want you to run from him,” he said. “[God says] ‘I want you to let me restore you to a right place, I want to show you all I have planned for you because what I have planned for you goes beyond your wildest dreams of what you’ve ever asked for.’”