In 2013, a garment factory called Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed. The factory was constructed with “substandard materials, with a blatant disregard for building codes,” according to the New York Times. Despite knowing the factory was unsafe for garment workers, factory owners urged their employees to continue working in […]
Author: Megan Koontz
The church has left the building: Generation Z hits an all time low in church attendance
To many, Sundays are sacred. It is a day observed all around the globe as a time for professing Christians to join together in one place, worship, and listen to their pastor speak. Sometimes, a potluck lunch follows in which members of a church gather together to share a meal […]
She shoots, she scores; but no one is watching
As the John Brown University Lady Eagles basketball players tie their shoe laces, wipe sweat off their brows, practice shooting three-pointers and continue building team chemistry and charisma during the final few weeks of their pre-season practices, they know they will be missing one thing when their season begins. They […]
Evangelicals and voting: speakers encourage young Christians to engage in politics
Faith and politics: the topics that make for interesting and often unwelcome discourse around the table during Thanksgiving. Conversations on these topics are somewhat polarizing and John Fea, speaker at the Reimagining Faith in Political Engagement at JBU, said, “The two things you are never supposed to discuss in polite […]
I kissed purity culture goodbye: the church’s progression toward a sex-positive gospel
Sitting in the cushioned seat at an annual purity conference, 13-year-old Abby Stewart watched as a cup of pure water sat in the hands of the conference leader. The women passed the water around the room, and each student added dirt, beads and even spit to the glass. As the […]
#ChurchToo exposes sexual abuse in the church
For years Emily Joy sat in the back of her home church, unable to tell the truth about what kind of man her pastor was. Now, she’s free to be honest The #ChurchToo movement was spurred on by the #MeToo movement and started by activist and writer Hannah Paasch and […]
Figure skater breaks Olympic barriers
As he skated timidly onto the ice during his last skate of the Olympics, 28-year-old Adam Rippon flashed a bright smile at the judges, took a deep breath and readied himself for what he described as one of the greatest moments of his life. Rippon is the first openly gay […]
JBU engineering students rally to educate young girls
A day consisting of spaghetti towers, water bottle rockets and remote-controlled Lego cars helped educate young girls about careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). A part of National Engineers Week, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED) is a nation-wide initiative to empower girls to enter traditionally male-dominated […]
Civil rights, the heart of Arkansas, and the ‘Soul of a Nation’
[BENTONVILLE] — Soul of a Nation, an exhibit bringing awareness to the reality of the Civil Rights Movement, is currently on display at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Ark. in its American debut. The exhibit is a collection of formerly neglected art bringing a unique, important perspective to the Civil Rights […]
North and South Korea unite for Olympics
The countries of North and South Korea have long been at odds with one another, and in recent months, the two have disagreed more than ever. Amidst extreme hostility, turmoil, confusion and multiple nuclear threats, a beacon of hope shines as the two will become one team during the upcoming […]