Alumna and professor make Christianity Today’s ‘33 under 33’ list
Alison Howard
Joshua Chatraw
Liberty University alumna Alison Howard (’11) and Professor Dr. Joshua Chatraw were recently named to Christianity Today’s readers’ choice “33 under 33” listing.
Chatraw was named as the director for Liberty’s Center for Apologetics & Cultural Engagement (ACE) and the Theology and Apologetics programs at the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester. He earned his Ph.D. at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and has co-authored two books. He also served as the Pastor of Preaching and Students at First Baptist Dublin, Ga., for three years before making the move to Liberty.
Howard assumed her current role as the communications director at Washington, D.C.’s Concerned Women for America (CWA) in April 2013. She manages internal and external communications projects concerning the sanctity of life, family values, and religious freedom. She has been featured on Fox News, TheBlaze, The Christian Broadcasting Network, and in World Magazine.
Howard holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Liberty. Earlier this year, she was named one of “Five New Rising Stars” by the Republican National Committee.
Godparent Home director ministers from the heart
Since 1982, the Liberty Godparent Home has been meeting the needs of young women faced with an unplanned pregnancy. Janelle Basham (’07), director of the facility, knows firsthand the fears these women face.
“I’ve had those experiences in my own life, and it fuels a fire in me to serve them,” Basham said.
The Godparent Home, founded by the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, is located near Liberty’s East Campus and is a ministry of Thomas Road Baptist Church. Liberty has been supporting the ministry for many years through the annual Baby Bottle Campaign, in which students are encouraged to fill bottles with change. They normally raise more than $10,000 each year.
Basham was a resident of the Godparent Home during her unplanned teen pregnancy in 1994. While living there, she attended a fundraising event with Dr. Falwell. He heard her testimony at the event and later offered her a full scholarship to Liberty.
Basham recalled how her professors refused to judge her and constantly encouraged her to succeed. She graduated with a degree in Family & Consumer Sciences in 2007 and went on to serve as a caseworker with Family Life Services, an adoption agency that partners with the Godparent Home.
“I’ve been able to use my education in that field to lead this organization,” Basham said. “Just like (Dr. Falwell) was investing in me, I am investing in others now.”
Basham was named director in 2010. Her duties include marketing, donor relations, licensing requirements, and overseeing the women’s care.
As a resident, Basham chose adoption for her daughter. The young women under her care now face similar decisions, and she is able to counsel them with firsthand knowledge. According to Basham, the women often face deep emotional pain and require more than routine prenatal care.
“To say, ‘I’ve been there, and you can make it’ speaks volumes to the young ladies,” Basham said. “They know I’m not just talking. I’ve actually done it.”
Engineering professor shares God’s love as he teaches in North Korea
Dr. James Jones and his wife, Victoria, at PUST in North Korea this summer with the first class of students he taught.
Dr. James Jones, associate professor of computer science, has had the unique opportunity to teach at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) over the past three summers. PUST is North Korea’s first privately funded university and is modeled after a similar and very successful institution in China. The government selects only its most gifted students to attend the school. The founder of PUST, Dr. James Chin-Kyung Kim, is a Christian, as are most of the teachers brought in to educate the students.
Jones teaches sophomore-level computer programming over the course of four weeks. Dr. Feng Wang, associate professor of computer engineering, has also taught two summers at PUST.
The trip, which began on June 24 and ended Aug. 4 this year, has become an annual labor of love for Jones. It is not without hardship, however. The school often experiences power outages — some lasting up to 48 hours — when temperatures are sweltering, and living conditions are very basic.
“This is the most unreached, and one of the most dangerous, countries in the world,” Jones said. “The love of Christ within me compels me to keep going until either the door closes or He says ‘no.’ Every aspect of this is a miracle of God. At the invitation of the government I am able to do things that they find uncomfortable, within constraints that I find uncomfortable. We walk by faith, and yet He has been gracious enough to give me evidence. This ministry has opened doors of opportunity to dozens of unbelievers in the U.S. and China.”
Through this endeavor, he has built significant relationships with government officials and students.
As he does at Liberty, Jones takes a personal interest in each of his students’ lives while serving overseas. He hopes to have a lasting impact and, ultimately, to reflect Christ’s love. One thing he does to show he cares is to memorize the name of each one of his students. In addition to remembering the 54 names of his current students, Jones also worked to remember the names of students from previous years. To date, Jones memorized more than 150 names, and students noticed. They understand that he cares for each one of them individually, Jones said, just as God cares for each one of us.
Former Flames soccer coach reflects on his calling in new book
“The Light at the End of the Tunnel,” an anecdotal autobiography of former Liberty University men’s soccer coach and legendary English professional player Bill Bell, was published in August through Liberty Mountain Publishing.
Bell coached at Liberty from 1980-2000, posting a 198-140-40 record in 21 seasons. He was integral in the program’s growth, as it moved from the NCCAA to NCAA Division I level competition and joined the Big South Conference. Bell was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
Born in Scotland, Bell played soccer professionally in England and Scotland for 22 years. He was named one of the top 100 players in the storied history of England’s Leeds United Club.
In his book, Bell tells how God transformed his life from one consumed with soccer to one driven by a passion for the lost.
Bell pursued that passion at Liberty, encouraging the Flames to model sportsmanship on the field and reflect the light of Christ in post-game huddles.
“God intervened countless times to allow me to share my testimony with opposing teams,” Bell wrote. “On numerous occasions, players and coaches who had been our adversaries on the pitch immediately became our brothers in Christ.”
After retiring from Liberty in 2000, Bell returned to England and served as the executive director of Within the Walls, a prison ministry he had started with his wife, Mary, in 1993.
“The reality is that we are all in prison when we are without Christ,” Bell wrote. “God was gracious enough to show me His light at the end of my tunnel, and my life’s passion now is to share that light with everyone I meet.”
President Jerry Falwell and current men’s soccer head coach Jeff Alder endorsed the book, which is co-authored by Ron Starner, who played for Bell at Liberty from 1982-86.
Falwell said Bell’s love and concern for students made an indelible impact on the Flames. “He molded every young man who played soccer for him into a true Champion for Christ,” Falwell wrote.
Screen Time
Several students, faculty, and alumni contributed to film projects this summer.
Liberty students and graduates serve behind the scenes on set of Kendrick brothers’ film
Scotty Curlee and director Alex Kendrick.
A group of students from Liberty University’s Cinematic Arts, Zaki Gordon Center, together with some recent graduates, spent a portion of their summer working behind the scenes of filmmaking brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick’s fifth movie.
Filmed in the Charlotte, N.C., area from early June through the end of July, “Movie 5,” as it is currently dubbed, is the first Kendrick project to be shot outside their hometown of Albany, Ga. The film focuses on the power of prayer and features New York Times best-selling author and Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer in her film debut, as well as a cameo by renowned Christian speaker Beth Moore.
It is being produced by Kendrick Brothers Productions (independent of Sherwood Pictures, the movie ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church) and distributed by Provident Films and AFFIRM Films, a division of Sony Pictures. “Movie 5” is just the latest in a string of Kendrick successes, following “Flywheel,” “Facing the Giants,” “Fireproof” (the highest-grossing independent film of 2008), and “Courageous.”
Ten Liberty film students were hired as paid interns, performing a wide range of production duties from lighting and power, to grip, camera, and wardrobe. Alumni served as assistants in the art and props department, locations department, accounting and payroll, and in the assistant director’s office.
“A lot of [what the students did] depended on what the Kendricks needed and then matching those needs with the students’ skill sets,” said Scotty Curlee, an assistant professor in Liberty’s cinematic arts department. Curlee also had an acting role in the film and served as a liaison for the Liberty students.
Lucas Fairchild of Lovell/Fairchild Communications, which is promoting the film, said Liberty’s cinematic arts department was an ideal source of up-and-coming production talent.
“Liberty has a world-class film program, and it’s growing,” he said. “A huge purpose of the Kendrick brothers is to recruit and mentor young filmmakers and producers.”
Liberty alumni twins David and Jason Benham (’98) played an integral role in bringing the film project to Charlotte, where their real estate group, Benham Companies, is headquartered. More than 1,000 volunteers from 85 churches of various denominations in and around Charlotte stepped up to support production of the film.
For some, such as Liberty graduates Austin Lewis and Kristin Taylor, the experience was an answer to prayer.
“Being able to work on a Kendrick film has been one of the best experiences of my life,” Taylor said. “I’m so honored and blessed to have just a small role on this film. The script is solid and has a message that really needs to be told.”
“I can’t tell you how great it feels to see your work on the big screen, watching all the pieces come together firsthand to create something that viewers will watch in theaters around the world,” Lewis added.
Solomon’s story brought to life by alumnus in modern adaptation
A new film reimagines the biblical Solomon as a folk singer, with Alan Powell, a 2007 Liberty University graduate (biblical studies), assuming the marquee role. “The Song,” which hit select theaters Sept. 26, tells a tale of love and the all-too-real struggle that talent, fame, and wealth can cause. The movie explores the main character’s ups and downs, from young love to heartache, and features an incredible soundtrack.
“The Song” marks Powell’s silver screen debut, though he is no stranger to the limelight. He formed the Christian pop group Anthem Lights in 2007 with a few of his former Liberty classmates.
While fans of Anthem Lights might recognize Powell’s voice in the film, the music bears little resemblance to the group’s high-energy pop tunes. He plays guitar and even learned to play the banjo for certain scenes.
The movie — a City On A Hill Productions/Samuel Goldwyn Films project written and directed by Richard Ramsey — is based on the biblical books of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. It follows Jed King (Powell), a talented musician in his own right, as he seeks to break out of the shadow of his father — legendary country singer David King — and the moral failings that came to define him. Though determined to remain committed to his faith and his family, Jed finds himself increasingly searching for meaning through his accomplishments and drawn into temptation.
Having spent a lot of time on the road while juggling family responsibilities, Powell, a husband and father of two young girls, said he relates to Jed and the struggles he faced. In fact, Anthem Lights, which is still together, scaled back its touring in recent years so the members could spend more time with their families. Powell lives with his family in Nashville, Tenn.
Like Solomon, Jed’s worldly pursuits lead him astray, teaching viewers that it is possible to have it all and still find life meaningless.
“The stories that God chose to tell … they are real,” Powell said. “They are real struggles, and they are real people and real faults, and a lot of times they are real ugly.”
He said that while the film is a bit “raw and gritty,” it does its job “without going too far.”
“For me the tone of the whole film is, it’s God’s Word, it’s His truth, it’s His story, but it’s real and it’s messy like our lives are.”
Resources to strengthen couples and families were created to be used in conjunction with the film.
Film starring theatre arts professor tabbed NY Times Critic’s Pick
Liberty alumnus Chris Nelson (’01), an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre Arts, starred in the film “As It Is In Heaven” this past summer. Though a limited theatrical release, it was selected as a New York Times Critic’s Pick in July.
The film has received similar recognition from other sources, including The Hollywood Reporter and Chicago Sun-Times, who praised the simple, yet captivating storytelling.
The story follows a rural cult as it awaits the end of the world. It sympathetically portrays misguided zeal as it steers audiences through a gamut of passion, devotion, tension, envy, and manipulation.
Nelson plays David, who is abruptly and unexpectedly named the cult’s new leader after the death of the original leader.
“I was drawn to David because I wanted to bring sincerity to his search and his faith and his devotion, even if that devotion looks crazy to the outside world,” Nelson said. “It was a great challenge to find that genuine quality in a character that, to the viewer, holds many flaws.”
Nelson has appeared in feature films before and was offered the role by director Joshua Overbay, whom he knew from graduate school.
The movie was filmed in 2012 near Lexington, Ky. Students of Nelson’s CINE 202 (introduction to motion picture directing) classes over the past two years have had the opportunity to see the project develop. Nelson shared screenings of the film in various stages of production and allowed students to interact with Overbay via Skype for Q & A sessions on independent filmmaking.
Nelson regularly appears in Alluvion Stage Company productions at Liberty and directs some of the Department of Theatre Arts shows.
