Feb 7, 2014 Print Edition by ORU Oracle

Oral Roberts University · Feb. 7, 2014 Tulsa, Okla. · Vol 48, No. 9 www.oruoracle.com

Up in the air

Drew Wilson III and teammate Sean Glover reach for an oﬀensive board during a recent game. The Golden Eagles are trying to revive a season in the balance.

Photo by Austin St. John

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CENTER Where is the OZONE?

NEWS PAGE 7

Battle of the Bands features campus musicians

SPORTS PAGE 14 Hall of Fame inductees honored

PAGE 12

News

Students anticipate meal plan changes By Dominique Johnson A university official announced changes for meal plan options are in the works for residential students, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Tim Philley. The changes come after a series of discussions with students at open forum events last semester. Starting in the fall, students can expect tiered pricing for both room and board, Philley said. “In addition to tiered pricing, ORU will introducing new meals plans along with additional services within dining services,” Philley said. Currently, students have four options for their semester meal plan. The money for board ($2,381 per semester) is divided between meals in the university’s dining hall, commonly known as Saga, and Sodexo bucks. Philley explained that the price of board accounts for the cost of food, cleaning all the facilities, equipment, supplies [napkins, cleaning supplies, etc], utilities, maintenance of the buildings and more. In the public forums, some students expressed their desire for more options and choices when it comes to picking a suitable meal plan.

When senior engineering major Mike Wilson was a freshman, he couldn’t decide between the 14-meals-per-week and 10-meals-per-week plan. “I was picking out a meal plan, and I wanted to see which meal plan was the best economically,” Wilson said. He eventually decided neither plan suited him best. “[17-meals-per-week] is your best bet as far as getting your money’s worth for what you paid for the semester,” Wilson said. “That’s under the assumption that you use up all your meals every week. Obviously nobody ever does.” Wilson is not alone in his concern. Meal plan queries are one of the most common types of questions the admissions office fields from prospective students. “I think once you get past the admittance stage…where I’m going to live and where I’m going to eat are the two biggest concerns,” said Director of Admissions Chris Belcher. He added that prospective students and their parents are generally satisfied with ORU’s options. “I would say they are pretty pleased that they have more than the cafeteria

option and that there are other options on campus,” Belcher said. Students like Wilson also cite price increases in places like the Deli versus static Sodexo buck options as another concern. “I thought they were a tad pricey to begin with,” Wilson said. “My biggest question for Sodexo would be, ‘Where is the money going?’….There should be more compensation in the form of Sodexo bucks per meal plan.” Philley attributed the price-rise to a consequence of national legislation. “Market pricing is based on current prices in the local market, inflation in food and labor costs,” Philley said. “Currently the biggest impact in labor costs is due to the cost of benefits skyrocketing across the country related to the Affordable Care Act. Trickledown economics is simply that. The cost of food, cost of supplies, cost of fuel, cost of labor, all trickles down to consumer pricing.” Students wanting to save money can take advantage of Eagle Bucks. Eagle bucks is a pre-paid flexible spending account attached to a student’s ORU ID card and are valid at more than 15 locations. Students receive 13 percent off at

Meals per week/Sodexo per semester 7 meals/ $500 Sodexo 10 meals/ $350 Sodexo 14 meals/ $250 Sodexo 17meals/ $200 Sodexo

Sodexo locations, and staff and faculty receive a 6 percent discount. While the discount only works on campus and at CityPlex, surrounding businesses also accept Eagle Bucks as payment. The most recent business added was Mooyah’s. “Sodexo has also done a really good job going outside the university and finding area restaurants who will take Eagle bucks,” Belcher said. Administrators said that while they are constantly considering the best vendors options for students, they also need to keep the selection pool relatively small. “We don’t want to open (Eagle Bucks) too big because we want to make it worth [business’] while,” said Lisa Bowman, director for auxiliary services. “There’s only so many slices of the pie and if we make it too broad people that do come on board won’t really benefit from it.” Students can expect an upcoming official announcement of the meal plan changes. “Details of these plans will be announced in the next couple of weeks,” Philley said.

Eagle Bucks Locations On Campus

Chick-Fil-A • The Deli • Hava Java • Green Cuisine • Freshens Smoothie Company

Off Campus

Orange Leaf • Mr. Goodcents Subs & Pastas WingStop • Zio’s Italian Kitchen Little Caesars • McAlister’s Deli • Nordaggio’s Subway • IHOP • Quizno’s Subs • Qdoba Chipotle • Bellacino’s • Mooyah Graphic by Rebecca Glenn

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 3

Math and engineering departments divide Department chairs welcome separation in light of growing numbers

By Madison McDaniel After five years of being combined, the math and engineering departments are now separate. Dr. John Matsson, professor of engineering, remains the chair of the engineering department while Dr Andrew Lang has been appointed mathematics department chair. As part of President Wilson’s vision for global initiative, this separation has been reinstated once more to distinguish the different majors. “President Wilson wanted a flagship engineering department that he could market globally, because before then it was engineering, physics, computing and math, and it was all mingled together,” Mathematics Department Chair Dr. Andrew Lang said. Lang said unlike past numbers, enrollment within science in engineering, math and computing has grown. “One reason that we were combined in the first place is that the number of students we were getting, in particular with computer science, was declining, and so we sort of merged with engineering,” Lang said. Senior math major Katie Crosby expresses her own outlook on this separation between the two departments.

“I think this will greatly enhance both departments just in the fact that they will be able to spend more time in their respective areas,” Crosby said. Lang’s own progression from professor to chair has given him new perspective in a different role. “Being chair is very interesting,” Lang said. “I’m really enjoying it right now. Since I’ve only been chair for four weeks, it’s been more than it was. ” Lang said. “There’s a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that you’re not aware of as a regular faculty member. You have to cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s to make everything run smoothly.” Since the separation between math and engineering, the departments are able to focus on their own majors as a whole rather than divide attention to two. “Dr. Lang is very excellent in his teaching style,” Crosby said. “I’m glad that we are getting able to do a little more research now that he is directing it. And the engineers of course will be able to do some of their mechanical things.” Now that the departments have split, more avenues for math majors are coming into reality. “We have the Mathematics Preactuary and that major is still going through the faculty senate to be approved, but that should come into existence in the fall,” Lang said. “That will be a great major for people who love math but are also looking for immediate employment opportunities after undergraduate.”

NEWS BRIEFS

4 • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • THE ORACLE

Photo by Becky Mills

Dr. John Matsson works in his oﬃce before an engineering class. Matsson serves as the chair of the engineering department, which recently separated from the mathematics department. The division between the mathematics and engineering departments has been taken as an opportunity to better fine tune both majors individually. “Our visions are slightly different, so I think that when we were combined,

our visions were competing a little bit,” Lang said. “Now that we’re separate, we have two very strong visions rather than two visions that are getting in the way of each other. I can see both department’s visions becoming realities now.”

Vespers Service slated for tonight

Spring Group Advisement

Join alumni and current students for the annual campus Vespers in Christ’s Chapel tonight at 8 p.m. The service will feature a time of worship followed by a message by guest speaker Bill Shuler.

Group Advisement will be held Monday, Feb. 24. Each major will meet in separate locations.

Afterparty to be held Saturday night

Cable TV updates on campus mean students can now watch more than 60 new channels and 50 new channels in high-definition. For details on re-scanning televisions, contact ORU IT at helpdesk@oru.edu.

The annual homecoming After Party will be held at the Marriot hotel across the street from ORU after the men’s basketball game at 7 p.m. Shuttles will run from the Mabee Center to the the hotel.

ORU switches cable TV provider

Cross-town ROTC students pave new roads Program boasts biggest numbers in years; ORU claims top leadership positions By Joshua Ellison Since the founding of the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1916, young men and women have learned discipline, leadership and confidence through rigorous military training and structure. Jacob Gernert, a senior math major, was recently chosen as the cadet flight wing commander of the combined Air Force ROTC group. He is the first ORU student to be elected as commander. Though ORU does not technically have its own ROTC chapter, members from the student body are able to join a sister-wing at OSU across town. He makes the hour-long drive from Tulsa to the OSU campus twice a week

to manage the group. Gernert transferred to ORU last year, but has been in the ROTC program since his freshman year at Cedarville University in Ohio. When he graduates, he hopes to be an intelligence officer in the Air Force. “I’m basically in charge of training, maintenance and logistics,” said Gernert. “The flight wing is run entirely by cadets.” This means that responsibilities like the color guard and disciplinary issues, as well as the field training exercises for the freshmen and sophomores, fall to him. Another senior, Alyssa Perez, is also part of ORU’s ROTC program. She is majoring in nursing and faces the unique problem of balancing one of ORU’s hardest academic programs and the strict ROTC lifestyle. “I did have to do summer school to accomplish it all in four years,” said Perez. She is the Cadet Lieutenant Colonel and oversees the mission support group.

“I’m responsible for special projects,” she said. “This includes commissioning for graduating seniors, as well as communicating between the Army and Air Force sides of the ROTC group. “I also work on things like fundraising and recruiting,” said Perez. The ROTC first appeared at ORU 26 years ago in 1987 but struggled for years due to lack of involvement from students. The program saw a slight boost under the volunteer guidance of government professor Dr. Paul Vickery, who helped guide and grow the program for

several years. Eventually though, membership trailed off again. Perez and Gernert represent a shift towards growth in ORU’s ROTC program. With ORU students slowly taking on more responsibility at the acrostown chapter, graduating seniors are excited to see what the freshman will bring to the group. “There are four freshman from ORU this year,” said Gernert. “There are more cadets than ever before.”

Right: Cadet Gernert was promoted to Wing Commander of the combined Air Force ROTC group at OSU Stillwater. Bottom: ORU crosstown cadets attend the fall 2013 “Dining Out” at the OSU Detachment in Stillwater, Okla. From left to right: Trey Graves, Jordan Malara, Grant Kirkpatrick, Aaron Ross, Alyssa Perez, Jacob Gernert and Corbin Jones. Photos by Rebecca Glenn and Joshua Ellison

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 5

Alumnus of the Year Awards to be presented at Homecoming By McKensie Garber The Alumni Association will present Alumnus of the Year awards during the annual Alumni Homecoming Banquet on Feb. 8. This year’s recipients are Scott Howard, for Service to the Alma Mater; Marty Nystrom, for Service to God; and Mark Tennant, for Service to the Community. Candidates are nominated and chosen based on how they meet specific criteria identified by the university: spiritual impact, service to others, initiative, achievements and challenges faced. Scott Howard- Service to the Alma Mater Howard, a 1979 graduate in business administration is a third-generation roofer/contractor as the President of Commercial Roofers, Inc. in Las Vegas, Nev. After graduation, he worked for Billy Graham for several years, helping with large crusades in Las Vegas. He has served on the Board of Regents since 2007 as Chair of the Finance Committee and on the Board of Trustees since 2008. In 2005, Howard served as a consultant and owner’s representative when ORU was working with an insurance company to evaluate and repair roof damage caused by a violent hailstorm. He traveled to Tulsa every other week for three years, working with contractors from around the country. The value of his assistance was estimated to be worth nearly $3 million to ORU. “I am deeply honored to receive this award,” Howard said. “I remember others who have received it and I am just amazed by the recipients and what they have done for the university, so to even be considered among that group of individuals is such an honor.” Marty Nystrom- Service to God Nystrom is a 1980 graduate in music education from Seattle, Wash. He spent his last year and a half at ORU traveling with the World Action TV Singers. He didn’t begin his involvement with music until high school when he signed up for choir as an alternate class. He taught in public schools for three years in the early ‘80s and noticed the affection students had for books such as “Where the Sidewalk Ends.” “The kids would get in their seats and want me to read one after another. I noticed they liked that edgy humor that’s fun, but sometimes also has a message,” Nystrom said. “I thought, ‘I would love to write things

6 • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • THE ORACLE

like that with stories about the Bible so kids would catch their interest and want to learn more.” In 2006, Standard Publishing released his first children’s book, a humorous collection of poems called, “Don’t Mess With Moses!” His second children’s book was later published, “Zack You’re Acting Zany!” Veteran artist, Steve Bjorkman, illustrated the books. After teaching, Nystrom became the director of the music department for the New York branch of Christ for the Nations. He also served for three years as the song development manager for Integrity Music, Inc. He has taught praise and worship across the country and around the world and has written over 120 songs that have been released by publishers of Christian praise and worship music. His best-known song is the worship chorus, “As the Deer.” He writes a song every day from Bible verses as his form of devotional. “I really could think of many other classmates that seemed more worthy than I,” Nystrom said. “I feel I’m not just going as me, but as a representative of the many ORU grads who have impacted the nations with music.” Mark Tennant- Service to the Community Tennant is a 1984 graduate in pastoral evangelism from Bedford, Pa. He is the founder, president and CEO of Arrow Child & Family Ministries, which offers Christian value-based foster care for children who have been severely traumatized by abuse and neglect in Texas, Maryland, California and Pennsylvania. He also operates an Arrow home in Honduras that rescues sexually abused girls from life on the streets. Tennant is a former foster child himself. Before beginning Arrow, he worked for several years as vice president of the Bair Foundation foster care agency in Pennsylvania. This was the same agency Tennant was placed in as a foster child. During his days as a foster child, he was inspired by Psalm 127:3-5, which would one day give his

Courtesy Photos

Clockwise from left: Scott Howard, Marty Nystrom and Mark Tennant ministry the name “Arrow.” “Our ministry is made up of mighty warriors who have been gifted with many arrows in our care for which we must help them reach the target of God’s will for their lives,” Tennant said. Tennant said his years at ORU were “life changing” and the foundation he needed in order to fulfill God’s purpose for his life. “What could have been a great tragedy in my life has turned out to be one of richest blessings, not just for me but now thousands of children who have been served through our ministry programs,” Tennant said. “Serving abused, abandoned, neglected, and vulnerable children is my life’s call and purpose. Whether here or abroad I must give back what was given to me – a life of healing, hope, and purpose. I’m proud ORU was part of my healing and equipped me for purpose.”

By Dominique Johnson University of Joaquin Phoenix (U of JP) won first place in the Battle of the Bands contest on Feb. 4. It was their second consecutive win. “This was probably the most fun I’ve ever had,” said Adam Mullenix, co-founder of U of JP. “I feed off of people’s [energy]. I think that if people are having fun and being ridiculous, it’s another way to bring God glory.” Mullenix sang lead vocals, opening with Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors.” The high energy performance included songs from “Space Jam,” a visit from Eli the Golden Eagle and left many people dancing. They played their new single “Fire Engine.” The set starred co-founder Joseph Neville, Galen Jernigan, Sean Campbell and Keith Duell. Jernignan isn’t an official member of the band but was asked to sing with them. “They’ve allowed me to be apart of this, and I’m their biggest fan,” Jernigan said. “The style of the band is perfect, amazing, genuine and organic. Anything that you think of that makes you happy, that’s who they are. They’ll make you happy.” Jernigan sang the second half of the set in an animal print onesie. A Rad Rad World took second place and Duke and the Heartbeats took third place. Kari Hackbarth, Rad Rad World’s bass player, said she ran on pure adrenaline and started sweating before the performance started. Sophomore Josh Nanna, lead singer of Duke and the Heartbeats, enjoyed a positive reaction from the fans. “My favorite moment was when everybody started coming down [from their seats] during the first song, and I didn’t even have to ask them,” Nanna said. “That was fantastic and made my night. They’re as much as part of the music as I am. Thank you guys.” Other voices from the night included the @BenBlountShow. Ben Blount, Rex Berg and Joshua Kluge opened the set with an intense routine on the drums. Quickly into the set, Blount ran into trouble. “During the first song, the first time I hit my symbol the stand actually broke,” Blount said. “I couldn’t really hit it. One of the other band’s drummers came and helped me out.” Blount focused on expressing how he felt through the music, instead of letting the drum problem distract him. A new band, The Fish Gang, opened the night in their premier performance. Singer B.J. Fisher said it was an honor to play in the Mabee Center. “I know B.B. King played there,” Fisher said. “It’s dope, it’s crazy and I loved it. I was trying to relate to the fans. Neville and Mullenix plan on using their first prize money for their mission trips.

BATTLE OF THE

BANDS Photos by Chandler Branzell (Clockwise from top left) Joseph Neville from University of Joaquin Phoenix, Rex Berg from @BenBlountShow, Sterling Ray from Duke and the Heartbeats and Jordan Dowdy from FishGang perform during Battle of Bands Feb. 4.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 7

FEATURES By Dominique Johnson On a cold December night, a couple reclined on a porch, looking out on oak trees and a starry sky. Earlier that night, they talked deeply about their relationship. In the serene moment, sophomore Alex Delfino abandoned his “grandiose” plan involving fireworks, a live band and a Florida lake and pulled out the ring. He popped the question. She said yes. Delfino proposed to senior Megan Easton over Christmas break. The couple is one of many ORU students who became engaged this winter season. On Christmas day, senior Kristine Towne was angry at her boyfriend for neglecting to call or text her all day. The doorbell rang, interrupting the game she was playing with her family. She wasn’t greeted by her boyfriend, senior Chandler Elmore. Instead, his friends stood carrying baskets of red and white roses. “They said, ‘Hey Chandler isn’t here,

ORU is for lovers but he wishes you a merry Christmas and misses you and loves you.’” She thought the surprise was a sweet gesture, but the real surprise was yet to come. “A minute later I come in with a bigger basket of roses and the ring was in the middle,” Elmore said. “She thought that I was just there for the day as a surprise. Up until the moment I was on my knee, she had no idea I was going to propose.” She said yes. “I was obviously very happy,” Towne said. “It was the most emotional Christmas ever.” Elmore and Towne started dating freshman year. Elmore asked her out during late night at Saga, over a meal of corndogs and pizza.

It was Valentine’s Day. “It wasn’t something that we both stressed about for an extended amount of time,” Elmore said. “It was just like ‘you want to date?’ ‘Yeah I want to date.’ And then we started dating.” Easton and Delfino met at the Fellows Dinner. At that point, Easton was there supporting a friend when she first saw Delfino and thought, “Whoa, he’s attractive.” Little did she know, she already met him. Both are full whole person recipients, and it was Easton’s job to transcribe winning Whole Person essays. One student’s essay stood out to her. “This sounds really weird, but I was interested in him because of his response,” Easton said. “I got to see his heart in a really unique way. This is

somebody I can be with.” After she spent more time with Delfino, she found out it was his essay that she remembered. “It was really special,” Easton said. “I kind of met him before he met me.” Both couples have started preparing for the next steps. With the help of Pinterest and an aptitude for planning, Towne has already planned most of the wedding. They will tie the knot on June 25, 2014 in Colorado. She said the hardest part of the process was compiling a guest list. Elmore said the hardest part is budgeting. “A lot of people don’t talk about the budgeting going up to the wedding,” Elmore said. “After graduation, living together after the wedding and everything. That’s part of the process, seeing how we both work together in our different financial situations. It’s a challenge.” Continued on page 9

Courtesy Photos

Alex Delfino and Megan Easton were engaged December 2013. The couple plans to marry this coming May 2015.

Chandler Elmore and Kristine Towne got engaged on Christmas Day. The couple plans to marry in June 2014. Cartoon by Matt Dean

8 • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • THE ORACLE

Continued from page 8 They plan to keep the guest list small and avoid an “extravagant wedding.” Pinterest provided some ideas for them to save money. “I think the best thing to keep in mind is to be realistic,” Towne said. “It would be great to have 400 people and this huge extravagant wedding, but we have a budget that we have to adhere to. We would love to live in the greatest apartment in the world, but we have a budget.” They don’t have all the details mapped out, but plan on living in Tulsa after they marry in June. “It’s never an easy process,” Towne said. “But as long as you’re willing to sit down and talk everything through and be realistic about what you can and can’t handle, then it’s not horrendously overwhelming.”

BY THE NUMBERS

Easton and Delfino plan on getting married on May 17, 2015. The year and a half engagement will give the couple time to save and go to marriage counseling. After graduating this May, Easton will work at a hospital as a nurse. Delfino will go to school part time, so he can get “an actual job and help financially,” he said. “There will be a period where she’ll be the primary bread winner,” he said. “That will be a tough process. I view that more traditionally; I want to be the primary bread winner. That will be a transitional process.” Easton said a long engagement works the best for them in “so many areas of their life.” “My advice can come across hypocritically,” Delfino said. “I got to school on a Friday and met Megan on Monday. But I still think when you’re looking (for a

26.9 28.9

Average age in 2011 for American woman to marry for the ﬁrst time

Average age in 2011 for American man to marry for the ﬁrst time

mate) you will not find one.” Every couple offered similar advice. “A lot of people have too much stress and time in things that have a way of working themselves out, especially with relationships,” Elmore said. “I think in the ORU culture specifically, a lot of people get caught up in needing to hear God’s audible voice when they start dating someone,” Towne said. “As long as you both like each other, you both love the Lord and nobody’s an axe murderer, it’s fine.” Towne said the relationship came out of the blue. “It hasn’t been what I expected,” Towne said. “But it’s been everything I needed and what God wanted it to be.”

$28,427 133-143 15 months Average cost of a wedding in the United States

Average number of guests at each wedding

Average length of an engagement in the United States Source: CNN national poll

Missions’ deadlines force students to get creative By Valeria Hernandez It’s crunch time. Fifty percent missions’ deadlines are coming up. Students are working on creative fundraisers to achieve the deadlines without losing any members. More than 400 students signed up to carry the gospel to more than 35 national and international locations. Spring missions’ deadline was on Jan. 22, while the summer missions doesn’t come until Feb. 12. Team Costa Rica has been working without a team leader. Assistant Team Leader Joni McLeod took responsibility of the missionaries in the group, leading the team’s two fundraisers so far. The team went Christmas caroling, and on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, they hit the streets once again. “We went door-to-door selling toilet paper for any donation on Martin Luther King Jr. day,” McLeod said. “Some of their reactions were really great. A lot of people just laughed and didn’t want toilet paper but still donated.” Team Japan went door-to-door for two hours, selling origami hearts for any kind of donation. “It was successful,” said Assistant

Team Leader Dany Khari. “Our team bonded more and plus it was our first time going out, so we kind of broke the ice on fundraising,” For Brianna Campbell on team Puerto Rico, an idea helped her not only complete her 50 percent spring deadline, but also helped her get to 100 percent. “I’ve done paintings on canvases with quotes, scriptures or song lyrics,” said Campbell. “So I took all of them from the walls in my room and I was like ‘I’ll just go try and sell these.’” Campbell got the approval from the mission’s office and sold the paintings in the fishbowl. On her first fundraising day, Campbell made $100 and by the end of the week, she had $1000. “People started to ask me if I did custom [paintings], and more people wanted them,” said Campbell. “They were messaging me on Facebook.” Campbell will continue fundraising. The donations will go to Puerto Rico’s team members. Missions Director Bobby Parks sees the students’ creativity as a tool that can be used in the future. “For a lot of people, fundraising is

Photo by Julie Gonzalez

Sara White and Tamoura Morris participate in a missions worship night. Students going on summer trips must fundraise 50 percent of their trip costs by Feb. 12. sometimes scary or challenging,” Parks said. “Some students say, ‘I don’t want to ask people for money.’ But honestly, people spend their money on six dollar Starbuck’s drinks. They spend it on stuff that is not really worthwhile. So why not give them an opportunity to say, ‘Hey, here’s a way to partner with us, to see the kingdom advance.’”

Financial deadlines can be a stressful process for students, but for McLeod, they also offer the opportunity to share the burden with her team members. “I’ve been in so many situations where God has provided miraculously in the last minute for missions,” said McLeod. “I have faith He is going to provide.”

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 9

(Left) ORU alumni Kevin Bowen, Steve Staub, Josh Hubble and Eric Miller in the production truck in Times Square preparing for the Super Bowl. (Right) Faculty member Roger Bush shows oﬀ his Super Bowl crew jacket, a survenoir from his time in New York. Bush teaches audio production classes.

Courtesy photo

Making Super Bowl history

Photo by Ryan Woods

Faculty member uses groundbreaking technology to broadcast Sunday’s big game By David Sauer While 111 million people watched Super Bowl LXVIII on television, professor Roger Bush, along with several other ORU alumni and former staff, were upclose to the action making history . Bush was a part of a team sent by Level 3 Vyvx, one of the nation’s biggest fiber-optic companies, to lay fiber-optic cable for Fox before the Super Bowl in New York City. The team also included Eric Miller, Kevin Bowen, John Natale, Dan Penner and Owen Hawbaker, all ORU alumni and Bush’s former students. Bush spent two days of training over Christmas break to prepare for the Super Bowl. He also went and worked at hockey games in Vancouver and San Jose preparing to go to New York. Fox had multiple stations set up in New York to help them broadcast the Super Bowl to a worldwide audience. “What was really different about this Super Bowl was you had all the trucks and everything going on at the stadium, but then there was a huge setup down in Times Square,” Bush said. Fox had their producer stationed at MetLife Stadium where the Super Bowl was played, but had the director in Times Square and support staff in

L.A and Tulsa, Okla. The fiber-optic cables that Bush helped put into place over a 10-day period made it possible for Fox to have video from the game sent instantly to all the other locations. “Via our fiber-optics, they had complete communications with Fox’s headquarters out in California, the stadium, Times Square and the Sheridan Hotel in New York where they had their edit suits. Any video was instantly at all the suites. Everybody had everything.” Bush said the event was pulled off without a hitch. “It’s the first time they’ve done anything this massive with that many campuses. We had intercom stations and via that intercom we were talking to Tulsa, we were talking to California, [and] we were talking to the stadium, but it was all sent using light rather than copper wires,” said Bush. The technology and how it was used provided capabilities that made this Super Bowl truly ground-breaking. “It was a huge event,” Bush said. “I’ve got articles and thank you’s from Fox. Everything about it just worked fantastic. It was good for our local company and our alumni who worked there.”

10 • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • THE ORACLE

“It was a huge event...

It was good for our local company and our alumni who worked there. Roger Bush

”

off your entire food purchase*

9718 Riverside Pkwy (918)298-7010

NIGHT OF

WORSHIP Photos by Austin St. John

Madison Marshall, Brooke Dauwe, Brice Reheard and Josiah Liston lead worship in Christ’s Chapel during ORU’s Night of Worship on Jan. 30. Come out on Thursday, Feb. 20, for another night of student-led worship.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 11

By Jonathan de Friess In the world of college athletics, basketball is rivaled only by football. Fans camp out in adverse winter weather just to get tickets to sit in the rafters at their school’s game, but no one is fighting for the best yellow seats in the Mabee Center. Where have all of the ORU fans gone? “In the ’70s and ’80s, you had to line up 30 minutes before games to get into the student sections and not sit in the blue section,” said ORU Athletic Director Mike Carter. College basketball attendance was high in those years and was a targeted focus of ORU founder, Oral Roberts. “ORU hopes to present a Christian witness to [sports fans] now,” said Roberts in a booklet prepared for the Mabee Center opening in 1972. “Our basketball team, which is competing successfully with NCAA colleges and universities, is receiving national newspaper and television recognition and is having a

vital witness for Christ.” Roberts viewed athletics, especially basketball, as an avenue to spread the Gospel and reflect ORU’s mission to bring the good news into every man’s world. Within this focus, a group of dedicated student supporters arose. “10 years ago, the Maniacs were huge. You would have 200 to 300 students in the student section dressed up and excited,” said Aaron Brown, director of student experience at ORU. The Mabee Maniacs were the student formed and led spirit section at athletic events. The Maniacs were known for theme nights and extreme enthusiasm. With the high energy came offensive practices. At other colleges during this time, student sections became excessive and offensive to the visiting teams and overall basketball culture. “There was some concern that the Maniacs were trending towards that,” said Brown. “One myth that is out there is that we terminated

the Maniacs, which is not true,” Carter said. “We tried to address behavior that we thought was inappropriate. They decided if they couldn’t do anything they wanted to do, then they would just quit.” After the Maniacs faded, they became the Ozone. The name changed to the Ozone three years ago. “Some people wanted a name change to change the culture,” said Brown. With the name change came some policy changes. Theme nights were no longer allowed. Body-painting took the place of the costumes. The Ozone hoped to be an outlet for students to enjoy basketball games safely and with properly channeled energy. After the switch, Ozone participation declined. Richard McCutchen, the ORU assistant athletic director of marketing, reported that the average student attendance for home double-headers this season is 200-300 students. Though the attendance amount may seem decent, few of those attending participate in a concerted effort

to cheer for the Golden Eagles. With the Ozone depletion, the Mabee Maniacs have come back to support ORU in the truest sense of the word. A Maniac, by definition, is a person who has an excessive enthusiasm or desire for something, in this case, basketball. Austin Whitaker, an ORU junior, believes the Mabee Maniacs could bring back some maniacal enthusiasm at ORU basketball games. “Looking at pictures, you could tell how many people were in the gold seats, the lower section. It was packed,” said Whitaker. “The Maniacs were doing things that weren’t representing our school right. They had school spirit, but it was not in a constructive manner.” Thus came the Ozone and the policy changes. The reconfiguring resulted in less student participation. However, The Maniac comeback is being fostered on a different foundation.

“What’s great about this group coming forward is they recognize some of the issues of the past and why the organizations weren’t successful in being able to continue on generation after generation,” said Carter. “I think they are taking some nice steps to fix that.” As Whitaker begins the move towards forming the Maniacs, he recognizes the need for a different focus. “People don’t view basketball games with a high priority, and they also don’t view basketball games as much of a social outing,” said Whitaker. Basketball games are not limited to yelling, body paint and synchronized chants. Every media timeout has competitions with prizes redeemable at area restaurants and businesses. Also, ORU cheerleaders toss out t-shirts. Above all, students can enjoy the revered community fostered at ORU and change the atmosphere of the Mabee Center. “The more students we have that are passionate about athletics, the more energy they are going to create,” said Carter. “The more energy they create then

the more energetic the entire crowd is going to be. Then it builds a buzz, and I think it helps sell tickets. It builds attendance and in the end builds more excitement for the basketball team which gives us a home court advantage.” The Maniacs might be the catalyst into renewed athletic support. “What I love about them is their passion and their interest. I think they want to make this something that is strong going forward and will last a long time,” said Carter. The Mabee Maniacs commence this tradition this weekend. They are looking for support at the homecoming double header on Feb. 8 against Southern Louisiana. The Maniacs themed the game “Blue and Gold Crew” and charge ORU students to adorn the Golden Eagle colors and stand for the ORU basketball team and ORU’s mission.

SPORTS

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Andretti Bain Bain became ORU’s first national track champion after winning the 400m dash at both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships. Bain was a three-time All-American while at ORU and won 11 conference championships. Bain’s top achievement was a silver medal for the Bahamas in the 2008 Olympics.

Top-tier ORU Honors Three Inductees into Hall of Fame Steve Holm Holm set ORU records in 2000 with 104 hits and a .437 batting average. He was named a second team All-American and the conference player of the year. He was named to the all-conference first team both of his seasons at ORU. Holm was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2001. He played 12 seasons as a professional, three at the Major League level.

Orieta Zuzic Zuzic was named Summit League Player of the Year in 2005 and shared Player of the Year honors in 2006. She holds the Summit League record for career kills with 2,307, the only player to have more than 2,000. She also holds the Summit League record for aces, with 296, and earned first and second place on the kills-in-a-season list.

Courtesy Photos

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Photos by Austin St. John

Andretti Bain By Parrish Purnell Jr. There’s a difference between choosing a school and being called to a school. Track star Andretti Bain feels that he was called to ORU. Bain achieved success at the highest level during his tenure at ORU. He went from an average athlete to an Olympic silver medalist, and now he’s been inducted into the Oral Roberts Athletic Hall of Fame. Bain grew up in Nassau, Bahamas where he enjoyed running at a young age. He was inspired by the glimmer and shine of his uncle’s college track trophies that he saw daily in his grandmother’s home. As Bain grew so did his interest in running track at the collegiate level. He chose ORU after several friends were given scholarships to attend.

When Bain got to ORU he was an “average athlete”, as described by his college coach, Joe Dial. “He was a good athlete, nothing special, but he had an unbelievable work ethic,” Dial said. Bain knew he was destined for greatness, and constantly professed it. Dial recalls him saying, “I’m going to win an NCAA championship.” In 2008, Bain won both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor championships in the 400m race. Bain then took his talent to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, representing the Bahamas. Bain won the silver medal in the 4x400 relay. He recalls the first thing that went through his mind as he crossed the finish line was, “Thank you Jesus.” Bain’s nickname “Da Bahamian Dream” is about accomplishing dreams. “I adopted that name for two reasons,” Bain said. “To

honor my country, and to honor the fact that we discover our purpose in life through living out our dreams.” When he is not training for the 2016 Olympics, Bain can be found in the Bahamas running his own business with his wife. “Da Bahamian Dream” Sports & Lifestyle Nutrition Store is another dream come true for Bain. “My dad owns a pharmacy in the Bahamas, so wanting to follow in his footsteps, I’ve developed a desire to become a business owner also,” Bain said. Bain considers his induction into the ORU Athletic Hall of Fame as another testament to God’s goodness. “This is truly a great honor, another dream come true.”

ORU won 49 games that year and made it to the NCAA regional championships. Holm was named a second team All-American in addition to being named the Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year. Holm signed with the San Francisco Giants after the 2001 baseball season and made his major leagues debut on April 4, 2008. Holm said his debut was a dream come true. “When they told me that I had made the team out of spring training in 2008, it began to sink in that I had finally made it after seven seasons in the minor leagues,” said Holm. “I had dreamed of playing in the Big Leagues since I was a 4-year-old hitting baseballs in my backyard.” Holm played professional baseball for 12 years, three

of which were played at the Major League level. During his last year as a professional baseball player, Holm got an offer to be the associate head coach at Sacramento State University. Holm took the coaching position and is about to enter his second season coaching at Sacramento State. Holm said that without his ORU degree in Recreation Administration, he wouldn’t have been able to take the coaching position. “The first thing he asked me was if I had my degree,” Holm said. “And I told [him] I did indeed have it and I had finished up the last few classes at the beginning of my professional career. I never would have been able to get this job without the degree that I received from ORU.”

Steve Holm By David Sauer Former baseball player Steve Holm was inducted into ORU’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Jan. 25. He attributes his experience at ORU as what prepared him to achieve so many goals. “It was very humbling to have been inducted into the hall of fame at ORU and be mentioned along with all of the great athletes who have played there over the years,” Holm said. “I believe it meant more to me now that I am done playing, and I can look back at everything the game of baseball provided me.” Holm played on the ORU baseball team from 2000 to 2001. In 2000 he broke team records for most hits in a season with 104 and batting average with .437.

Orieta Zuzic By Ryan Woods Orieta “Ori” Zuzic was a standout volleyball player for the Golden Eagles from 2003-2006. She achieved Hall of Fame status with 2,307 career kills and is the only player in Summit League history to have more than 2,000 in a career. Zuzic also registered 296 career aces, 93 more than anyone in conference history. “Ori was a tremendous person and a model student-athlete. She always brought her best effort to practice and was a joy to coach,” said ORU Head Volleyball Coach Sheera Sirola. Zuzic started 35 matches her freshman year while averaging 5.13 kills and 2.65 digs per game.

She set a new school and conference single-season record for kills with 626. “First match, when she was a freshman we set her 63 times, and we thought her shoulder was going to fall off. I asked her after the match if her shoulder was okay, and she said, ‘Of course. Why?’,” said Sirola. “That was her, just a tough competitor. She never got injured, except maybe a sprained ankle here or there.” That toughness and determination led to three more years of dominating the Summit League on her way to back-to-back Player of the Year honors in 2005 and 2006, and becoming a record 12-time Offensive Player of the Week. “She was a tremendous leader and competitor who

“She was a tremendous

leader and competitor who never gave up...” Sheera Sirola, ORU head volleyball coach

never gave up, regardless of what the score of the match was. I could always count on her to give her best effort,” said Sirola. Zuzic is the fifth volleyball player to be inducted into the ORU Athletic Hall of Fame. She currently resides in Croatia with her family.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 15

Baseball season to begin for young squad By David Sauer The cold weather may suggest otherwise, but America’s pastime is returning to ORU. The Golden Eagles baseball team opens the season Feb. 14 at home against Southeast Missouri State. The performance of a young pitching staff will be vital to ORU’s success in 2014. Alex Gonzalez, Tim Zufall and Drew Bowen started a combined 40 games for ORU last season. None of the three players are on the roster this year. Zufall and Bowen graduated, while Gonzalez skipped his senior year to sign with the Texas Rangers as their No. 1 draft choice. The Golden Eagles are going to have to find a way to replace some of that production if they are going to be successful. Head Coach Ryan Fulmar believes his young players and the bullpen will have to make major contributions every game. “We have to have some young guys step into big roles,” Fulmar said. “Some newer guys on campus have to walk in and be a big part of our pitching staff. We’re going to try and develop our

bullpen a lot more. The strength of our staff right now would definitely be the bullpen.” Senior pitcher Kurt Giller will lead the Golden Eagles pitching staff. Giller started seven games last year for ORU but will see an increased role this year. “I’m excited for it,” said Giller. “This is what I wanted to do from day one since I got here. I’ve had some opportunities and some of them have been good; some of them have been bad. This is what I have worked for the past four years. I’m excited to be the guy out there and have the ball in my hand.” ORU had two players named to Southland Conference All-Preseason teams. Senior Tyler Boss was named to the first team and Junior Jose Trevino was named to the second team. Boss hit seven homeruns last year and had 32 runs batted in. Trevino led the team with eight homeruns and also batted in 37 runs. Trevino makes the move back to third base this year after playing catcher most of last season. Audie Afenir, who played three games last season before a season ending elbow injury, will anchor the catcher position for ORU.

Part of the reason to move Trevino back to third base is to keep him healthy. Trevino missed six games last year due to injury and was hampered by injuries in other games. ORU will play their second season in the Southland Conference. Their 16-11 record last year tied for third in Photo by Violet Mwanza the final conferMatt Brandy played 49 games at 2nd base last year. He ence standings. had 35 walks, 6th best in the Southland Conference. ORU is picked fourth in the preseason coaches’ the first guy on our roster to the last guy poll behind Sam Houston State, Lamar on our roster, I think we have a lot of and Southeastern Louisiana. really good college baseball players. If “It’s definitely going to have to be we play with some chemistry and great a team effort,” Fulmar said. “We’re not effort, [they] have a chance to be going to have a first round draft pick really good.” like we did a year ago. For us to be The season-opener is slated for a 3 good, for us to win a championship, it’s p.m. first pitch on Feb. 14 at J.L. Johngoing to have to be a team effort. From son Stadium.

CrossFit: The cult that keeps on giving By Jonathan de Friess

There’s a strange phenomenon in the fitness industry. With stories of insane workouts promising puking episodes and some strange disease that starts with an “R” and can cause death, CrossFit has made headlines, one way or another. It has gained popularity in the past 10 years, especially since CrossFit’s main website threw up its first blog of “WODs,” Workouts of the Day. Vertical CrossFit, one of the 5,500-plus CrossFit affiliates worldwide, use to meet in the functional fitness room at the Aerobic Center. Doug Decker, an ORU grad and owner of Vertical, held three classes a day and attracted many ORU students, offering exceptional membership rates. On Jan. 11, 2014, Decker officially opened his own “box,” CrossFit gym, at 1660 East 71st Street, Suite

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O. Decker offered a free class at 11 a.m. that day for all who wanted to come and had three other WODs for the members to celebrate the opening in a mildly barbaric way. This may sound like another meat-head program for people who like seeing progress via narcissistic mirror-gazing. On the contrary, one will find no mirrors in a CrossFit box, except above bathroom vanities. CrossFit believes in using the person beside and coach in front to see form and develop proper movement. Along the lines of this human-mirror method, a strong community has emerged amongst CrossFiters. A testament to the CrossFit community’s close knit nature is Kevin Ogar. The high-level CrossFit competitior had a freak accident and severed his spinal cord during a competition in Orange County, Calif. in 2013. Ogar was uninsured and looking at multiple surgeries and months of rehab. Crossfit T-Town and CrossFit 918, two CrossFit affiliates in downtown Tulsa, hosted an “Ogar Strong” fundraiser on Jan. 25. A couple of members of Vertical

CrossFit participated, donating money and the support of a community to a man they have never met As of Jan. 28, the “Ogar Strong” effort has raised over $329,000 and continues to march towards its goal of $500,000. The off-beat CrossFit community is doing more than just getting ready for beach season. Decker’s store front box has become a great spot to leave behind the mundane build-up of a school day, throw some weights around, and enjoy suffering with others doing the same thing. Decker’s enthusiasm begs the client to work harder and get better. The atmosphere does not allow slacking, but in a strange way rubs off, and slacking becomes an afterthought. Decker’s Crossfit gym still offers affordable rates for college students and is welcoming and encouraging to newcomers. To outsiders, CrossFit may seem like another workout cult made up of gym rats. But as the “Ogar Strong” effort shows, CrossFit is more than that. It stands on its promise to provide exceptional fitness benefits and aid overall health and wellness.

Photos by Austin St. John (Clockwise from left): Brandon Conley fights for a layup against Northwestern State Jan. 25. Bobby Word looks to pass against a defender. Shawn Glover drives the lane. Glover had a career-high 31 points in the game.

Road to recovery: Team aims for needed wins By Ryan Woods The Golden Eagles play host to the Lions of Southeastern Louisiana in the annual Homecoming Game Saturday night at the Mabee Center. Both teams are coming off of sub-par conference stretches and will look to jumpstart the home stretch of their respective seasons with a win tomorrow night. After losing Obi Emegano to a torn ACL in November, the Golden Eagles will now be playing without starting point guard D.J. Jackson who could be out for two or more weeks with a calf

injury, according to his twitter account. How the team handles playing without its floor general during these next few contests will have a significant impact on the season. The argument as to whether that impact will be positive or negative will begin tomorrow night. The Lions are led by 6’4 guard Jamichael Hawkins out of Jackson, Miss. Hawkins leads the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game and also leads the team in field goals made, 3-pt field goals made, free throws, turnovers and minutes played.

Lone senior Shawn Glover will lead the Golden Eagles, once again. Glover ranks 11 in Div. I basketball averaging 21.5 points per game. Glover also leads the team in minutes per game (33.8) and blocks (1.3). ORU won both meetings with Southeastern Louisiana last season with a 14-point road victory in Hammond, La. in January, and a seven-point victory at home in February. The big game tips off at 7 p.m. at the Mabee Center. THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 17

SCENE Showcase auditions slated for this weekend

Photo by Julie Gonzalez

Symon Hajjar speaks at Spanish Club Jan. 30 on his experience studying abroad in Valencia, Spain, as an undergrad. Hajjar is releasing a faith-inspired album at the end of this month.

ORU grad to release new album By McKensie Garber ORU alumnus Symon Hajjar is releasing a new album entitled after his band “Dear Saint Isaac.” The soft release will take place Feb. 18 at a house show in Tulsa called the Bungalow. The 2007 Spanish grad created the album with friend, Garth Björklund. The duo has been collaborating for years. Their first album was entitled “When Clocks No Longer Speak.” Four of the 11 songs are free to download on Noise Trade. After two days of posting the songs, the site contacted them to ask if the band could be recognized in the “Top 12 New and Notable” for the week. They will sell hard copies of the full CD before it posts online. The iTunes release will come out at the end of this month. The faith-inspired music has been described as indie or folk, but Hajjar said it does not fit into a certain genre. “When I made this album, I really wanted to feel like I didn’t have to fit a certain genre for a certain crowd or tailor it, but let it be what it was,” Haj-

jar said. Hajjar and Björklund spent a year and a half creating the new album driving back and forth to Nashville. “That’s longer than I normally take, but it was really important to me to find people to work with who I really believed in and who believed in the music,” Hajjar said. “These songs are about things that have resonated in me for years. Some of these songs are 10 years in the making.” Hajjar said he feels the best songs come from community and relationships. “It’s always been really important to me to write music with other people who are very intimately involved with the music to where you can’t find the dividing lines between them and me,” Hajjar said. He picked up the guitar when he was 20 and was “hooked” on song writing. He led campus worship, sang in the choir and toured for his first few years at ORU before working on his own music projects. The musician has since played at

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venues all over Tulsa from churches to coffee shops. Aside from music, he has taught three years for Global Gardens, a nonprofit that teaches science, peace and empowerment through urban gardening at Title 1 schools in Tulsa and Broken Arrow. According to Hajjar, his experience with Global Gardens has helped him write music about “a life really being lived.” Dear Saint Isaac will begin their “For Those Who Will Listen Tour” this spring. “I did the album with the intention of making something that wasn’t necessarily made for the masses or would appeal to everyone,” Hajjar said. “For the people who it does connect to, it would speak deeply to them. Hopefully we can form a connection with those people for years because we have a lot to share.” To keep up with Dear Saint Isaac’s spring tour, like them on Facebook. To donate to the completion of their projects and receive an album and band merchandise for giving, visit youcaring.com/dearsaintisaac.

Students in the theater department directing class are getting ready to host auditions for the spring Showcase, “The Star-Spangled Girl” by Neil Simon. Auditions will be Saturday, Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. in Howard Auditorium. Callbacks will be Sunday, Feb. 9 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Set in San Francisco in the 1960s, the story mixes romantic comedy with politics. Andy and Norman run an underground magazine dedicated to fighting the degeneration of modern America. Sophie, a former Olympic swimmer, is an all-American Southern girl who moves into the apartment next door. It’s love at first sight for Norman, but things get complicated when Sophie takes on a job as the cleaning lady for the two. Showcase is a way for students who are interested in acting to learn from their peers. There are 16 students in the directing class taught by Laura Holland, Chair of Communication Arts and Media. Each student will direct a scene from the play, which means they will each cast one female and two males to fill the roles. Every night of showcase, each scene will star different students. This calls for a total of sixteen females and thirty-two males to be cast in the play. It is not typical for an abundance of males to audition, so the class is hopeful more will come to the auditions this weekend. The auditions will be “coldreads,” so there will be no need to memorize anything in advance. Students will be asked to read from the script with various partners. The play will be showcased April 2-5 in Howard Auditorium.

‘Jack Ryan:’ Entertaining but ordinary thriller

Valentine’s Day BY THE NUMBERS

$130.97 Amount average person spends on Vday

151 million cards exchanged

Internet Photo

By Victoria Atterberry “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” is the fifth movie that continues the dramatic “Jack Ryan” series based on a book by Tom Clancy. The story revolves around Jack Ryan, an ex-marine who becomes an analyst for the CIA. During some extensive research, Ryan believes that he has discovered a Russian terrorist plot to collapse the American economy. In an instant, Ryan’s life turns upside down as he races against time to thwart Russia’s plan. “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” attempts to attract audiences through its cast. The familiar cast is indeed a plus for the movie. Chris Pine, known best for his “Star Trek” movies, takes on the major role of Jack Ryan. Supporting actress in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, Keria Knightly, appears as Ryan’s fiancé. Academy, Golden Globe and Emmy award-winner Kevin Costner plays Thomas Harper who recruits Ryan into the CIA. The movie has a decent combination of action, romance and suspense to make it attention-grabbing. It was well contemplated without any needless or painfully drawn out action scenes. The audience will enjoy the action in Ryan’s savvy fight against his crazed Russian enemy. To accompany the dramatic “secret agent” storyline was the romance

between Ryan and his fiancée, Cathy. The audience will enjoy the romantic exchange between the characters. Their devotion for each other is gripping. The suspense adds a dramatic effect to the story. The audience will be kept on the edge of their seats wondering how Ryan will be able to make it past challenging and unbelievable odds. Even though “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” had much to offer it still lacked in some key areas. First, the movie was predictable. The plot was filled with small twists and turns here and there but nothing that would truly surprise the audience. Also, Jack Ryan was not incredibly original. The storyline provided for an original tale, but the way the storyline played out was typical of any other thrilling drama. All in all, “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” was an average movie, and it showed. The movie intended to bring in a large number of young audience members, but not many were drawn to this movie. This dramatic thriller will definitely be entertaining the first time around, but once movie goers see it once, they won’t be thrilled to see it again. Three and a half stars for the exciting but average “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.”

$1.6 billion spent on candy $1.9 billion spent on ﬂowers $4.4 billion spent on jewelry

224 billion roses grown for Vday Graphic by Rebecca Glenn Source: CNN national poll

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 19

MUSE

Religion versus relationship: Which will win? Editor’s note: Keith Gogan is an assistant professor of English at ORU.

By Keith E. Gogan It seems that hardly a day goes by in which, especially here at ORU, we hear of the dichotomy of religion and relationship. The dominant opinion appears to be that relationship trumps religion every time, that Jesus yearns for relationship and disdains, if not condemns, religion. The argument for relationship and against religion goes like this: Relationship is true, pure, and full of life; religion is false, tainted, and lifeless. Perhaps what we see in this argument is an either/or fallacy, a proposition that presents only one valid choice among two, when perhaps, just perhaps, another option exists. When I hear Christians, especially my students, condemn religion, I think I understand what they mean. It seems that “religion” connotes something akin to legalism, which is certainly worthy of the disdain of thinking Christians.

Jesus himself saw the dangers of legalism and called out, in no polite terms, those who embraced it. It could also be that “religion” connotes formalism, which promotes attention to outward, rigid practices and behaviors of a group. A closer look at the word’s etymology, however, might prove enlightening. The origins of “religion” are in no way indisputable, but some of its roots can form a composite definition. “Religion,” according to one source, derives from the Latin word relegare, which means “to read again.” Another definition implies “to bind.” Taken together, these definitions suggest a kind of consistency, uniformity, and enduring quality in spiritual practices. Let’s face it: When we attend church regularly, when we read the scriptures regularly (or as some might say “religiously”) or when we observe the historical holidays of the Christian faith, we are being “religious.” When I hear “relationship,” I perceive the ideas of closeness, authenticity, and communion. It’s hard to criticize any of these. Indeed, most Christians would agree that Jesus desires relationship with his followers; he wants them to consider his minute-by-minute

presence in their lives and communicate with him intentionally. Here I am reminded of the classic hymn whose words say, “And he walks with me, and he talks with me/and tells me I am his own.” This personal communion with Jesus is certainly subjective and can be had in innumerable ways; perhaps there is a unique way for every individual alive. What we must avoid is being prescriptive about how this personal relationship works, lest we fall into what those who disdain religion seem to fear the most—legalism. When I hear religion defended, I perceive that its defenders have fears, valid fears, as well. Relationship alone seems to leave no room for the enlightenment and guidance provided by the scriptures. One can have a robust relationship with Jesus, but without the Word of God, it can become excessively subjective and run astray, even sliding into heresy. It can even become self-centered, concerned with the pleasant feelings of the lone believer at the expense of true community and responsibility for others. Also, even in the most unorganized, informal expressions of Christianity we see in this country,

there exist some order, some repeated practices, some customs deemed harmless or even beneficial. A chaotic church service devoid of scripture is no church service at all; at least some kind of order and objective foundation is necessary for the care and safety of the congregants. Thus, among defenders of religion, others’ fears about formalism seem suspect. The battle between religion and relationship might not be justified. Perhaps if we were all more careful in defining our terms, we would see that both terms, and the ideas they represent, are necessary for fruitful Christian living. Perhaps, when we’re tempted to see “religion” as detrimental, we can use a more fitting term, such as “religiosity” or the potent word “legalism.” Perhaps when we’re suspicious of “relationship” and its misuses, we can define and limit it so the word expresses all that proper relationship should look like. In a world full of wars about words, maybe it’s time to put down the swords, communicate competently, and seek the true and worthy twin victors in the battle between “religion” and “relationship”: clarity and compatibility.

The Whistleblower: Executive out-of-order By Ian Bush

President Obama raised more than a few eyebrows during his State of the Union speech on Jan. 28. Among other claims, he promised he would, “bypass Congress if needed,” through the power of his executive orders on many legislative matters. As lawmakers gave him a standing ovation, President Obama promised not to involve lawmakers in making laws. What? Now, the use of executive orders, especially by a second term president, is certainly not unheard of. Both George W. Bush and Bill Clinton used this power to make significant legal changes without all the red tape of actually obeying constitutional law. This irritates many constitutionalists because the constitution does not explicitly grant any power comparable to an executive order. But every president

20 • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • THE ORACLE

in U.S. history, with the exception of William Henry Harrison, has issued at least one executive order, so it seems that it is a power that will not be going anywhere. However, George Washington made only eight executive orders. Barack Obama is currently at 162. This indicates a steady push for more power in the executive branch. In creating the executive branch, the framers of the Constitution were not attempting to make a head legislator. The executive branch was meant to be the enforcer of the nation’s policies – not their writer. The executive order was intended to regulate the implementation of laws by the federal government. Executive orders are not meant to be used like they are today. By nature, they can only be issued to federal organizations, but citizens will always be affected. What President Obama promised, or threatened, depending on your position, is a clear breach of the checks and balances in our government. There are

even those who question the constitutionality of his claims. In this time of congressional re-elections, we need to ask ourselves: What is the point in electing representatives if they are just going to be bypassed by the president? At this time, it is unclear whether Obama will make good on his promise to override Congress, but his statements foreshadow a system in which the president no longer needs congressional approval of major policy changes. If this shift in the balance of government takes place, the American people may have little power to reverse it. The State of the Union speech highlighted what is, in part, wrong with our government; there is no accountability. The branches are out of balance, and they do not cooperate. Now, the President seeks to bypass the people whom we elected to represent us. If now isn’t the time to worry about corruption in government, I do not know when would be.

Supposition: On the Mystery of Light By Peter Wesley Odom

God’s ordering of creation. One of the I believe it to be more than coinmost marvelous cidence that light is so analogous to aspects of God’s many other divine or mundane enigmas creation is light. which confront us. The most striking Not only does is how Jesus can be both fully man it allow us to and fully God; furthermore, how we see, or influence must simultaneously keep in mind the heavily, our significance of both the death and the modern inforresurrection of Jesus. mation techIn my text book “Modern Physics” nologies, but it makes for one of the (3rd Edition), authors Raymond A. most versatile analogies to truth. Serway, Clement J. Moses and Curt A. This can be seen all through the Moyer discuss quantum theory. After scriptures. When comparing studying light, It would seem God created the opposone finds there ing models light to exhibit to us truths to be many truly for light as about his own nature... spectacular topics particle or associated with its wave, they very existence. finished by suggesting that, “both views I wish I could discuss some of the are necessary and complementary… a more technically rigorous aspects of complete understanding is obtained light’s behavior, and how it has radically only if the two models are combined in changed our perception of the universe a complementary manner.” as a whole, but I am restricting myself Thus, it would seem that God creto one particularly mysterious aspect: ated light to exhibit to us truths about whether light is a wave or a particle, His own nature, to guide us towards a and how this mystery relates to our better understanding of His personality faith in who we understand Jesus to be. and relation to us. Historically—when light was first How marvelous this mystery! In our being seriously studied under the scruignorance God is glorified and we are tiny of a developing scientific compebrought nearer to Him. As a student of tency—it was thought to be some kind physics, I cannot help but want to solve of particle. such mysteries. But later, at the turn of the 19th Looking through history, it is clear century, a set of experiments seemed that wherever knowledge is gained even to confirm that light was actually more deeper mysteries are revealed—always like a wave. pointing us towards faith in God as opThen, at the turn of the 20th cenposed to faith in our own limited ways tury, Plank and Einstein entered the of knowing. scene showing that light unmistakably Knowledge and mystery inhabit two exhibits a particle-like fundamental sides of the same coin. Knowledge can existence. To this day, the true nature be useful, aiding us in the mundane, of light remains a mystery to even the day-to-day issues throughout life. most accomplished physicists. However, mystery — the byproduct Over the years while studying these of discovery — will forever pervade the things I have come to see and apprecilittle we know, continuously beckonate a beautiful symmetry between scrip- ing the curious seekers of truth while ture and the discovery of truth within humbling them before God.

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THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 21

The Syndicated Cynic: Too poor for school By Gregory America Brown Someone at old Oral tried to ridicule me for being poor this week, so I wrote this column. Tell all your friends. Somewhere between the midtown bourgeoisie and the street where I saw a prostitute for the first time sits a little grey house. I paid rent for the first time there. This little in-between may be the perfect portrait of a new America, complete with the growing dichotomy between the rich and the poor –those who’ve made it, and those who may never get the chance. According to various studies, the United States does not allow the economic mobility that many people expect it to, and I saw that first hand at the little house on Quincy. In the daytime, I’d seen a man driving a van while drinking a beer, families walking together, arguing, joggers with their dogs, entrepreneurs trying to take a leap into success and cyclists galore. At night, I saw a man twirl fire in his backyard, individuals under some influence making their ways home to sleep, cars I could never afford, the homeless huddled under an overpass and weekenders stumbling into Whataburger for a midnight meal. I could see people just trying to make it. It’s probably the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Even in the thick of insanity, there was something wonderful about it all. I could take my bicycle a few blocks to Cherry Street, and see these two separate worlds colliding in a gorgeous fashion. The folks from both sides of the economic line could be seen riding bike trails, drinking coffee, buying things from Golden Pawn II, eating at the area restaurants and walking in and out of the local bars.

Even though there were times that it seemed obvious that the people around me all came from very different backgrounds, they lived so close to one another. One was just as human as the other. All of the beauty and wonder I found in the situation, the things I saw, fell apart. Even though these two groups were so close, intermingled, they were so removed from one another. There was little interaction between the two. It’s sad, devastating even. In a place as American and free as Oklahoma, people are still judged by their economic statuses. Class separation is real, and I’ve seen it. I’ve read it. I’ve heard it. (Insert other senses here). It’s even at ORU (collective gasp). Personally, I would think that a land christened the “Bible Belt” would be a little more open to class difference. I think that sort of thing is biblical. I’m no theology major though. I mean, we’re all jam-packed together, fighting through life one way or another, so who gave us the right to deny another person any hospitality or love because of the number of zeroes (or lack thereof ) at the end of his or her bank statement? Of course, there are many great examples of people that walk the short bridge between the wealthy and the rest of us. Human beings reach out, communicate, love and care. I hope anyone reading this would fall in that very category. I’m not arguing communism or gentrification or anything. It’s just something to think about. We’re in this together. We can do better. We shouldn’t walk two blocks and raise our noses at the other people at “MacDonald’s” because they seem richer or poorer than we see fit. We’re still all eating MacDonald’s. For the record, I love MacDonald’s.

22 • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • THE ORACLE

Green family funds m Parting wordsdonation of a senior: Dozens of buildings given subV-day tipsmore for the fellas stantial changes, energy-

most of the steel was in place b left for this summer’s break. “Th the outside of it,” Perkins says o efficient systems put in place mechanical By Zach Wells quantitative number of girls,things not thein place, suc electrical systems. Crews ar are broad term for and a general understandConstruction crews Below and campus operations drywall inside. some for ing of their own sex. Look into Parking your in Lowe employees stayed busy thistips summer razing, replacbe restricted thoseoflucky men Daytodate as a sort ofuntil job the project ing and renovating parts nearly every Valentine’s major Philley says the university has ra a date on interview; building on campus,with thanks to another $10 mil- the more experience and reffor the building, which Valentine’s erences, the better. Girls love qualifi ed includes lion gift from the Green family Day: of Oklahoma City. construction and the rest for fur Girls and This marks the fourth(No consecutive year theconnected men, so do not be afraid equipment Allowed Beyond bring up thehigh-tech gory details on every to entertai ORU Board of Trustees chairman and histofamily’s points out that the center will fe is Point, Serisingle each woman you have dated, held charitable foundationThhave given $10 million television in the state of ously) handsgift with, or screen even looked at (middle summer for capital improvements. This year’s Hammer family of Do Not Spend Any Money school and junior high flings do notLos Angeles also1.includes an additional $10 –million for renofamily of Philadelphia gave the Th ere’s CityPlex a few things that Iwhich have learned vating Towers, are ownedcount). by the toward the project, which w from the hitORU TLCgenerates show, “Extreme Use Yourgifts Phone Constantly university. revenue through 4. leasfree. Cheapskates,” and one ofthe these -Impressions are everything. Men, the ing offices throughout 110lesfloors of combined Stovall Administration Build sons is in that you don’t spend any ladiesimyou are taking out should be space the 60-, 30-have andto20-story buildings dents and staff money on asouth date. So this Valentine’s impressed by your actions morerefer thanto this three mediately of campus on 81st Street. as the Personnel Building. Whe Day,This takesummer’s your datecombined dumpster diving or anything $20 million in grantsand what better way is there complete in October, the buildi to Saga save your money for someto emulate from theand Green family will cover work that alreadyprofessionalism and probear the name of a prominent O thing goodcompleted like a TV orthis PlayStation 4. wellductivity, has been summer as as con- than by being glued to your made a sizable financial investm Trust me; projects being frugal . phone struction thatpays willoff continue through theall night. By using organizaect.business “It’s going look like a mo Ignore Date –Ever heard the 30-year-old tion, finance, and apps,toyou fall2.and into Your the spring. Rehabbing – 2012 standards,” Perkins adds of the strong, silent type? heard18 months will look CityPlex Towers will takeEver another to top notch and in complete now has an elevator, of any other type? Exactly. By saying control of everything. Even if you haveallowing w finish. between floors, and nothing and staring her dead the eye officer, like six and bucks inmore your easily bank account and Tim Philley, ORU’s chiefin operations features a main entrance for your two-hour date, youofwill only grounds your and estate is comprised of a dozen old on the George Perkins, director campus serve customers seeking employ spark more intrigue and desire. Justwith theYu-Gi-Oh maintenance, recently sat down Oracle tocards that you were going imbursements and aAll host of oth take look at BBC’sofSherlock; no one in 5th grade, she won’t know. offeraan overview how ORU’s campustoissell being A sidewalk alsothat has been ad watches she will see is aes. man that’s so busy updated.that show for the acting or Roberts Drive, aiding witty dialogue, its all about the mystery. he can’t even look across the table and pedestrian Construction Updates Center parking lot (Lot By pretending to be a mute Edward make small talkAerobics about Tulsa’s garbage Armand Hammer Alumni Student Center: employees who work in the Per Cullen, you will be the most cryptic and weather. Construction remains on schedule for a planned have been moved temporarily to mysterious creature she has ever seen 5. Be Yourself opening in January, Philley says. He estimates will remain there and she will want to solve you. Remember,and if you follow these in- for the fir work is about 70 percent complete. This marks the semester until are c 3. Discuss Old Flings – The modstructions to the T, you will notrenovations be able first entirely new building on campus in several Visitor Information Center: W ern woman is looking for a man who to get rid of the woman you take out. decades. Ground was broken last January, and knows women. By women, I mean a Use caution. Hands and Avenue of Flags serv

Dean Helland Ministries Outreach to Mormons

.• Visit where you can find Bible-based my website can find Bible-based Visitmy myWebsite websitewhere whereyou you can find Bible-based tools to witness totoMormon family and friends tools toto witness Mormon family and friends tools witness to Mormon family and friends

online article “MyVisit Visit withTwo Two .• View View the the “My with Mormon Learn about thearticle Methodist Pentecostal Church Mormon in 12 languages Missionaries”--Published in 12 languages of ChileMissionaries”--Published

www.deanhelland.com Dr. Dean Helland, Doctor of Ministry, ORU • Former Book of Mormon Believer

4 • Friday, Aug. 17, 2012 • THE ORACLE

SO GATSBY

Photos by Courtney Dilley ORU Student Association hosted the Homecoming Banquet on Feb. 1 on the 41st floor of the Sky Loft in downtown Tulsa. Left: Alyssa Ressel and Monroe Cunningham; above: Hannah Brandt and Katelyn Quattlebaum

HOMECOMING 2014

Welcome Theology and Ministry Alumni!

APPLY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF

THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY 918.495.6618 gradtheology@oru.edu www.gradtheology.oru.edu

THEOLOGY THAT IS PRACTICAL ORU’s Spirit-empowered theological faculty like Dr. Larry Hart have earned doctorates from renowned universities and seminaries, along with vast missions/ministry experience. So if you’re looking for a strong graduate program and with faculty who mentor, consider ORU Seminary. 12 DEGREE PROGRAMS - 8 professional programs including Christian Counseling - 4 academic degree programs focused on Biblical Literature - Flexible Modular and Distance Programs are available.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • 23

Welcome Alumni

HOMECOMING14 Big World. Big Plans.

Please join us this weekend on the Hammer Center’s second floor. Visit with friends, tour the Hammer and get updates on your alma mater! Friday, Feb. 7 thru 4 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 8, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. TRUE BLUE FANS! Join us Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Mabee Center! Women’s Basketball @ 4 p.m. vs. Southeastern Louisiana Men’s Basketball @ 7 p.m. vs. Southeastern Louisiana Then, join us after the men’s game at center court for an alumni reception!

Office of Alumni Relations (918) 495-6610 alumni@oru.edu

24 • Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 • THE ORACLE