Arkansas Actor’s “Hunger Games” Beard Sparks Social Buzz
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There’s no doubt thousands of people across Arkansas will be lining up Thursday evening as the “Hunger Games” makes its midnight debut at theaters. The movie has generated international buzz — as has the beard of one of the movie’s stars.
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By: KARK 4 News
Updated: March 21, 2012
There’s no doubt thousands of people across Arkansas will be lining up Thursday evening as the “Hunger Games” makes its midnight debut at theaters. The movie has generated international buzz — as has the beard of one of the movie’s stars.Arkansas native Wes Bentley plays the role of Seneca Crane. The character of Crane has a unique, avant-garde facial hair style that you really have to see to understand.The beard even has its own Facebook fan page….with nearly 8,000 fans!Many critics have called this performance Bentley’s comback. The Jonesboro native burst on the scene in 1999 staring in “American Beauty.” Since that film, Bentley has battled drug addiction.If you’d like to become a fan of Bentley’s beard, you can click here. (don’t worry, we won’t judge you)<!–
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The persistence of poverty in Baltimore is disturbing. It is even more so when one looks deeper into the official data.
The 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) estimates that 25.6 percent of Baltimore’s population “for whom poverty status is determined” (602,129 people) are in poverty, as measured by pre-tax income relative to the poverty threshold used by the U.S. Census Bureau. For example, if a two-person family’s pre-tax money income is less than $14,218, it is considered poor; the corresponding figure for a family of four is $22,314.
However, the 25.6 percent figure doesn’t tell the whole story about Baltimore’s poverty.
If latent poverty is to be reduced, Baltimore needs to address the problem of how to improve economic development.
If one looks at the ACS for families, one finds that 28 percent of Baltimore families with children under 18 are living below the poverty level. That figure rises to an astonishing 40.6 percent for female-headed families with no father present. Is it surprising that poverty persists in Baltimore?
Poverty is often blamed on high taxes, onerous regulations, barriers to occupational entry and other economic factors. But poverty is also affected by people’s choices. For individuals who wait to have children, get married and stay married, obtain more education, and stay out of jail, poverty rates diminish greatly.
The poverty rate for married-couple families with related children under 18 in Baltimore is only 7.4 percent (7.5 percent for whites and 6.8 percent for blacks). Educational status is also important: Female-headed households with less than a high school degree have a poverty rate of 44.1 percent; the rate is 11 percent for those with a college degree.
With many dysfunctional families, a culture of crime, and public schools that are frequently ineffective and sometimes dangerous, the cards are stacked against poor people trying to escape poverty in Baltimore.
Government policies can influence one’s choices and the level of responsibility one takes. The growth of the welfare state has eroded personal responsibility and made the poor more dependent. After spending billions on welfare programs since President Lyndon Johnson announced the War on Poverty, the U.S. poverty rate is still about the same as in 1966 (14.7 percent). How can that be?
One answer is that the official poverty statistics mismeasure the actual extent of poverty. The U.S. Census Bureau measures only pre-tax money income and ignores noncash transfer payments in the form of Medicaid (by far the largest welfare program), food stamps, children’s health insurance, and child nutrition and health. If those in-kind transfers were included, the official poverty rate would decrease substantially.
Nevertheless, as Charles Murray pointed out in his landmark book Losing Ground (1984), even if all transfers were included as income and brought many people above the poverty thresholds, “latent poverty” would remain. That is, if welfare payments were taken away, people would return to poverty. Welfare alone cannot create wealth. Economic growth is the only sure way to reduce dependence and poverty.
Just look at China. Since 1978, when it began its march toward the market, China has achieved the world’s highest sustained rate of economic growth and allowed several hundred million people to lift themselves out of absolute poverty.
Counting noncash benefits of those living in poverty in Baltimore would reduce “poverty” but not free people from welfare. A huge underclass has captured politicians for their cause of maintaining and increasing transfers rather than limiting the size and scope of government to make people more responsible and foster economic growth.
No one could say that the poor in Baltimore today are less well-off materially than 50 or 100 years ago. Indeed, if one looks at personal consumption expenditures — a better measure of one’s living standard than pre-tax money income — one finds that official figures significantly overstate the extent of poverty.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in 2009, consumer expenditures for the lowest fifth of income earners were more than twice as high as before-tax income (which includes cash transfers and food stamps). Average annual consumption expenditures were $21,611 for the lowest quintile, while income was $9,846.
This disparity is due to underreporting of income, outside financial assistance, loans and other factors. If poverty is better measured by one’s consumption rather than income, then Baltimore’s 25 percent poverty rate is misleading.
Most “poor” households now have a TV, air conditioning, enough food and medical care. Many have Internet access and a cell phone (subsidized by the federal government). What they don’t have is a safe environment, two parents and choice in education.
If latent poverty is to be reduced, Baltimore needs to address the problem of how to improve economic development. Part of that problem lies in heavy taxes on capital, but part also lies in the rise of government welfare and the decline in morality.
The bulk of Baltimore’s budget is spent on public safety (crime reduction) and education. Government failure is evident in those areas — taxpayers are not getting their money’s worth. Rather than spending more on welfare, perhaps it’s time to think about how to reduce latent poverty and make people more responsible for their choices.
Surprising facts about America’s poor Here are some interesting facts: Morning Bell: Surprising Facts about America’s Poor Mike Brownfield September 13, 2011 at 11:00 am In his address to the joint session of Congress last week, President Barack Obama called for $477 billion in new federal spending, which he said would give hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged […]
I love Milton Friedman’s film series “Free to Choose.” In that film series over and over it is shown that the ability to move from poor to rich is more abundant here than any other country in the world. This article below reminded me of that that. Are Poor Really Helpless Without Government? By Michael […]
Why does the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games have more than 3 million fans on Facebook? More than 1,000 showings of the film, which opens tonight at midnight, have already sold out.
It’s simple: Readers of the book have put themselves in the story.
It’s a gripping first-person narrative that prods the reader to wonder, “What would I do in this situation?” again and again. And it’s a fight for liberty—personal and collective—that is relatable.
Like many enduring tales, The Hunger Games features everyday individuals fighting evil against all odds. In their country of Panem, entertainment and oppression have melded into a frightening mutation (or, to use a term coined by author Suzanne Collins, “muttation”). The iron-fisted Capitol keeps the districts (the states of Panem) down by pitting them against each other in a televised annual spectacle, the Hunger Games. Each district must send one male and one female “tribute” between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete in a fight to the death. The winner is lavished with wealth and food, which is scarce for most.
The Capitol is a gluttonous place where citizens’ needs are more than met, giving them time to fixate on adorning their bodies and seeking entertainment. They are the main audience for the Hunger Games, though the impoverished people in the districts are forced to watch as well.
While the Capitol could be a metaphor for Americans’ obsession with entertainment, desensitization to violence, and voyeuristic pleasure in “reality” TV, the notion of a government with absolute control—and citizens struggling for their freedom—extends from the American Revolution to the tea parties of recent years.
“We’re thankfully a very faint shadow of Panem in the United States, but increasingly we live at the mercy of politicians irrespective of party,” writes John Tamny in Forbes. “If this is doubted, try to evade your taxes, and when you get a letter from the IRS asking for them, ignore the letter.”
Tamny calls the novel “a boisterous comment about the certain horrors of big government.” And though Panem is an overblown caricature, the theme resonates. The government dictates the work citizens are allowed to do, the places they’re allowed to go, and the tribute they must pay to the Capitol. There is little hope because there is no prospect of freedom. There is no opportunity for individual achievement or innovation, and many turn to the black market—the closest thing they have to a free market—just to obtain food.
Author John Eldredge, who says “We’ve lost the fact that reality is a story,” has written at length about the power of a narrative that draws us in and makes us feel like we are part of a greater cause.
“In Algebra you can say, ‘I understand that!’ But in a great story you say, ‘I want to live like that,’” Eldredge says.
This is the reason the story of The Hunger Games inspires—the timeless truth that freedom is worth fighting for
This sci-fi novel is the first book in “The Hunger Games” series by Suzanne Collins and is published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.
The Hunger Games is written for kids ages 13 and up. The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness.
Plot Summary
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives in the nation of Panem (a post-apocalyptic North America) with her mother and younger sister, Prim. Her family resides in District 12, the poorest of 12 districts ruled by the wealthy Capitol. Katniss provides for her mother and sister by hunting with her friend Gale in the forbidden woods nearby.
As punishment for the districts’ rebellion attempt years earlier, the Capitol holds an annual televised event called The Hunger Games. Each district must draw the names of a boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18. These 24 youths become contestants (called “tributes”), who must fight to the death in a vast arena created by the Capitol Gamemakers. The lone survivor returns home to wealth and fame.
One year, on the day of “reaping,” Prim’s name is drawn. Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place. The other tribute is Peeta Mellark, a baker’s son who once saved Katniss’ family from starvation by sneaking them bread. Guards put Katniss and Peeta on a train for the Capitol. Haymitch Abernathy, their trainer, accompanies them. He is the only District 12 tribute who has ever survived the Hunger Games.
The bored, wealthy people of the Capitol celebrate the Hunger Games with parties and parades. Capitol-appointed prep teams create an image for each tribute by providing costumes, makeovers and talking points. Tributes who impress the Capitol viewers win “sponsors” — or wealthy fans, who will fund gifts of food and equipment at critical points in the Games.
In his pre-Games TV interview, Peeta claims he’s secretly loved his District 12 counterpart for years. Since tributes are always on camera, Katniss can never ask Peeta if his declaration is true or a ploy to attract attention. She plays along, and they draw many sponsors with their ill-fated romance.
After Olympic-like opening ceremonies, the tributes are thrown into an arena with miles of forestland. Eleven tributes die the first day as the contestants fight for the few supplies the Capitol has provided. Katniss takes off alone, hiding and hunting for several days until a group of allied tributes traps her in a tree. There, she finds a young tribute named Rue, who reminds her of her sister. They drop a nest of mutated yellow jackets on their opponents and escape. Their alliance and friendship are short-lived. Another boy kills Rue with a spear a few days later.
Playing on the audience’s thirst for romance, the Gamemakers announce that if two members from the same district are the last two contestants, both may return home. Katniss finds Peeta and nurses the wounds he’s acquired in a battle with another tribute.
When only one contestant besides Katniss and Peeta remains, the Gamemakers release a pack of vicious dog-like creatures. The beasts slowly maul the other boy to death. Katniss and Peeta believe they’ve won the Games, but at the last moment, a voice announces that the previous rule change has been revoked. Only one contestant can win, meaning the District 12 tributes must fight each other to the death. Peeta and Katniss threaten to eat poisonous berries simultaneously. The Gamemakers, knowing a double suicide will be an unsatisfying conclusion for the audience, quickly uphold their earlier ruling.
Though both teens are allowed to return to home, Haymitch tells Katniss that the Capitol is furious with their attempt to throw the Games. So even as she rides the train to District 12, Katniss senses she is anything but safe. She also learns that Peeta’s love is real, but he’s crushed to hear that Katniss is uncertain of her feelings for him. She’s developed a deep fondness for Peeta, but she finds herself thinking more about Gale, a friend she used to illegally hunt with in the forest.
Christian Beliefs
None
Authority Roles
Katniss’ father died in a mining accident several years earlier. She recalls his beautiful singing. Katniss’ mother subsequently suffered a mental breakdown, leaving Katniss to support the family. Though Mother eventually improves, she is never the same nor does she reclaim the roles of parent or provider. Peeta’s mother smacks him across the face for burning bread. Haymich, District 12’s sole Hunger Games winner in its 40+ year history, is Katniss and Peeta’s official adviser. Known throughout the nation for his embarrassing alcohol-induced TV appearances, he sobers up some to help them form a strategy. He sends them gifts on the battlefield when they follow his orders. The dictatorial leaders of the Capitol, as well as its self-absorbed citizens, dress strangely and eat lavishly. In their existential boredom, they seek extreme “entertainment,” which includes watching others suffer brutality and die gruesome deaths.
Other Belief Systems
A few times, Katniss mentions having good luck. Rue carries a good luck charm. Katniss says the woods where she hunts have been the savior of her and her family. She says her mother and sister can work magic with herbs (meaning that they’re good at making and administering medicines). Before becoming a tribute, Katniss devoted her Sundays to hunting and trading with Gale.
Profanity/Graphic Violence
The word h— appears once. In this tale of 24 teenagers forced to kill each other, readers follow a number of gruesome, bloody and otherwise disturbing scenes. One tribute murders another by snapping his neck. Other tributes are killed by spears, arrows, blows to the head with rocks and the stings of mutated yellow jackets. Wounds ooze blood and puss, and the wounded smell festering flesh. One of the final tributes is mauled by a pack of rabid dog-like creatures for hours before he dies. Katniss also mentions how, in previous games, tributes were killed by venomous snakes, went insane from thirst or froze to death. One previous contestant tried to eat the tributes he’d killed, but the Gamemakers stopped this because it didn’t play well with the audience. Leaders in the Capitol cut out the tongues of those who disobey them. Despite the many alarming images, readers find little if any gratuitous gore. The descriptions emphasize the horrible plight of the tributes and the gross desensitization of the Capitol dwellers.
Kissing/Sex
Katniss and Peeta kiss a number of times and snuggle together for warmth in a sleeping bag.
Awards
The New York Times Bestseller, 2009-10; Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, 2008; American Library Association (ALA) Best Book for Young Adults, 2009; and others.
Discussion Topics
If your children have read this book or someone has read it to them, consider these discussion topics:
How does Katniss feel whenever she thinks she owes someone?
To which characters in the book does she feel indebted, and why?
Do you ever find it awkward to accept kind words or gestures from others when you can’t return the favor? Why or why not?
Have you ever given someone a gift you knew he couldn’t repay?
How did you feel?
What would it be like to have the nation watching your every move on TV?
How might you behave differently than normal if the cameras were rolling?
What would you do if you could only survive by killing someone else?
What would you want viewers to remember about you?
Why does Katniss wonder if she can trust Peeta?
Why is it easier for her to trust Rue?
Which of Katniss’ past experiences make it difficult for her to place her confidence in others?
Do you have difficulty trusting people?
Why is it sometimes hard to trust God?
How can you determine who is or isn’t trustworthy?
What are some ways the Gamemakers, prep teams and trainers get the contestants to do their bidding?
Which, if any, of these people care about the tributes’ thoughts and feelings?
If you were chosen as a tribute, would you have followed the orders you were given or rebelled? Explain your answer.
What happened to Katniss’ mother after her father died?
Why is Katniss so angry with her mother?
What does she fear her mother will do in the future?
Have you ever known someone who suffered from depression?
What kinds of depression treatments are available in our society that weren’t in Katniss’?
If you had a friend struggling with depression, what could you say or do to help?
Why does Katniss say she’ll never have kids?
What does she fear about the future?
Does it scare you to think about raising kids in our society? Explain your answer.
What does the Bible say you should do when you feel afraid?
How can you prevent fear from influencing your decisions and crushing your hopes?
What are the Capitol people like?
How are they different from those in the districts?
How are the Capitol residents entertained, rather than repulsed, by the violence and death in the Hunger Games?
Does a scenario like this — where people are forced to fight each other to amuse a crowd — seem far-fetched?
What has happened like this in history?
Could it happen in the future?
Which characters value human life, and which do not?
Why does Gale advise Katniss to forget that her fellow tributes are people?
Why might it be easier for Katniss to kill her competitors if she visualizes them as animals?
Does our country value human life? Explain your answer.
Name some situations in which people have tried to justify cruelty or murder by convincing themselves that a particular group of individuals was not really human.
After winning the Hunger Games, how does Katniss view her future?
Why doesn’t she feel joy and relief?
How do you think she will change as a result of her experiences in the Hunger Games?
Does this story have a happy ending? Explain your answer.
Notes: Like the Hunger Games tributes in the Capitol arena, many early Christians faced cruel deaths in the Roman Colosseum. Parents or teachers could study the persecution of early Christ followers and compare/contrast those believers with the Hunger Games contestants.
Mythology: The book’s plot was influenced by the Greek myth in which King Minos requires 7 boys and 7 girls from Athens to battle the Minotaur in a labyrinth.
Alcohol: Haymitch drinks constantly. He is often drunk and humiliating himself, like when he vomits all over the floor of the train en route to the Capitol. The prep team gives Katniss wine at a dinner, but after drinking half of one glass, she feels foggy and switches to water. She says she can’t understand how Haymitch can stand being in a fog all the time. Instead of observing Katniss and rating her pre-Games performance, the intoxicated Gamemakers ignore her and sing drinking songs.
Gambling: The Hunger Games are a hotbed of gambling, not unlike big sporting events of today.
Nudity: The prep team examines Katniss in the nude, and she’s often naked in their presence as they prepare her for TV appearances. The mentions of nudity, neither graphic nor sexual, emphasize how Katniss is viewed as an object to be modified rather than a human being.
Illegal activity: Katniss and Gale hunt illegally. They sell some of what they gather and/or kill on the city’s black market. Nearly all District 12 citizens rely on the black market for survival.
Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. A book’s inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.
Uploaded by clevverTV on Nov 16, 2011 The New Hunger Games 2012 Official Trailer! This full length trailer gives The Hunger Games fans a first look at the world of Panem and plot details up to the beginning of the games. ___________________ From KARK’s website: Arkansas Actor’s “Hunger Games” Beard Sparks Social Buzz <!– There’s […]
Uploaded by clevverTV on Nov 16, 2011 The New Hunger Games 2012 Official Trailer! This full length trailer gives The Hunger Games fans a first look at the world of Panem and plot details up to the beginning of the games. _______________ Great article from the Heritage Foundation: Hunger Games Taps the Desire for Freedom […]
Uploaded by clevverTV on Nov 16, 2011 The New Hunger Games 2012 Official Trailer! This full length trailer gives The Hunger Games fans a first look at the world of Panem and plot details up to the beginning of the games. ___________________ The Hunger Games A book review for parents This sci-fi novel is […]
Uploaded by clevverTV on Nov 16, 2011 The New Hunger Games 2012 Official Trailer! This full length trailer gives The Hunger Games fans a first look at the world of Panem and plot details up to the beginning of the games. ___________________ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Reading Level: Young Adult Reviewed by Kathy […]
Uploaded by clevverTV on Nov 16, 2011 The New Hunger Games 2012 Official Trailer! This full length trailer gives The Hunger Games fans a first look at the world of Panem and plot details up to the beginning of the games. ___________________ From IMDA: Date of Birth 4 September 1978, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA Birth Name […]
Wikipedia noted: Wesley Cook “Wes” Bentley (born September 4, 1978)[1] is an American film actor known for his role of Ricky Fitts in American Beauty. Contents [hide] 1 Early life and career 2 Personal life 2.1 Substance abuse and legal issues 3 TV movies 4 Filmography 5 Theater 6 References 7 External links [edit] Early […]
by Suzanne Collins
Reading Level: Young Adult
Reviewed by Kathy Davis on January 08 2011 13:37:35
In a Dystopian future, the world has survived a mass uprising and now is split into 13 districts, ruled by dictator President Snow. To keep the districts in line and remind them that defying the capital is futile, each district must send a male and female representative (ages 12 and up) to compete in the annual “hunger games”, a survivor like competition where the contestants must kill their opponents to win, and there can only be one winner. When Katniss Everdeen’s little sister’s name is drawn, she volunteers to replace her. An experienced hunter, Katniss has at least a chance of having the skills to survive. But killing animals is different than killing humans, when faced with this horrible choice; will she do what she must to live?
When she is sent to the capital for training, Katniss is pampered and lavished with gourmet food and given the ultimate makeover. The representatives are now celebrities, and the games being a televised event that becomes a celebration. As she adjusts to the limelight, Katniss begins a relationship with fellow district representative Peeta, the baker’s son. She knew him from a far, and remembers a random act of kindness he showed to her when they were children. In order to appeal to the crowd, the stylists and mentors of the teens decide to present the two as a couple with a blooming romance. They convince the audience they are truly in love, but is Peeta’s part just an act, or has he really fallen for Katniss? And once they are a midst the arena and the games, their true colors emerge.
As would be expected from a book about “gladiators”, violence runs amuck. But the development of Katniss and Peeta’s relationship and what will become of them keeps the reader completely emerged. There are a great host of well thought out characters, and the extent at what the Hunger Game developers go to keep the games interesting is mind-boggling. I’ve read the sequels, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, and the violence heightens in the last of the trilogy to the point of being depressing. I think the story overall was good, but would only recommend the entire series to those young adults mature enough to handle the loss of many beloved characters, and willing to discuss the repressions of war and political uprising.
Two scenes from the annual Easter production by Deep Creek Baptist where I serve as Tech Director and video editor. Equipment used: Canon HD cameras, Panasonic switcher, Blackmagic Decklink capture, Final Cut Express editing. Live singers and orchestra recorded through a Yamaha DM2000 digital console.
Deep Creek Baptist Church is a church aimed at helping people find the love of God and the friendship of others in Jesus Christ. Here are some things that the church believes and practices.
Purpose Statement & Process of Discipleship
We Worship God…Connect with Each Other…Serve the World
Statement of Faith
We Believe…
– In one God, the Maker of all things.
– That Jesus is the Infinite God-Man, the only Savior of mankind.
– That the Bible is God’s written revelation to man, inerrant in all that it teaches.
– In Heaven, Hell and the literal return of Jesus at a time that God chooses.
– In the Trinity ministry and power of the Holy Spirit.
PASTOR ERNIE MYERS
Beware of Arrogance – 3.11.12
Deep Creek Baptist Church is a diverse family of followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound together by personal faith in Jesus as the resurrected Son of God, by a common experience of God’s Holy Spirit, by a commitment to the Bible as our authority for faith and life, and by a desire to share with others here and around the world God’s offer of forgiveness for sin and the gift of eternal life.
We work hard to be a place where people worship God, connect with each other through small groups, and together serve the world.
I would be so happy for you to attend one of the Sunday worship services, either at 8:15, 9:30, or 11:00 a.m. The 8:15 and 11:00 services feature blended worship songs, choir and orchestra and a relevant life-changing message from God’s Word. The 9:30 service, Crossover, is a progressive service featuring the best of contemporary worship music led by a talented praise band and worship team and, too, is centered upon a relevant message from the Word of God.
Let me write, also, that each Sunday morning includes excellent worship services and small groups for preschool, children and youth. These services and small groups give these age groups worship and Bible study to which they can relate.
One more thing, we love guests and new people. You will find it easy to fit in. Hope you will come soon, and make sure you come by where I am at the main entrance and say hello. I am looking forward to meeting you.
It pays to remember history. Today I am going to go through some of it and give an outline and quotes from the great Southern Baptist leader Adrian Rogers (1931-2005). Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times started this morning off with some comedy: From pro golfer John Daly’s Twitter account following last night’s Republican debate, […]
Dr Rogers was fond of this quote he got from Robert G. Lee: ”Sin will take you farther than you want to go, Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay, Sin will cost you more than you want to pay.“ Pay Day – Someday by Dr. R. G. Lee Uploaded by BereanBeacon on […]
Crimes & Misdemeanors (pictured is Judah and his criminal brother, ultimately his brother hires a hitman to take out Judah’s girlfriend who threatens to turn Judah over to the cops) Crimes And Misdemeanors 1989 9/13 Adrian Rogers – Crossing God’s Deadline Part 4 crimes & misdemeanors Best scene of the movie!!!! _ John Brummett in […]
I am thrilled to get the chance to share the following article with you today. I got a call from Tim Keown who is a writer for ESPN Magazine a few days ago. He had read a post from my blog on Tim Tebow and wanted to ask me some questions. One of my answers […]
Everyone is wondering if this amazing fourth quarter comeback streak will end for the Denver Broncos and their quarterback Tim Tebow. At the December 11, 2011 early service at Fellowship Bible Church, pastor Mark Henry (who himself was an all conference Arkansas Razorback football player) noted: How many of you have been watching the drama […]
At the end of this post is a message by RC Sproul in which he discusses Sagan. Over the years I have confronted many atheists. Here is one story below: I really believe Hebrews 4:12 when it asserts: For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the […]
E P I S O D E 6 How Should We Then Live 6#1 I am sharing with you a film series that I saw in 1979. In this film Francis Schaeffer asserted that was a shift in Modern Science. A. Change in conviction from earlier modern scientists.B. From an open to a closed natural system: […]
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / U2 The Rolling Stones Satisfaction (rare) If you want to see the path that Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of the rock group Kansas took to find true satisfaction then listen to their song “Dust in the Wind” and then read their testimony at this link […]
Barrett Jones of Alabama Crimson Tide has spent time the last two years ministering to earthquake victims in Haiti. (Barrett grew up and went to ECS where I graduated and to Bellevue Baptist where I was a member while growing up. Adrian Rogers was the pastor from 1972 to 2004.) Actually I wrote about Barrett’s […]
Wesley Cook Bentley born September 4, 1978, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to David and Cherie Bentley, two Methodist ministers. Wes joined older brothers Jamey and Philip, and was later joined by younger brother, Patrick. Wes later attended Sylvan Hills High School in Sherwood, Arkansas, where he was in the drama club. Interest in acting came from Improv Comedy. He, his brother Patrick, his best friend Damien Bunting and other close friend Josh Cowdery developed an Improv group called B(3) + C. They regularly dominated competitions in Arkansas. He then placed First in the state of Arkansas in solo acting in 1996, his senior year of high school, Second in Duet, and also regularly won for Poetry and Prose Readings. Wes appeared on-stage quite a bit in Little Rock. At The Weekend Theater, Wes played the straight son of the gay couple in a production of La Cage aux Folles. At Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, Wes’ plays included Oliver. At his mother’s urging, Wes attended Juilliard School in New York after high school graduation. He was there only a short time but appeared in stage work like Henry IV, Part 1 and The Weavers. Wes then worked at Blockbuster and was a waiter at TGI Friday’s on Long Island. Wes also states that his most prideful venture in life was starting a soccer team from scratch at his high school and subsequently putting together a full Conference, one of Arkansas’s first. Wes had no real experience in soccer before doing this.
During all of 2012, Hickory Grove Baptist Church is embarking on a journey through all of God’s Word, bringing clarity to the Bible – one book, one chapter, one word at a time – in order to understand how it relates to Jesus and your life today.
Year of the Bible has three main Components:
INDIVIDUAL
Every Day Bible Reading Plan:
Plan starts January 8 and ends December 31, 2012. Daily readings are in chronological format which allows you to see how one book relates to the next in the course of Biblical History.
We are providing multiple avenues to help you on your journey:
A Quarterly and Yearly Reading Plan you can tuck in your Bible.
Online reading with note taking and prayer journal.
On our new Hickory Grove Baptist Church App for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Android devices!
The first Christmas Eve service held at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. 12/24/2010
Clint Pressley–Pastor
“Silent Night”:
John Stegemerten–Minister of Music/Piano/Vocals, Mandy Goldbach–Vocals, Kevin Goldbach–Guitar/Vocals, Dave Vergato–Upright Bass, Jimmy Elswick–Percussion
It pays to remember history. Today I am going to go through some of it and give an outline and quotes from the great Southern Baptist leader Adrian Rogers (1931-2005). Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times started this morning off with some comedy: From pro golfer John Daly’s Twitter account following last night’s Republican debate, […]
Dr Rogers was fond of this quote he got from Robert G. Lee: ”Sin will take you farther than you want to go, Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay, Sin will cost you more than you want to pay.“ Pay Day – Someday by Dr. R. G. Lee Uploaded by BereanBeacon on […]
Crimes & Misdemeanors (pictured is Judah and his criminal brother, ultimately his brother hires a hitman to take out Judah’s girlfriend who threatens to turn Judah over to the cops) Crimes And Misdemeanors 1989 9/13 Adrian Rogers – Crossing God’s Deadline Part 4 crimes & misdemeanors Best scene of the movie!!!! _ John Brummett in […]
I am thrilled to get the chance to share the following article with you today. I got a call from Tim Keown who is a writer for ESPN Magazine a few days ago. He had read a post from my blog on Tim Tebow and wanted to ask me some questions. One of my answers […]
Everyone is wondering if this amazing fourth quarter comeback streak will end for the Denver Broncos and their quarterback Tim Tebow. At the December 11, 2011 early service at Fellowship Bible Church, pastor Mark Henry (who himself was an all conference Arkansas Razorback football player) noted: How many of you have been watching the drama […]
At the end of this post is a message by RC Sproul in which he discusses Sagan. Over the years I have confronted many atheists. Here is one story below: I really believe Hebrews 4:12 when it asserts: For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the […]
E P I S O D E 6 How Should We Then Live 6#1 I am sharing with you a film series that I saw in 1979. In this film Francis Schaeffer asserted that was a shift in Modern Science. A. Change in conviction from earlier modern scientists.B. From an open to a closed natural system: […]
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / U2 The Rolling Stones Satisfaction (rare) If you want to see the path that Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of the rock group Kansas took to find true satisfaction then listen to their song “Dust in the Wind” and then read their testimony at this link […]
Barrett Jones of Alabama Crimson Tide has spent time the last two years ministering to earthquake victims in Haiti. (Barrett grew up and went to ECS where I graduated and to Bellevue Baptist where I was a member while growing up. Adrian Rogers was the pastor from 1972 to 2004.) Actually I wrote about Barrett’s […]
Bentley was married to actress Jennifer Quanz from 2001 to 2009. They separated in 2006 due to his substance abuse. He married producer Jacqui Swedberg in 2010 and they have a son, Charles, born in late 2010.[9]
In a New York Times article on February 8, 2010, he described his descent into drug addiction that began almost immediately after his success in American Beauty. He said he hid his addiction from his wife; they separated in 2006, and he moved to an apartment where he began doing drugs full-time. During this time he worked sporadically, just enough to pay bills and buy drugs, and in 2008 was arrested and ordered into counseling and 12-step programs. He relapsed, however, and “continued using heroin until he was broke”.[5]
In July 2009, he said, he confessed to a friend, “I’m a drug addict, and an alcoholic, and I need help. I need help or I’m going to die.”[citation needed] He again entered a 12-step program and, while clean since then, considers himself on the path to recovery, and has begun to rebuild his career by starring in the Off-Broadway play Venus in Fur. The documentary My Big Break captures Bentley’s early life as an unknown actor, his explosive career launch after American Beauty, his subsequent emotional struggle with fame, and his admission years later that he was recovering from an addiction to drugs and alcohol.[5]
We invite you to experience “The best hour of your week.” Come enjoy great up-lifting music, creative videos, and relevant, life-changing messages from our pastor, Dr. John Cross. His talks are designed to help you with real-life issues throughout your week.
South Biscayne Church is a church for everyone. We have an atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re home. Whether you are just checking out this “church thing” or you are a committed Christ-follower, you are welcome here.
South Biscayne Church is a biblically-based church committed to presenting the good news that God has a personal purpose for your life. John, or as the students call him YJC (Young John Cross), presents these truths in creative and compelling ways. We exist to fulfill a very simple mandate: Love God, Love Others & Love Life. We believe that this simple life mantra will revolutionize the way people view their lives. It’s found in the Bible:
Matthew 22:37
Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
John 10:10
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”
A Brief History of South Biscayne Church
South Biscayne Church began as the Southern Baptist Mission of North Port, Florida, with a dedication service on October 14, 1973. The history of this great church actually began ten years earlier as God birthed the vision for South Biscayne in the hearts of Mr. and Mrs. George Buchanan. They prayed and sought support for ten years before they led the way in beginning South Biscayne. At its inception, nine people stepped forward and committed themselves to start the church as a mission.
The first Sunday morning service was held October 21, 1973 at the North Port Community Club. Eleven people attended the Sunday School class that day and sixteen attended the worship service.
Rev. W. Adair Ellen was called as pastor on September 15, 1974. After calling Pastor Ellen, the church began holding Sunday evening services in homes until use of the Community Club on Sunday evenings was obtained.
Worship services were very interesting during this time. Hymnals and other items used in the services had to be taken home each week and brought back the next Sunday. Chairs and tables were set up every Sunday for services. Often the piano would have to be moved or floors would have to be mopped to clean up after a party held at the Community Center the night before. The building did not have a sound system, so Pastor Ellen had to speak over the noise of the old air conditioning units and the crickets.
The second Sunday School class began as an outreach to the children waiting for the swimming pool to open at the Community Club. This class was held in the kitchen, so to get the room ready, it had to be cleaned and garbage and bottles thrown out.
In September of 1975, plans were finalized for the purchase of 5.36 acres of land. The first Sunday services were held in the new building on December 19, 1976. At this time, the church had 58 members and 45 people enrolled in Sunday School. South Biscayne was officially constituted as a church on January 21, 1979 and applied for affiliation with the Peace River Baptist Association.
The church recognized the need for more Sunday School space as enrollment grew to 130. An educational building with a capacity of 300 was designed. Ground was broken for this building in May of 1980 and on January 18, 1981 a dedication ceremony was held.
On April 8, 1990, South Biscayne Church affirmed God’s call for John Cross, Jr. to serve as pastor. After several weeks of prayer, God affirmed that same call very clearly in our Pastor’s heart. On Father’s Day, June 17, 1990, our Pastor officially began his service as pastor of South Biscayne Church. At the time, the morning worship attendance was around 100.
The church decided to make God’s priority the focus for His church. The focus shifted to those who were not attending rather than those who were already attending. The church began to pray that God would do something so supernatural that only He could take credit for it. The church focused on prayer and spiritual renewal and decided that they would do “whatever it takes” to share God’s love and reach people for Christ.
The church continued to grow and there was need for more space. In December of 1994, the church purchased the North Port Mall. Church volunteers worked long, hard hours to renovate the mall and turn it into a church building. On September 29, 1996, the first worship services were held in the new location! It was a great weekend! Over the next few years, additional land was purchased to bring the total land owned by the church to approximately 38.8 acres.
Church membership is nearly 3,000. South Biscayne has grown one life at a time as hundreds of people each year are choosing to give their lives to Christ! Over 70% of those who attend South Biscayne do not have a church background and are first generation followers of Christ. God has done so many great things here. He is changing lives daily through this great church. We hope that you will be apart of what God is doing here at South Biscayne as the best is still yet to come!!
ABOUT OUR PASTOR
John Cross is married to his awesome wife Dawn and they are blessed with five incredible kids . . . Courtney, Brooke, Hope, Blake, and Kirk. He has served as Senior Pastor of South Biscayne Church for over 20 years. During this time, the church has experienced tremendous growth and has seen thousands of lives changed. His vision for South Biscayne has always been to do “whatever it takes” to reach people in Southwest Florida and around the world with the life-changing love of Christ. To carry out of this vision, John has skydived, ridden his motorcycle in the worship center, climbed a rock wall, and much more to creatively and compellingly communicate Christ’s love. He has a heart for this community and this generation.
While leading this exciting church, John earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in December 2006. He has also had the privilege to speak and be involved with churches and church leaders around the world. His desire is to communicate the love of Christ with as many people as possible. In his rare moments of free time, John enjoys jogging, reading, and traveling.
It pays to remember history. Today I am going to go through some of it and give an outline and quotes from the great Southern Baptist leader Adrian Rogers (1931-2005). Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times started this morning off with some comedy: From pro golfer John Daly’s Twitter account following last night’s Republican debate, […]
Dr Rogers was fond of this quote he got from Robert G. Lee: ”Sin will take you farther than you want to go, Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay, Sin will cost you more than you want to pay.“ Pay Day – Someday by Dr. R. G. Lee Uploaded by BereanBeacon on […]
Crimes & Misdemeanors (pictured is Judah and his criminal brother, ultimately his brother hires a hitman to take out Judah’s girlfriend who threatens to turn Judah over to the cops) Crimes And Misdemeanors 1989 9/13 Adrian Rogers – Crossing God’s Deadline Part 4 crimes & misdemeanors Best scene of the movie!!!! _ John Brummett in […]
I am thrilled to get the chance to share the following article with you today. I got a call from Tim Keown who is a writer for ESPN Magazine a few days ago. He had read a post from my blog on Tim Tebow and wanted to ask me some questions. One of my answers […]
Everyone is wondering if this amazing fourth quarter comeback streak will end for the Denver Broncos and their quarterback Tim Tebow. At the December 11, 2011 early service at Fellowship Bible Church, pastor Mark Henry (who himself was an all conference Arkansas Razorback football player) noted: How many of you have been watching the drama […]
At the end of this post is a message by RC Sproul in which he discusses Sagan. Over the years I have confronted many atheists. Here is one story below: I really believe Hebrews 4:12 when it asserts: For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the […]
E P I S O D E 6 How Should We Then Live 6#1 I am sharing with you a film series that I saw in 1979. In this film Francis Schaeffer asserted that was a shift in Modern Science. A. Change in conviction from earlier modern scientists.B. From an open to a closed natural system: […]
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / U2 The Rolling Stones Satisfaction (rare) If you want to see the path that Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of the rock group Kansas took to find true satisfaction then listen to their song “Dust in the Wind” and then read their testimony at this link […]
Barrett Jones of Alabama Crimson Tide has spent time the last two years ministering to earthquake victims in Haiti. (Barrett grew up and went to ECS where I graduated and to Bellevue Baptist where I was a member while growing up. Adrian Rogers was the pastor from 1972 to 2004.) Actually I wrote about Barrett’s […]
The Daily Hatch 