WHO'S PICKING A FIGHT WITH "FIFTY SHADES"?

OLD FASHIONED--a Small-Budget Indie--Climbs in the Ring With Valentine Weekend's Studio Behemoth

OldFashionedMovie.com

BURBANK, Calif. -- Nov. 13, 2014 --Get ready to rrrr-rumble!  Release of the new “Fifty Shades of Grey” trailer has a video/trailer response from underdog OLD FASHIONED, also opening nationwide on Valentine’s weekend 2015.   OLD FASHIONED Calls Out “Fifty Shades of Grey”  In this corner, the heavyweight Cineplex champ “Fifty Shades of Grey”--bestselling soft porn about a naïve heroine and a tortured leading man who likes his women that way too. In this corner, OLD FASHIONED, in which two souls who are 50 shades of jaded try to build a love to last. OLD FASHIONED is the story of a former frat boy and a free-spirited woman who together attempt the impossible: an “old-fashioned” courtship in contemporary America. In his new video riposte to the “Fifty Shades” trailer (full transcript here), OLD FASHIONED writer/director Rik Swartzwelder opens with the obvious. “Why would a modestly budgeted romantic movie like OLD FASHIONED want to jump in the arena and go toe-to-toe in a David vs. Goliath standoff with a cultural juggernaut? “Well, honestly, because we believe it matters,” he answers. “And I gotta believe—I find it impossible not to believe—that deep down we want to celebrate something more than ‘Fifty Shades.’  As with Christian Grey in “Fifty Shades,” OLD FASHIONED protagonist Clay Walsh packs a past. In contrast to Grey, however, Clay resists his friends’ cynicism and rejects the dead-end pain of standard dating. While Christian Grey leads Ana to the Red Room of Pain, Clay Walsh takes pains to avoid using Amber, whom he’s attracted to. “When did treating women with respect become the joke?” Clay asks in the film. In an earlier scene he muses, “I don’t believe dating trains us to be good husbands and wives. It trains us to be skilled in the superficial.”   OLD FASHIONED “is a compelling look at modern relationships through the lens of honor,” Melinda Ledman writes in Christian Cinema. “ . . . a fascinating dive into the respectfulness of the past and its plausible application for the present.” “‘Fifty Shades’ is short-term titillation and OLD FASHIONED offers a long-term alternative,” Producer Nathan Nazario explained. “Audiences want to hear that the best of the past is still possible—that a relationship can be the safe room.” “Maybe it’s time for a line in the sand,” Swartzwelder said. “How much further can the envelope be pushed?  OLD FASHIONED raises questions worth asking from a cultural perspective. What is it that we genuinely aspire to, what is it we truly hope and long for?  For ourselves?  Our children?  Is it objectification?  Unbridled pursuit of our basest desires? Is that the legacy we want to create?  Is that the American dream?” On Valentine’s weekend, the battle is at the box office, but Nazario says the action already is underway. “The more clicks on the OLD FASHIONED site, the greater our voice to say the values that got us here are the best ones to take into the ring,” he said. OLD FASHIONED, from Freestyle Releasing, opens nationwide on Valentine’s weekend 2015.  For interviews, contact:  Michael Conrad  Michael@Lovell-Fairchild.com 214-616-0320 To learn more about OLD FASHIONED, visit: OldFashionedMovie.com For press materials, visit: OldFashionedMovie.com/pressroom or EPK.tv For updates and breaking news, follow @OldFashionedVow on Twitter or visit the Old Fashioned Movie Facebook page. About Skoche Films Skoche Films is an independent motion picture development company dedicated to crafting cinematic narratives that entertain, challenge and inspire.  For additional information on Skoche Films and its properties, please visit the official website at http://www.skochefilms.com. About Motion Picture Pro Studios Motion Picture Pro Studios is a production and creative services company specializing in film, television and entertainment. For more information on Motion Picture Pro Studios, visitmotionpicturepro.com. About Freestyle Releasing Freestyle Releasing is a full-service, theatrical, motion picture distribution company that helps independent companies, major studios and mini-major studios exhibit their films in first-class theatrical releases. The founders and principals of Freestyle Releasing, Mark Borde and Susan Jackson, are motion-picture industry veterans. The Freestyle platform is an anytime-anywhere capability in the viewer’s choice of medium, a positive digital viewing experience on any device in any location. http://www.freestylereleasing.com

THE MISSING MERGER: 'WORKPLACE GRACE' REUNITES SUNDAY A.M. AND WEEKDAYS, 9 to 5

Updated, Revised--'Workplace Grace' Also Marks 125th Anniversary of Faith-Work Pioneer R.G. LeTourneau

CenterforFaithandWork.com

DALLAS – Oct. 28, 2014 – For every Christian daunted by the “sales job” of evangelism, good news: no sales required. Evangelism is what you do daily in your cubicle, truck, home or corner office. “Our mission field is where we are, and much of the time we’re at work,” Bill Peel, co-author of the groundbreaking Workplace Grace said. “So between Sundays, our message about God is in the work we’re about. Whatever you do, you’re already active in God’s gospel distribution plan.” On the 125th anniversary of the birth of R.G. LeTourneau—engineering genius and university founder who seamlessly welded his work and faith in God— the revised and updated second edition ofWorkplace Grace, by Peel and Walt Larimore, from LeTourneau University Press, now is at Christian retailers and available online. Peel is executive director of the LeTourneau University Center for Faith & Work. R.G. LeTourneau invented and manufactured mammoth earthmoving machines that helped win World War II. Postwar, his inventions built America’s interstate highway system. Today LeTourneau University consistently ranks in the top tier of “America’s Best Colleges”; it graduates more engineers and aviators than any Christian university worldwide and offers a host of top-drawer degrees on campus and online.   “In R.G.’s mind, all work is holy,” Dr. Dale Lunsford, LeTourneau University president, said. “InWorkplace Grace, Bill and Walt likewise blur lines between the careers we pursue and the faith we live.” Workplace Grace is the antidote for Christians feeling pressure to “evangelize” or feeling uncomfortable that they don’t. In Workplace Grace, Christians find sound answers to common and often nagging questions, including: Should I talk at work about what I believe?  The answer is yes, and Workplace Grace uncovers six signals to recognize when the time is right.   Can I start faith conversations without offending my coworkers and friends? You can if you recognize when people are receptive. Workplace Grace offers examples of “faith flags,” natural cues into faith conversation and simple guidelines on how to use them.  If I’m not a gifted evangelist, does the Great Commission apply to me?  Evangelism is never a solo flight. Workplace Grace tells how to create a network of influence allowing each Christian to naturally use his or her gifts to ultimately spread the gospel.  Does my commitment to Christ mean I should leave business for seminary?  God calls some people to be pastors, missionaries and evangelists—but they’re the exceptions.Workplace Grace charts a clear path to find the holy where you are now, in your calling.  From every corner of the business world comes praise for Workplace Grace:  “Don’t just read this book. Take to heart what it says and prayerfully zero in on God’s ‘on the job’ ministry He has prepared for you.” Norm Miller Chairman, Interstate Batteries “Workplace Grace articulates better than any other book I have read on how to be an effective witness for Christ in our work.” Bud McGuire  Principal, Alpha Petroleum Services “Integrating faith and work is critical! Workplace Grace provides practical how-tos that can have a positive impact in the workplace. A must-read for those who truly see their work as their calling.” Diane Paddison Real Estate Executive Founder and President, 4wordwomen.org; Author, Work, Love, Pray “Workplace Grace is a treasure trove of practical application. Every marketplace believer should read this book with expectation. It will transform their understanding of what being an ambassador in the workplace really means.” Lee Truax  President, CBMC USA For interviews or a copy of the book, contact:   Michael Conrad  Michael@Lovell-Fairchild.com 214-616-0320. About the LeTourneau University Center for Faith & Work   The Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University offers opportunities for lifelong learning and resources to support spiritual formation and gospel impact in the workplace. Bill Peel is available for interviews on these and other faith-and-work topics.

7,000+ SIMULCAST SITES SHOW DR. JAMES DOBSON'S 'BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY'

Hundreds of Thousands of Parents Worldwide Equipped to Build a Legacy of Family Faith

BuildingAFamilyLegacy.com

COLORADO SPRINGS – Oct. 29, 2014 – In early October, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide saw the inaugural film in Dr. James Dobson’s BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY series during its simulcast world premiere.   The Legacy project caps the decades-long career of America’s best-known family expert and encompasses eight films, eight books and eight study guides. More than 7,000 churches and other groups simulcast YOUR LEGACY, the first film in the series. The full series, books and guides are available now for individuals, families and church libraries at Christian retailers. “This is the culmination of my life’s pursuit—helping parents build a family legacy of faith that will endure for generations,” Dr. Dobson said. “Despite what the media and popular culture claim, there is deep hunger for a family emphasis on faith and passing our values on to the next generation. The worldwide turnout for BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY shows it.” Simulcast sites spanned 49 states and 21 countries. Dr. Dobson’s vital encouragement for families reached many areas that are especially challenging for faith messages to penetrate, including Malaysia, China and Afghanistan. The centerpiece of BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY is an eight-DVD series that combines four updated films from Dr. Dobson’s classic Focus on the Family videos, with four new films from Dr. Dobson and his son, Ryan. The simulcast film, YOUR LEGACY, is a personal story of faith that traces Dr. Dobson’s own family history. His great-grandfather started daily prayers over a century ago that the next four generations would be Christians.  Viewers raved about YOUR LEGACY.  “Brought tears to my eyes to see Dr. Dobson sharing from his heart again, and it challenged all of us.” "Younger parents at our church had never ‘met’ Dr. Dobson, and I was thrilled to share this national treasure with them!" "I was so impressed! Wonderful presentation. It captured my attention all the way through. I went through quite a few tissues.” Supporting the films are new books from Dr. Dobson and Ryan. Dr. Dobson’s Your Legacy tells his personal story and offers practical advice on building a legacy of faith. Wanting to Believe is the inspiring story of Ryan’s spiritual journey and a powerful account of how his parents’ faith became his own.   The Legacy project also includes revised and updated versions of classic works from Dr. Dobson. Titles include best-selling books such as Dare to Discipline, The Strong-Willed Child, Bringing Up Boys and Bringing Up Girls. These books are ready to introduce a new generation to Dr. Dobson’s advice and insight that has guided millions of parents around the world. BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY films include Your Legacy Bringing up Boys Bringing up Girls Love For A Lifetime The Strong-Willed Child Dare To Discipline Straight Talk To Men Wanting To Believe with Ryan Dobson The Legacy books, leader kits and DVDs include: Your Legacy—The Greatest Gift Wanting to Believe—Faith, Family and Finding an Exceptional Life The New Dare To Discipline The New Strong-Willed Child Bringing Up Girls Bringing Up Boys Straight Talk to Men Love for a Lifetime In the late 1970s, more than 80 million people—a third of the U.S. population at the time—saw the original Focus on the Family films that changed the way a generation viewed family and parenting. In 2008, Ryan Dobson found those films gathering dust and convinced his father that today’s generation of young parents needs Dr. Dobson’s timeless insight more than ever.  DR. JAMES DOBSONAuthor of more than 40 books—including groundbreaking titles such as Dare to Discipline and The Strong-Willed Child, Dr. James Dobson is the nation’s leading advocate for the importance of godly families. He currently heads Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk, a nonprofit ministry and radio program. For 14 years, he was an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and was on the attending staff of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for 17 years. He earned his doctorate in child development from USC. RYAN DOBSONRyan Dobson is a best-selling author, speaker and broadcast personality who calls people out of moral relativism and into "the ultimate adventure" of following Christ. He is vice president of broadcasting at Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk and served as associate producer of the BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY film series.  For interviews, contact:  Michael Conrad Michael@Lovell-Fairchild.com 214-616-0320  For more information, visit:  BuildingAFamilyLegacy.comDrJamesDobson.orgFacebook.com/DrJamesDobsonsFamilyTalkTwitter.com/DrJamesCDobson And visit BuildingAFamilyLegacy.com for: BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY Press Release BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY Interview Questions for Dr. James Dobson BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY Interview Questions for Ryan Dobson Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk Radio Fact Sheet

‘LITTLE HOPE WAS ARSON’ New Trailer Released for Acclaimed Documentary

‘Little Hope’ Comes Home With Plans to Premiere in Tyler TX  LittleHopeWasArson.com

“This documentary is well worth watching. ”Ted Baehr, Movieguide "...begs the question, 'Are we truly the hands and feet of Christ?' And if so, 'How well are we doing?'" Melinda Ledman, Christian Cinema

TYLER, Texas – Oct. 23, 2014 – LITTLE HOPE WAS ARSON—which drew standing-room-only crowds at film festivals—unveiled its trailer and key art today.  Distribution company, The Orchard, and production companies theCollaborate and Goodnight Smoke, will debut the film—part detective story, part faith film—November 21 in New York, and November 23, in the heart of East Texas where the story unfolded. Click here to view the trailer. Click here to download the key art. The film’s release will spread to Los Angeles, and a number of other cities including several in Texas, on November 28.  LITTLE HOPE WAS ARSON tells the 2010 story of ten East Texas churches set ablaze in one month, sparking the largest manhunt in regional history. But once the crime was solved, the real mystery began. What drove two young men to do it? What effect did it have on their families and the churches? And when a church loses its building . . . can it still stand? “From the moment I read about these fires, I knew there was a redemptive story that could rise from these violent and tragic acts,” said Theo Love, the film’s director. “When churches and families face such loss—of property and relationships—it can turn attention to what really matters.” Produced by Trenton Waterson of theCollaborate and Love of Goodnight Smoke, LITTLE HOPE WAS ARSON is executive produced by Bryan Storkel. PBS’ Independent Lens, with U.S. broadcast rights, will air the feature-length documentary during its 2014-15 season. Film and music distributor, The Orchard, acquired U.S. and Canadian rights other than broadcast and will release the film in theaters in multiple markets and through digital outlets. Love—the child of foreign missionaries—was particularly attracted to the story as he was raised worshipping overseas most often without the benefit of a church building. Returned to the states, he worked in building maintenance for a California mega-church. “It was a huge sanctuary, and I often worked in it alone at night,” Love recalls. “It really made me consider the values of Western Christianity. Was that the church? Or is it the people? It was these experiences and questions that helped me to dig deeper into this heartbreaking story.” LITTLE HOPE WAS ARSON weaves thought-provoking questions throughout a gripping true-crime drama, in which communities are challenged, families brought to crisis and, ultimately, redemption sought. CURRENTLY SCHEDULED OPENINGS Nov. 21, 2014New York                     Cinema Village Nov. 23, 2014 Tyler, Texas                 Liberty Hall Nov. 25, 2014Oakland Calif.              New Parkway Cinema Nov. 28, 2014Los Angeles                 Laemmle Noho 7 San Diego                    Media Arts Center San Francisco              Roxie Theater Portland, Ore.               Clinton Street Theater Dallas                           Texas Theatre Houston                        Drafthouse Vintage Park Austin                           Drafthouse Slaughter Lane Lubbock                       Drafthouse Lubbock New Braunfels, Texas  Drafthouse New Braunfels Burlington, Iowa           Capitol Theater Dec. 5, 2014Columbus                     Gateway Film Center New Orleans                Zeitgeist Arts Center Edom, Texas                Old Firehouse Juneau, Alaska            Gold Town Nickelodeon Tallahassee, Fla.          All Saints Cinema Learn More at LittleHopeWasArson.com Visit Little Hope on Facebook at facebook.com/LittleHopeWasArson And on Twitter at twitter.com/LittleHopeFilm For interviews, contact:  Michael Conrad  Michael@Lovell-Fairchild.com 214-616-0320

WHAT'S FASTER THAN DVD? A PREMIERE ON DOVE THEATER.

FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT . . . ALL AT ONCE The Dove Foundation™ and Skipstone Pictures Announce First-Ever Day-and-Date Premiere on Dove Theater

LOS ANGELES, Calif—Sep. 8, 2014—The Dove Foundation, a nonprofit entertainment organization serving the faith-and-family audience, and SKIPSTONE PICTURES, announce the Sept. 9 same-date release of the Dove-approved film, LIKE A COUNTRY SONG, on DVD and in the online DOVE THEATER at www.dove.org/dove-theater.  The DOVE THEATER is a revolutionary new digital platform powered by YEKRA, a technology company whose unique digital film-distribution model uses a portable player easily embedded into any website. This advanced service offers streaming VOD and download (UltraViolet); its in-theater store also offers DVDs, Blu-rays and other merchandise. Affiliates may sign up, load a simple player on their website or blog, and receive a percentage of every sale.  “Dove gets my film to the heart of the faith-and-family audience,” Johnny Remo, the film’s writer/director said. “LIKE A COUNTRY SONG premieres in the DOVE THEATER for digital download on the same date as the DVD release, giving our audience the widest possible reach on the film’s opening day. We love moving to the cutting edge.”  “Johnny Remo is a successful producer in a booming niche,” Dove COO Scott Rolfe said. “The same-date premiere ensures we give our audience top choices as they happen. LIKE A COUNTRY SONG—one of the best yet—earned 5 out of 5 Doves.”  The DOVE THEATER is a natural progression in The Dove Foundation’s growth. For 24 years, the Dove Seal and Dove reviews have guided families who care about entertainment they can enjoy together. Filmmakers also look for Dove’s endorsement when they want to reach out to the faith-and-family audience.  ABOUT THE DOVE FOUNDATION The Dove FoundationTM  (http://www.dove.org), a non-profit founded in 1991, encourages the entertainment industry to create, produce and distribute more movies that are appropriate for family viewing. Dove also helps consumers identify family friendly movies and empowers them to make wise entertainment choices.  ABOUT SKIPSTONE PICTURES Founded in 2007 by Johnny Remo, SkipStone Pictures (http://www.SkipStonePictures.com), a division of Inspired Family Entertainment, is a motion picture production company that specializes in producing, marketing, and distributing high quality, story-driven, message films and television programming for a broad range of audiences. SkipStone Pictures continues to strive to be a leader and has proven so with the success of their movies, “A Letter to Dad,” “Cutback,” “Hardflip,” and new release, “Like a Country Song.” ABOUT YEKRA YEKRA (http://www.yekra.com) is a revolutionary digital distribution and marketing company that uses a unique portable technology to better connect the filmmaker with the audience. The Los Angeles-based company assists studios, distributors, and independent filmmakers to expand their reach by opening up new channels to audiences worldwide.

INDIE ‘OLD FASHIONED’ SETS UP DAVID V. GOLIATH WITH ‘50 SHADES’ IN THEATERS VALENTINE'S DAY 2015

Freestyle Releasing Targets Counter-Programmer as a Date Night Alternative for Christian Couples, Singles and Like-Minded Romantics OldFashionedMovie.com BURBANK, Calif. – July 28, 2014 – OLD FASHIONED—an indie faith-based film that offers up a rather  unique and challenging take on chasing love in today’s culture—will open Valentine’s weekend 2015. The co-announcement was made today by Bill Reeves, Owner, Working Title Agency, producer Nathan Nazario and Freestyle Releasing Co-President, Mark Borde, who will distribute OLD FASHIONED in a platform theatrical release. “I wanted to tell a love story that takes the idea of Godly romance seriously,” said Rik Swartzwelder, the film’s award-winning writer-director and lead actor.  “A story that, without apology, explores the possibility of a higher standard in relationships; yet, is also fully aware of just how fragile we all are and doesn't seek to heap guilt upon those of us that have made mistakes.” A faith-based romantic drama, OLD FASHIONED centers on former frat boy, Clay Walsh, and Amber Hewson, a free-spirited woman, who together attempt the impossible: an “old-fashioned” courtship in contemporary America. "Opening the same weekend as FIFTY SHADES, there's definitely a David v. Goliath comparison," Swartzwelder continued.  "They will have more screens, more money, more hype . . . but we're hopeful that we are not alone in our belief that there are others out there who desire more from love--and the movies--than objectification or domination.  That being the case, we simply want to offer an alternative view on the topic of romance; and, perhaps even dare to suggest that there is a more beautiful way to which we all can aspire." “OLD FASHIONED is a unique indie film, and we’re excited to partner with the first faith-based theatrical release to specifically target the underserved Christian singles audience,” said Freestyle Co-President, Mark Borde. “It’s also a very tender and artful film, and we see the potential for some crossover here.” Freestyle recently released the faith-based drama GOD'S NOT DEAD, which surpassed $60 million dollars in domestic box office receipts. “We’re delighted to partner with Freestyle, who clearly demonstrate a passion for quality storytelling and a proficiency in reaching specialized audiences,“ added Reeves. OLD FASHIONED features Swartzwelder as Clay and Elizabeth Ann Roberts (TV: Heroes, House, Southland; FILM: RAGAMUFFIN, BLACK KNIGHT) as Amber. The film also stars Dorothy Silver (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, PROMISED LAND), Tyler Hollinger (BLACK DOG, RED DOG), Lejon Woods (TOMORROW YOU’RE GONE), Nini Hadjis, Maryann Nagel (TAKE SHELTER), Joseph Bonamico (TRUMPET IN THE LAND), Lindsay Heath, Anne Marie Nestor and Ange’le Perez. OLD FASHIONED is produced by Swartzwelder’s Skoche Films, Nathan Nazario of Motion Picture Pro Studios, Dave DeBorde and Nini Hadjis. Freestyle Releasing distributes. The distribution deal was negotiated by Mark Borde, Bill Reeves of Working Title Agency and Nathan Nazario on behalf of Skoche Films, LLC and Old is New, LLC. Swartzwelder is a writer-director-producer whose films have screened at over 145 film festivals worldwide and garnered over 50 major awards, including a Crystal Heart and a CINE Special Jury Award. OLD FASHIONED marks his feature film debut. OLD FASHIONED was shot on location in rural northeastern Ohio by David George and features an original score by Kazimir Boyle. Its eclectic soundtrack includes work from Bill Mallonee, Connie Lim, Roz Bell, Ralston Bowles, Alfa Garcia and Scott Krippayne, among others. This fall, OLD FASHIONED begins promotional screenings across the country. In addition, Tyndale House Publishers will release two books based on the film: Old Fashioned, a novelization of the screenplay written by Rene Gutteridge, and a non-fiction devotional, The Old Fashioned Way, on relationships and dating, written by Ginger Kolbaba. E-book release of both titles is Sep. 1, 2014, with print versions releasing mid-January 2015. For interviews, contact:  Michael Conrad  Michael@Lovell-Fairchild.com 214-616-0320 To learn more about OLD FASHIONED, visit: OldFashionedMovie.com For updates and breaking news, follow @OF_movie on Twitter or visit the Old Fashioned Movie Facebook page. About Skoche Films: Skoche Films is an independent motion picture development company dedicated to crafting cinematic narratives that entertain, challenge and inspire.  For additional information on Skoche Films and its properties, please visit the official website at http://www.skochefilms.com. About Motion Picture Pro Studios: Motion Picture Pro Studios is a production and creative services company specializing in the film, television and entertainment industries. For additional information on Motion Picture Pro Studios, please visit the official website at http://www.motionpicturepro.com. About Working Title Agency: Working Title Agency (WTA Services, LLC) is a leading faith-based film marketing and financing agency. Launched in 2009, the agency represents and assists authors, writers and filmmakers in developing books, films and consumer products. Through ideation, product development, distribution, financing and marketing, the agency, and its team has been involved in successful films such as Fireproof, Courageous, Soul Surfer, God’s Not Dead and Heaven is for Real and books including Alex and Stephen Kendrick’s The Love Dare. For more information on Working Title Agency, visit: www.thewtagroup.com. About Freestyle Releasing: Freestyle Releasing is a full-service, theatrical motion picture distribution company that specializes in representing independent companies, major studios and mini-major studios for the purpose of exhibiting their films in a first-class theatrical release. The founders and principals of Freestyle Releasing, Mark Borde and Susan Jackson, are highly regarded and experienced motion picture veterans with a combined total of over a century of respected work in the industry. This is a platform that delivers an anytime-anywhere capability in the medium of their choice and a positive digital viewing experience on any device in any location. http://www.freestylereleasing.com

LeTOURNEAU UNIVERSITY’S NEW NURSING PROGRAM, TYPICALLY, IS ‘HIGH HANDS-ON’

CONTACT: Michael Conrad 214-616-0320 Michael@Lovell-Fairchild.com LeTOURNEAU UNIVERSITY’S NEW NURSING PROGRAM, TYPICALLY, IS ‘HIGH HANDS-ON’ Opening This Fall: Innovative Learning From Classrooms  to Homeless Shelters and Even Abroad LETU.edu/nursing LONGVIEW, Texas – July 24, 2014 – Approved by the Texas Board of Nursing, this fall LeTourneau University debuts a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree on its main campus. “Our science and technology programs already shine, and new nursing capabilities up the wattage,” University President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford said. “True to LeTourneau standards, we mix flexible learning with broad hands-on, supervised clinical experience. Students benefit, the school benefits and regional health care quality just got a shot in the arm.” The action by the Texas Board of Nursing follows months of extensive planning by the university; endorsements by regional hospitals and health care providers; and a comprehensive evaluation by the TBN. The new program is pending approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.  A Booming Need As Boomers turn gray and health-care needs skyrocket, the U.S. Department of Labor says more than 700,000 new nurses are needed by 2020. Looking at work growth in the coming years, a full one-third will be healthcare-related, according to a 2012 DOL report. Between 2010 and 2020, nursing jobs will rise about 26 percent. Factor in the likely exit of retiring nurses as the economy recovers, and LeTourneau is rising to market demand with high skills. The need is particularly acute in Texas. “Texas ranks 45th in the U.S. for registered nurses per 100,000 population,” LETU’s new Dean of Nursing Dr. Kimberly Quiett said. “LeTourneau will emphasize the types of care specifically needed in the rural populations of Texas as well as for the metropolitan areas.” The school also is working with ministries that could provide global service opportunities for nursing students. “LETU students tend to be mission-minded, and global work is a natural to nursing,” Quiett explains. “What’s more, many LETU nursing grads will see work within the church as foundational to their practice.”   Quiett also has arranged for students, working alongside faculty, to serve through churches. As they help churches serve community needs, the students again help people of highly varied ages and backgrounds.  Innovative Clinical Student Experience LETU’s new School of Nursing will engage with more than 20 local healthcare and community agencies to teach students in a wide range of clinical venues and across a broad swath of cultures, age groups, socio-economic levels and clinical issues and problems.   Students also may work in homeless shelters, public clinics, churches, community groups, schools, child care centers, adult day care centers, memory care facilities, home health care agencies and hospice organizations. “LETU nursing grads—hands on and hands down—will be equipped anytime and anywhere to lead through service,” Quiett said.  About LeTourneau UniversityLeTourneau University is a comprehensive institution of Christian higher education where educators engage learners to nurture Christian virtue, to develop competency and ingenuity in their professional fields, to integrate faith and work, and to serve the local and global community. The university is led by its vision: Claiming every workplace in every nation as their mission field, LeTourneau University graduates are professionals of ingenuity and Christ-like character who see life's work as a holy calling with eternal impact. LETU offers a wide array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in aviation and aeronautical science, arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, and nursing. The university enrolls more than 2,700 students representing nearly all 50 states, more than 30 foreign countries and 53 different denominational groups. For additional information, visit LETU.edu. For interviews, contact:  Michael Conrad Michael@Lovell-Fairchild.com 214-616-0320 NOTE: LeTourneau is pronounced “La-TURN-oh”

‘FOOLISHNESS’ COMBINES GOD’S WORD, WORLD-CLASS SKATEBOARDING INTO THRILLING DVD, AVAILABLE MARCH 5

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)
Echolight.com/Foolishness


DALLAS – Jan. 29, 2013 – From director, skateboarding legend and born again believer Brian Sumner comes FOOLISHNESS, a thrilling film featuring world-class skaters performing eye-popping skateboard acrobatics woven throughout with the power of God’s word and changed lives. A film to help young people be as fearless in their faith as they are at the skate park, FOOLISHNESS debuts on DVD March 5.

Praise for FOOLISHNESS

“Brian Sumner’s skate-studded DVD, FOOLISHNESS, is the fullest 60-minute Gospel word I’ve heard.”--John Piper, author and preacher
“FOOLISHNESS is a movie about real faith presented in a very cool way.”--Brian “Head” Welch, former guitarist and co-founder of KORN
“I watched this video and was stirred by the stories of the transforming power of Christ. It deserves to be widely distributed and viewed.”--Alistair Begg, Parkside Church, Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

SYNOPSIS

As teenagers, skateboarding legends Brian Sumner and Christian Hosoi helped shape a culture. They reached amazing heights and broke countless records in pursuit of innovation and greatness. They were stars. They were heroes. As they will tell you themselves, they were fools — until they decided to lay their sins at the foot of the cross and never look back.

They traded in the destructive habits of boys to serve Christ as men, using their God-given talents to minister to America’s youth in a way very few can. Armed with hardcore biblical teachings, stirring testimony and authentic, street-level insight, Brian Sumner and Christian Hosoi speak in a language that can’t be faked — and work tirelessly to share a message that can’t be ignored. Foolishness, from SkateBible, is a daily devotional. It’s a witness tool. It’s an exciting, artfully made skate video featuring some of the biggest names in professional skateboarding — men now living as dedicated servants of the Lord.

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

A skateboarding prodigy from Liverpool, England, Brian moved to the U.S. and turned pro while still a teenager. A star in the fast-moving world of skating, Brian saw his marriage collapse, dealt with anger issues and ended up on probation. To fulfill a court-ordered community service obligation, he worked in a Christian thrift store. It was there he began to explore religion with the same intensity he brought to all aspects of life. Meeting other skaters who had embraced Christianity led Brian to The Sanctuary, a church with a skateboarding pastor, Jay Haizlip. After coming to faith, Brian remarried his wife (adding two more children to the one they had) and now uses his talent as a springboard for international ministry.

FOOLISHNESS takes viewers on a skateboarding thrill ride offering a vibrant new way to connect with God’s word as some of the world’s best skaters display their skills and declare eternal truths from the Bible. Produced by SkateBible and distributed by EchoLight Studios, FOOLISHNESS will be available in retail stores and online March 5.



To learn more, visit: EchoLight.com/foolishness
And visit Lovell-Fairchild.com:


About EchoLight Studios

EchoLight Studios is the first vertically integrated Christian movie studio to offer production financing, marketing and distribution across all releasing platforms. Based in Dallas, EchoLight produces and distributes high-quality faith and family-friendly entertainment through a full film distribution platform servicing theatrical, home video, digital/VOD and broadcast in both U.S. domestic and international markets.

Today's Teens--Connected Online . . . and Lonely. New Book 'Alone' Explains Why

NEW BOOK—‘ALONE’—SHINES LIGHT
ON ISOLATION OF E-CONNECTED TEENS
Teen Expert Andy Braner . . on the Irony
Of History’s Most Connected Generation; Debuting Oct. 15

“Andy exposes teens’ sense of isolation in the age of technogy. Intriguing and insightful, this book is for teens and parents alike.”
Jordin Sparks Amercian Idol Winner, Star of SPARKLE

DURANGO, Colo. — Aug. 20, 2012 — Is America’s most connected generation also its loneliest? In his surprising new book, Alone—Finding Connection in a Lonely World, teen expert Andy Braner exposes the irony that history’s most technologically “available” generation feels intensely isolated and left out. Alone debuts Oct. 15.

“How can I get to a point where I’m not so alone?” Braner quotes a high school quarterback—accomplished, popular, connected.

Founder and director of Camp KIVU near Durango, Colo., Braner spends his days and years with teens. Annually he speaks to more than 80,000 high school and college students in schools and conferences in the U.S. and abroad. Beautiful images of their friends online, Braner says, are killing teens’ acceptance of ordinary life—and of themselves. Yes, the online “perfection” is crafted, but in their formative years when teens crave fitting in, they compare themselves to Facebook “friends” and frequently despair.

One now-well-known young person who heard and understood Andy’s message agrees.

"Attending Andy’s camp for nine years and knowing his family even longer helped me through some of my hardest times,” said American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, now starring in the major film SPARKLE. “Now, in Alone, Andy exposes teens’ sense of isolation in the age of technology. Intriguing and insightful, this book is for teens and parents alike."

Far from an anti-tech rant, Braner writes Alone to and for today’s plugged-in generation. The book, from TH1NK, an imprint of NavPress, urges teens to use technology for what it can do—and to know what it can undo.

“The price of dazzling real-time access is our growing inability to relate to real people at a human level,” Braner said. “Networking is fast and near-infinite. New access to old friends blows our minds. But real-life relationship building may soon be a dinosaur.”

In Alone, Braner raises challenging points:

One in five teens battle depression.
Of teens fighting depression, 30 percent will fight substance abuse.
Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people age 15 to 24.
Then, in the face of sobering stats, Braner offers clear hope for real connection.

“God gave you a purpose, a reason and even specific tools for you to partner with Him in this world to change it in the ways He intended,” Braner writes. “When you realize what role you have to play here on the planet, the most beautiful sense of belonging begins to awaken inside your soul. The world begins making sense.”

Alone takes on the causes for teen isolation: fear of rejection; battles with a variety of addictions; seeking fulfillment sideways—in sex, wild behavior, cliques; and more. In contrast, Braner says, as unique individuals, we’re created to complement each other in community.

“If you truly want relief from the isolation you feel from day to day, get in a community,” Braner said. “Take time to encourage people in their gifts, and by doing so you create trust. Trust begets trust, and soon the people you’re encouraging give the same gift back to you.”

Alone—Finding Connection in a Lonely World speaks in a language teens understand. It frames their lives from one whose life work is to be there with them. Braner pulls no punches with the Facebook generation . . . and boldly offers new hope for real connection.

About Andy Braner

Andy Braner—sometimes called the teen whisperer—is a leading thinker on today’s Christian worldview, particularly on behalf of teens. . . and how theology can live out in complex young lives. The founder of Camp KIVU near Durango, Colo., an international speaker and author, Andy is a fresh and exciting voice on reality faith.

To learn more:

Andy Braner AndyBraner.com

Alone NavPress.com

Camp KIVU CampKIVU.com

Connect on Facebook: Facebook.com/AndyBranerAlone