The Thirty-Seventh Annual Commencement Service
MAY 7, 2023
SUN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
37 th Annual Commencement Service
MAY 7, 2023
President Abner Chou, Th.D. , Presiding
PROCESSIONAL (AUDIENCE PLEASE STAND)
WELCOME
THE MASTER’S SEMINARY CHORUS
SCRIPTURE READING
PRAYER OF INVOCATION
Pomp and Circumstance • Elgar/Rice
Brass Ensemble; Mr. Stephen Sturz, Organist
Dr. Abner Chou President
Soldiers of Christ, Arise • Elvey/Erb-Rice
Dr. Bill Brandenstein, Director
Dr. Austin Duncan
Faculty, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
Dr. Nathan Busenitz
Faculty, Executive Vice President
THE MASTER’S SEMINARY CHORUS
HYMN
CHARGE TO GRADUATES
CONFERRING OF DEGREES
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
HYMN
BENEDICTION
RECESSIONAL
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah Hughes/Erb-Rice
O God, Our Help in Ages Past • Croft
Dr. Bill Brandenstein
Dr. Alex Montoya Emeritus Professor
Dr. Abner Chou, President
ASSISTED BY Members of the Faculty
May the Mind of Christ, My Savior • Barham-Gould
Dr. Bill Brandenstein
Dr. Lucas Alemán
Faculty, Director of Spanish Education
Thine Is the Glory • Handel/Rice
Brass Ensemble & Organ
*PLEASE, NO PHOTOGRAPHY OR APPLAUSE WHILE DEGREES ARE BEING AWARDED
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home!
Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood, Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight Are like an evening gone; Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Bears all its sons away; They fly, forgotten, as a dream Dies at the op’ning day.
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guide while life shall last, And our eternal home!
LYRICS: ISAAC WATTS (BASED ON PSALM 90) (1719) | MUSIC: WILLIAM CROFT (1708)May the Mind of Christ, My Savior
May the mind of Christ, my Savior, Live in me from day to day, By His love and pow’r controlling All I do and say.
May the Word of God dwell richly In my heart from hour to hour, So that all may see I triumph Only through His pow’r.
May the peace of God my Father Rule my life in ev’rything, That I may be calm to comfort Sick and sorrowing.
May the love of Jesus fill me As the waters fill the sea; Him exalting, self abasing This is victory.
May I run the race before me, Strong and brave to face the foe, Looking only unto Jesus As I onward go.
May His beauty rest upon me
As I seek the lost to win; And may they forget the channel, Seeing only Him.
WORDS BY KATE B. WILKINSON (1913) MUSIC BY A. CYRIL BARHAM-GOULD (1925)Diploma of Theology Bachelor of Theology
Joe Hayhurst Denver, Colorado
Brian K. James Milford, Delaware
John Nathaniel Quintans Orange, California
Ruben A. Rocha Montevideo, Uruguay
Alejandro Torres Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Ben Trowbridge Lima, Ohio
John Vereen Hineston, Louisiana
Honduras
Maestr Í a en Ministerio B Í blico
Montenegro Alas San Salvador, El Salvador
Ricardo
Cerda Rojas Concepción, Chile
Lopera Gallego Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Alvarado Tibás, San José, Costa Rica
Josué Izquierdo Martinez Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Miguel Ángel Jiménez Martínez Quillota, Chile
Ecuador
Ricardo Olaguez Los Angeles, California
Mendoza León Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
Vaca Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
Mérida Contreras Santiago, Chile
Ever
RincÓn Cabezas Cajamarca, Tolima, Colombia
Rodriguez Torres Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Velasco Usulutan, El Salvador
Rojas Madrigal Cartago, Costa Rica
Serrano Santiago, Chile
José
Servín Vázquez Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico
Tapia Vargas Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Trullén Acevedo Santiago, Chile
Urbina García Managua, Nicaragua
José Martin Buolangger Juárez Paita, Perú Tomás Iván Kevin X. Cintron Cartagena Guayama, Puerto Rico Jonatan Ortiz Cobos Chihuahua, Mexico Alfredo Cesar Augusto Edison Layedra Quito, Pichincha, Manuel Alejandro Aarón Mendoza Adrian Mauricio Juan Fernando Rodriguez Velarmino Lemuz Gomez Edgar Alberto Francisco Javier Osmar Mendoza Andrés Fernando Andrés Emilio Caleb Ignacio Andrés Mario AlbertoMaster of Divinity
Dominic J. Avila East Los Angeles, California
Stephen James Angliss Greencastle, Pennsylvania
Jobin Abraham Dallas, Texas
Taylor Berghuis Portage, Michigan
Alexander Benfanti Tacoma, Washington
CJ Bohnen Boulder, Colorado
Lance Burroughs Wichita Falls, Texas
Ting Kwok Dickson Chau Hong Kong
Jordan Cedeno Laguna Beach, California
Jack Chen Jiangsu, P. R. of China
Michael Chen Fuzhou, China
Wesley Condra Victoria, Texas
Osvaldo Andres Fuentes Santiago, Chile
Ryan James Friesen Meade, Kansas
Francisco A. Del Toro Cervantes Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
Nathan Giesbrecht Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Homero González Coahuila, Mexico
Anthony Habib Montreal, Canada
Benjamin Michael Herb Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Thomas Hass Moss Beach, California
Beaux Hargrove Rushville, Illinois
Victor Antonio Hinojosa Roseville, California
Asael Hernandez Lugo Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico
James McClellan Holt Waldorf, Maryland
Taylor Lee Holt Longview, Texas
Romano Yaranon Iglesia Manila, Philippines
Nathan Hunter Des Moines, Iowa
Matthew Jones Omaha, Nebraska
Yejun Kim An-yang, South Korea
Luke Kirkendall Oakland, California
Master of Divinity
Morgan James Maycumber Flagstaff, Arizona
Jun Sung Park Seoul, Republic of Korea
Matthew Tebbit Perth, Australia
Aristo Yulius Surabaya, Indonesia
Kalle Limit Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Brian Nkoana Johannesburg, South Africa
Joshua Stebbins Camas, Washington
Samuel Lanka Adilabad, Telangana, India
Jason Nguyen Anaheim, California
Michael J. Sciarra Orange, California
Timothy Max Megee Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Benjamin Patton Springfield, Illinois
Bryan Zarate Los Angeles, California
Johnson Mubiru Luteete, Luweero, Uganda
Aaron Petrossian Concord, California
Jacob S. Trotter Rockford, Illinois
Stephan Müseler Windhoek, Namibia
Spencer Davis Revely Rancho Santa Margarita, California
CONTINUED
Walter Karl Walker Greenville, South Carolina
Master of Theology
Doctor of Ministry
Johnny Gravino Rome, Italy
William Steven Brannon Purcellville, Virginia
Michael Cordich Gilroy, California
Landis Dana Brown Loris, South Carolina
Henry A. Cruz Chicago, Illinois
Joshua DeLong Lancaster, Ohio
Joseph Kossler Fant Anderson, South Carolina
Jeremy Thomas Frazor Greenville, South Carolina
Chas C. Morse Pacific Palisades, California
Daniel E. Gumprecht Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Fielding A. Poe IV Ballwin, Missouri
Aaron M. Hembree Stillwater, Oklahoma
Mark B. Self Buenos Aires, Argentina
John Kimson Hedberg II Denver, Colorado
Bryan Ratliff Roanoke, Virginia
Israel Iglesias Havana, Cuba
Eric D. Sipe Columbus, Ohio
Joshua Lee Selangor, Malaysia
Ian Stamps Collinsville, Illinois
Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Philosophy
Cherif Arif Cairo, Egypt
Alex Gurtaev Samara, Russia
Siripong Yaebeang Bangkok, Thailand
Randal L. Walters Escondido, California
Greg Stoever Norman, Oklahoma
CONTINUED
David Zadok Ramat Gab, Israel
The Master’s Seminary exists to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping godly men to be pastors and/or trainers of pastors for excellence in service to Christ in strategic fields of Christian ministry. This is accomplished through an educational program and an environment of spiritual fellowship and relationships that emphasize unreserved commitment to the worship of God, submission to the authority of the Scriptures, a life of personal holiness, the priority of the local church, and the mission of penetrating the world with the Truth. Begun in 1986, The Master’s Seminary offers graduate-level education designed to equip students for effectiveness in Christian ministry. Through emphasis on careful instruction in the Scriptures, a consistent focus upon involvement and accountability within a local church, exposure to past and present movements in church history and Christian missions, and the development of communication, relationship, leadership, and administrative skills for ministry, the seminary seeks to produce graduates who are recognized as men of God and who are equipped to serve effectively as pastors, missionaries, teachers, evangelists, counselors, and leaders in evangelical ministries around the world.
Caps, Gowns, and Hoods in the Academic Procession
CAPS: Because each member of the faculty possesses a degree or degrees, the tassel is worn on the left side of the cap. Individuals holding a Doctor’s degree are identified by a gold tassel.
GOWNS: The faculty are wearing two different types of gowns according to the highest degree held: Master or Doctor.
HOODS: There are also two types of hoods: one for each degree. They vary in size with the smallest for Master and the largest for Doctor. The hood is lined with the academic color or colors of the school that conferred the highest degree. The velvet binding of the hood indicates the field of study to which the degree pertains.
