december 1st print edition

Oral Roberts University • Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010

First comes love...page 20

Internet security facts revealedpage 4

Photo by Michele Zamecnik

Junior Jocelyn Berry and seniors Rachel Jackson and Susan Hahn re-enact the Nativity scene outside the cafeteria.

• Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 • THE ORACLE

The Oracle is the premier student news media organi-zation of Oral Roberts Univer-sity. Our mission is to serve the ORU community with accurate and relevant media content with integrity, creativ-ity, and a focus on continual improvement.

2010-2011 Oracle Staff:

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EDITOR IN CHIEFBryce Merkl

MANAGING EDITORRoy-Gene MacIninch

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STAFF WRITERSSarah ThompsonJackie CollinsNicole WilliamsNathanael RobertsonFrancesca BeeLogan Wallace

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THE ORACLE• Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 •

Contents Campus: New radio station set to launch on campus next fall

8KORU will be broadcast online in 2011 in both English and Spanish

Faith: Finding a church in Tulsa? Students share their journeys

10Settling into a church home while at ORU can be difficult, but not impossible

Sports: A look into the past at faculty former athletes

19Find out what they played, quirky facts, and pictures you won’t forget!

Scene: Latest Anberlin album attempts to top the charts

22 “Dark is the Way, Light is a Place” could be the band’s best album yet

Homecoming planning is fully under way and SA is looking at The Mayo

5

Forum: “ORU Abroad” looks at how life is different overseasAmanda Heersche recounts what she’s learned after studying abroad

News: Costs and special features are both factors in the consideration

CORRECTIONS

• In the Nov. 12 print edition, a story stated that the Connect by Hertz rental car program will begin in spring 2011. While the proposal passed the General Assembly, it is still await-ing administrative approval.

Photo by Kristina SImberg

Internet Photo

oruoracle.com

• In the Nov. 12 print edition, a photo of social work majors was incorrectly credited to Aundrea Pickett. The photo was a courtesy photo.• In the Nov. 12 print edition, a Shutter photo was incorrectly credited to Christine Journeay. The photo was taken by Christina Jumper.

CLARIFICATION

23

Web: ORU Faculty and Staff Receive a 4 Percent Raise ORU’s faculty and staff will be enjoying some much-welcomed extra cash starting in January. President Mark Rutland announced Tuesday, Nov. 23, that all ORU full-time ben-efit-eligible employees who earn $100,000 or less per year will receive a 4 percent mid-year salary in-crease. He said the raise will ....


News

Keepin.It.Brief

Mayor Unaware of ORU Support Letters

Annual Christmas Concert Friday, Dec. 3

Tulsa Youth Symphony to Hold Holiday Concert

Tulsa Christmas MovieFeatures Many Students

ORU Oracle Wins Several Awards at Competition

Freshman Completes Route 66 Marathon

Habitat for HumanityRecognizes Outreach

Coach Walton Chosen for National Staff

Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett told the Tulsa World he was unaware recruitment letters for ORU were being distributed with his signature. The recruitment letters started with former Mayor Kathy Taylor. Bartlett said he doesn’t think the mayor should push any one university. Jeremy Burton, ORU public relations director, said ORU pays for the letters.

Christmas Joys, ORU’s Christmas concert, will take place Friday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mabee Center. The program will feature ORU choirs and orchestra, as well as ORU Worship, Souls A’Fire, the Ladies and Gentlemen of Jazz, and Victory Christian School Children’s Choir.

The Tulsa Youth Symphony will hold its holiday concert on Monday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Union High School Performing Arts Center. The program will feature special guests ORU oratorio chorus, chamber singers and faculty so-loists Judith Raiford and George Steven-son. General admission is $10.

“A Christmas Snow,” a movie shot in Tulsa, is based on a novel by ORU grad Jim Stovall. Several ORU students participated as extras in the film. “A Christmas Snow” is available at Chris-tian retailers, as well as Amazon.com and Walmart.

In the College Newspaper division, the ORU Oracle has received first place in Layout & Design and Advertising in the Oklahoma Press Association Better Newspaper Contest. News Content, News Writing, Feature Writing, In-Depth Enterprise, Personal Columns, Sports Coverage and Photography also placed in the respective categories.

ORU freshman John Chau ran in Tulsa’s Route 66 Marathon, which took place Nov. 21. Of the 1,670 participants who completed the marathon, Chau fin-ished 133rd with a time of 3:40:10 and paced each mile around 8:25.

This fall, ORU Outreach received the “Team Volunteer Award” from Habitat for Humanity. This award recognizes ORU’s weekly participation in helping to build homes for those in need.

Rob Walton, head coach of ORU baseball, has been selected for the 2011 Collegiate National Team coaching staff. Walton will serve as the pitching coach. He previously managed the 2008 team, which won a world championship.

By Katy Miller

The Oracle News Editor is Katy MillerYou may contact her with comments or questions at [email protected] For more in News, check out oruoracle.com

Despite rumors that new settings on ORU’s comput-er servers will closely monitor student Internet activ-ity, Information Technology reports that isn’t the case. “Every seven days, there are over 15 million Internet clicks,” said Mark Bender, chief informations officer of Information Technology. “There is no way Information Technology can watch even a portion of those.” In January, “ORU-Students” will be the only wireless network available to students on campus. Students must sign in using their Novell username and password. Fac-ulty and staff will be able to sign in to ORU-Employees. “We knew, with our Wi-Fi, that we were not secure,” Bender said. This decision was made by the Information Technol-ogy Steering Committee, composed of Bender, Ralph Fagin, executive vice president and provost, Tim Philley, executive vice president and chief operations officer, and Michelle Finley, executive vice president and chief financial officer. Philley said ORU is applying the “best practices” to campus operations, including Information Technology. Because of inherent security issues, network access needed to be limited to the ORU community. “When we compared ourselves to what other univer-

Increased Internet Security Rumors Put to Rest

Photo by Kristina SimbergBeginning in Spring 2011, students will have to access Wi-Fi with their Novell login.

sities are doing in regards to their Wi-Fi network, it was apparent we needed to be more secure,” he said. “We’ve even had reports from students that they could get on our Wi-Fi network at the Sonic Drive-In across from Ma-bee Center. If they can, so can any unauthorized person.” While the Wi-Fi structure was updated, Bender said Information Technology also implemented a new filter-ing proxy, Websense, which tracks where students and faculty are clicking. He said the previously-used proxy program, Centi-pede, was ineffective. Bender said the new filter, which tracks to an IP ad-dress, is an attempt to both protect the school and to uplift the honor code. But, according to Bender, it isn’t possible to monitor each individual student’s internet clicks. “At the end of the day, if you saw how many clicks we got, you’d freak out,” Bender said, adding that Informa-tion Technology does have the right to investigate suspi-cious web activity but only if their service is requested. As for the proxy filtering system, Bender said, “People can go to coffee shops to get around the blocks; we just don’t want them doing it here.” “I think [the new Internet network] is another step in

continuous improvement,” said Fagin. “When you have an information highway that’s as hustling and bustling as it is, you want to have high speed and you want it to go fast, but you also want it to be safe. And in essence, that’s what I see is occurring here and following the best principles to make it happen.”

By Katy Miller

Information Technology Seeks to Ramp Up Internet Safety


Donna Ross was walking to her car Friday, Nov. 12, with some Chunky Mon-key ice cream. From her joyful demeanor, one would never guess that the ORU employee had just lost everything in an apartment fire two days earlier. A fire around 11 a.m. Wednesday burned eight units in the Overlook Apartments in West Tul-sa. The fire was started by a meth lab, accord-ing to Tim Smallwood, a public information officer for the Tulsa Fire Depart-ment. Ross, the assistant to the deans of Student De-velopment at ORU, lived in the Overlook Apart-ments but is now staying with friends. She was at work on Wednesday when she heard news of the fire. “One of my friends was driving down

As 2010 winds down, students are already looking ahead to 2011 and so is Student Association. SA is in the midst of planning the 2011 Homecoming Banquet (February), which they hope will feature fine food, elegant clothing and an upscale location. “We have some tentative locations,” said Charis Key, associate programs director for SA. “We’re hoping this year to make it a little different than the last couple years,” she said, “even though Tulsa is really small and there are only so many venues to look at.” In a quest for different venues that offer a fresh and unique experience, SA is looking at The Mayo, a historic hotel that has been extensively refurbished in downtown Tulsa. Derek Balderson, vice president of SA, explained what criteria SA is searching for. “We’re really looking for...a place that feels really upscale and has really good food options,” he said. “I walked in and the first thing I said was, ‘I wish this is what my house looked like!’” Key said. “It’s very mod-ern, and yet it has a vintage, classy feel to it.” Money is the only factor for not picking The Mayo. “We are shooting to keep ticket prices close to the same as they were last year and plates were $36.25 at the Petroleum Club,” Balderson said. He noted that if The Mayo does not come down low enough on their price, SA will try to find a place that is “just as good that has a similar feel.” Though the main disadvantage for choosing The Mayo is price, SA says there are some advantages. “The room we’re going to get is $1,500, but we’re get-

Student Development Staff Member Loses Apartment to Fire

SA Eyes The Mayo As Potential Site for Homecoming

Donna Ross Able to Save a Few Precious Mementos

Perihelion photoDonna Ross is assistant to the deans of Student Development.

Photo by Kristina SimbergLocated downtown, The Mayo is a finer hotel in Tulsa and has hosted many famous people.

the road and saw the fire trucks,” Ross said. “He went in and saw that it was my apartment area on fire. His wife called me and said, ‘Honey, your apartment’s on fire; you might want to go home.’”

Ross said she was shocked by the dark clouds of smoke she saw upon driving onto the apartment property. “I just wasn’t expecting that. I was just thinking a little fire,” she said. But Ross is thank-ful she was able to save the one thing she could never replace. When she told firefighters the

location of her family photographs, they were able to go back into the building and retrieve them. “[The photographs] stink, but they

ting the room for free,” Key said. “And we’re just going to cover for the cost of food.” The food at The Mayo would be served by a chef at two carving stations, tentatively seafood and red meat. Key said the benefit of the carving station is that the food will be prepared fresh. Food alone is more costly than the amount charged

weren’t ruined by water,” she said. “So that was a miracle, and I thank God for that because that was the one thing I wanted.” Ross’s 21-year-old son was living with her at the time, but he was at a friend’s house the day of the fire. Ross said she was relieved her son wasn’t asleep in the apartment when the fire started. Ross expressed her gratitude for all the support she has received. Her church friends have provided a place for her to stay, and friends from the Tulsa Healing Center, a prayer room at which Ross vol-unteers, have come together to help Ross find furniture. Ross said the amount of love she has received is incredible. But the reality of losing her home is slowly sinking in. “I just wanted to go home, and I couldn’t,” she said. I’ve been trying to laugh instead of cry. God is protecting me, He has provided for me.” Now, Ross is waiting to move into a townhouse Dec. 27. She is currently working on paperwork for the insurance

company. Ross mentioned that ORU staff have given her all sorts of home furnishings. “I am so blessed by people, and I know it’s just the goodness of God coming out of them,” she said. “I like to be the giver, but I have to learn how to receive.” By Katy Miller

I just wanted to go home, and I

couldn’t. I’ve been trying to laugh

instead of cry. God is protecting me.

for tickets because SA covers a good portion with money from student fees. A maximum down payment of $3,000 is made for a location while tickets cover a smaller por-tion. “Even if it’s not The Mayo, we’re still going to make sure it’s top quality,” Balderson said.

By Sarah Thompson


Student Development Deans Discuss Their Heart and Process Despite ORU’s vision, whole person approach and commu-nity, students sometimes break the rules. Whether it’s a missed curfew, cheating on a test or acting rowdy in the dorms, ORU has its way of dealing with students.Unlike other universities, ORU places a special emphasis on “developing” the student. Dean of Men Matt Olsen and Dean of Women Lori Sylvester are the main staff who deal with incidents. “Secular phi-losophy is to get them to graduate,” said Olsen. “Here at ORU, it is the development of character, which is foreign to other state universities.” When a student gets in trouble at ORU, a lot more goes on than most people might realize. “We get students in our office and if we didn’t care about them we’d be like, ‘OK, here are the rules, here’s what you did, and here’s the consequence of your action,’” said Olsen. “But we say that change takes place in the context of relationships, and re-lationships take time, so we ask, ‘why is this an issue?’” Once a violation is reported, the appropriate dean is notified (men or women) depending on the student’s gender. The student is then brought into the dean’s office where each situation is reviewed indi-vidually. “If a guy is helping a pregnant lady change a tire and misses curfew, then I’m going to say, ‘Thank you for being a man of character,’ and there is not going to be a punishment,” said Olsen. “If he’s helping a woman change her tire every day for the last three weeks, then it becomes questionable.” After discussing the issue with the deans, the student is either sent off with a lesser pun-

When School Rules Are Brokenishment like being “campused” (early curfew) for a week – or he is placed on development accountability if there is a bigger issue. The accountability plan is a formal document that the student must sign. The deans prayerfully consider options, and accountability plans are as unique as students. “We try and be consistent as far as procedures and execution, but we try and find why they’re

struggling,” noted Sylvester. “Be-fore I discipline that, let me see what I can do to help that.” Once a plan is given, students are encouraged by the deans to inform their parents and the deans then follow up on that rule-of-thumb. Accountability plans involve anything from weekly meetings with counselors, early curfew, required attendance at devotion-als to the extreme - not being allowed to leave campus without permission. If a student receives a lesser reprimand, once he has served out his punishment, he is free to go. Although it does not happen often, according to the deans, if a student does not agree with his accountability plan, he has the option of petitioning to the dean of student development, Dean Guajardo, to get a meeting with the provost. The student’s appeal is then heard before a commit-tee, composed of the dean of men/women, dean of Student Development and Provost Ralph Fagin.

The standard time frame for an accountability plan is about a month. At the end of the month, the student has a review date and it is decided if he has followed through with his plan. “The question we ask to ourselves is - ‘Is the student progressing?’” said Olsen. In the case that a student is completely rebellious and does not want to change, appropriate action is given.

Suspension and ex-pulsion statistics were not given, because the deans said they would objectify what is an individual heart issue. Despite this, suspensions and expulsions are possible punishments. “We are not a rehab center…. Sometimes,

this is not the place for them,” said Olsen. What warrants such a punish-ment? “Behaviors that could be a threat to the person or commu-nity and that can look like a lot of different things,” Olsen said. “Even the parents sometimes come in and take them out, real-izing that’s what’s best.” When suspended, a student typically can’t come back for at least 12 months, Sylvester explained. Constantly dealing with stu-dent behaviors, it’s evident that the deans do not take their job lightly. “The reason why we took this position as deans is to see change in students’ lives,” said Sylvester. Added Olsen: “Those stu-dents who really do embrace the process, are changed. “Some students come in and are like ‘I want to change ORU,’ and I’m not with that student. But if a student can be changed by the process,” Olsen said, “then it’s worth every effort.”

By Nathanael Robertson

ORU faculty and staff recently pledged $5,497.16 to the Tulsa Area United Way Fundraising campaign, and the university donated $10,000 for a total gift of $15,497.16, according to ORU Public Relations Director Jeremy Burton. He said it is the first time in “more than a decade” that ORU has directly collect-ed United Way donations from employees. The money is a com-bination of payroll deductions and single gifts. By Katy MIller

ORU Employees Unite for Charity

Yikes! Live Rattlesnake Found on Campus Near Aerobics Center

The reason why we took this position as deans is to see change in students’ lives.

Lori Sylvester Dean of Women

Photo by Meredith NegriSenior Ben Steiger was walking to the AC when he looked down and saw the baby rattlesnake. He had heavy boots in his bag, so he put them on and stomped on the reptile before it could do any harm.


Campus

As the end of the semester approach-es, completing a research paper, a class project or finding time to cram for final exams can be frustrating. For students feeling the pressure, try-ing to get it all done can indeed be chal-lenging, but Professor Barbara Law has some helpful tips for finishing strong. Law, who teaches in the English de-partment and is the director of the Tutor-ing Center, suggests that one of the basic rules is to pay attention to the information students receive from the professors teaching their classes. “Actually listen to what your professor tells you is going to be on the exam. Take notes in class, or if exam guidelines are given, closely review them.” Even though finals are less than a week away, some students are so busy that they can’t even begin to think past the end of the week. Rosalyn Usumang, a junior, said that she is so busy now that she hasn’t even

Finding the motivation to stay active in the cold season can be a challenge. With some helpful hints, Dr. Fritz Huber challenges students to keep moving during the winter months. Huber, chairman of the HPER department at ORU, says that he has been an athlete ever since he was 10 years old, and has also coached a variety of sports. “Fitness is important because here at ORU we are trying to hear the voice of God and be able to go into every person’s world and do what God wants us to do; to accomplish those types of high callings it requires us to be healthy and fit,” said Huber. Working out can be tough, and working out in the winter months can be even more difficult. Finding the motivation to continue physical activities, during holiday food festivals and gray snowy days, can sometimes give way to the cold winter blues. Many people who do have a desire to stay fit year round may find that it’s not always easy trying to figure out what is the best course of action, during the cold season. The Mayo Clinic recommends simple steps that can be used indoors to help keep you fit. Taking the stairs instead of riding the elevator, par-ticipating in a sports activity, or joining an exercise group can be a great way to have fun and keep fit.

Students Ramp Up Studies as Final Exams Draw Near

Staying Fit in Winter: Pointers on Staying in Shape in Colder Weather

Professor Offers Tips for Final Successthought about the end of the semester. “I haven’t even started thinking about finals; I still have other exams and papers left to do.” Usumang acknowledges that this semes-ter has had its challenges. “Trying to balance studies with my home life has been very difficult. Also, not having enthusiasm for certain classes played a big fac-tor this time.” For some students, it is difficult to organize their time along with heavy workloads. With so much to do and so little time, it can seem overwhelming.

Professor Law suggests that students make a schedule to study for finals. “Don’t try to study everything all in one time period. Break down your study guide into sections and take breaks in

between.” Monica Smith, a senior, thinks schedules are a true lifesaver when it comes to exams, and that being dis-ciplined helps her to meet her goals. “As soon as possible I find out what infor-mation I will need in order

to get ready for the test, then I prepare a schedule a week before, so that I will know exactly how I need to study. Hon-estly, without a schedule I would not be

You can also participate in indoor cycling clubs, go swimming, jump on a treadmill or trampoline, put in an exercise DVD, or turn on some music and dance. Dr. Huber states that for someone who is just begin-ning, walking can add great benefits to their health. “They can start off by just walking 10 minutes then in-crease to 30 minutes per session. Walking is pretty easy

able to meet the deadlines. It would just be way too much,” said Smith. Another suggestion that may seem simple but is sometimes overlooked is eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest. Many students may only snack on junk food and get less than the recom-mended 7 to 8 hours of sleep before a big test day. With so many things to distract stu-dents like video games, friends, Facebook and texting, students may actively have to work harder to get the rest they need. According to the Society for Neurosci-ence, sleep is vital because it can actually help students learn better, by “securing memories and aiding in some types of learning.” Professor Law believes that by applying some basic rules for studying, students can achieve their goals and finish strong. “Get sleep and eat your veggies!” she said. “It really doesn’t help to pull an all-nighter before the exam or to be flying on Red Bull.” By Jackie Collins

and anybody can do it just about anywhere,” said Huber. He also recommends covering the mouth and nose area, in cold weather, for those who suffer with asthma. Scott Becker, a freshman, who also has asthma, works out year round. He knows the importance of taking care of his health. “During the winter, people don’t exercise, and mus-cles can grow weak. When summertime comes back around, you’re really unfit and it can take a long time to get back into it. During the winter, I run and do a lot of swimming to stay fit.” When working out, regardless of your fitness level, reaching your target heart rate is very important for over-all fitness health. “You will get benefits by staying in the 60-90 percent target heart rate range. Aerobics are important because it develops the cardio respiratory system that deals with the heart and lungs. Obviously if you don’t have a good heart you’re not going to live very long or be able to do many things,” said Huber. Huber also suggests adding resistance training twice a week along with other workout activities and drinking plenty of water. Huber states even during the winter months, to get healthy benefits “working out doesn’t have to be ex-treme, just consistent.” By Jackie Collins

Photo by Michele ZamecnikDr. Fritz Huber runs on the AC track.

The Oracle Campus Editor is Rachel Whitlock You may contact her with comments or questions at [email protected] For more in Campus, check out oruoracle.com

Don’t try to study everything all in one time period. Break down your study guide into sections

and take breaks in between.Barbara Law

English professor and Tutoring Center director


KORU Radio Station to Launch Via the Internet in Fall 2011

Environmental Stewardship Club Sets Sights on Garden

KORU, Oral Roberts Univer-sity’s own online radio station, will be officially launching next fall. “It’s the realization of a dream for me,” said Mark Labash, assistant professor of communication, arts and media, who will be serving as faculty adviser for the student-produced station. Labash formerly worked with KORU in the years when it was a terrestrial, or land-based, station, which was later sold by Oral Roberts to build the Mabee Center and the television studio, later becoming the Baby Mabee. His vision as faculty adviser includes four goals: education, evangelism, recruitment and entertainment. “We want to be the voice of ORU, [where you can] listen to praise and worship and get news about what’s happening on-campus,” said Labash. KORU will be music-intensive, featuring primarily worship music from midnight to 6 p.m., and original student shows and campus news from 6 p.m. to

The ORU campus may be about to see its first student garden. Currently in the works, it is a combined project involving the ORU Green Campus Committee and the Environmental Stew-ardship Club. The gardens would be used to develop gardening skills, grow vegetables for stu-dents and help missions teams for local outreach. Pending U.S. Department of Agricul-ture approval, the veggies could also be used in Saga. Senior Jared Shears, a member of

midnight. According to Labash, all will either be pre-recorded or have a delay on the live Internet feed. He urges those wanting to get

involved to sign up for the KORU workshop class for the spring semester. “We’re open to every student who is interested. Experience in audio production is preferred, but we also need business and advertising majors. ..We’d like to get Spanish majors involved, [and] international majors who are bilingual,” said Labash. “Although we will be launch-ing in the fall, we will be pro-gramming this spring.” The “new” KORU will have a Spanish feed, in addition to the English feed. “There’s a vacuum in the

the Stewardship Club, also believes the garden can be used therapeutically. “[It can be used] to calm you down from a stressed day, be a place that is not loud and on the go, and [allow you to] to smell something other than city pollution and the dorms,” said Shears. The garden would be located in the northeast corner of campus, possibly in the concealed greenhouse on the hill behind Towers, which is currently used for bedding plants. A greenhouse formerly located on the Roberts compound, and recently dis-

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Launch Will Include Both an English- and Spanish-language Internet Station

New Student-Run Garden Would Be Used as Learning Tool and as Fundraising Medium for Missions Teams

...hopefully they (the students) will fall in love with radio like

how I fell in love with radio. It’s a very personal medium.

Christie Taylor Senior Drama/Television/Film Major

Spanish community for good Spanish praise and worship,” said Labash. Nancy Ramirez, a 2010 grad-uate with a degree in drama/

television/film (DTF), will be the station manager of the Spanish language side of KORU. Ramirez is from Mexico City and is fully bilin-gual. “Coming from a country that doesn’t have any Christian colleges, I want to show that

there is a Christian community that is interested in Spanish speakers,” she said. Some of Ramirez’s plans for her side of KORU include bilingual interviews of Christian musical groups and personal interviews of Spanish speakers at ORU. Christie Taylor, a current student who originally attended from 1983 to 1986, returned fall 2009 to finish her degree at ORU. Originally a radio/television/film major, she has switched to DTF since that program has changed to its current listing,

and Taylor has been working on the relaunch of the KORU station since her return to ORU last year. “I definitely want to see KORU resurrected because it helped launch my career,” she said. Taylor, who brings more than 10 years of professional experi-ence as both a radio personality and local producer to KORU, is passionate about radio. She has been mentoring the students currently enrolled in the KORU workshop class.

“To see [the students] get it and master the skills is a rush for me. ...Hopefully they will also fall in love with radio like how I fell in love with radio. It’s the only [medium] you can take anywhere. The basis of all media is oral, and radio amplifies the spoken word,” said Taylor. Labash is excited for the future of the radio station. “I think it’s the right time with the right place and the right situ-ation.” By Rachel Whitlock

Photo by Michele ZamecnikSenior Sarah Daily tries her hand on the equipment that will be used to broadcast KORU next fall.

mantled, would be erected on campus pending funding for the project, which would cost roughly $5,000. The idea was originally approved by David Ellsworth, ORU’s chief financial officer two years ago, but was postponed due to the construction on Fred Creek. While the Environmental Stewardship Club has revived the effort, the proposal has not yet been approved. If approved, the Environmental Stew-ardship Club would be in charge of the project. By Nathanael Robertson


Final Study LocationsStudents Find Places Both On and Off Campus

Graduate Center Library:The library was the first place that came to mind when students were asked their choice of study locale. “I study for finals in the library because of the quiet atmosphere and the availability of resources,” says Jacob Jirele, junior

and health and exercise science major. Jirele is not the only student who believes that the library is a prime choice for studying for finals. Sophomore graphic design major Sarah Sandford said, “The library gives me inspiration to get my work done.”

Chick-fil-A:Chick-fil-A is a great place to grab a study snack or meet for a group project. “Sometimes I like the background noise [to study] for the easier finals that don’t take up too much time to study for,” said senior, psychology major, Alicia Chandler.

Timko Barton:Students who thought that Timko Barton was simply a performance hall stand corrected. Timko is a quiet environ-ment with a peaceful atmosphere to study during those long late nights. Chandler also loves to study in Timko. She says that she actually prefers to study in that building be-

cause “it’s quiet and no one is there. It’s a chill atmosphere.”

Hava Java: When finishing some last-minute study details, Hava Java provides a great place to do so. With students

walking around, standing in line for coffee and sitting on the couches chatting about their latest final, Hava Java provides a place for students to meet together and review some last-minute questions. Students such as Sophomore nursing major Tim Morrison love Hava Java because they need people around to keep them awake and focused.

IHOP:For a great study location with food available all night long, IHOP is a place where students pulling all-nighters can do just that. Located at 71st and Lewis is such a place. Caffeine and coffee are always available for that those students who can’t seem to stay awake. Mor-rison said he loves to study at IHOP because “there are fewer distractions.” Sandford agrees that IHOP is her favorite off campus-study location. “It never gets too loud there because those places don’t have a lot of foot traffic.”

Starbucks/Nordaggio’s/Kaffe Bona:Caffeine is key to staying awake all night to study for the one class that seems next to impossible to pass. Places such as Starbucks, Nordaggio’s and Kaffe Bona are prime places for a relaxing atmo-sphere, caffeine flowing in abundance and soft music to keep you alert yet peaceful. Starbucks is located on 71st Street near Riverside Drive. Nordaggio’s is located by Zio’s, across the street from campus. The closest Kaffe Bona is at the Riverwalk or 81st and Yale.Barnes & Noble:

Barnes & Noble is the place where some students have met to do group projects, do research, grab a good book to read, etc.It provides a mood of determination and focus to review for that early morning final. If a student grows tired of studying and needs a break, Barnes & Noble provides coffee and a break from college living for a few moments. Barnes & Noble is located at 71st and Memorial at 41st and Yale.

Friend/Family’s House:If you have friends or family that live around Tulsa, why not study at their houses? Studying at a friend’s house can provide you with a quiet, peaceful environment. Not only that, but according to Chandler, “[they] usually have free snacks!”

As most returning college students may know, finals week is one of the hardest weeks

of the semester. Finals week stirs mixed feelings among students. From relief from a

never-ending semester to stress-induced heart attacks over approaching

deadlines and unfinished projects, students need places to

stay. Here are some suggestions from fellow

ORU students who choose to spend study

time on and off campus.On Campus Locations

Although there are quiet study locations on campus, off-campus locations provide quiet atmospheres as well as opportunities to change environments.

By Mallory Dougoud

Off Campus Locations


Faith

An “independent, interdenomi-national church”

Location:1015 W. Main St.Jenks, OK 74037(918) 299-7726

Services:*Sunday Classes 8:30 a.m.*Sunday Hang Out (Coffee and Doughnuts) 9:30 a.m.*Sunday Worship 10 a.m.*Wednesday (Youth) 7 p.m.

Church SpotlightThe Life Connection

Beliefs & Practices: *What we believe can be summed up by the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. *Family is very important to us. *Worship includes tradi-tional hymns with contempo-rary music, communion and prayer. *Come “as you are.” The focus is on Jesus, not appear-ances.

By Ericka Mingus

Photo by Ryan MeyerStudents of Wesley and Susie 3 (United and Unity) visit Family Christian Center, located at 4201 S. 47th Ave.

Feasts & Fasts: Taking a look at the Liturgical Year

Advent (“coming” or “arrival”) begins the Church year for most Western churches. It starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Most liturgical churches observe it by fasting and praying, both celebrating Jesus’ birth as well as anticipating his second coming.

Finding a Church Home in TulsaStudents Share What They Look For in a Church

The Oracle Faith Editor is Ericka Mingus You may contact her with comments or questions at [email protected] For more in Faith, check out oruoracle.com

In addition to mandatory semiweekly chapel services, students are encouraged to seek a local church in the community in which to settle down and get involved as ac-tive members. Many find it difficult to adjust to a new church at-mosphere after leaving their home church while others have difficulties visiting differ-ent churches around town due to limited transportation. “Victory [Christian Center] seemed a lot like my church back at home,” said Chelsea Bridges, a junior from St. Louis. Bridges said she didn’t “church hop” much because she felt at home at Victory. “It was really focused to-wards people and outreach,” she said. “I really connected with Billy Joe (Daugherty) when I first came here.” Several students find themselves uncomfort-able in the popular megachurches—like Vic-tory and Church on the Move—because of their large size. While size isn’t a fac-tor for freshman Andrew Byrd, he finds it difficult to visit many churches because he doesn’t own a car. He has visited Vic-tory, World Outreach Church, Friendship South and Church on the Move. He liked Church on the Move, but prefers a more free-flowing service. Byrd was a little uneasy about the location of Friend-ship South, located in ORU’s Mabee Center. He outlined the four things he takes into consideration

when looking for a church. “What’s really important is definitely their doctrine—the word that they preach,” he said. “Secondly would be the… family atmosphere. Thirdly... the ease of getting involved, and fourth would be worship.”

Worship also plays a factor in choosing a church for fresh-man Skip Gabbin. He also looks for opportunities to “fel-lowship with other members of the church.” So far, he has visited Vic-tory, Friendship South, Wood-lake Assembly of God and The Rock Church. “For me, being a multicul-

tural church is a big thing,” he explained. Sophomore Abby Kuypers finds it difficult to choose a church because of all the options that are available for those looking. She comes from a small

church in her hometown and is not quite comfort-able in megachurches and instead watches familiar church services online. After visiting several churches her freshman year, sophomore Allison Schaeffer, from Texas, is now a member of The As-sembly at Broken Arrow. Schaeffer said that during her sophomore

year, as she matured, she felt the need to settle in a church for stability. “It’s good to have some-thing more consistent,” she said. In looking for a church home, she knew that she wanted a church with a “solid” message applicable to her life. By Nicole Williams

What’s really important is definitely their

doctrine—the word that they preach.

Andrew Byrd ORU freshman

Dec. 5—Commemoration of Clement of Alexandria (Episcopal). Second Sunday of AdventDec. 6—Saint Nicholas Day, Bishop of Myra (all)Dec. 8—The Conception of the Virgin Mary (Catholic and the Church of England)Dec. 10—Commemoration of Karl Barth, pastor and theologian, 1968 (Episcopal). Feast of Pope Saint Gregory III (Catholic).Dec. 12—Third Sunday of AdventDec. 14—Feast of Saint John of the Cross (Catholic, Church of England, Lutheran)Dec. 17—Commemoration of William Lloyd Garrison, 1879, prophetic witness (Episcopal). Commemoration of Daniel and the Three Young Men,

prophets. (Lutheran)Dec. 19—Fourth Sunday of Advent. Commemoration of Adam, patriarch, and Eve, matriarch (Lutheran).Dec. 21—Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle (Episco-pal and Lutheran)Dec. 24—Christmas EveDec. 25—The Nativity of the Lord, or Christmas Dec. 26—Memorial of Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr (all). The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (Catholic).Dec. 27—Feast of Saint John, prophet and evangelist (all).Dec. 29—Feast of Saint Thomas Becket, bishop and martyr (Catholic, Episcopal, Church of England). Com-memoration of David, prophet (Lutheran).


However, there are Christians who choose not to celebrate Christmas for personal reasons: Senior Moriah Lamb considers herself the forerunner of her family’s decision to discon-tinue their holiday celebrations. But for a long time, both Lamb and her family opened gifts, decorated the tree and ate meals just like any other Christmas observers. She changed her perspective around 13 years of age. “It just got to the point where I thought it was so ridiculously materialistic that I no longer enjoyed it,” she said. Lamb said that the first time her family did not celebrate Christmas turned out to be the most relaxing experience they had during the season. “I feel like there was so much pressure attached to the holidays,” she said. She said she neither gives nor re-ceives presents and will instead go to a movie on Dec. 25. While some may call her “Scrooge,” she does

Photo by Michele ZamecnikJunior Jocelyn Berry and seniors Rachel Jackson and Susan Hahn reminisce during a live Nativity scene they held outside the cafeteria.

Hot apple cider, Nativity scenes, decorating trees and kissing under the mistletoe are traditions easily taken for granted during the Christmas season. While most of the world celebrates its most popular holiday, there are those who decide it just isn’t for them. Christmas has many stories of origin, but the most popular is the belief that the Romans celebrated the birth of Mithra, the god of the sun on Dec. 25. The early Church then decided to recognize the birth of Christ in A.D. 336 also on Dec. 25 in an attempt to popularize Christianity. Over time, its acceptance became widespread, and Christmas was declared a U.S. federal holiday in 1870. Yet, a few individuals—even students at ORU—still choose to ignore the holiday. For some, it is due to reli-gious reasons: “I’ve known about [Christmas], I just don’t celebrate it,” said junior Shiran Bennun. Bennun grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel, where she was raised in the Jewish religion and culture. She arrived at ORU in 2008 on a tennis scholarship, unaware of its Christian practices. She admits it was dif-ficult at first, learning to navigate her way around a differ-ent religion, but after a while she grew accustomed to it. This year she will celebrate Christmas for the first time. Traditionally, Jews do not celebrate the holiday be-cause they do not recognize it as part of their culture, nor is it one of the festivals of the Old Testament and so, Bennun said she does not know what to expect. “What else do you do except decorate the tree?” she asked, somewhat jokingly.

Some Observe Different Traditions at Christmas or None at Allnot care. “Oh, I’m the Scrooge?” she said unapolo-getically, “because I don’t spend hundreds

of dollars on gifts for people that don’t need [them]? I’m sorry.”

She also believes celebrat-ing Christmas caused her

family to focus inward on themselves rather

than outward on other people. “[Holidays]

should be a lifestyle, not just a period of time where you give money or where you remember what Christ has done for you,”

Lamb said. “I feel like that should be

every day, not just one day.”

Sophomore Mikhail Chavoustie maintains a

similar perspective, al-though his view of Christmas

was fueled by his parents’ beliefs that it was based on pagan traditions as

well as possessing a materialistic nature about it. “They wanted us kids personally to focus on the birth of Christ.... other than having this gluttonous weird at-titude of gifts and stuff,” he said. Chavoustie views Christmas as “mostly a day like any other,” but he also said he is flexible. “[I’m] still in the search for what’s really appealing to me,” he said. “I do agree kind of with my parents, you know since they raised me a little bit, about the motives that people have about Christmas.” Chavoustie is not opposed to the holiday as long as one keeps his or her perspective right and does not fall back on a greedy attitude. “It’s not all about religion...it’s abiding in that rela-tionship with Christ,” he said. “Just being, not trying or doing.” He also said that most people look at him with an attitude of pity when they learn about his beliefs, but he doesn’t mind. Whether it’s for personal or religious reasons, some people celebrate Christmas by ignoring it or, in the case of the Jewish religion, observe an alternative such as Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. Others may also mark the holiday at a different time and traditions vary depending on the individual. “Just because we don’t have gifts doesn’t mean we can’t be happy that day,” said Chavoustie. By Ericka Mingus

ORU Students Have Different Views on the Christmas Holiday


The ministers are now be-ing ministered to. After three years of wrestling with a vision, Lisa Taylor, transfer evaluation coordinator at ORU, is putting an initially far-fetched plan into action. Along with ORU senior An-drew Haire, Taylor is starting a nondenominational ministry that will provide solace and renewal for weary and burned-out pas-tors. Barnabas House, meaning “son of encouragement,” plans to provide a five-day retreat lo-cation for pastors and families to escape the stress of full-time church leadership. According to Barna Research Group, the aver-age church consists of less than 100 people. Taylor believes a large problem with broken pas-tors resides in the fact that a church that size cannot support them, as most are bi-voca-tional (meaning they maintain full-time jobs as well as pastoring a church).

baby dedicator, the counselor, the everything to where there’s a lot of stress and strain in mar-riages,” said Haire. “We see … ministers that fall [daily].” Ideally, Taylor, who holds a degree in community counsel-ing, and her husband, Doug, will establish themselves as hosts of the home. During the week, visi-tors will receive self-guided quiet time as well as assessment tools in case the need for long-term care arises. If they need to be hospitalized, referral will be provided. Taylor clarifies that the retreat will not provide long-term care. “We can’t solve their prob-

lems that got them there,” she said. “But we can help them figure out what their problems are.” Taylor, Haire and the board they have estab-lished to carry out the vision, are now in the pro-cess of searching for land on which to build a facility that can potentially house a small church staff. Taylor does not want it to be a dorm. “We’re looking atpeople who need human contact, not warehous-

their church and, being unable to pull away for a little while, became burned out and left. Haire is the youth director at the Western Hills Assembly of God in west Tulsa, and agrees with Taylor that being a pastor is already a 24/7 job.

“You are the preach-er, the teacher, the

hospital

visitor, the

ing,” she said. “[The purpose] is building relationships with other pastors because that’s one of the things that so many are shut off from: accountable, support-ive relationships.” The facility is already de-signed to be as green and self-supportable as possible, according to Taylor. Everything grown or raised, including small livestock, will be organic. Not only does she believe this is helpful in creating an environ-ment that is cleaner and more responsible, but it also offers healthy alternatives for the inhabitants. “Because one of the first things that goes when you are under stress is proper eating,” Taylor informed. It is hoped Barnabas House will be strategically located in either northwestern or East Okla-homa, in order to be available to people from the surrounding Arkansas, Missouri and Okla-homa area. More information can be found on Facebook under Barn-abas House Oklahoma. They also plan to launch their website, www.barnabashouseok.com, on Dec. 3. By Ericka Mingus

By Ericka MingusLisa Taylor, transfer evaluation coordinator at ORU, and senior Andew Haire are establishing a ministry for burned-out pastors.

By Kristina SimbergWayne Lee helps lead students in prayer and worship Nov. 12.

While initially concerned about the state of a person’s heart, freshman Kristine Towne is now a firm believer in the power of prayer. While the school held an all-night prayer and praise session on Friday, Nov. 12, some personal belongings belong-ing to Towne disappeared from within Christ’s Chapel. The person holding the belongings has since returned them. Towne attended the prayer meeting around 11:30 that night, planning to remain until 6 a.m. At the 1 a.m. break, which allowed people the choice to either return to the dorms before curfew or remain inside, Towne placed her bag on a chair in the balcony. When she returned, approximately 30 minutes later, it was gone. “I cried for 15 minutes,” she said. “Then I looked around and went and re-ported it to security and then went to the IWC [International Worship Center].” Security’s typical procedure required her to fill out a lost and found report as

Barnabas House to Be Place of Refuge for Ministers

Purse Reported Stolen at Prayer Event Returned to Student

Ministry to Focus on Rehabilitating Down-and-Out Pastors “Unless he or she has things in place, support-wise, most of them are just completely fried,” Taylor said. She has also seen three generations of her family deal with issues in the ministry. Some happened simply because those she knew expe-rienced stressful situations within

well as her contact information in case the culprit is found. Towne described her missing bag as “super generic.” It was a white, cotton-cloth bag that slings over the shoulder. At the time it was stolen it contained her phone, Bible, journal, makeup and her wallet, which held materials such as her school ID, cards and license. After Towne reported the theft and remained at the chapel for the duration of the prayer service. Among other topics, she prayed for the person who stole her purse. “I [said] ‘God, I just pray a lot of conviction and guilt on them right now so they’ll bring my stuff back,’” she jokingly admits. Towne is accustomed to someone stealing her belongings, however, and her purse tends to disappear at least once a year. “I just seem to attract that,” she said. “I’ve never thought of myself as material-istic, but maybe God’s trying to send me

On Monday, Nov. 29, Towne received an email stating her purse was in Lost and Found. “Everything was in there! Even the cash! I started jumping and laughing and crying when I saw it!” By Ericka Mingus

a message.” Theft at a prayer meeting is a situation that does not make much sense, accord-ing to Towne, but she remained optimistic and prayerful that the person with her belongings would return them.


Depression, anxiety, substance abuse and eating disorders are com-mon on college campuses According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Depression affects one in 10 adults each year. Women are more than twice as likely to be af-fected. For some students, the stress of college can be overwhelming. Michelle Taylor, direc-tor of student counseling services at ORU, works to help students who suffer with stress and anxiety to overcome their problems.

Twenty-seven hours from his homeland in Iraq, Abdul-lah Yaba is answering a call God placed on his heart. As a Kurdish Muslim, Yaba was aware of the existence of Jesus as well as the Old Testa-ment, but his knowledge was limited. When Yaba met Ameri-can missionaries at the age of 22, he jumped at the chance to learn English. Months later, he had not only learned English, but also discovered the New Testament as well as an intimate relationship with Christ. “We were reading... Mat-thew 5 and we reached the verse when Jesus says, ‘I didn’t come to destroy the prophets... I came to fulfill them,’” Yaba remembered.

Look for these features online at ORUORACLE.COMIssues of the Heart: Counseling for Students

MyStory: Finding God’s Will, Not Allah’sIraqi Grad Student Follows God’s Voice to ORU

Taylor, who has been with Oral Roberts Univer-sity since the fall of 1998, works with students to solve problems. She be-lieves that there are many roads that can lead to healing. “We use a variety of things here. The bottom line is we want to use what works, and that is going to vary from person to per-son,” said Taylor. For some students who are suffering from clinical depression or grief ... Read the rest of Jackie Collins’ story online at oruoracle.com.

“I asked for explanation and they said ‘Jesus said this... Of course, Christianity is not religion, it’s life with Jesus.’ So this verse changed my life... Then I trusted Jesus.” Even though he attempted to keep his faith a secret from his family for years, they eventually found out and were angry. “I was the same person but through years somehow my behavior changed,” he said. “Sometimes they were seeing I’m reading Bible. In my talking... they noticed some-thing changed in my life.” And since the ‘90s, Yaba has been planting churches and leading home fellowship groups. For 10 years, he was the director for two organi-zations: International Bible Society, from 2000-2008, and World Orphans Organization, from 2008 to 2010. During that time, he at-tended Salahaddin University in Erbil, (Kurdistan) Iraq for his bachelor’s degree in business administration. He felt it a

necessary direction to take in order to qualify for a master’s in theology somewhere else. “Kurds have no good knowledge of the Bible and deep studies,” Yaba said. “God put on my heart to be-come a Bible teacher for them and to start Bible school for the Kurd and... Islam back-ground Christians.” He needed to leave his home to come to ORU in order to do so, for there are no seminary or bible colleges in Iraq. Yaba arrived in America on July 13, 2010, and he is keep-ing exact count of the number of days he has been here. He said while the transition was easy, living in a different culture has been difficult. Besides coping with the way things are run electroni-cally, he was amazed at the difference in values. “The value of things in...”

Read the rest of ErickaMingus’ story online at oruoracle.com.

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Photo by Elaine ColonA late night sunset on the beach in Puerto Rico by the pier.

Photo by Joy Bork Boarding a plane at Chicago O’Hare.

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Yours could be the picture of the week!

Go,they say,go.We have the fire that these peoples do not,the shoesand the packets to become foodand the dazzling crest smiles,all this brought to the have-nots.I’ve heard thatIwill not see enough distended belliesor bare-bones dwellingsin the artichoke heart of my dream.For, if they have running waterand if the homeless and penniless are fewer and easier to ignore,and if they are highly literate(with a standard of living to match),they are not sheep--so I’ve heard.The peopleIlovewill not marvelat Nikes or nihilismand are more likely to be found with a baguette in handthan that “collection of fairy tales,”dutifully highlighted and underlined.Ihave walked and loved the streets ofthe skeptical,who take the politics of foodmore seriously thanthe politics of agape(though Paris is viewed by outsiders at the “city of love”)and have tofu-firm opinionsspiced by lively debate with others.Go,they say,go.But they,the starched and pressed opinions of the traditional church,cannot circlethe land of cheese, wine, and bread, and tell methey are less worthythan the rest. By Rachel WhitlockPhoto by Jen Cook

Ducks (Susie 8) champion flag football team.

Église Amour Foi Esperance

Poem courtesy of...


A thousand miles away from home, ORU golfers Alheli Moreno and Eve Santil-lan have been reunited. Both hailing from Aguascalientes Mex-ico, their friendship goes back 10 years, when they met at a golf tournament and realized they were from the same city. “I never imagined me playing in Amer-ica with a friend from my city, but this is something awesome!” admitted Moreno, a freshman here at ORU. Despite their common outcome, each of them took their own path to end up at ORU. Moreno’s father played professional golf in Mexico and at age 7, put her in a tournament where she fell in love with it. Santillan’s parents also played golf, however, her first love was basketball and it wasn’t until high school, because of conflicting practice times, she chose golf over basketball. Growing up, they would frequently see each other at tournaments all over Mexico and the United States. Throughout the years, they maintained that friendship and would talk whenever they saw each other on monthly tours. Santillan, a junior, played in an age division above Moreno so they only got to compete against each other once or twice. Because there was no college golf in Mexico, both dreamed of one day playing for a school in the United States. Santillan steadily climbed onto the na-tional scene and in 2006 won a national tournament and was invited to join the Mexican National Team. With it, she has traveled to Australia and Scotland. That began heavy recruitment as she turned down Ohio State, Texas Christian, Boise State and Michigan to come to ORU. “I don’t really know why I chose here. There was something about it that drew me, but I just can’t explain it,” she said. Moreno herself wasn’t doing too badly, tying for 33rd in the 2006 Callaway Golf Junior World Championships held in San Diego, Calif. After a recommendation from Santil-

Lady Golfers from Mexico Cross Paths Again at ORUMoreno and Santillan Realize Dream of Playing Golf at an American University

lan, ORU head coach Lance Watson went to a tournament to see Moreno play and offered her a full ride the next day. “If [Alheli] plays as well in the spring as she did this fall, she has a chance to be a very special freshman. Together they bring the team closer together,”said Wat-son, an ORU alum and 11-time Summit League coach of the year. “[Santillan] was a big factor in me coming here. She really helped with the transition,” said Moreno. The combination of coaches, history of ORU golf and Santillan, compelled Moreno to turn down other Division 1 of-fers to come to ORU. “It is amazing to have someone you know for a long long time with you!! I love her, and I’m glad she is here with me!” said Santillan. Santillan and Moreno are welcome additions to the ORU women’s team, who many don’t know hold the longest conference-winning streak in the nation,

with 13 straight Summit League champi-onships. “What I love about my team is that we are really close to each other. We always help each other with everything,” explained San-tillan. Despite both having been to America fre-quently before ORU, it took a bit of adjust-ment living in a different culture. Both Moreno and Santillan are Catho-lic, so initially chapel was a completely different experience from the Mass they are used to. “Back home, it is a lot quieter [during

Sports

service], and people don’t really raise their hands,” said Moreno. Santillan has gotten used to it over the years, but admits that the revivals are “sometimes crazy.”

“I absolutely respect what they do in chapel, but it is just totally dif-ferent,” admit-ted Santillan. Here in America, Moreno finds the schooling a bit easy, even though she struggled a bit on the required TOEFL (Test Of

English as a Foreign Language). “People here are more willing to help you, even if you’re a stranger,” said Santil-lan. “But home it’s easier to build stronger relationships,” Moreno added. When asked what they miss the most about Mexico, they both responded family and food. Their favorite food is called mole, which is chicken and rice with a special chocolaty sauce, and Chilaquiles, a torti-lla with salsa, eggs and chicken. So far this year, Santillan and Moreno have led or tied ORU for the lead in all four of the fall tournaments participated in, including the ORU shootout held early October where the team placed second out of 17 teams. The team practices almost every day for two hours around five courses in Tulsa until the season begins in February. After ORU, both Moreno and Santillan want to play professional golf. And if that doesn’t work out, they both want to go into business, Santillan in America and Moreno unsure whether here or back home. Before all of that though, they’re sim-ply looking forward to travelling home to-gether for Christmas, seeing their families and having some genuine Mexican food.

By Nathanael Robertson

Courtesy PhotoFreshman Alheli Moreno and junior Eve Santillan play golf for ORU.

What I love about my team is that we are

really close to each other. We always help each other with everything.

Eve Santillan ORU Golfer

The Oracle Sports Editor is Eli Linton You may contact him with comments or questions at [email protected] For more in Sports, check out oruoracle.com


Like the men, the Lady Golden Eagles started the season with a lot of hype. Boasting the topscoring backcourt in the nation, and a coaching staff confident enough to guarantee 100 points a game,the women’s basketball team started out hot, winning their first two games and averaging 115 points.There was even talk of the ORU women cracking the top 25 if they could take care of business in thetough non-conference schedule. But on Nov. 16, the Lady Eagles suffered a devastating last-secondloss to cross-town rival, Tulsa. Since that game, ORU has gone 0-4, only able to scratch out 71 points pergame in that span. Now, standing at 2-5 and free falling, the Golden Eagles are desperate for a win. Theyhave been plagued by a low shooting percentage from outside (35 percent from beyond the arc), and havestruggled to stop opponents from going on scoring runs. Still, through all the struggles as a team,individually Kevi Luper and Jaci Bigham continue to perform well. Luper leads the team with 25.1 pointswhile adding 5.4 rebounds and just more than three steals a game. Bigham is equally impressive — averaging15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. Jordan Pyle leads the team in rebounding with 10.3rebounds a game and third in scoring with 15.3 points per game. The Lady Eagles will begin theirconference schedule against Western Illinois on Dec. 2, as they look to end the losing streak andget back on track. By Eli Linton

Women’s Basketball

There was a lot of talk about this ORU team being one of the most talented in the past decade,but after a 0-3 start, including a devastating loss on national TV to Tulsa, it looked like this youngteam would fall well short of expectations. But with their backs against the wall, the Golden Eagleshave rallied and ripped off convincing back-to-back wins — first at home against UALR, 86-60, then onthe road against the Utah Utes, 78-70. The key to the Golden Eagles’ hot streak is sophomore guardWarren Niles. In both ORU wins, Niles led the team, averaging 22.5 points. The Golden Eagles havealso been anchored by their star, Dominique Morrison. He leads the team with 17.4 points and 4 assists.Freshman Hunter McClintock has added excitement to the lineup and he earned his first college startat home against Indiana State — he will be a player to watch going forward. The road will not get easy —they will be underdogs for virtually the entire eight-game road trip, but things are finally starting tocome together for the Golden Eagles, and a Scott Sutton-led team can never be counted out.

Men’s Basketball

Golden Eagles Sports Roundup

Photo by Nathanael Robertson.Junior forward Jordan Pyle shoots during the

Lady Golden Eagles’ 93-89 loss against Hous-ton on Nov. 27 at the Mabee Center.

Photo by Nathanael Robertson Senior guard Rod Pearson scores against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the Mabee Center on Nov. 24. The Golden Eagles won 86-60, posting their first win of the year.

Athlete Spotlight

Basketball, No. 32Damen Bell-Holter

The Big Alaskan has averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in the back-to-back wins this season. Recovering nice-ly from his struggles earlier in the sea-son. Bell-Holter was a top prospect com-ing into his fresh-

Courtesy Photo

man year, and he played well stepping up during ORU’s injury-ridden season of 2009. This year, in the absence of star for-ward Mike Craion, Bell-Holter has once again saved the day for ORU, adding a strong inside presence for the Golden Eagles. By Eli Linton

Men--TowersLifeguard 15Michael 2/3 13Remnant 4Semper Fi 3

Men--EMRRepublic 81G-Rock 56Youngblood 55Full Armor 51Men of God 27Narnia 23Kingsmen 20

WomenMoriah 45Ducks 35Gucci 34Imago Dei 33Legacy 28Zoe 28Adel Phi 28

Intramurals All School Points


University Faculty Recall Glory Days of College AthleticsProfessors and Administration Officials Talk About Playing College Sports for ORU and Other Universities

Dr. Marshal WrightBusiness professorYears played: Played tennis for ORU from 1981-83.Why he ame to ORU: Dr. Wright knew he wanted to play division one sports and attend a Christian school, and ORU at that time was the only school which fit both of these criteria.One thing they think has changed about the game since they played: The style of play is more power-ori-ented as opposed to finesse and strategic placing of the ball. “The top players today just sit back on the baseline and crush the ball.” He also used to play with wooden rackets.Interesting Fact: Dr. Wright was part of the team which at one point was ranked 10th in the nation. He still plays in a competitive league, and after getting in shape, says he is “probably playing the best he has in twenty years.”

Lance Watson HPE Professor and Golf CoachYears played: Played golf at ORU for the 91’ and 92’ seasons.Why he came to ORU: Transferring in from New Mexico Junior College, Watson didn’t know much about ORU but was attracted by the winning history of the team.One thing they think has changed about the game since they played: “The equipment has made the biggest change. The guys hit it a lot farther and a lot straighter than we did. Even though it hasn’t been that long, the equipment we used back then, kids wouldn’t have dreamed of what we can do today.”Interesting Fact: Was the team captain for those two years and won the Sam Houston Invitational as an individual. He is the current reigning 11-time Summit League Coach of the Year.

Alick MukusumaHPE InstructorYears played: Competed at Blinn Community College in Texas from 91-93 and Oklahoma Baptist for the 94/95 season. Ran distances ranging from 400- 1000 meters.Why he came to ORU: After competing in the 1988 Seoul Olympics and working for the Zambian Air Force, Coach Alick was looking for an opportunity to further his education and was given a scholarship.One thing they think has changed about the game since they played: Training theory, facilities and shoes. “The shoes are better quality and help athletes run faster while avoiding injuries.”Interesting Fact: Coach Alick competed for Zambia in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He is a 13 time All-American and holds the 1,000-meter indoor record at Blinn with a time of 2:24. He is currently training to make a come back in the Masters circuit.

Terry Unruh Accounting ProfessorYears played: Played pitcher on the baseball team at ORU from 1974-77.Why he came to ORU: Was offered a full scholarship upon graduation and the combination of division one and Christian school compelled him to come to ORU.One thing they think has changed about the game since they played: “The attitude of players.”Interesting Fact: The year before Unruh played was the first year the baseball team made it to NCAA Regionals. The year after he graduated was the only year that they made it to the College World Series. All four years he was here the team didn’t make the playoffs.

Dr. Larry Hart Theology ProfessorYears played: Played forward for the basketball team from 1967-69 here at ORU.Why he came to ORU: Dr. Hart wanted to come as soon as he learned the school was open and was offered a scholarship but turned it down as a freshman. He then transferred in a year and a half later.One thing they think has changed about the game since they played: Dr. Hart claims that the game is more physical and has lost finesse. “I don’t know how those guys play in those long things and they seem to get lon-ger and longer every year.”Interesting Fact: Earned a letter jacket as an ORU Titan (name back then) and was friends with Oral Roberts.

Dr. Ralph FaginProvostYears played: Played guard on the 1968-69 and 1969-70 basketball teams.Why he came to ORU: “It was the only college that of-fered a basketball scholarship to both me and a close friend.”One thing they think has changed about the game since they played: “The shorts are longer and the three point line did not exist when I played. Basketball has become more of a power game with bigger players and less finesse. The referees tolerate traveling and palming By Nathanael Robertson

Perihelion archived photoLarry Hart, a theology professor at ORU, played basketball for ORU from 1967-69.

Perihelion archived photosDr. Ralph Fagin, provost, played basketball for ORU from 1968-1970.

the ball to a greater degree in today’s game. Lastly, there is much more television exposure and publicity surround-ing the game.”Interesting Fact: Dr. Fagin played on the same team as Dr. Larry Hart. He no longer plays and “relegated to the cerebral realm, I still think I’m as good as I never was.”


When he asked me to marry him it was the happiest day of my life. I cried for hours and

danced all day long in excitement.

Whitney Mills

Sprinter and Student Trainer Walk, Not Run, to Wedding AltarSeniors Will Tie Knot During Christmas Break, Honeymoon in Jamaica After Two-Year Courtship That Began With First Date at Rhema Lights Many are dreaming of a white Christmas this break, but seniors Ryan Doyeto and Whitney Mills are wishing for the perfect wedding. The two met in the spring of their freshman year. Mills was a sprinter on the women’s track team, and Doyeto worked with athletes in the training room. Both still hold those positions in the athletics department. “We didn’t speak until second semester when I needed help before a race,” said Mills, who graduated from Union High in Tulsa. “I remember the first time I saw her,” Doyeto said. “She was wearing red shorts and a white tank top.” The two exchanged numbers and kept in contact over the next year, discussing sports and spiritual matters. From that moment, they say a solid friendship formed, founded on biblical standards. Once her birthday came around, Mills invited Doyeto to her birthday party, where she jokingly introduced him as her “boo.” Two weeks after the party, Mills invited Doyeto to go to the place many ORU couples visit over the holidays, Rhema Lights. The trip to Rhema turned into a date, and

three days later he asked her to be his girlfriend. “We’ve always had a steady relationship and have never really fought,” Mills said. Doyeto added: “I waited exactly eight months before I told her I loved her.” “The first time he told be he loved me, it literally took less than milliseconds for me to say it back,” Mills said. Almost a year later, Doyeto asked Mills to be his wife. “We were at a T.D. Jakes concert, holding hands, and I felt like the Lord was letting me know that everything felt right because he put us together,” Doyeto said. After saving up for six months for a ring, Doyeto began to have car problems, which cost him all of the money he’d saved up for the ring. He didn’t let the circumstanc-es affect him; he knew that it was God’s plan for them to

be together. “My grandmother gave me her first ring from 25 years ago to use as a trade-in to help buy Whitney an even bet-ter ring,” Doyeto said. “It made it that much better to see a blessing like that fall in line.” He asked Mills to marry him on July 5 and gave her the ring Aug. 28. “I asked her at my house and got to give her the ring at the same place,” he said. Mills said, “When he asked me to marry him, it was the happiest day of my life. I cried for hours and danced all day long in excitement.” “I got to surprise her because she thought we were only getting wedding bands,” Doyeto said. “Her face lit up ,and she started to cry.” Ryan said. The two said the engagement has brought them closer to each other, their families and God. They also said that God has opened many financial doors, and there’s no doubt in their minds that God is the center of their relationship. “Plentiful blessings have been bestowed upon us since we’ve been engaged, and I know it will flow over into our marriage,” Mills said. The two plan to wed at the Harwelden Mansion in Tulsa over Christmas break and honeymoon on a cruise to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. After the wedding, the Doyetos will return to ORU to finish their senior year. Both plan on furthering their education in Tulsa after graduating from ORU.

By Meridith Negri

Photo by Meridith NegriSeniors Ryan Doyeto and Whitney Mills met during the spring of their freshman year.

Want more information? Check out our website

for more coverage!www.oruoracle.com

Photos by Meridith NegriTrainer Ryan Doyeto proposed to sprinter Whitney Mills on July 5 and gave her the engagement ring (right) on Aug. 28.


Scene

Stuck on what to do during Christmas? Here are some ideas! The Christmas season is here! If you’re staying in town for the holidays, or want to get into the spirit before you leave for break, don’t think that the lit-up Prayer Gardens are your only option. Tulsa has a diverse and exciting range of things

Brighten Up the Holidays in Tulsa

The Oracle Scene Editor is Haden Brewer You may contact him with comments or questions at [email protected] For more in Scene, check out oruoracle.com

Utica Square may be known for its expensive stores, but at Christmas time, this shopping mecca gets into the holiday spirit with lights and traditions. The trees are covered in lights, there’s a classic Santa Claus stand where you can get photos taken, and there are booths set up with old-fashioned dolls portraying the Nutcracker story. While you’re there, try out the Rus-sell Stovers candy shop, or get some out-of-this-world sugar cookies from Petty’s Fine Foods. Utica Square is located at 21st Street and Utica Avenue in Tulsa.

Philbrook Museum of Art offers a display of Christmas trees every year. Decorated by different people and organizations from all over Tulsa, these trees display creativity and fun for the holidays. Enjoy snacks, live music, and, of course, many different trees. This festival provides sup-port and opportunities for some charitable organizations, so show your support by visiting. Located at 2727 S. Rockford Road, just east of Peoria, in Tulsa.

Another simple outing is driving around Midtown. Offering sometimes historic and beautiful houses, residents of these mansions go heavy on the Christmas décor. Drive around with your

friends and a play list of favorite Christmas songs. Area is located east of Riverside Drive, south of 11th Street, west of Sheridan Road and north of I-44.

Downtown Tulsa offers a soon-to-be annual favorite called Winterfest. It features an outside ice skating rink, a Ferris wheel, food, shopping, music and a giant Christmas tree. Located outside the BOK Center at Third and Denver in downtown Tulsa, Winterfest will provide one of the most exciting Christmas events in the state. Prices range from $5-8 depending on what specific area you choose.

These are just a portion of the things to do in and around Tulsa for Christmas. Get a group of friends or family, put on your scarves and hats, and make a night for Christmas cheer. You can find many ways to get into the Christmas spirit here in Tulsa, and you can do it on a college student’s wage, too!

Utica Sqaure:

Rhema:

Midtown:

Festival of the TreesWinterfest:

A classic Christmas destination after dark is Rhema Bible Church.

Providing more lights than you can imagine, and some apple cider too, Rhema

is a fun and inexpensive holiday outing. Although you may encounter lines for a few

minutes, it’s worth your wait, whether by car or on foot. Admission is free. Located on Kenosha Street

(71st Street), east of Aspen, in Broken Arrow.

By Haden Brewer

to do for Christmas fun with friends and family. Some are simple, and others ex-travagant, but any of these will be sure to have you caroling and having fun with your friends and family.


The alternative rock quintet, Anberlin released its fifth studio album “Dark is the Way, Light is the Place,” on Sept. 7, and like previous albums, it has been a suc-cess. The album explores the theme of battles in life and love. The title itself conveys that it is a journey through the band’s thoughts on love, life and pain. The lead singer, Stephen Christian, has described love as being “a friction” and “chemistry” and with each song the band is trying to understand it. The main difference between “Dark is the Way, Light is a Place” and the band’s previous album, “New Surren-der,” is that it’s darker and more aggressive, but in a way that isn’t loud with heavy guitar riffs and power chords. It’s even more emotionally gripping and the songs it contains have lyrics that’ll have the listener thinking well after the song is over. The first single from the album, “Impossible,” has a more laid-back sound to it yet has a catchy guitar riff that when coupled with Christian’s amazing vocals makes it one of the best tracks on the album. It has also been successful in the alternative category on the Billboard charts coming in at No 5. A sure-to-be favorite, “To the Wolves,” is an energetic track that has an amazing guitar rhythm throughout the chorus that’ll make listeners want to listen to it over and over. The sound of it is more aggressive and is sure to please older fans of Anberlin. One of the more upbeat, rock songs on the album is “We Owe This to Ourselves,” which really shows Chris-

Internet Photo Anberlin’s new album, “Dark is the Way, Light is the Place,” was released Sept. 7.tian’s impressive vocal range. “Pray Tell,” a track that experiments with heavy, syncopated drums beats that go well with the harsh guitar chords, should please listen-ers. Even though this album isn’t as hardcore as Anber-lin’s previous albums, it has a maturity to its sound that

Rock Band Anberlin Releases Fifth Studio Album Sept. 7makes it just as good, if not better. Each song has a raw, honest feel and the lyrics are dark, but encouraging at the same time. The track “Depraved” is about picking yourself up and rising to the challenges of life. The distinguishing aspect about “Dark is the Way, Light is a Place” and Anberlin as a band itself is that it’s not like other mainstream rock music--it’s engaging rock music that almost anyone would want to listen to. This band’s music isn’t nega-tive and doesn’t just target those angsty, pessimis-tic teenagers who want to head-bang their frustra-tions out. Loyal fans of Anberlin’s old music will still enjoy the album despite its small change in the overall sound. Even though this can be seen as inconsistent, the album is meant to be a chart topper, not to displease the fans of their older stuff. The band has grown in their mu-sicianship and songwriting, which has made this album their best one yet. By Fransceca Bee

“Wicked” Tells Backstory of Wicked Witch of the West The musical “Wicked,” which recently ended a run at the Tulsa PAC, tells the classic story of the Wizard of Oz, but from the unusual perspective of the witches of Oz, giving the full story of the Wicked Witch of the West and her friendship with Glinda, the Good Witch, long before titles could separate them. The Wicked Witch of the West, better known as Elphaba, is accompanying her handicapped sister, Nessarose, for their freshmen year of college. Even in a new, well-educated environ-ment, Elphaba is still faced with horrified reactions to her moss-green skin; some-thing she has long grown used to. By a twist of fate and miscommuni-cation she is boarded to room with the pretty and popular Galinda Upland, later to be known as Glinda the Good Witch. We get a special peek into their lives together and watch their friendship blos-som and be stretched to its limits. Enter Fiyero, the dashing prince brat who frequents colleges simply to party until he is kicked out. Dating Galinda in their shared popularity, he is unprepared

to meet her new roommate, meadow-green and ostracized for it. Elphaba is bold and outspoken, sym-pathetic to talking animals and rejects all social norms. Fiyero is completely taken aback by this oddity, and as she encourages him to think for himself, Galinda notices his progressive drifting from her to Elphaba’s affections. When Elphaba and Galinda have an opportunity to visit the Emerald City and meet the great and wonderful Wizard of Oz, they leap for the opportunity, hopes and plans mapped out. Upon arriving and meeting the Wiz-ard, things change drastically when they discover that not only does he have no power, he is also not so wonderful as they first had thought. While Galinda (“Glinda,” at this point) chooses to continue with business as usual, Elphaba flies into a rage and is soon declared an Enemy of all Oz by the Wizard in an effort to keep his own name intact. When Fiyero outright leaves Glinda to

[Anberlin is] not like other

mainstream rock music—it’s

engaging rock music that almost

anyone would want to listen to.

Music Highlights an Exploration into the Themes of Love, Life and Pain

help Elphaba, the Good Witch is devas-tated and heartbroken. In her anger she reminds the Wizard that Elphaba has a handicapped sister she adores. It is soon

Internet Photo

after that the classic house flies in the... Read the rest of Michelle Mill’s review online at oruoracle.com.


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Letters to the EditorOur Actions as Christians Speak so Much Louder Than Our WordsEditor: I appreciated Michael Bellew’s let-ter to the editor in the last issue of The Oracle. The unsportsmanlike conduct he witnessed at that particular intramural football game is symptomatic of a much broader societal problem involving how Christians should behave when engaging in competition in general, as either com-petitors or spectators. This is an extreme-ly important issue for our community here at Oral Roberts University. Our Christian witness involves much more than simply our words. As Christians, we should be continu-ously cognizant of the effects that our actions have on others, especially those who are still formulating their worldview. At a recent ORU varsity women’s soccer game, I witnessed a withering stream of rude and insulting comments from

a group of ORU fans directed toward athletes on the opposing team. While I don’t believe that these comments were offered with malicious intent, they were certainly misguided. Being an athlete myself, I understand that such mental jabbing can possibly lead to a competitive advantage by “getting in the opponent’s head,” but consider what is being sacri-ficed in order to gain this advantage. Bellew wrote, “Victory in any sport comes from the scoreboard and from positive ambition during the match.” I agree with this statement, but let us also consider a more long-term perspec-tive on what it means to “win.” Admittedly, athletic competitions are designed to measure skill and preparation against an opponent, usually via a scoreboard, but the Christian athlete is called to think more deeply about the meaning and pur-

pose of competition. In his “Handbook of Athletic Perfec-tion,” Wes Neal writes that, for the Chris-tian, “winning” is the total release of all that you are toward becoming more like Jesus Christ in every situation. He claims that this attitude actually improves ath-letic performance. When I read this a few years ago, it brought a new perspective, and healing to a major part of my life. Of all the reasons why we enjoy sports (and there are several good ones), the overarching reason for Christians should be to positively shape us into who we are becoming. Thus, every athletic competi-tion is not “just a game,” it’s an opportu-nity to become more like Jesus.

Dominic HalsmerDeanCollege of Science and Engineering

“A French Conclusion”ORU Abroad[ ]

Junior Amanda Heersche shares her experience study-ing French at the University of Strasbourg in France. She is a biomedical chemistry and French double major.

There are 15 things about France I immediately noticed: 1: dog poop, 2: public transporta-tion, 3: tiny bathrooms, 4: no sales tax, 5: strikes, 6: scarves, 7: open markets, 8: baguettes,

9: cheese, 10: bicycles, 11: no weapons/violence, 12: uncen-sored media, 13: sense of pro-priety, 14: plethora of sidewalks, 15: tiny cars. These above 15 things are mentioned because they were the first things I recognized as being completely different than what I’ve seen in my version of America. I see Europe come to my doorstep each morning I arise out of bed. I’ve met people from Bulgaria, Belarus, England, Italy, Romania, Turkey, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Serbia and Macedonia. Before coming here, I had never even heard of some of these countries. However, after being here, I cannot only pronounce them correctly (in French and English), but can also point them out on a map! I have found the English language to be a bridge that connects me to many people in

Europe who don’t know French. Most Germans who I’ve met pre-fer to speak English over French. The English language is not a big leap for most Germans, but they really struggle with speaking French. It has also been a bless-ing for me that English is so well known because there have been times where a French native would ask me a question using words I’ve never heard in my life. I speak French in France, but it’s good to know my options in case of an emergency. I have Italian in my blood which helps me because I use my hands when I talk. This has proven to be my best aid in com-municating no matter what lan-guage. In fact, I understand the Italians better when they speak Italian than when the French speak French. The French tend to have very mild facial expressions when

talking, which can be very hard to follow. They tend to have cold, blank faces during normal con-versation. I have recognized that this non-expressive demeanor is for a purpose. They save facial expressions for more extreme emotions or for emphasis. I understand most of what they say, but I second-guess myself because the body language doesn’t always match up in the way I’ve been used to seeing. Time zones are a peculiarity that can harm or help depend-ing on the situation. Sometimes it’s nice to be in the future, but it’s hard to communicate with friends and family. Skype has been a godsend, for it allows me to see and hear my beloved Americans free of charge! I can play chess with my grandpa across the pond, give recounts of jogging through Germany to my little sisters, and send a

smile from a thousand miles away. I’ve seen castles and moun-tains, forests and lakes, rivers and cathedrals, bridges and cemeteries, roses and swans, cheese and bread. I’ve discov-ered just how universal our God truly is, and exactly how intimate he wants to be with his children. Studying abroad hasn’t just helped me learn about another language and culture; it has allowed me to analyze my own language, beliefs, culture and myself. I’ve learned more about myself and my influences simply from stepping outside of my comfort zone. By letting go of my narrow view of the world, I’ve seen myself transform. I took many things for granted, but see my errors now. My stay is almost over here in France, but I’m sure France will always stay with me.


“Proverbial Snares”

Fun & Games (solutions on page 25)

Lessons Not In The Syllabus[ ]

SITUATIONS WANTED: The Oracle has open positions in video/tv pro-duction, business colum-nist, cartoonist, bloggers, video bloggers (vlog-gers), print production/layout, graphic design and contributing writers. E-mail [email protected] for consideration.

SITUATIONS WANTED: Need a ride around town or to the mall? I will give you a lift for a flat rate. Call Ken at 918.688.4415.

FOR SALE: Brand new, shrinkwrapped set of American Audio HP550 studio headphones. 918.200.9151. Calls only.

Classifieds

Chelsea Kimbrough offers insights into lessons she has learned outside of the classroom. She is a senior biomedical chemistry and French major.

Now that I have been able to experi-ence life at ORU for over three years now, I have come to recognize the popularity

of particular pitfalls. I have noticed that these issues seem to repeat themselves over and over again, in myself and others. I highlight certain ones in the following paragraphs because I believe in taking a pre-emptive approach to these types of issues. That is, I would rather watch and learn from others’ mistakes rather than experience them first-hand. Self-absorption: Self-absorption is the summation of how much you think about yourself. It’s not about whether you think highly or poorly about yourself: it’s about the quantity of time. Self-absorption is the shortest route to misery. If you spend most of your time think-ing highly of yourself, please understand that anyone with any depth knows it and finds it suffocating. Spending most of your time thinking poorly of yourself is called self-hatred or depression. It’s not something that comes on you. Ultimately, it’s something that you afflict yourself with. Self-absorption is also a great way to make those around you feel like they don’t matter. Pride in relationships: Here’s how

this one pans out: you see someone you’re interested in and you act like that person doesn’t exist. In fact, you might even avoid him or her altogether. If you do happen to talk to them, you “forget” their names and important things about them. You would never dare express interest because that would require becoming vulnerable, which is a no-no for pride-ful people. The fact is, you are intensely interested. You just cannot handle letting your guard down. It gets worse when you actually do manage to get into a relationship. Then you’re too prideful to say things like, “I’m sorry,” or “I was wrong.” Pride prevents you from enjoying other privileges as well. It will ensure that you do not ask your professor for help or permit you to seek advice from others. It’s simply a really great way to mess up a lot of things. Attitudes: One of my dad’s favorite phrases is “Attitude is everything.” I have watched so many people rise and fall at ORU based on their attitudes. So many things hinge on it, and we don’t even realize it.

In my area of study, I get to meet many students who aspire to become physi-cians. I can already tell who is going to become genuinely successful in work and play and who will only have a title to their names, if they manage to make it. Your attitude is everything, and your character is worth gold to you. Studying habits: I know a lot of people act like procrastination is a virtue, but it’s really not. Cramming may get you a good grade in the short-run, but in the long-run, it trains your brain to limit your capac-ity to store information and think. The dendrites and connections that you form while cramming are designed to be weak and malformed. It is as unhealthy as eat-ing junk food and never exercising. On the other hand, being prepared is similar to making an investment into the future that comes back at you three-fold. However, it generally requires that you study when you actually have some down-time and you don’t feel pressure. Emotional management is sometimes a difficult thing to develop, but an invalu-able one.

Submit your classified to [email protected]. Classifieds can be placed free of charge, but must be a legitimate product, service or situation wanted. Please limit submissions to 35 words and include a contact phone number. Only valid ORU e-mail ad-dress submissions will be considered.

FOR SALE: Some text-books for Dr. Guthrie’s Worship classes such as “Worship Old & New” and “The New Worship.” E-mail me at: [email protected].

SITUATIONS WANTED: Going south for Christmas? If you’re going anywhere near Florida, I need a ride. I can do Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, etc. I will help pay gas! Text/Call Micah Plant at (850) 572-5035.


Stefan Junaeus is the Oracle’s dating columnist. He will explore attitudes, outlooks and give advice regarding the romantic scene.

The Christmas season is coming. It is that time of the year where the holiday spirit is in full swing. Dreams of home, snow and presents fill the minds of those who tend to enjoy the youthful idealism of the holidays. With all the joy and music

in the air and holiday romances filling the cable lineup, how could you not think about relationships? Holidays are spent with people you love: family, friends and significant others. Christmas is usually spent missing your significant other, or wanting to miss a sig-nificant other. If this is how you are feel-ing, you are OK. This is a very common experience. In the spirit of Christmas, there are a few things that you should not do in order to survive this holiday season. Tip #1: Do not watch a holiday ro-mance alone or with someone the same gender as you. Watching romance movies about the holiday while alone – or with friends who feel the same way – will only enforce and promote your feelings of loss and depression. Instead, watch them with someone of the opposite gender you feel comfortable with, or go on a date. No one likes a person that sulks in self-pity. Tip #2: Don’t look to food for comfort. I understand that the holidays might remind you how lonely you are. That does not mean you should go home and eat your parents out of house and home. Let’s be honest: You’ll come back to school next semester and your dating life

won’t be any easier to navigate with an extra 20 pounds of holiday weight. Tip #3: Old lovers are not always good. The first thing many do when they go home is look through their phone book and see if anyone they might have dated in the past is home. It usually adds some

form of comfort, but this is risky and should be done with a level of personal caution. Revisiting an ex in the hope of experiencing in some small way what you had almost never works and should be noted as such. Tip #4: If you plan on dating during the

“Christmas Prescriptions”ORU’s Date Doctor[ ]holiday season, keep it light, especially when meeting new people. It’s always healthy to go out and meet new people. It is common to date during the holidays; there is no need for an apology. If you do, handle yourself appropriately. Everyone likes to have a holiday date, so keep it casual and fun. Don’t make it the end all, deciding to tell him or her about all your problems and emotions. Tip #5: The Christmas season with all of its stories and movies are probably not the best time of the year to define the rest of your dating life during the year. As romantic as movies like “Love Actu-ally” portray relationships, life is not a Taylor Swift song. Be entertained by the images on the screen, but don’t expect that you’ll meet your man or woman like Hugh in his latest big screen rendezvous. Having a little fun is always a good thing, but always keep in mind that “romance” is romantic because it’s personal, not because it’s elaborate. If there is anything that everyone should remember this holiday season, it is enjoy the fun and stay safe. I hope you make wise choices and come back next semester well rested and fully alive.

Letters to the Editor (continued)Student Offers Advice for Surviving Dead Week and FinalsEditor: As the month of November advances, dead week draws closer. With your mind focused on the holidays, it is difficult to remain focused and survive dead week. It is stressful, but with just a few preparations, you can fly through dead week and finish strong. Here are some sug-gestions. Instead of waiting until the night before, prepare to study early. If your exam is over 10 chapters, read a chapter a day for 30 minutes. Then you have four days left over to review the general concepts and main terms you are unsure of. This will help you earn a higher score on your exam. Stick to your study time and avoid spending time social networking. My friend and I had

a discussion about Facebook. She stated that the longer she stayed on Facebook, the less time she spent studying. I found this to be true. Studies show that users spend an average of one to five hours a week study-ing, while those who don’t have Facebook spend 11 to 15 hours a week studying. Use your social networking time for a study break, and limit the time you spend online. It’s easy to be stressed during dead week. Relax, take study breaks, and do something that will help you take your mind off studying. Also, don’t pull an all-nighter: get plenty of sleep. Pull-ing an all-nighter can cause you to miss your final by sleeping in. Plenty of sleep will increase your focus the day of your final. Living in a dorm can be dif-

ficult during dead week. Inform your floor mates that you are studying and you might just be cranky. This will help avoid any conflict on the floor and also reduce the noise level as you study. Finally, the night before your final, set your alarm to wake up early, eat breakfast, and prepare for the final by quickly reviewing. With enough study and prepara-tion, you will be able to arrive to your classroom ready to tackle your final, victoriously win the battle, and happily celebrate it with family and friends during the holidays.

Happiness KisosoMedia MajorPublic Relations/Advertising Concentration

Fun

& G

ames

Sol

utio

ns

Having a little fun is always a good thing, but always keep in

mind that ‘romance’ is romantic because it’s personal, not because

it’s elaborate.


“Life or Death?”

ORU alumnus Benjamin Thome (‘10) investigates secular media through a Christian perspective.

One intriguing feature of the “Sword of Truth” fantasy series by Terry Goodkind, the first book of which I discussed last time, is its preoccupation with philosophical concepts. Amid the clichés of sword-and-sorcery fantasy, Goodkind creates situa-tions and conflicts that address various philosophical ideas. Last

time, I discussed the ways in which the concept of perspec-tive pervades the first book of the series, “Wizard’s First Rule.” However, the remainder of the series addresses further threads of philosophical thought, often coinciding with a Christian view in its conclusions. In the series’ sixth book, “Faith of the Fallen,” Goodkind discusses the way of life es-poused by the Imperial Order, the primary nemesis of the latter books in the series. The Imperial Order is, in essence, a socialistic/communistic society. Conformity is encouraged, equal-ity mandated, and personal initiative considered a danger to society. Throughout the book, Good-kind critiques the concept of socialism, revealing its flaws and inferiorities. The most vivid portrayal of this is through the back-story of one of the main characters, Nicci. When she was a child, Nicci’s father was a skilled armorsmith, famed for his workmanship. Nicci’s mother

was an adherent to the way of the fledgling Imperial Order, which promoted self-sacrifice as a duty and necessity rather than a choice. Eventually, Nicci’s father passes away and her mother takes over the armor business. However, because the mother chooses to hire unskilled work-ers from the streets—since the poor things need jobs—she devalues the armor and runs the business into the ground. With-out the money and fame brought to the town by the armorsmith, the town’s economy collapses. Ultimately, the way espoused by the Imperial Order, and carried out by Nicci’s mother, re-sults in far more harm because it rewards laziness rather than hard work and personal initia-tive. This attitude toward social-ism lines up perfectly with Chris-tian thought. Proverbs is replete with injunctions against laziness and for diligence and effort. The New Testament also promotes personal initiative with Paul’s command to the Thessalonians,

“If a man will not work, he will not eat.” Thus, Goodkind’s han-dling of socialism coincides with Christian understanding. Another philosophical topic Goodkind addresses is that of pacifism. In the eighth book, “Naked Empire,” Richard en-counters the Bandakar Empire. This reclusive people have been isolated from the rest of the world for millennia but are now under attack by the brutal army of the Imperial Order, which mur-der the Bandakarans. Adhering to extreme pacifism, the Banda-kar do not defend themselves, but instead turn to the “unen-lightened” Richard in the hope that he will solve their problems. Ultimately, Richard convinces the Bandakarans that some cir-cumstances require a moral use of force in order to defend others and yourself. Simple pacifism is equivalent to approval of the brutality of the Imperial Order army. Such moral use of force in defense of others is in keeping with biblical thinking. Even Jesus was not a pacifist.

Pixel Perspectives[ ]

The Oracle welcomes guest colum-nist Dr. Mark Rutland to inform and inspire the ORU community as well as spur conversation on matters of thought.

After all, when the money-chang-ers in the temple were taking advantage of those coming to worship, he became violent, upturning their tables and force-fully expelling them from the temple. Thus, Goodkind once again aligns himself, perhaps unwittingly, with Christianity in his treatment of pacifism. Ultimately, the struggle be-tween Richard and the Imperial Order becomes one between Life and Death. The Imperial Order represents Death, with the laziness promoted by socialism and the passive approval of evil inherent in pacifism. Rich-ard, however, fights for Life: for the rewards of hard work and personal initiative and the oc-casional moral obligation to use force in the defense of others. In essence, Goodkind presents the same options to his readers that God presented to the Israelites in Deuteronomy: “I have set before you life and death, bless-ings and curses. Now choose life, that you and your children may live.”

“Face to Face”Think on These Things[ ] I have knuckled under, surrendered – at least partially. I now have an iPad and an iPhone. I text, I e-mail, I Google, I “all the verbs” that were not even words in my youth. With a sigh I have thus yielded to mo-dernity, not with heart, but with resigna-tion. This is no small step for a tech-resis-tant dinosaur such as I. I just quit using a quill last week. I want to communicate well and in this speed-crazed world in which I find myself, speed is evidently of the essence. Having said all that, I still harbor certain concerns. If we must reach each other primarily in cyber-space, and that seems to be the sad case, then we must learn some cyber ethics. Never having seen a list elsewhere I offer a few rules of the road for iWarriors everywhere. 1. Be nice. An e-mail is no excuse to be rude. 2. Be yourself. Or perhaps I should

say, don’t be other people. Every now and again I see some “cybernut” claiming to be me. That is ridiculous on several lev-els. If you are going to trick-or-treat on the Internet, choose a more winning costume than me. 3. Edit your e-mails. 4. Sign your e-mails and texts. 5. Think before you tweet. Widen the time gap between first thought and first tweet. One’s first and unchecked thought will frequently prove substantial at best, and more likely down right embarrassing. 6. E-mail and text less, call and visit more. There is no substitute for being face to face. E-mail can be flat, cold and even offensive where none is intended. Let ‘em look into your eyes. Get face to face whenever you can-especially when some sensitivity is needed.

“Face to Face” is the name we have chosen for ORU’s new interview show pre-miering Jan. 13, 2011, at 6 p.m. on our local channel. Up close, one-on-one inter-views; the kind of thought-ful, searching conversations that can only happen Face to Face. We will have exciting guests like: James Robison, Eddie Sutton, Mart Green, Stephen Mansfield, Lynette Lewis, Clifton Taulbert, Cameron Strang and Simon T. Bailey


Chapel Welcome Committee Provides Smiles

SA Buzz

You see them every chapel (assuming you arrive to chapel on time): the peppy, delightful faces that greet you with an energetic, “Welcome to chapel!” They stand at all the main doors, and they are inescapable. You would not want to escape them -- at least, we hope that you wouldn’t want to escape them. They are us. That’s right! Your friendly neigh-borhood Student Association rushes to the chapel just so that we can stand at the door and make sure that you feel more than welcome when you walk through the impressive doors of our magnifi-cent chapel building. You may ask, why? Why would we sprint out of our classes to stand outside in the soon to be freezing cold and windy elements of Tulsa? Our wonderful SA President, Dexter Sullivan, explains it in the context of developing a sense of community. “Dr. Rutland requested that we [greet chapel attendees]. I believe that it helps us to maintain the mentality of being a community that cares for each other. The welcoming experience also encourages a worshipful atmosphere in chapel.” SA Vice President Derek Balderson explained that the practice of

greeting our peers before chapel goes deeper than just saying hello to a passer-by. It goes back to the beliefs and teachings of our late founder and chancellor, Oral Roberts. “We do it because Oral Roberts believed in a point of contact as a crucial part of the healing process. Greeting at the door is critical because we are that point of contact in chapel.” The really great part of the interaction, in our opinion, is the point of contact that we receive. We love to be there to see your wonder-ful smiling face. It is rewarding for us to see that kind of community developing on campus. “It’s a really easy way to be social and to make someone smile,” stated Whitney Owings. When asked about what her favorite part of greeting at chapel was, Jesseca Logan explained that she had only had the opportunity to do it once, but that she, “liked getting people excited. It was fun!” So to recap: there are reasons we stand out there and greet you. We are building community, and we love to see your smiling faces as you march in through the chapel doors. You saw us today, and you’ll see us every other chapel day, and now you know why we’re there.

Upcoming “New Year” Events

Battle of the Bands Auditions

Tuesday, Jan. 11 7 p.m.

Zoppelt Auditorium

Homecoming WeekJan. 31 through

Feb. 5

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Entry-level advertising sales positions are avail-able in The Oracle’s advertising office for Spring 2011. Students should enroll in ADV 211 for one- to three-credit hours. The course requires students to work in the sales office for two to six hours each week depending on course credit. Students receive training to prospect and qualify customers, build client relationships, close deals and complete contracts. Students also use

office and publishing software (e.g. Excel and Adobe InDesign) as well as plan and host cam-pus promotions and other sales-related events. Students should possess strong organizational and customer service skills and be self-moti-vated. Students who meet the semester’s sales objectives receive preference for paid Account Executive and Sales Manager positions.

O R U ’ s C a m p u s N e w s p a p e r

For more information: Call (918) 495-7080 or email [email protected].

SA Buzz is provided by Kathleen Kelly Contact SA with comments/questions at [email protected] For more info about SA, check out orusa.org

12.0

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12.28 TUESDAYMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. IPFW, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

12.29 WEDNESDAYWOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. IPFW, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

12.30 THURSDAYMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. OAKLAND, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

12.31 FRIDAYWOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. OAKLAND, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

1.03 MONDAYWOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. NE OKLA-HOMA STATE, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

1.13 THURSDAYMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SOUTHERN UTAH, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

1.14 FRIDAYTOBYMAC’S WINTER WONDER SLAM TOUR, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Tickets go on sale Dec. 6

1.15 SATURDAYWOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. UMKC, 2 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. UMKC, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

1.17 MONDAYWOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SOUTH-ERN UTAH, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Free with ORU I.D.

1.20 THURSDAYJOHNNY MATHIS IN CONCERT, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, Admission: $30 with ORU I.D.

12.03 FRIDAYJOYS OF CHRISTMAS CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Mabee Center, Attendees are asked to bring an unwrapped toy for admission 12.04 SATURDAYBRIAN REGAN LIVE IN CONCERT, 8 p.m., Mabee Center, Tickets start at $37.50

SPANISH CLUB CHRISTMAS FIESTA, 8 p.m., Fireside, Members: Free, Non-members: $3

12.16 THURSDAYTRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, 8 p.m., BOK CENTER, Tickets start at $27

THE ORACLE CALENDAR IS SPONSORED BY THE MABEE CENTER.

CHRIS TOMLINLOUIE GIGLIOThursday, March 31, 2011 7 P.M.

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