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 […]
In the debate of job creation and how best to pursue it as a policy goal, one point is forgotten: Government doesn’t create jobs. Government only diverts resources from one use to another, which doesn’t create new employment.
Video produced by Caleb Brown and Austin Bragg.
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It seems that liberals will never wake up. Over and over they have tried stimulus plans but they don’t work. Take a look at this excellent article from the Cato Institute:
Lawmakers are considering extending temporary payroll tax cuts. But the policy is based on faulty Keynesian theories and misplaced confidence in the government’s ability to micromanage short-run growth.
In textbook Keynesian terms, federal deficits stimulate growth by goosing “aggregate demand,” or consumer spending. Since the recession began, we’ve had a lot of goosing — deficits were $459 billion in 2008, $1.4 trillion in 2009, $1.3 trillion in 2010, and $1.3 trillion in 2011. Despite that huge supposed stimulus, unemployment remains remarkably high and the recovery has been the slowest since World War II.
Policymakers should ignore the Keynesians and their faulty models, and instead focus on reforms to aid long-run growth…
Yet supporters of extending payroll tax cuts think that adding another $265 billion to the deficit next year will somehow spur growth. That “stimulus” would be on top of the $1 trillion in deficit spending that is already expected in 2012. Far from helping the economy, all this deficit spending is destabilizing financial markets, scaring businesses away from investing, and imposing crushing debt burdens on young people.
For three years, policymakers have tried to manipulate short-run economic growth, and they have failed. They have put too much trust in macroeconomists, who are frankly lousy at modeling the complex workings of the short-run economy. In early 2008, the Congressional Budget Office projected that economic growth would strengthen in subsequent years, and thus completely missed the deep recession that had already begun. And then there was the infamously bad projection by Obama’s macroeconomists that unemployment would peak at 8 percent and then fall steadily if the 2009 stimulus plan was passed.
Some of the same Keynesian macroeconomists who got it wrong on the recession and stimulus are now claiming that a temporary payroll tax break would boost growth. But as Stanford University economist John Taylor has argued, the supposed benefits of government stimulus have been “built in” or predetermined by the underlying assumptions of the Keynesian models.
Policymakers should ignore the Keynesians and their faulty models, and instead focus on reforms to aid long-run growth, which economists know a lot more about. Cutting the corporate tax rate, for example, is an overdue reform with bipartisan support that would enhance America’s long-run productivity and competitiveness.
If Congress is intent on cutting payroll taxes, it should do so within the context of long-run fiscal reforms. One idea is to allow workers to steer a portion of their payroll taxes into personal retirement accounts, as Chile and other nations have done. That reform would feel like a tax cut to workers because they would retain ownership of the funds, and it would begin solving the long-term budget crisis that looms over the economy.
Dan Mitchell discusses the effectiveness of the stimulus Uploaded by catoinstitutevideo on Nov 3, 2009 11-2-09 When I think of all our hard earned money that has been wasted on stimulus programs it makes me sad. It has never worked and will not in the future too. Take a look at a few thoughts from […]
Government Spending Doesn’t Create Jobs Uploaded by catoinstitutevideo on Sep 7, 2011 Share this on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/qnjkn9 Tweet it: http://tiny.cc/o9v9t In the debate of job creation and how best to pursue it as a policy goal, one point is forgotten: Government doesn’t create jobs. Government only diverts resources from one use to another, which doesn’t […]
In his recent article Ernie Dumas sticks to his guns that we should balance the budget without being forced to with a “Balanced Budget Amendment,” but I wonder how well that has worked so far? I have made this a key issue for this blog in the past as you can tell below: Dear Senator […]
(Picture from Arkansas Times Blog) When I think about all the anger and hate coming from the Occupy Wall Street crowd, I wonder if they have read this story below? Solyndra: Crooked Politics or Just Bad Economics? Posted by David Boaz Amy Harder has a good take on the Solyndra issue in National Journal Daily […]
Dear Senator Pryor, why not pass the Balanced Budget Amendment? (Part 13 Thirsty Thursday, Open letter to Senator Pryor) Office of the Majority Whip | Balanced Budget Amendment Video In 1995, Congress nearly passed a constitutional amendment mandating a balanced budget. The Balanced Budget Amendment would have forced the federal government to live within its […]
Andrew Demillo pointed this out and also Jason Tolbert noted: PRYOR OPPOSES THE OBAMA JOBS BILL THAT HE VOTED TO ADVANCE Sen. Mark Pryor has been traveling around the state touting a six-part jobs plan that he says “includes a number of bipartisan initiatives, is aimed at creating jobs by setting the table for growth, encouraging new […]
Is a lack of money the problem for our public schools? Everything You Need to Know About Public School Spending in Less Than 2½ Minutes Posted by Adam Schaeffer Neal McCluskey gutted the President’s new “Save the Teachers” American Jobs Act sales pitch a good while back, as did Andrew Coulson here. Thankfully, it seems […]
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
I grew up listening to sermons by Adrian Rogers who was the longtime pastor of Bellevue Church in Memphis. In fact, since 1927 only four pastors have led Bellevue and I have had the opportunity to hear all four speak (Robert G. Lee [1927-1960], Ramsey Pollard [1960-1972], Adrian Rogers [1972-2005], Steve Gaines [2005- present]). I actually got to hear Dr. Lee preach this sermon in 1975 at Bellevue and I attended his funeral also at Bellevue. Above is the complete sermon and below is a portion of the transcript.
Dr. Lee originally published the following message in 1926. It is said that he developed it following the suggestion of a deacon at a prayer meeting in 1919 and that he preached it at least once a year at his home church. All total, it is related that he preached the message 1,275 times.
Dr. Robert G. Lee was the pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee for thirty-two years. During his lifetime he was a strong leader in the Southern Baptist Convention, known as a preacher’s preacher, and was highly respected among his peers. This sermon has been accepted as a classic by all that have heard and read it, and through its message, the Lord still speaks to mankind. We at Carl Graham Ministries hope you get a blessing from this message written by the prince of preachers.
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Part 3 of transcript:
The Fatal Feast
“They proclaimed a fast.”
And what concern that must have created in the household of Naboth–when they knew that Naboth was to be “set on high,” even in the “seat of the accused,” even “before the bar of ‘justice’!” And what excitement there was in the city. Curious throngs hurried to the fast the see him who had been accused of the crime which made necessary the appeasing of threatening wrath of an angered God.
Yes, the rulers of Jezreel, “either in dread of offending one whose revenge they knew was terrible, or eager to do a service to whom in temporal matters they were so largely indebted, or moved with envy against their own iniquity, carried out her instructions to the letter.”
They were ready and efficient tools in her hands. No doubt, she had tested their character as her “butcher boys” in the slaughter of the prophets of the Lord. (I Kings18:4,13)
Endicott, in his comment on this tragic scene, says: “The programme, which may have been a familiar one in those wicked days, was carried out exactly as planned. The charge was made, a double charge, of treason and blasphemy, and this double charge was “substantiated” by false witnesses. With a great show of zeal for God and the king a band of hired ruffians seized the ill-fated Naboth, carried him out of the city, and, using the cruel, old punishment for his alleged crime, stoned him to death!”
And then, to make sure that his heirs would not and might not lay claim to the inheritance, his sons also were stained. (II Kings 9:26) Even had this not been so, the property of executed traitors would naturally fall to the king, although no enactment to this effect is found in the law.
Jezebel had planned that, when the fast was at its height and the religious frenzy, or enthusiasm, of the Jew had been fanned to a white heat, she would have two men rise up and accuse Naboth. And they did! Vulture mouths testifying, that the eagle’s talons might hold unto death! Swine snouts grunting out complaint that the swine tusks might be strong unto fatal wounding. “And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him; and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. (I Kings 21:13)
Thus, it came the pass that in an orderly fashion, in the name of religion and in the name of the king, they stoned Naboth and his kin to death. And Naboth really fell, not by the king’s hand, but by the condemnation of his fellow citizens. Yes, the old-fashioned conservatism of Naboth was, in the judgment of many, sorely out of place in that “progressive” state of society.
No doubt, Naboth’s righteous austerity had made him extremely unpopular in many ways in “progressive Jezreel.” And since Jezebel carried out her purpose in a perfectly legal and orderly way and in a “wonderfully” democratic manner, we see a fine picture of autocracy working by democratic methods.
And when these “loyally patriotic citizens” of Jezreel had left the bodies of Naboth and his sons to be devoured by the wild dogs which prowled after nightfall in and around the city, they sent and told Queen Jezebel that her bloody orders had been bloodily and completely obeyed! “Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead.” (I Kings 21:14)
She received the news gladly, even with no attempt to hide her satisfaction. What was it to her that outside the city walls was the body of a good man whose bones the dogs would gnaw? What was it to her that, with the strength of youth still on their brows, there were the faces of his sons stone-bruised and torn by the fangs of hungry scavengers? What was it to her that God’s holy name had been profaned? What was it to her that religious had been dishonored? What did she care if justice had been outraged just so she had gotten the little plot of land close by their summer palace of ivory? What pang did it give her heart that innocent blood had been shed? Nothing!
Trippingly, as a gay dancer, she hurried in to where Ahab sat. With profuse caresses and words glib with joy she told him the “good news.” She had about her the triumphant manner of one who has accomplished successfully what others had not dared attempt. Her “tryout” in getting the vineyard was a decided “triumph.” She had “pulled the stunt.” She had been “brave” and “wise”–and because of this her husband now could arise and hie him down to the vineyard and call it his own.
“And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead!” (I Kings 21:15) And it was the plot hatched in her own mind and it was her hand, her lily white hand, her queen’s hand, that wrote the letters that made this tragic statement true.
The Visit to the Vineyard
“Ahabarose up to go down to the vineyard.”
How Jezebel must have “strutted her stuff” before Ahab when she went with tidings that the vineyard which he wanted to buy was now his for nothing! How keen must have been the sarcasm of her attitude when she made it known by word and manner that she had succeeded where he failed — and at less cost.
How gloatingly victorious were the remarks, which she made, which kept him warmly reminded that she had kept her “sacred” promise! What a lovely fabric, stained and dyed red with Naboth’s blood, she spread before him for his “comfort” from the loom of her evil machinations.
“And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth the Jezreelite, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it!” (I Kings 21:16)
Yes, Naboth, the good man who “feared the Lord,” is dead; and Ahab expresses no condemnation of this awful conspiracy, culminating in such a tragic horror. Though afraid or restrained by his conscience from committing murder himself, he had no scruple in availing himself of the results of such crime when perpetrated by another. He flattered himself that, by the splendid genius of his queen in bloody matters, he, though, having no part in the crime which did Naboth to death, he might, as well as another, “receive the benefit of his dying.”
And now Jehu and Bidcar, the royal charioteers, are called for. They are given orders to prepare the royal chariot. The gilded chariot is drawn forth. And soon, Jehu and Bidcar, furious charioteers in the service of the king, are directing the brief journey of the gilded chariot to Jezreel, just twenty miles away.
Ahab rode in something of military state. His outriders drive down with him as he goes, proudly and gratefully, to take possession of the desired vineyard, a gift of the queen to him. All the way from Samaria he congratulates himself, doubtless, that he has such a woman for a wife, so talented she was and successful in “putting things over!”
As he goes the voice of Jehu, as he restrains the fiery horses or the lash of his whip as he urges them on, attracts the attention of the grazing cattle in adjacent pastureland. The sound of clanking hoofs of cantering horses resounds in every glen by the roadway.
The gilded chariot catches the light of the sun and reflects it brightly, but he who rides therein is unmindful of the bloodstains on the ground where Naboth died. Dust clouds arise from the chariot’s wheels and wild winds blow them across the fields where the plowman or the reaper wonders who goes so swiftly along the highway. The neighing steeds announce to all that Ahab’s royal horses tire not in carrying him down from Samaria to Jezreel. And soon many know that the chariot carried the king who was going down to possess what had reverted to the crown, even the vineyard of Naboth which Naboth refused to sell to him. Would the “game” be worth the “candle?” Would Ahab learn that sin buys pleasure at the price of peace? We shall see — and that right soon!
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 noted: How many of you have been watching the drama behind Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow is the starting quarterback for […]
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 […]
DEBATE William Lane Craig vs Christopher Hitchens Does God Exist 11 Below are some reactions of evangelical leaders to the news of Christopher Hitchens’ death: DEBATE William Lane Craig vs Christopher Hitchens Does God Exist 12 DEBATE William Lane Craig vs Christopher Hitchens Does God Exist 13 The Christian Post > World|Fri, Dec. […]
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. Actually I wrote about Barrett’s faith in Christ and you can read my article at this link. I am hoping my Arkansas Razorbacks win the game tomorrow, but Barrett Jones is a winner in life because […]
In “Evangelical dynasty undone,” Arkansas Times Blog, August 20, 2011,Max Brantley wrote: Ever heard of the influential evangelical Francis Schaeffer? (Mike Huckabee once said his favorite book after the Bible was Schaeffer’s “Whatever Happened to the Human Race” and he’s been described as having a “profound” influence on Michele Bachmann.) Best reading of the morning is this New York […]
Many Kings and important people in the Bible are also verified by secular documents. From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible […]
HALT:HaltingArkansasLiberalswithTruth.com President and Nancy Reagan talking to Mother Teresa in the Oval Office. 6/20/85. Ronald Reagan radio address from 1975 addresses the topics of abortion and adoption. Dr. Adrian Rogers was my pastor from 1975 to 1983 and he had a big impact on me and my views on abortion. Below is a video clip […]
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 […]
Preaching from 1 Kings 21:1-16, Merida calls us to be ready to suffer for righteousness’ sake and to act for the sake of the oppressed.
___________________
____________
I grew up listening to sermons by Adrian Rogers who was the longtime pastor of Bellevue Church in Memphis. In fact, since 1927 only four pastors have led Bellevue and I have had the opportunity to hear all four speak (Robert G. Lee [1927-1960], Ramsey Pollard [1960-1972], Adrian Rogers [1972-2005], Steve Gaines [2005- present]). I actually got to hear Dr. Lee preach this sermon in 1975 at Bellevue and I attended his funeral also at Bellevue. Above is the complete sermon and below is a portion of the transcript.
Dr. Lee originally published the following message in 1926. It is said that he developed it following the suggestion of a deacon at a prayer meeting in 1919 and that he preached it at least once a year at his home church. All total, it is related that he preached the message 1,275 times.
Dr. Robert G. Lee was the pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee for thirty-two years. During his lifetime he was a strong leader in the Southern Baptist Convention, known as a preacher’s preacher, and was highly respected among his peers. This sermon has been accepted as a classic by all that have heard and read it, and through its message, the Lord still speaks to mankind. We at Carl Graham Ministries hope you get a blessing from this message written by the prince of preachers.
___________________
Part 2 of transcript:
The Pouting Potentate
“He came to his house heavy and displeased.”
Naboth’s quick and firm and final and courteous refusal “took all the spokes from the wheels” of Ahab’s plan and desires. The stream of his desire ran against a barrier that turned it aside and changed it into a foiled and foaming whirlpool of sullen sulks.
“And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezeelite had spoken to him, for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.” (I Kings 21:4)
What a ridiculous picture! A king acting like a spoiled child, impotent in disappointment and ugly in petty rage. A king whining like a sick hound. A king pouting like a spoiled and sullen child. He went to bed in the middle of the day, and “turned his face to the wall,” his lips swollen with his mulish moping, his eyes full of cheap anger fire, his heart stubborn in its petty rebellion.
T
HE WICKED WIFE
“but Jezebel, his wife!”
When Ahab would “eat no bread” his servants doubtless went and told Jezebel. What she said to them we know not. What she said to Ahab we do know.
Puzzled at the news that her husband would not eat and that he had gone to bed when it was not bedtime, Jezebel sought him out in his room. She found him moaning and peevishly petulant, having refused to eat or to cheer up in the least. At first, in a voice of sweet concern, she sought the reason of his choler. In sweet and anxious concern, she asked “Why is thy spirit so sad that thou eatest no bread?” (I Kings 25:5).
And then, as the manner of women is unto this day, her hand sought his brow to see if he had “temperature” or if some other ailment other than a “sad spirit” had laid hold upon him. Then he told her, every word full of petulance and mopish peevishness as he spoke: “Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money, or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it; and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard!” (I Kings 21:6)
“Are you not the King of this country?”, she chides bitingly, her tongue sharp like a butcher’s blade. “Cannot you command and have it done?”, she scolds as a common village hog who has more noise than wisdom on her words. “Can you not seize and keep?”, she cries with reproach. “I thought you told me you were king in these parts! And here you are crying like a baby and will not eat anything because you do not have courage to take a bit of land. You! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! You the King of Israel, and allow yourself to be disobeyed and defied by a common clodhopper from the country. You have been more courteous and considerate of him than you have of your queen! Shame on you! But you leave it to me, old dear! I will get the vineyard for you, and all that I require is that you ask no questions. Leave it to me, Bo!”
“And Jezebel, his wife, said unto him, dost thou not now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise and eat bread, and let thine hear be marry, I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite!” (I Kings 21:7)
Ahab knew Jezebel well enough to know assuredly that she would do what she said she would do. So he came out of his sulks, slowly, as a turtle drags itself from the slime, and asked her how she was going to do it. She tickled him under the chin or pecked him on the cheeks kissingly with lips screwed into a tight knot, and said “That’s my secret just now; just leave it to me, Honey!”
Now, let us ask who can so inspire a man to noble purposes as a noble woman? And who can so thoroughly degrade a man as a wife of unworthy tendencies? Back of the statement “And Ahab the son of Ormi did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him” (I Kings 16:30) and back of what Elijah spoke, “Thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord” (I Kings 21:25) is the statement explaining both the other statements: “Whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.”
She was the polluted reservoir from which the streams of his iniquity found mighty increase. She was the poisonous pocket from which his cruel fangs fed. She was the burning pit wherein his sulphurous cruelties were born, I suppose that Ahab considered himself the master of his wife, but it was her mastery over him that stirred him up to more and mightier wickedness than his own heart was capable of executing.
Let us come to the next terrible scene in this tragedy of sin.
A Message Meaning Murder
“She wrote letters.”
Jezebel wrote letters to the elders of Jezreel. And in these letters she made definite and subtle declaration that some terrible sin had been committed in their city, for which it was needful that a fast should be proclaimed in order to avert the wrath of Heaven.
“She wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim fast, and set Naboth on high among the people, and set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying Thou didst blaspheme God and the king; and then carry him out and stone him, that he may die.” (I Kings 21:8-10)
The letters being written, they must be sealed; and the sealing was done, as all those matter of letter writing and sealing were done, by rubbing ink on the seal, moistening the paper, and pressing the seal thereon. And when Jezebel had finished with her iniquitous pen, she asked Ahab for his signet ring; with that ring she affixed the royal seal. “She sealed them with Ahab’s ring!” When Ahab gave it to her, he knew it meant crime of some sort, but he asked no questions.
Moreover, Jezebel’s deeds showed that when she went down to market, as it were, she would have in his basket a nice vineyard for his husband when she returned. She said to herself” “This man Naboth has refused my honorable lord on religious grounds, and by all the gods of Baal, I will get him yet on these very same grounds.” She understood perfectly the passion of a devout Jew for a public fast; and she knew that nothing would keep Naboth away. He and every member of his household would be there.
“Proclaim a fast!” Fasting has ever been a sign of humiliation before God, of humbling one’s self in the dust before the “high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity.” The idea in calling for a fast was clearly to declare that the community was under the anger of God on account of a grave crime committed by one of its members, which crime is the be exposed and punished. Then, too, the fast involved a cessation of work, a holiday, so that the citizens would have time to attend the public gathering.
“Set Naboth on high!” “On high” meant before the bar of justice, not in the seat of honor. “On high” meant in the seat of the accused, and not in the seat to be desired. “On high” meant that Naboth was put where every eye could watch him closely and keenly observe his bearing under the accusation. “And set two men, base fellows, before him.” How illegal she was in bringing about his death in a legal way! For the law required two witnesses in all cases where the punishment was death. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he be put to death” (Deut.17:6). the witnesses required by Jezebel were men of no character, men who would take bribes and swear to any lie for gain.
“And let them bear witness against him!” in other words, put him out of the way by judicial murder, not by private assassination. “And then carry him out and stone him that he may die!”
A criminal was not to be executed within a city, as that would defile it. Thus, Christ was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem! We see that Jezebel took it for granted that Naboth would be condemned. And so one day while Naboth worked in his vineyard the letters came down to Jezreel.
And one evening while Naboth talked at his cot-tage door with his children, the message of murder was known to the elders of the city. And that night while he slept with the wife of his bosom, the shadow of death was creeping toward him every hour. The message meaning murder was known to many but not to him until they came and told him that a fast had been pro-claimed–proclaimed because God had been offended at some crime and that his wrath must be appeased and the threatening anger turned away, and he him-self, all unconscious of any offense toward God or the king, set in the place of the accused, even “on high!”
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 noted: How many of you have been watching the drama behind Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow is the starting quarterback for […]
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 […]
DEBATE William Lane Craig vs Christopher Hitchens Does God Exist 11 Below are some reactions of evangelical leaders to the news of Christopher Hitchens’ death: DEBATE William Lane Craig vs Christopher Hitchens Does God Exist 12 DEBATE William Lane Craig vs Christopher Hitchens Does God Exist 13 The Christian Post > World|Fri, Dec. […]
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. Actually I wrote about Barrett’s faith in Christ and you can read my article at this link. I am hoping my Arkansas Razorbacks win the game tomorrow, but Barrett Jones is a winner in life because […]
In “Evangelical dynasty undone,” Arkansas Times Blog, August 20, 2011,Max Brantley wrote: Ever heard of the influential evangelical Francis Schaeffer? (Mike Huckabee once said his favorite book after the Bible was Schaeffer’s “Whatever Happened to the Human Race” and he’s been described as having a “profound” influence on Michele Bachmann.) Best reading of the morning is this New York […]
Many Kings and important people in the Bible are also verified by secular documents. From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible […]
HALT:HaltingArkansasLiberalswithTruth.com President and Nancy Reagan talking to Mother Teresa in the Oval Office. 6/20/85. Ronald Reagan radio address from 1975 addresses the topics of abortion and adoption. Dr. Adrian Rogers was my pastor from 1975 to 1983 and he had a big impact on me and my views on abortion. Below is a video clip […]
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.
