The Master's University Magazine | Fall 2024 by themastersuniversity

SENIOR HANNAH FREDERICKS HAS LEARNED THROUGH TRIALS

Looking Ahead to the Year & Back to the Beginning

AS TMU ENTERS A NEW ACADEMIC YEAR, WE’RE EAGER TO SHARE THE LATEST UPDATES FROM THE UNIVERSITY AND PROVIDE A LOOK AT WHAT LIES AHEAD IN THE COMING SEMESTERS. BUT IN THIS EDITION OF TMU MAGAZINE, WE’RE ALSO LOOKING BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN, EXPLORING THE FOUNDING OF LOS ANGELES BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN 1927.

her time as a Mustang, Hannah Fredericks has rewritten TMU’s cross country and track and field record books. But the most remarkable thing about her is how — through the trials in her life and her training at TMU — she has learned to trust the Lord in competition.

and students. It also includes the latest news from the University. You can sign up to receive the digital magazine at masters.edu/magazine-subscribe SUBSCRIBE

As a professor and paleontologist who speaks regularly at churches, schools, and conferences, Dr. Matthew McLain encounters many misconceptions about Creation, the Flood, dinosaurs, and related topics. For this edition of the magazine, he offers a response to 10 mistaken ideas about creationism.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

A Crucial Time in TMU History

Dear alumni,

I am writing to you at a pivotal moment in the history of this institution. As we draw near to our 100th year, we are entering into a season of what economists are calling the “largest transfer of wealth in history.” Around $84.4 trillion in assets are being passed on from one generation to the next. In God’s providence, this coincides with the faithful ministry of our chancellor, whose clear and consistent preaching of God’s Word has moved many of that generation to give generously to the University.

Over the years, the Lord has been at work so that in this season significant gifts are starting to come to TMU. What lies before us is truly a once-in-an-institutional-lifetime opportunity to build our endowment and protect this institution. Many schools desired to reach this point but never could. In the last few years, more than 100 colleges have closed across the country. But the Lord has preserved us, and we have begun to see the fruit of the work of those who have gone before us. So, the Lord has provided and set the agenda for this moment at TMU. We are to be the generation that is not only faithful but which sets up every generation after us to be faithful until Christ returns.

To that end, this moment is not merely one of crucial opportunity but equally a critical juncture for TMU. Beloved faculty and staff, those who led you and me, are retiring. As you know, transitions are some of the most perilous times for a school from a theological perspective. At these times, convictions can be diluted, distracted, deviated from, or even dissolved. The battle is to maintain and even deepen our theological clarity and conviction, to make The Master’s University even more the Master’s. After all, fiscal freedom is worthless if we are not who we must be before the Lord. We do not exist just to remain but because believers and churches around the world rely on us. We cannot become a stumbling block to those the Lord has saved (Matt. 18:6).

This is a decisive time for TMU, one filled with urgency and astounding opportunity. We could not have reached this season without the sacrifice and faithfulness of past faculty, staff, and students. Their labor of love made this institution what it is today, kept it faithful to Christ and Scripture, and secured this very occasion. I am so thankful for all these brothers and sisters even as I am so thankful for the team the Lord has brought for such a time as this. Know then how grateful we are to the Lord for your stalwart ministry and that we are committed to not squander what has been entrusted to us. Pray for us as we steward that which was fought for by past generations to secure future generations for Christ and Scripture.

In His grace,

Dr. Abner Chou PRESIDENT, THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY & SEMINARY

TMU's Alumni Association provides opportunities for alumni to connect with their alma mater — and each other.

LEARN MORE AT MASTERS.EDU/ALUMNI events | communications | job listings

The Reflections, led by Dr. Peter Kobe (front-center), was a traveling student music team that helped put what was then Los Angeles Baptist College on the map. This photo is from the 1975-76 school year.

TMU has a busy year of classes, athletic events, conferences, theater productions, and concerts ahead! Read on for what 2024-25 has in store, what our professors are up to, and stories from around our community.

PHOTO BY EMILY WIDDERS

An Exciting Time of Year

The Lord has graciously blessed us with an incoming class of more than 400 students for the second time in the last three years. We treasure the opportunity to prepare these men and women for lives of enduring faithfulness to Christ and Scripture.

425

New traditional undergraduate students enrolled for fall 2024.

90%

Retention rate for returning students from spring 2024.

Total on-campus enrollment for fall 2024.

1,220 The number of applications received by TMU for the fall 2024 semester.

3,400+

PHOTO BY HANNAH BARRETT

FACULTY FOCUS

Q+A

with Jeff Jensen

Longtime TMU professor shares how he came to Christ and where his passion for history comes from.

BY JOSEPHINE LEE

Prof. Jeff Jensen has been a faculty member at The Master’s University since 2000. In addition to teaching TMU’s general education world history courses each semester, he also assists the Provost’s Office administrative team. Recently, we sat down with him to ask about his philosophy of teaching history.

Tell us when and how you came to know the Lord. In 1986, I needed a roommate to share a house I was living in. I came from a Catholic background. I advertised, “Wanted: Male Christian Roommate,” and a born-again believer answered the ad. God orchestrated a series of situations where the gentleman shared the truth with me. He walked the walk. He wasn’t perfect, but he was legitimate. He bought me a Bible and said, “Hey, wanna read the Bible with me?”

I was open to reading the Bible, I just hadn’t done it. I was biblically illiterate. So I started reading, particularly the New Testament, and that’s how I eventually came to know the Lord. Then I heard about this place that taught Old Testament, New Testament, and how to

study the Bible. And I thought, “I need to go there. I don’t know anything about Bible interpretation. I just know I love Jesus and want to learn.” So I came to TMU (at that time TMC).

Where did your passion for history come from? What moved me to pursue history as a discipline was this: Thanksgiving Eve, 1990. I was a college student living in an off-campus apartment. At that point, I had sold my car because I couldn’t afford it. I was not able to find a ride to the Thanksgiving Eve service because my friends had left for break. The people I knew didn’t live in the area, so they had all gone home. I thought, “Well, I have a night. All my friends are gone. What am I going to do? You know what, let’s watch a program.”

So I bike to the Blockbuster store just up the street, walk to the documentary section, and boom, it’s staring me in the face: “45/85: America and the World Since World War II.” It had Ted Koppel and Peter Jennings, who were well-respected journalists. There was nobody in my apartment, just me and my VCR. I popped the

Prof. Jeff Jensen’s World History course is a staple of TMU’s general education offerings.

first volume into the VHS machine. A few minutes in, I remember saying to myself, “Where have I been? This is awesome. What in the world?” And that really reignited a passion for history in me that had been there as a boy. In about 10 minutes on a Wednesday night in 1990, it just exploded back onto my horizon. And in a sense, that event altered my life.

After more than 20 years of teaching at TMU, what do you love most about teaching history?

I think I’m more passionate today than I was when I started. I think I’m way more jazzed about what I’m doing now, if that’s possible. And the reason is this: I’m not teaching history. I’m not teaching dates and dead people. The reality is, I’m teaching God’s sovereign plan for humanity. God has a reason for everything. On this side of heaven, I will not be able to understand “why” everything has happened. But I can tell you this: God is in control.

What do you enjoy most about being part of TMU’s faculty?

Being able to impart a biblical worldview to students. That’s just an awesome opportunity. And secondly, to extrapolate the events and lessons of history and apply it to their lives. It’s the, “Okay, what’s today’s takeaway? What does this event mean for my life?” That’s the beauty of a biblical worldview. I get to say, “Here is this event. What lessons can we learn from it? Essentially, how does this make me a better follower of Jesus Christ?” That’s priceless.

Learn more about TMU’s faculty at masters.edu/faculty.

PHOTO BY HUDSON LIND

ON CAMPUS

TMU Announces 2024-25 Chapel Theme

Messages will center on the book of Ephesians.

BY MASON NESBITT

The Master’s University will explore the book of Ephesians this year.

The theme of chapel for the 2024-25 academic year at TMU will be “In Christ,” and will involve a deep dive into Paul’s epistle to the church at Ephesus.

“Paul wrote the book of Ephesians to explain to us what it means to be in Christ, both in our position and our practice,” said Russell Moir, TMU’s vice president of student life and campus pastor. “I would love it if we came to the end of the year and every student could clearly articulate

the purpose of Ephesians, and everything behind it, having seen the wonder of the book.”

Additionally, the year was scheduled to begin with special messages from President Abner Chou and Chancellor John MacArthur — addressing “For Christ” and “For Scripture,” respectively. The goal in highlighting the two halves of TMU’s motto, Moir said, was to “re-establish in everyone’s mind why we exist.”

Chapel takes place three times each week at TMU, with speakers from across the

country visiting campus to exposit Scripture.

Chapel is livestreamed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 9:10 a.m. during the fall and spring semesters. You can watch for free at masters.edu/live or on the University’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

For more information and a schedule of upcoming speakers, visit masters.edu/chapel

STAFF FOCUS

Russell Moir Returns To Lead TMU Student Life

BY MASON NESBITT

The Master’s University’s newest executive isn’t new to TMU.

Russell Moir is returning to the campus as vice president of student life and campus pastor. From 1985 to 1991, he held similar positions, emphasizing a studentlife culture of Spirit-empowered heart transformation. His focus hasn't changed, and he says his goal is to pick up where Harry Walls, who stepped down from the position this summer, left off.

“Harry did a phenomenal job,” Moir said. “It’s my responsibility to receive that baton and run as hard as I can. We have a strong student life staff and a strong spirit in the student body. We’re healthy. We just need to stay healthy.”

Moir brings extensive ministry and business-management experience to his second tenure at TMU.

After leaving what was then The Master’s

RESOURCES

TMU’s Feature Films

College, Moir served as senior pastor at Blackhawk Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for 10 years. (Along the way, he and his wife, Heide, had five children, and they now have 20 grandchildren.) In 2000, Moir changed careers, buying his parents’ small orthopedic device company in Solvang, California, and building it over the following decades into an international operation.

As for returning to TMU, he says he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to serve under the leadership of President Abner Chou and Chancellor John MacArthur, whose preaching has so encouraged him and his family over the years. He also loved the idea of once again serving a school that’s wholeheartedly committed to the authority, inerrancy,

Picked Up by Distributor

“The Descent” is heading toward a theatrical release thanks to a new distribution partner.

“The Descent,” a thriller based on the book of Revelation and the second feature film produced by The Master’s University, is now set to be distributed by ITN Distribution. This will pave the way for a future theatrical release of the project. The company has also agreed to distribute “The Man From Nowhere,” TMU’s first feature film.

“They also want to work with us on future films,” says Prof. Matt Green, director of TMU’s Cinema & Digital Arts (CDA) program. “So they can be

BY KAELYN PEAY

and sufficiency of Scripture.

“You get to work at a place that stands for holding forth the Word of God,” Moir said, “and that’s an incredible privilege.”

Chou is equally pleased to have Moir back at TMU.

“At this pivotal moment, I am so grateful the Lord sent us one who is not an outsider to Student Life but who helped to found it,” Chou said. “Russ brings with him not only the enthusiasm, passion, and zeal of old, but a seasoned maturity produced by years of ministry and service. His presence will solidify Student Life in its careful balance to ‘admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.’”

the distribution partner going forward, which is a home run.”

ITN Distribution already distributes over 800 films and has deals with major platforms such as Amazon and Peacock.

Making this distribution deal is an exciting step for the CDA program, which makes hands-on experience with film productions a central part of its curriculum. Close to 60 students worked on

“The Descent” in front of and behind the camera.

“It’s exciting because it proves that we’re doing what we set out to do, in that a company that has hundreds of films recognizes the quality of what we’re doing and wants to partner with us in that process,” Green says.

Learn more about TMU’s CDA program at masters.edu/cda

September

TMU’s 2024 women’s conference will feature Costi Hinn as the keynote speaker, with the year’s theme based on Galatians 1:10. Please extend an invitation to your family, friends, and church. Learn more and register at masters.edu/selfless

This is a two-day event for prospective students and families, offering an unforgettable opportunity for students to experience life as a Mustang. Overnight accommodations are provided for prospective students. Learn more at masters.edu/visit

For prospective students and families, this is a great opportunity to get a snapshot of what TMU is all about. Visit classes, take a campus tour, attend chapel, learn about financial aid opportunities, meet TMU students, and get questions about TMU answered. Learn more at masters.edu/visit

October

The Mustangs hit a crucial stretch of GSAC play starting with this home match. Ticket information is available at gomustangs.com/tickets. You can also watch the livestream at gomustangs.com/watch

This fall’s Theatre Arts production is “The Curious Savage,” originally written by John Patrick. Join us for one of six showings, with 8 p.m. performances on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays. Get tickets at masters.edu/theatre

The Mustangs host the Firestorm on Reese Field for a GSAC showdown. Ticket information is available at gomustangs.com/tickets. You can also watch the livestream at gomustangs.com/watch

This is a two-day event for prospective music majors, offering the opportunity to attend a private concert and music classes, participate in rehearsals, audition for a music scholarship, and get to know our music faculty. Overnight accommodations are provided for prospective students. Learn more and register at masters.edu/prelude

Save the date to join us for our Alumni Dinner Theatre. This yearly gathering has become a staple event, and we are looking forward to a wonderful time of fellowship. Stay tuned for more details!

Contact Vanessa Olson, assistant director of development, at volson@masters.edu for more info.

The five finalists from The Master Interview Competition will be interviewed live before a panel of judges and a live audience, with a $5,000 scholarship on the line. The event will take place from 6-9 p.m. in Dunkin Student Center. Learn more at masters.edu/the-master-interview

November

The Lady Mustangs will host Benedictine for what is the final home match of the regular season. Ticket information is available at gomustangs.com/tickets You can also watch the livestream at gomustangs.com/watch

MONDAYS AT MASTER’S

December

Giving Tuesday has quickly become one of the most exciting opportunities for those who desire to partner with TMU in providing a biblically faithful education to students. Learn more at masters.edu/giving-tuesday

TMU students and alumni are invited to meet more than 80 employers from Santa Clarita and across the country. This is an opportunity to build your network and engage with a variety of business partners and community leaders. Bring your resume, make connections, and land your next job! Learn more at masters.edu/career-fair

This year’s event will be held at Central Park in Santa Clarita. TMU’s men’s team will be going for a 15th straight conference title. The women will be looking for their fifth straight championship. For the latest information, visit gomustangs.com

Come enjoy our annual Come Christmas Sing! concert series, featuring TMU School of Music choruses and orchestra. The series will coincide with our Christmas Market, where shoppers can buy gifts at boutiques, enjoy themed hot and cold beverages, and capture photos in a beautifully decorated space. Get tickets at masters.edu/ music-events and learn more about the Christmas Market at masters.edu/christmas-market

January

The Truth & Life Conference will be open to the general public this year and will take place on the campus of Grace Community Church in nearby Sun Valley, California. We’d love to have alumni join us! For the latest news, visit masters.edu/truth-and-life

Join us in the Music Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. for our fall Orchestra Concert, titled “The Harmony of Sounds.” Works performed will include Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony and Haydn’s Symphony No 96 “The Miracle” Get tickets at masters.edu/music-events

THE SELFLESS CONFERENCE

Join us for an event featuring talks from distinguished professors and researchers on the theme “Imago Dei.” Engage in thought-provoking discussions, network with industry experts, and gain fresh insights on topics including origins, artificial intelligence, art and culture, entertainment, business, technology, and more. Learn more at masters.edu/tbc

February March April May

This is a two-day event for prospective music majors offering the opportunity to attend a private concert and music classes, participate in rehearsals, audition for a music scholarship, and get to know our music faculty. Overnight accommodations are provided for prospective students. Learn more and register at masters.edu/prelude

21-22, 28-29

THEATRE ARTS PRODUCTION OF “THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST”

This spring’s Theatre Arts production is “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Join us for one of six showings, with 8 p.m. performances on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays. Get tickets at masters.edu/theatre

TMU’s 98th annual commencement ceremony will be held on the University’s campus. More details will be available at masters.edu/commencement-day. All are welcome to join via livestream at masters.edu/live

WHAT’S IN YOUR OFFICE?

With Dr. Greg Gifford

CHAIR, BIBLICAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

PHOTOS BY HUDSON LIND

BOOT CAMP BIBLE

“This is the Bible that I had when I went through basic training. There’s a picture in it of me and my wife when we got married. I kept that in my boot pocket; I would take it out and look at her, and then try to read as much Scripture as I could.”

A BIBLICAL BRANCH

“I got a branch from the traditional Garden of Gethsemane. That was super rad. Dr. (William) Varner led that trip in 2018.”

MILITARY CHALLENGE COINS

“They’re like a step above a handshake and a step below an actual award. It says, ‘You went out of your way, above and beyond; thank you.’”

THE MONTY’S 2024 HOMIE AWARD

“I didn’t know I was nominated. I was told it had something to do with being funny, and that I beat (Professors) (Jason) Beals, (Jared) Kingsley, (Jeff) Jensen, and (Jo) Suzuki.”

THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT

“That is something my middle son made. He did this homework assignment on his own. And one of the questions on it is, ‘Who is your hero?’ And it says, ‘My dad is my hero.’ I get misty thinking about that one.”

TMU Unveils New Music Group

Performance ensemble to begin touring in SoCal this year.

BY MASON NESBITT

kenneth scott ('26)

International Student from Canada & Cameroon. Business Major. On-Campus Tutor. Leads the Accounting Society. University Singers & Intramurals.

Beginning this fall, The Master’s University will offer a new music performance ensemble.

“Doxology” will consist of up to 12 students, eight singers and four instrumentalists, who will regularly travel to churches, performing an array of Christ-honoring music and introducing people to TMU.

Members of the group will receive scholarships, and admittance to the ensemble is by audition only. Dr. Marius Bahnean, associate professor of music

and director of choral activities, said the group will begin touring in Southern California, with the goal of expanding its reach to the state’s northern region by next year and eventually adding out-ofstate trips.

He said the group won’t be limited to a particular style of music: “We’ll perform anything that’s well-written and that glorifies Christ in the right way.”

Anyone interested in having Doxology visit their church is invited to email mbahnean@masters.edu

STUDENT FOCUS

3 Things I Learned Last Semester

with Business Major Kenneth Scott (’26)

How To Write a Better Cover Letter

BY JOSEPHINE LEE

“TMU’s Career Services and the Accounting Society have made me aware of many opportunities for career development by highlighting internship opportunities. The application processes have given me a lot of cover letter writing practice.”

How the U.S. Government Operates

“Dr. Frazer's U.S. Government class has enlightened my understanding of the workings of government. It’s definitely something I will be thinking about during upcoming elections.”

The Importance of Christian Fellowship

“A simple exercise during one class period, when individuals were asked to read a Scripture passage of their choosing, reminded me of this point. We’re rooting for each other as fellow TMU students and, more importantly, as part of Christ’s body.”

ALUMNI FOCUS

Q+A

with Stacie Zorichak

Elementary head of school at Legacy Christian Academy talks about life after TMU.

BY KAELYN PEAY

What do you love about working at Legacy?

Legacy is a unique school because it’s a missionminded school. Probably 60-70% of the families are unchurched, so it makes for an incredible missional opportunity to be able to be open about our faith.

We’ve seen whole families come to Christ after they started going to church because their kids wanted to. The students see the example that their teachers are setting; they see their teachers’ love for the Word and for church, and so the students want to get plugged in and involved

too. And soon the whole family starts going. So it’s been a really neat opportunity to see Christ at work in the hearts and lives of these families.

What does it look like to faithfully represent Christ in your job?

Part of my job is getting to partner with the parents of believing families, reinforcing what they’re teaching at home when their students are at school. With unbelieving parents, I get to be that example of Christ in their lives, consistently loving them and building relationships

Stacie Zorichak graduated from The Master’s University as a teacher education major in 2002 and went on to earn her teaching credential from TMU. Since 2004 she has worked at Legacy Christian Academy in Valencia, California, first as a teacher and now as the head of school over Legacy’s elementary school. She also serves as an adjunct professor in TMU’s School of Education.

We recently asked her a few questions about her time at TMU and what the Lord is doing in her life now.

with them. And then for the believing families, I get to reflect Christ and partner with them in shepherding the hearts of their children.

Who were some of your favorite TMU professors?

There are so many! One of my first experiences was with Dr. (William) Varner in Old Testament Survey. That really gave me a passion for the history and land of Israel, which led me to attend a lifechanging semester in IBEX. I loved all of my Bible and education professors. I also took extra classes in English

with Dr. Grant Horner, like his Milton course. I didn’t even need it as an education major, but it was just so good. I was trying to absorb all that I could while I was at TMU.

What impact did your time at TMU have on you?

When I was in high school, I was looking at all of these different schools and their credentialing programs, from Stanford to Pepperdine. I remember going into the education department at Master’s, and I was like, “This is the best education department.

They do the most handson work, and they love the Lord, and they love the students.” You could just see that on display, even during the view weekends.

Someone questioned why I would choose this tiny Christian school over a bigger institution. And I said, “But my students aren’t going to care where I graduated from; they’re

going to care that I’m the best teacher that they can have.” And all of my professors were pivotal in shaping me into who I am today as a teacher. They modeled a desire to educate the child as a whole person, with an emphasis on academic excellence within a Christian worldview. This equips students to be the best they can be in their future fields of study,

whatever God may call them to.

What’s something the Lord has been teaching you recently?

He is teaching me dependency on Him. I think that when you are in a place of leadership, and people are looking to you to make a lot of decisions, you need to depend on His wisdom

and not your own strength. You have to be able to die to yourself so that you can be filled with His Spirit so you can love people and see things from His perspective and not my human one. It’s continually His strength being made perfect in my weakness — because He has all of the answers, and I don’t.

PHOTO

EMILY WIDDERS

ON CAMPUS

TMU Launches Leadership Initiative

New group endeavors to serve students and employers.

Last spring, nearly 50 students joined a new group at The Master’s University — the Leadership Initiative. TMU’s Office of Career Services launched this program for students who have demonstrated leadership ability and excellence in the classroom, aiming to help them become adept alumni ready to bring Christlike character to the workforce.

During the fall 2024 semester, the group is scheduled to visit organizations on the East Coast, hear from guest speakers who work at Microsoft, and tour the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

“Christians should make businesses better,” says Michael Chrzanowski, TMU’s director of career services, adding that in learning what it looks like to be a leader, students can grow in their

BY LUKE FITZGERALD

ability to serve their employers to the glory of God.

“We know that we have students who not only have high character, but also have high competence,” says Hannah Mitchell, who works as a coordinator for Career Services. “But we also want to make sure we have people who are competent in professionalism.”

The Leadership Initiative has been in the works for a few years now. It came to fruition when Career Services reached out to professors from every department to identify students who would make good candidates for the program. These selected students were invited to apply before the start of the spring 2024 semester.

The design of the Leadership Initiative

is to expose students to people in leadership roles across a wide range of fields. Last semester, the group spent time off campus each month, visiting businesses, meeting with executives, and receiving personalized leadership training. The end result also benefits employers, as they get to engage with high-quality potential employees.

The ultimate goal, however, is to “support the church by challenging Christians with character to develop the skills they need to lead effectively, whether God has called them to the boardroom, the pulpit, or the home,” according to the Initiative’s webpage.

Says Mitchell, “If you have influence, regardless of what your position or title is, you have the opportunity for leadership.”

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

TMU’s Leadership Initiative invites representatives from various fields to speak to students about principles of leadership. Pictured here is Aaron Shackelford (’19).

SOUNDBITES

Quotes from around The Master’s University

Every tool that I have the Lord has given me in order to prepare me for this job.”

Fonda Wilson

HEAD

COACH WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Article, “Fonda Wilson

Next Women’s Basketball Coach at TMU”

I am so thankful that (the Lord) led me to TMU, which through His grace and the many lifelong relationships that He’s built has prepared me for this new journey. Thank you to the Astros for giving me the opportunity to continue my baseball career at the next level. I’m excited to get to work and start my pro ball journey.”

Ryan Mathiesen

TMU BASEBALL PLAYER

Article, “TMU’s Ryan Mathiesen Selected in 14th Round of MLB Draft”

Our purpose in life and ministry is to know Christ and to glorify Him. It’s simple, but it’s profound, right? … We’re created by Christ, and not just by Christ, but also for Him. So obviously our women’s ministries, at a foundational level, have to exist to glorify Christ.”

Dr. Shelbi Cullen

TMU PROFESSOR

Women’s Hope Podcast, Ep. 151

God has defined what a day is. It is evening and it is morning. And this doesn’t just defeat the day-age argument, although it does provide clarity. Here is what God is doing: He defines time. That is the sovereignty He has in creation. … Everything is under His determination — even how seconds are grouped together.”

Dr. Abner Chou

TMU PRESIDENT TMU Chapel, Feb. 19, 2024

It’s invaluable, in my opinion, to be able to not only learn the material and learn in an excellent way, but to be shepherded and mentored by the people who are teaching you and equipping you. I love that about (TMU).”

Dr. Daniel Ybarra

TRAUMA FELLOW AT LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY

Article, “Pre-Med Students from TMU Speak at Trauma Symposium”

TMU Theatre Arts is preparing for a season of classic comedies.

The Theatre Arts program at The Master’s University will present two classic comedies during the 2024-25 school year. Audiences are invited to an October production of “The Curious Savage,” originally written by John Patrick. Then they can come back in March for “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

“Both of these shows are some of my all-time favorites – for their wit, warmth, and riotous fun,” says Tricia Hulet, Theatre Arts director. “They offer our students the opportunity to tackle time-honored roles, depth of character, and breadth of production that will be a real treat this season. And for our audiences, we hope to bring these stories to life in visually

Named

STAFF FOCUS

Why I Work at TMU

With Brian Pam, Director of Information Technology Operations

BY LUKE FITZGERALD

As the director of IT operations at The Master’s University, Brian Pam oversees the team responsible for three indispensable areas of TMU’s daily operations: Wi-Fi, tech support, and server administration. He joined the University in 2021.

When asked what he enjoys about working at the University, he said this:

“Working in an environment where I’m surrounded by believers is a treat. To be like-minded with your coworkers is great. We pray for one another when people have needs. We open all of our meetings in prayer, and we often close them in prayer, too. We’re often talking about prayer requests with one another, and it’s just a natural part of the day. That’s just a huge blessing.”

BY KAELYN PEAY

engaging ways and with a depth that captivates the mind and the heart.”

There will also be a special alumni dinner theater showing of “The Curious Savage” on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. Learn more at masters.edu/theatre

how well do you know tmu?

What year did Dr. John MacArthur become president of our institution?

A. 1986

B. 1985

C. 1988

D. 1990

What year was the construction of Sweazy and Dixon dorms completed?

A. 1987

B. 1975

C. 1980

D. 1977 02 answers on page 83

Who was the first woman in school history to win an NAIA national championship?

A. ERIN PERPEROGLOU (BUESCHER)

B. KATHLEEN THOMSON (SIMON)

C. KARIS CRICHTON (FRANKIAN)

D. HANNAH WITHERS (KELLERMAN) 03

During our annual Week of Welcome, what is the name of the inter-dorm relay race?

A. THE MASTER’S MARATHON

B. THE MASTER’S CUP

C. THE RUN AT TMC

D. THE MACARTHUR CUP

IN THEIR ELEMENT

Snapshots of what TMU professors are teaching this semester.

International Business Marketing Old Testament Issues

Dr. John Beck

“The Great Commission is a global commission. The business challenges of transcending linguistic, cultural, legal-political, economic, and logistical boundaries are very similar to what the church has always faced. In this course, we get to build discernment and a global outlook by applying rigor and a biblical lens to real-world case studies.”

Dr. Todd Bolen

“This course explores the most controversial and fascinating topics related to historicity, chronology, archaeology, hermeneutics, and theology in the Old Testament. In every session we tackle a new subject, such as the historicity of Adam, the documentary hypothesis, the Canaanite genocide, the Messiah’s deity, and Ezekiel’s temple.”

John

Detective Fiction Writing

Dr. Bob Dickson

“It’s a time-honored and everpopular genre of fiction – one with a specific set of reader expectations. It’s narrow in terms of approach, but broad in terms of application and end result. It has to be in order to keep readers guessing, which is the fun part!”

Genetics & Genomics

Dr. Stevan Pekovich

ASSISTANT

“The structure and function of all physical life is designed by God at the molecular level using only four basic building blocks in our DNA. In studying genetics, we get to take a brief glimpse into how God knit not only us humans together, but all of life. Now that is pretty cool.”

Annual expository-preaching event will take place at Grace Community Church.

The 2025 Truth & Life Conference will be open to the public, making it possible for alumni and anyone interested in expository preaching to attend the three-day event at Grace Community Church in January.

BY MASON NESBITT

will provide expanded seating capacity, after the past few events were limited, out of necessity, to TMU students. This year’s rendition will once again provide a venue for alumni to reconnect with former classmates and professors.

third featured speaker yet to be announced.

The theme will be related to missions, focusing on fulfilling the Great Commission. Minimally-priced tickets are expected to go on sale soon to cover basic event costs, with scholarships and discounts available. Visit masters.edu/truth-and-life for the latest information. Join Us for the 2025 Truth & Life Conference EVENTS

Notably, moving the event from TMU’s campus to Grace Community in nearby Sun Valley, California,

The event — scheduled for Jan. 15-17 — will feature Drs. John MacArthur and Abner Chou, along with a

PHOTO BY RYAN MILLER

Dr.

MacArthur, TMU’s chancellor, preaches at a previous iteration of the Truth & Life Conference.

PHOTO BY HANNAH BARRETT

A MultiGenerational Mission

Emily Widders (’25) follows in her mom’s footsteps — all the way to England.

BY KAELYN PEAY

When Emily Widders (’25) stepped onto the plane for her Global Outreach trip to England this summer, she brought a 30-year-old story full circle. Because in addition to being an entrepreneurship major at The Master’s University, she is also the daughter of alum Deborah Widders (maiden name Hulet), who was part of TMU’s short-term trip to England exactly 30 years earlier, in 1994.

Emily’s team spent a month serving local churches in London and participating in outreach efforts alongside TMU alumni Matt and Kimberly Davis. The group also took an overnight trip to Birmingham, a couple of hours northwest of London — the city where Deborah spent most of her missions trip, engaged in the same sort of service projects.

Emily says, “One thing that was really impactful was seeing the global church in action. It’s really a testimony of God’s love and faithfulness to His people, the fact that He gives us each other. And even though we live thousands of miles apart, we all believe in Jesus Christ. It encouraged me to get more involved in my local church.”

Learn more about this summer’s Global Outreach trips at masters.edu/go-2024

FACULTY UPDATES

Dr. William Varner (biblical studies) was interviewed recently on two podcasts, one about his new book on the Apostolic Fathers and another about the “false Messiahs” in Jewish history. He is also working with TMU professors David Hegg and Todd Bolen on a book about the Jewish life and ministry of Jesus the Messiah, based on the Gospel of Matthew.

Dr. Gregg Frazer (political studies) wrote an article for the Spiritual Counterfeits Project Journal that was published in June. He also wrote a lengthy, in-depth review of an upcoming documentary entitled “Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism’s Unholy War on Democracy” for a future volume of that journal. He was interviewed by pastors in Oklahoma and Colorado about his second book, “God Against the Revolution,” for the Remnant Radio podcast. He was interviewed by pastors in Nebraska about his first book, “The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders,” for the Sound Words podcast. And he was interviewed on the topic of voting for an upcoming episode of TMU’s Art of Discernment podcast.

Dr. Matthew McLain (science) presented research on plesiosaurs with TMU student Sierra Schupbach and gave a plenary talk at the Origins Conference in St. Louis. This conference is the joint meeting of the Creation Biology Society, Creation Geology Society, and Creation Theology Society, which features an interdisciplinary panel that included McLain as a panelist.

Prof. Dawn Okonowski (kinesiology) recently passed her comprehensive examination and is now ABD (all but dissertation) as she continues to work toward her Ph.D. in human health and performance. She plans to incorporate new optical capturing technology (DARI), generously donated to the kinesiology department, in her future research endeavors with her students. Such key pieces of technology are vital to equip students for the competitive world of health professions and human movement evaluation and performance.

David Hegg (biblical studies) recently published three books: “Refuge Marriage” (a book on marriage drawing from the story of Ruth), “The Joanie Stories” (a children’s story inspired by “Little House on the Prairie”), and “Foundations of Faithfulness” (a book unpacking seven foundational principles for the church). In August, he spoke at Fellowship Bible Church’s high school conference in Tacoma, Washington.

Dr. Greg Stephens (online, biblical languages) recently completed five weeks of ministry in the Republic of South Africa where he filled in for a congregation’s pastor. Stephens then went to serve in Israel for the remainder of the summer in a similar role. He will be returning to the U.S. in mid-September.

Deborah on her trip in 1994.

Emily on her trip in 2024.

PHOTO BY EMILY WIDDERS

STUDENT FOCUS

How William Samuelsson Discovered TMU in Northern Europe

Bible student hopes to attend seminary after graduation before taking his training back to Sweden.

BY JOSEPHINE LEE

utilize our cover letter and resume guides and scan an exclusive job board, with listings like these:

William Samuelsson waited five years to come to The Master’s University.

It hadn’t been easy. In leaving his home country of Sweden, he was forgoing the option of a free public education, and to get his visa in time for the fall, he had to make an emergency request. Even as he waited in a hotel on American soil, he was nervous that some last-minute hitch would interrupt his admission.

What carried him through those five years was simple: a desire for the biblical teaching he knew he would receive at TMU.

Samuelsson is from the city of Uppsala in Sweden — a country with Protestant roots that in recent centuries has become increasingly secular, and where Bible-centered churches are hard to find.

Around 2014, the Samuelsson family was attending a church when their

senior pastor converted to Catholicism. Confused, Samuelsson’s parents began to ask themselves if what they were being taught was true. They took to scouring YouTube and social media, where they happened on the preaching of Dr. John MacArthur. It immediately stood out.

Samuelsson said, “My parents found it incredibly different from what we were used to. It was Bible-centered, Godcentered preaching.”

Samuelsson soon started listening to MacArthur and other pastors for himself. As his family grew together in its understanding of the gospel, he says that they struggled to find a church that could meet their new spiritual hunger.

When his mother told him about a university associated with MacArthur, Samuelsson, who was only 14 at the time, knew that it was the only school he wanted to attend.

William Samuelsson says his time at TMU has made a major difference in his sanctification and prayer life.

Over the next five years, Samuelsson and his family worked to make that possible. At age 16, he enrolled in the only English-speaking high school program in his hometown in order to become fluent in English. When his senior year arrived, the Lord provided financial means for him to attend TMU. And then, finally, he got his visa.

Despite having never stepped foot in America, Samuelsson was convinced that an education at TMU was worth the challenges: “I knew this institution was founded on the Word of God. That’s why I had all the confidence.”

Finally, in fall 2023, Samuelsson entered TMU as a biblical languages major. Since arriving, he has seen the new environment make a major difference in his sanctification and prayer life. He’s also thankful to hear biblical exposition in person each week at Grace Community Church, where he’s a part of the Sojourners fellowship group.

“I really appreciate that everything at TMU is so solidly grounded on the Bible,” Samuelsson said, “not just the teaching and time in class, but the fellowship that I have with friends, which is something I never experienced before.”

Samuelsson’s family has finally found a Bible-teaching church in Stockholm where they can grow. As for Samuelsson, he still has a few years left at TMU. His goal is to attend seminary after he graduates and take his biblical training back to Sweden.

“I love to give the truth to people, to share the gospel, and to study the Bible,” he said. “And I know there’s such a lack of good teachers in my home country, and in many other places too; because of that, I want to become a pastor.”

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An Alumni Story: Dr. Nathan Busenitz (’99) A Biblical Understanding of the Holy Spirit

The Art of Discernment S3 E5

A Heart for Propelling the Mission of TMU

TMU Alum Emily Curtis (’09) Publishes a “Guide Through Grief”

Q&A with David Larsen, Kinesiology Department Chair

TMU Grad Liam Payne Reflects on Journey to Medical School Catch up on some of

The University has received unprecedented levels of donor support in recent years.

BY TMU STAFF

Generous donors from across the country and the world continue to demonstrate a remarkable heart for propelling the mission of The Master’s University.

In recent years, TMU has seen unprecedented levels of financial support for key initiatives such as scholarships, student housing, and new programs, and since 2020, the University’s endowment has grown by 280%.

This support is vital for TMU, both in the present and in securing the future of the school’s mission of equipping students for lives of enduring commitment to Christ and Scripture.

Donor support has empowered the school to acquire 30 properties in Placerita Canyon. This is crucial to the discipleship of students, a hallmark of a TMU education, as it allows more than 200 additional undergraduates to experience an on-campus education by living in the neighborhood.

The funding has also played a significant role in paving the way for more students who are ideal fits for the University to receive a TMU education. During the 2023-24 academic year, 284 students (representing approximately 20 countries and one-quarter of the residential, undergraduate population) received The Master’s Global Scholarship. This aid totaled roughly $2.5 million. Overall, donor funds contributed to the roughly $19.5 million in institutional financial aid received by TMU students last year.

These students also have more academic options than ever before, with the addition in recent years of programs like entrepreneurship and electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering. Donor support has played a crucial role in these and other additions.

One of the most important developments has been the growth of TMU’s endowment. This is a key factor in building TMU’s financial independence in the future, helping to secure a biblically faithful education for the generations to come. Learn more at masters.edu/give

Dr. Nathan Busenitz graduated from TMU in 1999 and serves as the executive vice president of The Master’s Seminary, where he aims to lead by demonstrating absolute confidence in the Word of God and Christlike kindness — just like his father, Irv, did.

Dr. Abner Chou is joined by pastor and author Costi Hinn for an exploration of the vital role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.

Prof. David Larsen serves as both the chair of the Department of Kinesiology and as TMU’s head athletic trainer. Recently, we asked him a few questions about his life and his academic field.

Last year, TMU alum Emily Curtis (’09) published a book titled “Hope in the Mourning: A Hope-Filled Guide Through Grief.” She recently discussed what inspired her to write the book.

Liam Payne says that at TMU he grew in his walk with Christ, was prepared for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and medical school, and even met his wife.

PHOTO BY HANNAH BARRETT

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

ON CAMPUS

TMU Launches Student Academic Journal

Last semester, The Master’s University saw the publication of its first-ever student academic journal. Nine students contributed articles to the inaugural volume of the TMU Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies, published by the School of Biblical Studies. Here are a few quotes from the journal.

Read the full first edition for free at masters.edu/bible-journal.

Trust in God during trials is a characteristic of humility, because it admits that God is in control. Ahaz experienced a trial when he was under threat from Rezin, but he chose to trust in Assyria rather than God. The Servant trusts that the Lord will make things right at the end of the trial.”

The nontrinitarian Jesus who had a beginning in time has to be, by definition, a servant of God as are all other creatures—and thus ontologically inferior. It only follows, then, that if consubstantiality is denied, the gospel itself is eradicated. Salvation is done away with completely and the good news is nullified. The Jesus of Arius, Mormons, and Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot save anyone.”

The book of Isaiah presents Israel as a failing servant. The people have not obeyed God’s commands, and as a result, they are headed into exile. Yet through the Servant Songs and their context, Isaiah offers glorious hope. This hope is rooted in the reality that God is going to raise up a servant who will not only be like Moses, but also be far superior to him.”

Passing Over the Bloody Bridegroom ZACHARY URDANETA

There and Back Again: An Exodus Tale FINN ERICKSON

The Servant of Yahweh: A New Moses JULIA HILDEBRANDT

The Song of Moses in Isaiah SHILOH NOORTHOEK

The Humble Servant ELLIOTT LOWNSBERY

The Voice of the Messiah in Isaiah 8 JOSEPH CANFIELD

Who is Eliakim? Messianic Expectations in Isaiah 22 MAX KOKUBUN

Identifying Jesus as Yahweh: An Argument from Isaiah 42 GIANNI RUSSO

Isaiah’s Influence on Zechariah MATTHEW JAMES WINEKE

Israel has enjoyed her Davids, Hezekiahs, Eliakims, and Josiahs, but still ‘Israel does not know; [they] do not perceive’ how estranged from their God they truly are (Isa 1:3). The nation remains the ‘rebellious children’ who seek refuge in pagan nations (30:1-2; cf. 31:1). Ultimately, it is not just a moral king that they need, but one who can lead them in true physical (54:1-17) and spiritual (55:1-13) restoration.”

The call to ‘the former prophets’ in Zechariah 1:1-6 establishes the backdrop for reading Zechariah. Zechariah draws from numerous earlier prophetic works, but it is clear that the hope for the Messiah in Zechariah has largely stemmed from Isaiah. No other book in the Old Testament paints such a beautiful portrait of the Messiah as Isaiah does.”

Julia Hildebrandt (’24)

Max Kokubun (’24)

Matthew James Wineke (’25)

Elliott Lownsbery (’24)

Gianni Russo (’24)

ATHLETICS

Schroeder Steps Down, Completing Historic Run as Coach

Alumnus Daniel Rush to take over cross country and track and field programs.

BY DAVE CALDWELL

Zach Schroeder, the longtime head coach for The Master’s University track and field and cross country programs, stepped down this summer in order to be closer to family.

Schroeder will stay on with TMU as director of cross country and track and field to help oversee and train coaches, allowing him to work remotely while helping in the transition.

Zach and his wife, Amie, an assistant coach and

nutritionist for the team, became parents for the first time this past year.

“Amie and I never imagined we would be parents,” Schroeder said. “We praise the Lord for His lovingkindness and thank Him countless times each day for blessing us with our precious little girl. The transformation of parenthood has been both amazing and unexpected. God has planted in our hearts a desire to raise Angelina near family,

prompting us to move out of state.”

During nearly two decades as the programs’ head coach, Schroeder won 14 consecutive men’s cross country Golden State Athletic Conference championships, the longest streak of consecutive titles in GSAC history, and five women’s cross country GSAC championships. Across both sports, Schroeder led 10 TMU athletes to NAIA national championships and scores

more to become AllAmericans.

“Zach and Amie have been so faithful and amazing team leaders over the incredible success and growth of men’s and women’s cross country and track,” said Interim Athletic Director Jim Rickard. “Zach has forged a team that is truly the definition of excellence focused on an audience of one.”

Said Schroeder, “We are thankful and humbled

PHOTO BY JACKSON BECK

Zach Schroeder, center, built dominant teams at TMU while creating an unmistakable culture centered on competing for an audience of one.

beyond words as we consider God's goodness to us during our time at TMU.” •••

TMU Alum

Daniel Rush Steps Into Head Coaching Role

Daniel Rush (’23), an AllAmerican during his time as a Mustang runner, has been named the next cross country and track and field head coach at TMU.

Rush received a strong recommendation from Schroeder. “I am confident he will take the team to new heights,” Schroeder said. “It would have been nearly impossible for me to leave had God not provided Daniel. I cannot imagine someone more well-suited to lead this team spiritually and athletically.”

ACADEMICS

Tobin Bolter Memorial Scholarship Announced

Fund created in honor and memory of graduate’s life and legacy.

BY MASON NESBITT

The Master’s University has created a scholarship in honor of Tobin Bolter, a 2017 graduate whose earthly life was taken in the line of duty as a police officer in Idaho earlier this year.

The Tobin Bolter Memorial Scholarship is designed primarily for dependents of law enforcement officers, students pursuing law enforcement themselves, members of the track and field and cross country teams, and students from Bolter’s home churches: Compass Bible Church Treasure Valley in Boise and NorthCreek Church in Walnut Creek, California. The scholarship is now open to applications.

At TMU, Bolter was a business administration major and a member of the cross country and track and field teams. Most importantly, he was a “passionate follower of the Lord Jesus Christ,” says longtime TMU cross country and track and field coach Zach Schroeder.

“In life, his desire was to know Christ and make Him known to the world,” Schroeder said. “In death, his desire was the same, that the world would know that there is only one way to get to heaven: repentance from sin and faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

To learn more and apply for the scholarship, visit masters.edu/tobin-bolter

TMU’s Conference Takes on New Look

The Master’s University has won eight individual NAIA national championships in the last two years. But the biggest storyline moving into the upcoming season is the reorganization of the Mustangs’ conference.

Formerly known as the Golden State Athletic Conference, “GSAC” now stands for the “Great Southwest Athletic Conference” with the addition of three Arizona schools: Park University Gilbert, Benedictine University Mesa, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Of the eight schools that now make up the GSAC, five are in Arizona and three in Southern California. As always, your best source for all things TMU Athletics is gomustangs.com, where you will find schedules, stats, and livestreams of games.

By Dave Caldwell

TYRIK TROTMAN

MEN’S SOCCER

Last season, TMU Men’s Soccer made it to the GSAC tournament championship match, only to fall one goal short of bringing home the trophy. According to Head Coach Jim Rickard, the 2024 team will be more of an attacking-style team that has the talent necessary to defend well with several key new players who will enhance an already strong core group of returners.

HEAD COACH Jim Rickard | 34th season

KEY RETURNERS

Tyrik Trotman 2023 All-GSAC

Prince Chingancheke 2023 All-GSAC

Kai Terentieff led the 2023 team with eight goals

Theo Kudlo 2x All-GSAC

Matt Picht scored three goals and had four assists in 2023

KEY NEWCOMERS

Adiel Kaduya talented player with great attacking capabilities

Julian Graham Australian goalkeeper with a lot of experience and skill

Michael Masimango midfielder with great poise, skill, and maturity

M.K. Oredi

dangerous flank player with tremendous acceleration and scoring potential

LAST SEASON 9-6-3 3-3-1 GSAC (4th)

WOMEN’S SOCCER

In his first year as head coach, Esteban Chavez led a team that went 5-8-5 in 2022 to a 2023 record of 8-5-3. More than 10 new players will mix with a veteran crew to create a dynamic and technical team on the field with a lot of fight and grit.

HEAD COACH Esteban Chavez | 2nd season

KEY RETURNERS

Kate Merical

2023 All-GSAC

Sinclair Francescon 2023 All-GSAC

Autumn Jensen 2022 All-GSAC

KEY NEWCOMERS

Breanna Fajardo

Los Altos High School

El Monte, CA

Bryanna Elias

Costa Mesa High School

Costa Mesa, CA

Zaria Echemendia

Flintridge Prep Downey, CA

LAST SEASON 8-5-3 Overall 3-2-2 GSAC (4th)

Refer the Students in Your Life to TMU

When you tell a high school student, “You should go to TMU,” that phrase is powerful. You’re encouraging them to attend a university where everything they experience is uncompromisingly committed to Christ and Scripture. SEND THEM TO MASTERS.EDU/VISIT.

JACK ANDERSON

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

After nearly two decades and 14 consecutive GSAC championships, Zach Schroeder has stepped away as TMU’s cross country head coach. But he has recommended Daniel Rush, an All-American during his time at TMU, for the top spot. Rush has five athletes returning from a team that placed fourth at NAIA nationals in 2023. The team has a legitimate chance at claiming TMU’s 15th consecutive GSAC title and another top-five finish at the national championships.

KEY RETURNERS

Jack Anderson

2023 GSAC Champion

NAIA All-American

Hunter Romine

2023 All-GSAC

Jake Fredericks

2023 All-GSAC

Connor Ybarra

2023 All-GSAC

Nate Day 2023 All-GSAC

KEY NEWCOMERS

Elijah Lovett Academy for Academic Excellence Apple Valley, CA

Bauer Hollman

Flathead High School Kalispell, MT

LAST SEASON

GSAC Champions 4th at NAIA nationals

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

The Mustangs return their top seven athletes from a 2023 team that finished second at the NAIA national championships, matching the best finish of any team in TMU history. The program has five All-Americans returning for 2024, when the Mustangs should contend for a fifth-straight GSAC title and a podium spot at nationals.

HEAD COACH Daniel Rush | 1st season

KEY RETURNERS

Hannah Fredericks

2023 GSAC Champion

NAIA All-American

Ellen Palmgren

2023 GSAC Runner-Up

NAIA All-American

Suzie Johnson

2023 GSAC 3rd-place finisher

Emma Nelson

2023 All-GSAC

Rebekah Niednagel

2023 All-GSAC

Alyssa Lovett

2023 All-GSAC

Brooke Cregan

2023 All-GSAC

KEY NEWCOMERS

Ella Howe

Resurrection Christian High School Loveland, CO

Kylie Page

Hesperia Christian High School Hesperia, CA

LAST SEASON

GSAC Champions 2nd at NAIA nationals

HEAD COACH Daniel Rush | 1st season

ELLEN PALMGREN

TIMBERLIE MILLER

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

The Lady Mustangs picked up four more wins in 2023 than the previous season, with several players having breakout years to lead the way. TMU, with one of the best outside hitters and the best setter in the conference returning, plus the emergence of two key freshmen last season, will look to contend for its first conference regular season championship since 2020.

HEAD COACH Annett Davis | 5th season

KEY RETURNERS

Ruby Duncan 2x All-GSAC

Timberlie Miller

2023 GSAC Setter of the Year

McKenna Brady was 2nd on team with 80 blocks in 2023

Sierra Hale had 502 digs in 2023

KEY NEWCOMERS

Grace Colburn Transfer from UC Irvine

Kiera Maynard

Crean Lutheran High School

Mission Viejo, CA

Kate Wagner

Perry High School Chandler, AZ

LAST SEASON 18-12 Overall 7-7 GSAC (tied 4th)

MEN'S GOLF

A strong core of returners with national championship experience will lead a team that is less than two years removed from a runner-up finish at NAIA nationals. “We feel like we left something on the table last year, and we want to use that to motivate us this year,” said Craig DeSpain, TMU director of golf. Incoming athletes with state championship experience at the high school level should make for a competitive squad looking to start strong in the fall and finish the spring by contending for GSAC and NAIA championships.

DIRECTOR OF GOLF Craig DeSpain | 2nd season

KEY RETURNERS

Jonathan Larson qualified for 2024 NAIA nationals

DonDon Bumacod finished 8th at 2024 GSAC Championships

Seth Bishop

finished tied for 12th at 2024 GSAC Championships

Wes Opliger finished 15th at 2024 GSAC Championships

KEY NEWCOMERS

Jacob Janho high school team won 2024 Washington state championship; he placed third

Blake Hopkins 2024 1st Team All-Northeast Ohio

Josh Smith helped Hart High reach 2024 SCGA Team Qualifier Tournament

LAST SEASON 2nd at GSAC Championships

JONATHAN LARSON

HANNAH ULIBARRI

WOMEN'S GOLF

Now entering its fifth season, the TMU women’s golf program is coming off a campaign that saw the group tie previous team records and set several personal bests. In 2024-25, the team expects to continue its improvement and to keep moving up the team and individual leaderboards.

DIRECTOR

OF GOLF Craig DeSpain | 2nd season

KEY RETURNERS

Hannah Ulibarri 2023 national runner-up

NAIA All-American

Bella Huff finished 7th at the 2024 National Preview

Nicole Southard finished tied for 22nd at 2024 GSAC Championships

Peyton Grider finished tied for 24th at 2024 GSAC Championships

Grace Aamot finished 32nd at 2024 GSAC Championships

LAST SEASON 5th at GSAC Championships

December 3, 2024 SAVE THE DATE

FFeatures

We are grateful for the students, faculty, staff, and leaders throughout the years who have labored diligently to be faithful to Christ. We’re highlighting just a few of them in this issue’s feature stories, including our founding president and a remarkable student-athlete.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL ROURKE

fear to

TMU ATHLETICS STANDOUT

HANNAH FREDERICKS HAS LEARNED THROUGH TRIALS TO TRUST CHRIST WITH THE OUTCOME OF HER RACES.

faith From

BY Mason Nesbitt

PHOTO BY MARK FINSTER

Hannah Fredericks has rewritten TMU’s cross country and track and field record books during her time as a Mustang.

It’s the opening night

OF THE 2024 NAIA TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND ONE OF THE GREATEST ATHLETES IN THE HISTORY OF THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY ISN’T ON HER WAY TO ANOTHER VICTORY. HANNAH FREDERICKS IS SIMPLY TRYING TO SURVIVE.

Heading into her senior year, Fredericks, center, is already a 10-time NAIA All-American.

The junior’s elbow is fractured, the result of a fall two weeks prior, and although there’s no cast, she can’t hide the pain or the training she missed.

She swings her left arm awkwardly back and forth, plodding along, gasping for air. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s less than halfway through a 10,000-meter race she’ll never finish, and, frankly, it doesn’t matter. This will go down as a shining moment in the history of TMU’s athletic department, where becoming a legend requires far more than trophies and record times.

Five years ago, Fredericks might not have been ready to honor Christ in this moment. That was before the tragedy at her high school, the strange ending to her prep running career, and a thorough education in what it means to be a Christian athlete.

THE START

In three years at TMU, Fredericks has rewritten the school’s cross country and track and field record books.

She’s a nine-time Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) individual champion, a 10-time NAIA All-American, and a two-time national champion.

Her best times as a Mustang suggest she would thrive in NCAA Division 1.

It’s been an exciting ride, but Mike (’98) and Amy (’99) Fredericks, who met at what was then The Master’s College, hadn’t envisioned even a college scholarship when Hannah first began running. The impetus for her career was purely practical.

PHOTO BY DANIEL RUSH

Mike and Amy had five children, of which Hannah is the second, and they wanted to avoid taxiing them to disparate activities across the Santa Clarita Valley. So, they signed up for a local track club, where youngsters of all ages gathered to run an array of distances — all, most importantly, at the same time and location.

The plan hit one minor snag: Hannah didn’t want to go. Seven years old, she cried the first time Amy dropped her off, and in the years that followed, Hannah remembers a variation of the same conversation ensuing. She would ask her parents if she had to keep running. No, they would say. Hannah would still run.

Around middle school, something changed. Fredericks found that she thrived on pushing her physical limits. She was disciplined and hardworking, hungry to traverse rolling hills and tree-lined paths in search of victory. The once-reluctant runner was becoming a gritty competitor.

The desire to excel only increased at Saugus High, renowned for its prowess in distance running. From 2006 to 2015, the school won 10 state cross country titles, nine on the girls side, and Fredericks was intent on becoming another great Centurion runner.

In hindsight, she sees that her identity was wrapped up in running; happiness

Fredericks, top left, won two NAIA national titles at the most recent indoor track and field championships. Here she poses with her teammates (clockwise from top right, Ellen Palmgren, Juliette Colunga, and Suzie Johnson) from the Distance Medley Relay.

rested on the outcome of the next competition, and success or failure was completely up to her. In the days leading up to a race, she’d stress over her eating, her workouts, the possibility of failure. On the starting line, she cried anxious tears and her body shook. She wanted to be somewhere else.

Fredericks hardly recognizes that girl anymore.

TURNING POINTS

On Nov. 14, 2019, Fredericks was in her first-period math class when a boy burst into the room. “There’s a shooter on campus!” he shouted.

Outside the window, Fredericks saw students running and screaming. Her teacher stacked desks against the door, handing out scissors in case the barricade failed. Sitting in the dark, Fredericks tried to comfort a classmate beside her, even as she worried about the whereabouts of her own brother, Jake, a freshman. She prayed he was safe.

Fredericks learned later that a 16-year-old

Saugus student had entered campus that morning, opening fire with a .45-caliber handgun. Five students were hit, two of them tragically succumbing to their injuries. The shooter died from a selfinflicted gunshot wound.

Hannah and Jake, physically unharmed, reunited later at Central Park, the rendezvous point for students and parents.

The tragedy made national headlines and sparked an outpouring of support for a shaken Saugus community.

Fredericks says she experienced in the following weeks — as the Centurions pressed on to the sectional and state cross country finals — how athletics could serve a greater purpose. When teammates had questions, she did her best to provide an answer for the hope within her.

“My parents reminded us that God is in control and He’s still good,” Fredericks says. “We thanked the Lord for safety and prayed for the families who lost people or were injured. But that day doesn’t define us. And we’re not crippled by fear because we have the hope of Christ.”

Fredericks’ approach to competition may not have changed overnight, but gradually she understood that her athletic performance wasn’t of ultimate importance. Maybe that’s why her 64th-place finish at the state championship on Nov. 30 (after taking third at sectionals the week before) didn’t rock her. Her team had performed well; that was enough.

The following year solidified her new way of thinking.

In March 2020, the William S. Hart District, which includes Saugus High, transitioned to online learning due to concerns about COVID-19. Eventually, the 2020 track season and the cross country schedule for the upcoming fall, during Fredericks’ senior year, were canceled.

PHOTO BY MARK FINSTER

Hannah’s parents, Mike (’98) and Amy (’99), met at what was then The Master’s College.

She never attended another in-person class.

In a way, the drastic shift allowed Fredericks to step outside the hypnotizing rhythm of competition and reassess her priorities. She studied and spent extra time with her family. She continued to run, as many as 85 miles per week, but not under the pressure of an impending race.

In late 2020, an ankle injury forced her to rest for five weeks.

If online classes and race cancelations hadn’t convinced her that running could be taken away at any time, this setback did. Her hope couldn’t rest on something so fragile. More than that, she began to ask questions like Why do I compete? and Who is this for?

In junior high, she’d given her life to Christ, but she sensed now that she hadn’t submitted athletics fully to Him.

When track season finally returned in spring 2021, Fredericks says she felt a new sense of joy during competition. She still experienced pre-race butterflies, but no crippling fear: She would do her best and trust the Lord with the outcome.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

The Santa Clarita Valley has long been a reliable source of elite running talent. Olympians Allyson Felix and Alysia Montano (Johnson) and U.S. champion Lauren Fleshman hail from the valley, as do countless collegiate standouts.

In fact, the two most-accomplished runners to arrive at TMU before Fredericks – Karis Crichton (Frankian) and John Gilbertson — are both from Santa Clarita. Crichton

even attended Saugus High.

By the time Fredericks came on the scene, she was already on Zach Schroeder’s radar. She’d first met TMU’s longtime cross country and track and field head coach and his wife, Amie, when Fredericks was in elementary school. They all attended Placerita Baptist (now Bible) Church.

When Fredericks signed with TMU in 2021, it was because she loved the coaches and the program’s ethos: competing for an audience of one. In return, the Schroeders showed Fredericks how to worship Christ in every workout and race – even in how she ate and slept.

Fredericks was all in. As a freshman, she watched closely how team captain Arianna Boggess (Ghiorso) handled success and failure, and how Ghiorso led the team with “grace and elegance.”

Fredericks, left, and Ellen Palmgren are a formidable duo for TMU women’s cross country.

Fredericks also met often with Amie Schroeder, talking about running and sanctification over coffee. One topic they dug into was pain: namely, Fredericks didn’t want to hurt when she ran. Amie explained that discomfort was an inextricable part of elite distance running.

Embracing that truth has been a key to Fredericks’ historic run, of which these are a few highlights:

She’s the only Lady Mustang to win two individual GSAC cross country titles.

In 2023, she led TMU women’s cross country to second place at nationals, matching the best finish of any team (in any sport) in TMU history.

In 2024, at indoor track nationals, she won the 3,000 meters and, a few hours later, ran the anchor leg for the distance medley relay (DMR) team, which also placed first.

These events typically end the same way, with Fredericks using an interview to proclaim the gospel, thank her coaches, or praise her teammates.

Heading into the 2024 outdoor track and field national championships, it looked as though she’d have another opportunity to honor Christ from atop the podium. Before the event, her best time in the 10,000 meters was more than a minute better than any other competitor. In other words, she was a heavy favorite.

Then everything seemed to fall apart.

CHAMPIONSHIP CHARACTER

Two weeks before the NAIA championships in May, Fredericks fell during a run, landing awkwardly on her left arm. Her elbow smarted, but it wasn’t until later that stiffness set in and doctors told her she’d fractured a growth plate, necessitating a sling and possibly ending her season.

After a week and a half of restless inertia, she returned to the doctor with a question: Would she risk further injury by running? No, the doctor said, so Fredericks decided to try.

For roughly 15 laps in Marion, Indiana, on May 22, Fredericks was in familiar territory: near the front of the pack. In truth, the other runners didn’t know she was hurt, so they held back, fearing Fredericks would eventually find another gear and dash past them.

But Fredericks felt drained, her legs refusing to cooperate. Pain generally reserved for the back half of the grueling race arrived early. In the stands, Mike and Amy felt it too. “She’s never going to quit,” Amy remembers saying.

Fredericks is the only Lady Mustang in history to win two individual GSAC cross country championships.

Schroeder agreed, and as the race’s pace increased, he mercifully waved Fredericks off the track.

TMU’s program is built on ironclad trust between athlete and coach; Fredericks intended to keep running until Schroeder stopped her. At his signal, she exited the track and burst into bittersweet tears — sad not to finish, but relieved to be done.

“Hannah has the character of a champion,” Schroeder says. “She’s Christlike in all things.”

Afterward, Fredericks refused to sulk, spending the next two days vigorously cheering for her teammates. She felt that nationals had gone exactly according to plan — just not her plan, and that was perfectly okay.

THE FINISH LINE

Fredericks’ discipline extends beyond her athletic endeavors, making her not only an accomplished runner, but a first-class student.

An academic All-American in 2023, Fredericks is studying teacher education with the long-term goal of working with kindergarten or firstgrade students. After graduation, she plans to enroll in TMU’s one-year teacher credential program.

Before then, she has unfinished business.

Entering her final year of athletic eligibility, she’s a contender to win individual national championships in cross country and track and field. But she rarely talks about herself;

she’s more interested in discussing the Mustang women’s cross country team, a group capable of winning the first team national title in school history this November.

To do so, the Mustangs must remain relaxed and avoid heaping extra pressure on themselves. After last year, they won’t catch competitors off guard, and any number of things could go wrong.

But however the story plays out, Fredericks isn’t concerned. She trusts the Lord to write a perfect ending.

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Dr. William A. Matthews, the first president of the institution that would later become The Master’s University.

A Foundation of Faithfulness

Our institution’s founders, led by Dr. William Matthews, built a school that would reject compromise and hold fast to Christ and Scripture.

by Kaelyn Peay

EDITOR’S NOTE:

The Master’s University (previously Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary, Los Angeles Baptist College, and The Master’s College) is nearing its 100th year. As we approach the milestone in 2027, this is the fourth in a series of stories about men and women used mightily by the Lord in our history.

It is no small thing to start a school.

But the founders of Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary felt they had no other option.

These men — led by Dr. William Matthews, LABTS’s founding president — saw the church compromising in the face of modernism, and they answered the challenge by building a school that would hold fast to Christ and Scripture. In so doing, they indelibly shaped the heart and mission of what would become The Master’s University.

“Men of God travailed in soul for the birth of this Seminary,” records an LABTS bulletin published in May 1928. “It was conceived in prayer, born in faith, and dedicated to the conviction that God’s solid foundation stands unmoved.”

evolution, and the social gospel had begun to gain a foothold, influencing the course of national conventions among the northern Baptist churches.

This deeply troubled those in the Northern Baptist Convention who were committed to upholding Scripture. The divide between them and the modernists deepened in the 1920s, ultimately leading a number of congregations to withdraw from the convention.

In the early 20th century, biblically faithful American churches were faced with a growing crisis.

Major church denominations had, degree by degree, seen encroaching influences from modernism. By 1910, ideas like the fallibility of Scripture,

But there was still one problem: If churches couldn’t trust the convention to hold fast to biblical convictions, could they trust it to train their future pastors? It was convention-affiliated colleges and seminaries that trained bright-eyed Baptists looking to enter pastoral ministry, and in many cases, these institutions were perceived to be the leading influencers in the slant toward modernism.

In his written history of the first 50 years of what became LABC, Dr. Carl Sweazy records, “For some

time leading Baptist colleges and seminaries had been undergoing subtle but definite changes in philosophy, involving a de-emphasis of some important Bible and Baptist doctrines such as the divine inerrancy of the Bible as the verbally and fully inspired Word of God, the essential unique deity and saviorhood of Jesus Christ, the absolute necessity of the new birth and associated truths.”

As dissenting churches broke from the Northern Baptist Convention, they began to form new associations of conservative, biblically faithful Baptist congregations. But if they were going to have a future, they needed a way to educate the next generation.

And this was exactly the need that one Los Angeles pastor saw.

In 1942, LABTS relocated to the corner of Sixth and St. Louis streets in Boyle Heights, California.

Christian Church from apostolic days until the present, apostasy and dangerous heresies have always produced men of daring and courage and thrust them into positions of leadership in contention for the faith. It was so in Paul’s day as in the days of Athanasius, Martin Luther, John and Charles Wesley. A like circumstance brought to the fore Dr. William A. Matthews.”

attend Morgan Park Theological Seminary of Chicago, Shurtleff and Ewing Colleges in Illinois, and the University of Chicago Divinity School.

He spent his life as a pastor, serving for the first couple decades of adulthood at churches in Illinois and Missouri. In 1911, however, he was presented with a very different sort of opportunity: He was asked to become a college president.

Doctor of Divinity, saw its president resign amid controversy. Matthews went from serving on the college’s board to becoming its fifth president. However, Ewing’s problems ran deep, and continued upheaval caused Matthews to leave in 1912.

This experience — serving as president at a college that, according to the book, “History of Ewing College,” “was built around the Bible” — helped prepare him for what would come later.

Born in England in 1868, Matthews immigrated to America with his parents in the 1880s. First licensed

Ewing College — a small Christian college in Ewing, Illinois — where Matthews earned a B.A. and an M.A.,

In the early 1920s, Matthews moved to Southern California, ultimately

This advertisement for LABTS ran in the Los Angeles Times on Jan. 5, 1929.

The faculty and first enrollment of students at Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary in October 1927. The school first met at Calvary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

landing at Memorial Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

Staunchly faithful to what were then commonly called “the fundamentals” of biblical truth, he connected with other conservative pastors in the city. In the Northern Baptist controversy over modernism, Matthews and his church stood on the side of the dissidents.

“Dr. Matthews was a man of deep spiritual motivation, strong convictions, course and aggressiveness,” Sweazy writes. “One was always impressed by his purpose, determination and drive.”

But for Matthews, it wasn’t enough to reject compromised institutions. He wanted to help build something new in their place.

“It was during this period of fundamental reconstruction that certain godly pastors of the Los Angeles area anticipated a coming leadership crisis,” Sweazy writes.

He goes on, “Without doubt the moving spirit and leader of the small company of dedicated pastors and laymen who founded this school was Dr. William A. Matthews.”

The LABTS bulletin published in May 1928 records the story of how this happened. In the winter of 192627, Matthews met with Dr. Benjamin Fellman, pastor of a church in Pasadena, “to pray and talk over the need of establishing in Los Angeles a Baptist Theological Seminary on an Orthodox Baptist basis.

“After a careful survey of the field, both pastors became convinced that the hour had come to challenge themselves and all Orthodox Baptists on the Pacific Coast to begin to establish such a Theological Seminary.”

They were soon joined in their efforts by Drs. Frederick Farr and G. Rector Dye, pastors in Los Angeles and San Bernardino, respectively.

The Seminary has no endowment, no income from tuition, and no rich men to underwrite its obligations.

The Lord alone is our Banker. We believe the Seminary will not want.” — May 1928 LABTS

This core group of pastors, together with other faithful Baptists in the state, “came to unanimous agreement that it was the Will of God that preliminary steps should be taken to establish the Seminary.”

Matthews quickly went to work with an attorney to submit the needed paperwork. And on May 17, 1927, Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary was officially organized.

Calvary Baptist Church at 206 South St. Louis Street in Los Angeles invited LABTS to hold classes in its building. Hundreds of Baptists gathered there on Sept. 30 to celebrate the school’s opening. During its first year, LABTS welcomed a total of 38 students.

LABTS’s May 1929 bulletin records founding policies that will sound familiar to alumni of any decade: “The constitution and by-laws forever forbid and exclude the teaching of Evolution and require that each teacher, once a year, shall publicly avow his loyalty to the Doctrinal Statement of the Seminary.”

Matthews served LABTS as its president, as well as its professor of expository preaching. Farr taught systematic theology, Fellman taught courses on prayer, and Dye taught missions and church history. These men were also joined by experts in Greek and Hebrew (Henry Roberts) and medical missions (George Boyd).

Sweazy writes, “It must be kept in mind that this school began as a theological seminary for the definite purpose of training ministers, missionaries and Christian workers for a fundamental, uncompromising ministry, separate from all traces of apostasy. It was fully dedicated to a

divinely-inspired Bible and complete loyalty to Jesus Christ as presented in the Scriptures of both the Old and New testaments.”

Those involved with LABTS were fully dedicated to that end, donating many hours of their time in order to teach students and keep the school operating. To stay afloat, the school relied on donations from those who believed in the value of its mission.

The May 1928 bulletin states, “The Seminary has no endowment, no income from tuition, and no rich men to underwrite its obligations. The Lord alone is our Banker. We believe the Seminary will not want.”

And indeed, week by week, the Lord provided. Christian families in the city opened their homes to board students. Jobs turned up in the city, allowing Matthews to connect students with opportunities to work their way through school. As they were able, friends of the seminary forgave loans, gifted property, and wrote checks.

At the close of LABTS’s inaugural year, Matthews wrote a short piece reflecting on what had been accomplished. He expressed gratitude for the school’s robust spiritual atmosphere, marked by daily prayer meetings and a zeal for Scripture and evangelism.

Wrote Matthews, “In a time like this when many Seminaries make light of Evangelization, deny the authority of God’s Word, exalt reason and science above Revelation, deify the intellectual and dethrone the spiritual, making shipwreck of the faith and career of students and Pastors alike, it is inspiring to God’s true children to know that this Seminary is come to the Kingdom for such a time as this.”

Timeline of LABTS’s Founding

1868

Matthews, LABTS’s founding president, is born in England.

1911-12

Matthews serves as president of Ewing College, a small Christian college in Ewing, Illinois.

With the establishment of LABTS, the biblically faithful Baptist churches of California finally had a seminary to train their future ministers. But in Matthews’ mind, that only solved half of the problem.

1927 LABTS opens its doors.

1930

LABTS begins offering a fouryear bachelor of arts degree.

1943

Matthews passes away after 16 years as president of LABTS.

This page highlights LABTS’s graduating class of 1932.

In a piece published on May 22, 1930, Matthews presented a question: Did the existing denominational colleges provide a worthy education for undergraduate students?

Matthews was aware of two anecdotes that particularly troubled him. He wrote, “A (Baptist) University president announces that his school will aim ‘to unsettle the faith of its students!’

“An undergraduate told us how his college course ‘unsettled’ him. He entered a Christian. In his Freshman year he accepted Evolution; in Sophomore, Atheism; in Junior, he became president of an Atheistic Society. He is now a Senior! Conclusion: An Anti-Christian spirit pervades many Denominational Colleges today.”

Matthews went on: “(Prospective college students) and their parents pray for a way of escape from this peril. Shall they pray in vain? Must they enter such colleges? God forbid.”

With a platform already laid in the

form of LABTS’s seminary education, Matthews desired to be part of the solution. So, in the fall of 1930, LABTS began offering a four-year bachelor of arts degree, combining traditional liberal arts subjects with the school’s existing biblical studies curriculum.

The school continued to call itself Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary for many years — but when it changed its name to Los Angeles Baptist College and Seminary in 1957, it was simply a coming to fruition of the school’s pivotal decision decades earlier.

Matthews, however, did not live to see that moment. He passed away on August 18, 1943, having guided the school he founded through the first 16 years of its existence. He served for 12 of those years without pay, and he left his library of several thousand volumes to the school.

In those first 16 years, LABTS granted divinity degrees to prominent leaders such as Thomas Horton (founder of Biola University), Charles Fuller

(founder of Fuller Theological Seminary), John Rice (founding editor of “The Sword of the Lord”), Robert Ketcham (founder of the General Association of Regular Baptists), and Louis Entzminger (leader of the modern Sunday school movement).

They, and all graduates of LABTS, LABC, TMC, and TMU, owe a debt of gratitude to the men who undertook to found a school faithful to educate “for Christ and Scripture.”

But according to Matthews, the story of LABTS has a much higher hero. In his “Ten Wonderful Years” brochure, published in March 1937, he wrote the following:

“Boasting in ourselves or in one another is excluded. The purpose and design of this story is not to glorify the living nor to commemorate the dead. Indeed, the sole aim has been to make the story a commemoration, not of human personalities, but of Divine Providences. ‘Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us but unto Thy Name give glory and for Thy truth’s sake!’”

The students and faculty of LABTS during the 1931-32 school year.

office hours

clarifying creationism

Addressing 10 common misconceptions about Creation, the Flood, and other topics.

BY DR. MATTHEW MCLAIN

aAs a professor at The Master’s University, youth pastor at Santa Clarita Baptist Church, and Christian paleontologist who gets to speak at churches, schools, and conferences, I get a lot of opportunities to talk to people about creationism. When I talk with Christians on this topic, I regularly encounter misconceptions about Creation, the Flood, and other topics. Below are my responses to 10 of the most common misconceptions that many Christians have about creationism.

1. Creationism is just a defense of a six-day creation week.

I meet a lot of people who think that creationism only concerns the creation week, but that is only the first part of it. To really understand humanity and the natural world, we have to also include the Fall and Curse in Genesis 3, Noah’s Flood in Genesis 6-9, and the Tower of Babel narrative in Genesis 11.

Genesis 3 shows us why there is pain, suffering, death, disease, predation, and parasitism in the world around us. Genesis 6-9 shows us that the world was essentially destroyed and then recreated (2 Pet. 3:5-6), helping us make sense of geology, paleontology, and biogeography. Genesis 11 directs our thinking in understanding the various past and present people groups and languages. If you leave out these portions in your view of creationism, then you won’t be able to make sense of the world around you.

2. Creationists believe in a young earth because of how they read the word for “day” in Genesis 1.

This is one of the most common misunderstandings I find among young-earth creationists, old-earth creationists, and theistic evolutionists. Many people think that the debate on the age of the universe is just an argument over what the Hebrew word for day (yom) in the creation account means.

Granted, this is an important discussion that is worth having, but it really ends up being more of a red herring. Besides other passages that clearly teach a young creation (e.g., Ex. 20:11; Matt. 19:4), the big issues come down to chronology and theology.

Concerning chronology, lengthening the days of Genesis 1 does nothing to make the order of events match what we see in the geologic or fossil record. For instance, God made plants on day three and the sun on day four. However, conventional geology posits that the sun existed before the earth (and plants). Additionally, how would it help things make “scientific sense” to have plants exist for millions of years before the sun?

Theologically, the problem of allowing millions of years for God to create the universe is that death and suffering are obvious in the fossil record. When God made the original creation, He declared it very good (Gen. 1:31) and decreed that people and animals were to eat plants (Gen. 1:29-30).

It was Adam’s sin that brought sin and

death to humans (Gen. 3:19; Rom. 5:12) and a curse upon the rest of creation (Gen. 3:17-18; Rom. 8:19-22). But if you’re allowing millions of years of earth history in the creation week, then you also have to account for death and suffering during that time and accept that God would call those things very good. That doesn’t make sense, especially since 1 Corinthians 15:26 declares physical death to be Christ’s enemy.

3.

The Bible says God created every species in the creation week.

This is an old (and understandable) misconception. For most of world history, people have believed in what is called “species fixity” — the idea that species don’t evolve or change. However, we have good evidence that species have changed in the fossil record, and we watch creatures change today. Just look at how many breeds of dogs we have today that didn’t exist even a few hundred years ago, in addition to wild dogs like wolves!

Darwin used these kinds of observations to conclude that all species evolved from a single common ancestor. That is clearly anti-biblical,

but how should creationists think about this topic in light of Scripture?

Scripture never talks about species. Genesis 1 says that God made different “kinds” of animals and plants. Noah was told to preserve “kinds” of animals on the ark. There’s no reason to assume that “kind” is equivalent to our modern, scientific definition of species, especially since no one can agree on a standard definition of species. (There are over 30 different species definitions out there!)

Additionally, the Bible never tells us whether these kinds are capable of changing or not. In our eagerness to combat evolution, creationists have been guilty of swinging the pendulum too far in the other direction. God made His creatures to change (as seen with dogs and many other animals), but creationist scientists believe there are limits to how much change is possible. The scientific study of what creatures belong to what created kind is called baraminology, and this work has been applied to everything from chickens to turtles to dinosaurs. 1

Things look old in nature because God made them mature.

“Did Adam have a belly button?” is one of those “angels dancing on the head of a pin” questions that we just can’t answer. Similarly, if you had cut open a tree in the Garden of Eden, would you have found tree rings? Many Christians have argued that God created with an appearance of age, where things looked old even though they were only days old. This has to be true on one level (Adam was created as an adult, trees were bearing fruit by day six, etc.), but can it explain everything that looks old in nature? No, it cannot.

For instance, there are layers stacked upon layers of rock with fossils in them found all around the world. Fossils are the remains of once-living organisms. So, if someone claimed that God created rocks that were already bearing fossils, that would seem like evidence of suffering, disease, and death in the original creation, which doesn’t match with God declaring it “very good” (Gen. 1:31). Otherwise, they’d have to say those rocks were holding the remains of creatures that never actually existed. Neither option is reasonable.

Furthermore, if you assume all of the rocks and fossils were made during the Creation Week, then you introduce a new problem.

This perspective means that the Flood left no physical evidence, which would be really weird. Instead, we recognize that there is abundant evidence in the world’s rocks and fossils consistent with a global, cataclysmic flood. Although God did create some rocks during the Creation Week, there are many rocks — including fossil-bearing rocks — that have formed since that time, so the appearance of age argument doesn’t apply to them.

Dinosaurs were just overgrown lizards.

As a paleontologist, I get to talk to people about dinosaurs a lot, which is fantastic. These amazing creatures are some of God’s most magnificent designs. However, there’s a lot of confusion about them to be found in the church.

One of the most common arguments I run into when speaking at churches is that dinosaurs are just overgrown lizards. “Reptiles,” the argument goes, “never stop growing. Given the perfect conditions of the world before the Flood and long lifespans, dinosaurs are just reptiles that got really big because they lived a long time.” But this argument is completely wrong.

1 For chickens, see Brophy and McConnachie. 2021. A baraminological analysis of the landfowl (Aves: Galliformes). Journal of Creation Theology and Science Series B: Life Sciences 11:55-64. For turtles, see Wood, Todd Charles. 2005. A Creationist Review and Preliminary Analysis of the History, Geology, Climate, and Biology of the Galápagos Islands. Center for Origins Research Issues in Creation 1. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock. For dinosaurs, see Doran, N. McLain, M.A., Young, N., and Sanderson, A. 2018. The Dinosauria: Baraminological and multivariate patterns. Proceedings of the International Conference on Creationism 8:404-457.

First of all, although it is true that some reptiles lack determinate growth, it’s not as though they just keep growing by the same amounts until they die. You’ve heard about how there are turtles that are over 100 years old. They’re not significantly bigger than members of their own species that are, say, 50 years old. Those reptiles that keep on growing reach a mature size and then grow by tiny amounts afterward.

Secondly, dinosaurs are not lizards. They’re constructed completely differently. Dinosaurs hold their legs directly beneath their bodies (like us!), unlike modern reptiles, which have sprawling postures. Evidence from skeletons and footprints shows us that dinosaurs were very active animals, unlike most modern reptiles.

Additionally, if you scaled a lizard up to the size of a large dinosaur, it would die. That’s because bones and other structures have to be engineered appropriately based on size to combat the effects of gravity. A lizard’s body wouldn’t work at 60 tons, but a Brachiosaurus’ body will.

At TMU, I get the privilege to address this misconception and many others in a class I teach on dinosaurs from a biblical perspective called “Biology of Dinosaurs.” I

also engage with the topic of dinosaurs in a video series on the Center for Thinking Biblically’s website, thinkbiblically.org

6.

The Bible says it didn’t rain before the Flood.

A common belief I hear passed around in churches is that it never rained before the Flood. However, you won’t find that verse in the Bible. Yes, in Genesis 2:5-6 you read, “for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain upon the earth… But a stream would rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.”

However, when you include the context, you see that this was when “there was no man to cultivate the ground” (v. 5). The text tells us nothing about the weather between Adam’s creation and the Flood, a period of at least 1,600 years!

Some people further argue that the rainbow after the Flood was the first rainbow ever. However, the text does not say that. After all, you can see rainbows in mists and waterfalls, not just after it rains. It’s entirely possible that God took a pre-existing thing (rainbows) and gave it a new symbolic significance, much like how He tells the

Israelites to sacrifice animals they already kept (e.g., lambs) instead of creating a new animal to represent the Messiah.

7.

Before the Flood, there was a water vapor canopy that surrounded the earth.

This idea fits with those who say it didn’t rain before the Flood. The argument goes that when God separated the waters on day two of the creation week, He made a canopy of water vapor (or ice) that shielded people from harmful radiation (allowing them to live longer); it also states that the canopy was destroyed to cause the rain for the Flood. It’s a cool idea that pulls together different ideas in Scripture. The problem with the idea? It doesn’t work.

When creationist scientists tried to model the vapor canopy, they ran into a big problem. Surrounding the earth’s atmosphere with a layer of water vapor causes an intense greenhouse effect, effectively burning up living things on earth. You could, of course, shrink the thickness of the canopy, which decreases that effect, but then you don’t have enough water to flood the earth.

As a result, modern creationist scientists have largely abandoned this idea, but this fact hasn’t gotten out to the church at large. Scientists aren’t always the best at communicating their research to the public. Instead, most creationist scientists are suggesting that the Flood was mainly driven by catastrophic plate tectonics (CPT).

This model points out that the Flood began with not only the “floodgates of the sky” being opened, but also “the fountains of the great deep” being “split open” (Gen. 7:11). The CPT model predicts that jets of superheated water would shoot up from the oceans into the sky all around the earth, resulting in enormous, worldwide rainfall.2

8.

Noah’s Flood lasted 40 days and nights.

This one surprises a lot of Christians, but it’s very clear in the text of Genesis 6-9. Yes, it rains non-stop for 40 days and 40 nights, but that’s not the whole duration of the Flood. Consider Genesis 7:24, “And the water prevailed upon the earth 150 days.” And then remember that there’s also the times that Noah sends out the raven and the dove, waiting for them to return. If you do

2 For more information on catastrophic plate tectonics, consider this popular article: Anne, S. 2020. Catastrophic plate tectonics: A biblical Flood model. New Creation Blog. https://newcreation.blog/catastrophic-plate-tectonics/ For a technical explanation, see Austin, S.A., Baumgardner, J.R., Humphreys, D.R., Snelling, A.A., Vardiman, L.; and Wise, K.P. 1994. Catastrophic plate tectonics: A global Flood model of earth history. Proceedings of the International Conference on Creationism 3:609-622.

We don’t ultimately rely on archaeology to prove the Bible. God’s Word is true. As cool and encouraging as it is when archaeologists find something that matches what the Bible says, God’s revelation doesn’t need man’s efforts to make it true. It is truth.

all the math, you’ll find that the Flood lasts over a year! 3

This particular example isn’t going to be earth-shattering for most people, but it’s a good reminder that we should all be reading our Bibles more carefully. It’s easy to have ideas stuck in our heads that we are convinced are in the Bible even though they really aren’t. We always need to be eager and willing to have Scripture shape and reshape our thinking.

We found Noah’s Ark and fossils of giant humans.

from volcanoes may have destroyed its structure. Or maybe pieces of it are still out there to be discovered.

Regardless, we don’t ultimately rely on archaeology to prove the Bible. God’s Word is true. As cool and encouraging as it is when archaeologists find something that matches what the Bible says, God’s revelation doesn’t need man’s efforts to make it true. It is truth.

10. Creationists have all the answers.

If you’re a Christian on social media, then there’s a good chance that — at some point — you’ve seen someone post about explorers finding Noah’s Ark or a discovery of a giant human fossil. These reports are false. Yes, there are people who have gone looking for Noah’s Ark, but no one has found it yet. It concerns some Christians that this is the case, but it shouldn’t.

Just because something existed doesn’t mean it will turn up in the archaeological record. For all we know, Noah and his descendants tore apart the ark for building materials to make houses and furniture. Alternatively, lava flows

Because we don’t know everything, we need to make sure that we are dogmatic only when it’s appropriate. When the Scriptures are clear, we can be clear, confident, and certain. But when we’re dealing with how many kinds of dinosaurs there were or what processes were at work during the Flood or whether Adam had a belly button, we need to realize that we’ll never have the same level of certainty that we do with the truths Scripture communicates.

CONCLUSION

Yes, when we accurately interpret God’s Word, we do have a true and certain record of the history of the world — but the details are sparse. The Bible doesn’t tell us about lots of things we might want to know in science and history. As such, we need to be humble and remember that there are many, many things that we still don’t know (and may never know before Christ returns).

That might discourage you, but it does the reverse for me. If we had all the answers, then we wouldn’t get to make scientific discoveries. As a paleontologist, I get to expose myself and others to God’s glory with every discovery, and that is such an enormous blessing.

We are all learning, growing, and changing — Christian or otherwise. As Christians, we have the exciting reality that we know, and are known by, the Creator of the universe. As such, we need to remember that our thinking needs to be based first and foremost on His Word.

Secondly, we need to be willing to analyze our own beliefs and the beliefs of others based on His Word and good reasoning.

Thirdly, we need to be humble enough to say “I don’t know” and curious enough to go and learn.

Finally, we need to be people who praise our glorious God and Savior every day as we see the beautiful world He made and read the glorious truths He communicated.

3 371 days according to Steve Boyd and Andrew Snelling’s book Grappling with the Chronology of the Genesis Flood (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2014).

The MacArthur Center Podcast

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Dr. Abner Chou is a regular speaker at events on and off campus, including the annual Care of Souls Conference, held in June this year inside TMU’s Music Recital Hall.

decades to come, was made possible by a financial investment from Babbitt.

A Man of God in Full

BY TMUS STAFF

On July 22, 2024, Jack Babbitt — former board member at The Master’s University and Seminary (TMUS) — entered the presence of the Lord.

Babbitt lived to be 101 years old. From a human perspective, his life was exceptional. He served his country with great distinction during World War II, completing 29 bombing missions (and one humanitarian effort) across Europe. After the war, he graduated with honors from Purdue University and had a long and successful career as an engineer and businessman. But throughout his century-and-a-year on this earth, Babbitt understood that the value of his life wasn’t going to be measured by its great length. He knew that his status as a war hero wasn’t a source of true glory. And he believed that the measure of success wasn’t the significance of his wealth or the size and influence of his businesses. So

what did Babbitt consider to be truly important in this life? What did he think of as a worthwhile investment? What was something he knew would bring his life far more meaning and joy than any earthly success? One place to find answers is in a booklet The Master’s Seminary sent Babbitt in 2019. It was titled “Babbitt’s Men.”

In this booklet, 20 graduates of the Seminary share their stories. Each of these men trained for ministry at TMS. Today, they are pastors across the United States, in cities like Bakersfield, California; Naples, Florida; Prescott, Arizona; and others. They are leading churches and pastoral training centers in countries like Northern Ireland, Italy, Fiji, and Argentina. They are proclaiming Christ, impacting lives, and strengthening the church. The ministry they have today, and will, Lord willing, continue to have for

Another place to see what mattered to Babbitt is his first conversation with John MacArthur in the mid-1990s. At the time, MacArthur was beginning his second decade as president of The Master’s University. Babbitt had achieved remarkable success in the business world and was looking for a Christian institution where he could invest his resources. During that conversation, Babbitt found what he was looking for in MacArthur’s convictional leadership. MacArthur told him that The Master’s University (The Master’s College at the time) prepared men and women to lead with conviction. The institution wasn’t interested in merely calling itself Christian. It cultivated theological convictions that couldn’t be swayed by culture, that led its graduates to pursue personal holiness, boldly proclaim the gospel, and serve the church. The focus on deep convictions resonated with Babbitt. He’d been courted by other institutions that called themselves Christian, yet he’d come to see that they had a marginal commitment to the deepest truths of God’s Word. At the end of that conversation, he sensed he'd found a place that shared his love for the truth and his desire to train uncompromising leaders.

In the coming years, Babbitt would not only invest in the school, he would help lead it as a member of TMUS’s board of directors. In meetings, he wasn’t afraid to ask tough questions or speak his mind if he believed a decision was not grounded in biblical

The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Jack Babbitt

convictions and in the best interest of TMUS. Eventually, Babbitt would withdraw from the board for health-related reasons, but he never withdrew his commitment to the institution or his investment in it. In a personal letter to Babbitt on his 100th birthday in 2023, nearly 30 years after they first met, MacArthur told Babbitt, “There are no words for me to express my gratitude for your long faithfulness, trust, and encouragement. We love you greatly and believe the Lord has uniquely used your life and will continue to do so long into the future because of your faithfulness.”

The missionary C.T. Studd once said, “Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” Babbitt’s time on this earth has come and gone. And as long and rich as his earthly story was, the details of it will soon be forgotten. If the Lord tarries for another 101 years, few on this earth will remember who Babbitt was and all that he did. Yet because of his deep and ongoing investment in the church’s future leaders, his legacy will endure and his influence will only grow in the decades to come as TMUS continues to prepare leaders for the church and heralds of truth to bring the hope of eternity to a lost and dying world.

Thank you, Jack. We are so grateful that you are in the presence of the Lord, enjoying your reward for all eternity.

Applications for fall 2025 are now open! Apply for a traditional undergraduate program at TMU by Nov. 1, 2024, to be eligible for the $1,000 Early Admission Scholarship.

If you’ve been a Christian for any time at all, you’re very familiar with Isaiah 53, and you should be. It has been called by some scholars in the past, “The Fifth Gospel.” The Fifth Gospel, to be added to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Martin Luther himself said, “Every Christian ought to be able to repeat it by heart.”

You’re going to find in this section of Holy Scripture the root of Christian thinking. You’re going to find in this section of Scripture the text that has been used by more gospel preachers and writers through history than any other portion of the Old Testament. In fact, Isaiah 53 is the heart of Hebrew writing. It is the messianic, prophetic Scripture that stands above all others in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 40-66 is the most sublime and rich portion of Old Testament prophecy. It really is a single prophecy — one majestic revelation of salvation through the coming Messiah. It encompasses not only the deliverance of Israel from Babylon, not only the deliverance of sinners from sin, but

the deliverance of the nations from the curse into the kingdom of the Messiah. Most interestingly, the second half of Isaiah begins where the New Testament begins. In chapter 40 we read:

A voice is calling,

“Prepare the way for Yahweh in the wilderness;

Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3)

Of course, it was John the Baptist who was the fulfillment of that prophecy beginning in verse 3. He was the forerunner of the Messiah. He was the voice crying in the wilderness. And so this “gospel” section of Isaiah begins where the actual New Testament gospel begins. And this section of Isaiah ends where the New Testament ends, as well. Look at these verses from the final chapters of the book:

“For just as the new heavens and the new earth

Which I make will endure before Me,”

declares Yahweh,

“So your seed and your name will endure.” (Isaiah 66:22)

Guess where the New Testament ends? It ends in Revelation 21-22, with the new heavens and the new earth.

And thus we see the magnificent way in which this incredible prophecy parallels the New Testament. And all of it is written 700 years before the Messiah comes to begin to fulfill it.

Now, who is going to bring this grace and salvation? The answer is “the servant of the Lord.” He is the one who will bring salvation. He is the one who will bring comfort. He is the one who will bring the forgiveness of sins. He becomes, then, the theme of this final section of the book of Isaiah.

This post is based on a sermon Dr. MacArthur preached in 2012, titled “The Astonishing Servant of Jehovah.” Find more posts from Thinking Biblically at masters.edu/TB

ISAIAH’S MESSAGE OF JUDGMENT AND GRACE

About four years ago, Jeff Tognoni picked up a book — “Think Biblically!: Recovering a Christian Worldview” — that would change everything for him.

This book, which emphasizes the call to approach every aspect of life through the lens of Scripture, had a massive impact on how Tognoni views the Christian life and, by extension, how he approaches his responsibilities as owner of bookreport, a company that produces K-12 finance software and partners with The Master’s University.

“It’s the single most impactful Christian book I’ve ever read — outside of the Bible, of course,”

Tognoni says. “It’s had a pervasive impact because it addresses every part of human life.”

Tognoni grew up in a secular household. He came to faith in Christ as an adult, but for years he attended churches that put little emphasis on discipleship and sanctification. In that time, Tognoni grew used to a superficial way of applying Christian thinking to his life and his approach to leading and owning businesses in the tech sphere.

“I always tried to run companies as a Christian would,” he says, “but quite frankly, I never really had a good framework for how to do that.”

Thinking Biblically About Business

A book featuring TMU faculty revolutionized how Jeff Tognoni approaches all of life — including business ownership.

BY KAELYN PEAY

But then he started listening to sermons by Dr. John MacArthur. In one message, he heard MacArthur mention “Think Biblically!,” a collection of essays written by TMU faculty. Tognoni decided to read it.

“It challenged so much of what I had heard from the average evangelical church,” he says. “It emphasized a biblical approach to every single question. It didn’t just say, ‘Read the Bible,’ but, ‘Apply the Bible to all of life.’ That was a message I didn’t remember ever hearing before. It shook me up.”

Some chapters, like Dr. John Street’s essay on biblical counseling versus psychology, Tognoni fundamentally agreed with

while being challenged to think more deeply about the issue. Other chapters, like MacArthur’s essay on creation, resulted in him completely changing his views.

Trained as a geological engineer, Tognoni took the mainstream, oldearth origin story for granted. “Think Biblically!” challenged him to compare that story with Scripture’s. Eventually, he came to believe in a biblical six-day creation.

But more important than educating him on any one subject, the book gave him a framework for studying any aspect of reality within a biblical worldview — including how to invest

CORPORATE SPOTLIGHT

in and run businesses. As the owner of bookreport, a software company started by Tognoni’s daughter Cassandra in 2015, Tognoni immediately had a context to put this new framework into practice.

“I’m very interested in figuring out how to do what I spend my life doing — which is engaging with the tech business — with a biblical approach,” he says. “What is a biblical way of running or investing in a software company? How can I do that more to the glory of God?”

For Tognoni, one implication has been changing the way he thinks about recruiting. While attending TMU’s TheoTech Conference in 2021, he connected with the University’s Office of Career Services and worked

to begin recruiting graduates and current students as bookreport employees.

“For a long time, big businesses have targeted certain schools for recruitment because they essentially want the school to do their vetting for them,” Tognoni says. “And I figured that if I wanted a more God-glorifying workforce, I could accomplish that by recruiting from TMU. I could use TMU the same way that Wall Street uses the Ivy League.”

Now, all but one member of bookreport’s software development team are TMU alumni. They’ve also developed an internship program targeted at current TMU students.

“Our relationship with TMU has completely changed our hiring process,” Tognoni

says. “And frankly, over the long term, the way you build great companies is by building great cultures. The culture of your company really matters a lot to how a company performs in the long run. But more than that, I saw this as my way, for the first time, of running a company in a way that really honors God.”

The effect of this relationship is spreading far beyond bookreport, too. Mirador Software Group — a company run by Tognoni’s son, Corbin — has also begun recruiting TMU students as interns. And as Tognoni pursues other business ventures, he plans to bring this same recruiting model with him.

“As these companies get bigger and bigger, we’re hoping to have a bigger and bigger relationship with

TMU,” he says.

He’s also looking forward to reading the second edition of “Think Biblically!,” which is slated to be published later this year or in 2025.

Regardless of his avenue of involvement, Tognoni is just thankful the Lord has led him to the University.

“It’s an absolute honor to be involved with TMU,” he says. “When I come out to visit campus and interview students, I tell them, ‘I hope you guys really appreciate what you have here for these four years, because it’s just so special compared to what’s going on in the world out there.’”

Learn more about bookreport at bookreport.io.

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The Master’s in Ministry

Highlighting Alumni Serving the Lord in Vocational Ministry.

“AFTER GRADUATING FROM TMU IN 2010 WITH ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE DEGREES, I BECAME AN INSURANCE AUDITOR FOR THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS. IN THAT TIME, GOD RADICALLY CHANGED MY HEART AND GAVE ME RICH NEW EVANGELISTIC DESIRES THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE PURSUIT OF VOCATIONAL MINISTRY.

After finishing seminary at TMS, we moved to the Seattle area, where I’ve pastored for the past eight years. First as a youth pastor, then as an associate pastor, and beginning last summer, I became the lead pastor at Montage Bible Church in Bothell, Washington.

At Montage, I have the tremendous privilege of preaching God’s living Word every Sunday and praying for the transformation and growth of God’s people. Bothell is a highly populated, upper-middle-class area in great need of sound teaching and a biblical philosophy of how to ‘do church.’

As I finish out my first year ministering here, I would be grateful for your prayers. That God would mature me and make me a gentle, patient, and bold leader. That the people of Montage would grow in unity, joy, and holiness as we seek together to reflect God’s heart in and through this local church body.

I fondly remember and am ever grateful for my TMU (TMC!) days. And to my long-lost friends who see this, I’m still ‘Duwe-ing’ fine. God bless!”

Stephen & Veronica Duwe

Stephen (TMU ’10, TMS ’16) Oliver (7) | Mabel (6) | Luciana (4)

Mark (’95) and Kristen (Helgesen) (’97)

Anderson have lived in Tyler, Texas, since they married in 1995. Kristen has worked as a realtor and property manager

for 20 years, and Mark has been an art teacher for most of the last three decades. They have three boys and a daughter-in-law: Price and Emily (Scott) Anderson (class of ’22, soccer and volleyball), Hansen (currently a soccer player at TMU),

and Luke (soon to be hoopin’ at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas). They continue to be thankful for and humbled by God’s grace, mercy, and provision for their family, as well as their lasting foundation and friends from TMC.

Elizabeth (Ellis) Lauron

(’87) graduated from TMC with a degree in physical education and also earned a teaching credential in biology. After teaching and coaching in private schools for four years, she realized (with support and help from her late husband, Neal)

that her true calling was in veterinary medicine, and she graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. Elizabeth and Neal chose to stay in the Columbus, Ohio, area and raise a family, having two sons, Daniel and Zachary. Elizabeth stays active in her local church and enjoys pickleball and gardening.

THE ANDERSONS

ELIZABETH (ELLIS) LAURON

Austin (’06) and Heather (Donckels) (’08)

Surls and their two boys live in Amman, Jordan, where Austin teaches Old Testament and biblical Hebrew at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary. They attend a vibrant, ethnically diverse church where Austin serves in leadership and regularly preaches, with

Heather as his Arabic-English translator. When she's not at home with their sons, Heather might be drinking tea with Syrian, Palestinian, Jordanian, and Iraqi women or writing about Middle Eastern culture. Though they have faced serious trials in the last decade, Austin and Heather praise God for his lovingkindness, which repeatedly guides them through low valleys to fruitful flourishing.

David Rempel (B.A.

’92, MABC ’19)

Lyle (’14) and Heather (Zorichak) (’07)

Michaud didn’t meet during their years at TMU, but rather through one of Lyle’s piano students who had been in Heather’s first grade class at Legacy Christian Academy. They were married in what is now their backyard in 2020. After graduating, Lyle began teaching piano and now operates a full-time piano instruction studio in Saugus.

He’s recorded and released two piano solo albums and continues to gig whenever and wherever he can. Since 2009, Heather has continued to make a profound impact as a beloved teacher at Legacy, and she has traveled to many countries, serving the Lord while helping train local educators. Lyle and Heather attend Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita, where Lyle serves as a music leadership intern. They have two cats and will soon welcome their first baby, a girl, in September!

and his wife, Christine, retired in 2021 after serving as missionaries with DIGUNA (a German mission organization) in East Africa for over 40 years. They now live in Haiger, Germany, a small town about 60 miles north of Frankfurt. Presently both are involved in various local ministries. Christine is leading two women’s Bible study groups, and David is involved in a local Kairos Project — a countrywide initiative seeking to minister and to reach out with the gospel to migrants.

Mason (’13) and Sabrina (Michael) (’17)

Nesbitt have two children, Charlie (2) and Daphne (4 months). In the last year, Sabrina graduated from Claremont Graduate

University with her M.A. in English and was granted a scholarship to continue at CGU in pursuit of her doctorate. She begins this fall. Mason is the director of communications at TMU. They attend Oak Hill Bible Church in Santa Clarita.

Mike (’16) and Kristen (Hubbs) (’14) Jackson

moved to Greer, South Carolina, in May to begin Mike’s residency training in family medicine at Spartanburg Regional Hospital after graduating with his D.O. degree from Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine. They are excited to begin attending and serving Heritage Bible Church in Greer. In December, they welcomed their first child, Miles, to the family.

THE REMPELS

Seth (’98) and Kiersten (Norlander) (’00) Rodriquez

started dating while they sang together in The Master’s Chorale at TMC and later married while Seth was working on his M.Div. at TMS. They had their first three children while Seth earned a Ph.D. at Southern Seminary in Kentucky, and added two more kids as they followed the Lord to the mission field. Currently, Seth serves as the associate professor of Old Testament and biblical archaeology at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colorado. He leads a team of students to Israel each summer to participate in an archeological dig. Kiersten teaches literature and writing at a local charter school, home-schools their kids, and is working on a Bible study and podcast on Deuteronomy.

Paul Sanftner

(’17) serves as the public information officer for a city government in the San Francisco Bay Area. A supercommuter, Paul travels 116 miles on the Capitol Corridor (via Amtrak) to work, 2-3 days per week. He earned his second bachelor’s degree from TMU, where courses emphasized biblical leadership and organizational efficiency. Inspired by the principles of gospel outreach, Paul is dedicated to mass communication efforts, utilizing traditional and digital media platforms for civic updates and supporting the challenging national landscape of police department recruitment. You can view the work of Paul’s communication team on its YouTube channel, “City of San Leandro.” Paul is happily married to Serom for 10 years, and they have three wonderful children.

Jessica (Davis) Leisy (’08) is a

wife and homemaker for her family of five. She has been married to her husband, Luke, for 13 years, and together they have lived in California, Utah, North Carolina, Texas, and Nevada throughout Luke’s 19-year career in the Army. Jessica is the mother of Drake (9), Stephanie (8), and Troy (6). She home-schools the children full time and has faithfully served in various ministries at the many churches their family has attended. She is also a skilled quilter, dedicated baker, and enjoyer of good tea.

THE RODRIQUEZES

THE LEISYS

APPLYING THE BIBLE TO LIFE’S MOST PRESSING QUESTIONS.

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Dr. Samuel Petersen (’08)

graduated from The University of Queensland School of Medicine in 2012. He currently works as a senior medical officer at Warwick Hospital in Australia. He, his wife Jennifer, and their daughter Abigail actively serve at Warwick Baptist Church. In his spare time, Sam works toward an M.Div. from Queensland Theological College and excessively talks about CrossFit.

Blaine (’10) and Justine (Montana) (’09)

Braden met at TMC and got married in 2009. They moved to Bend, Oregon, in 2012, where Blaine currently works at Eastmont Church as the lead pastor. They now have three children (ages 11, 9, and 3). God has blessed Eastmont Church, as the church has experienced significant growth in the last few years. Eastmont will soon be breaking ground on its new building, which will add more space for Sunday gatherings as well as expand the church’s elementary school by adding a new middle school.

Paige Jacobsen

(B.A. ’17, Teaching Credential ’19)

moved from her native Southern California to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she has taught seventhgrade English at a classical Christian school for the past five years. Outside the classroom, she may be found attending Bible Church of Owasso or catching up on her own reading. She counts it a great blessing to be surrounded by wonderful coworkers, students, and church family who have helped her continue to grow as a believer and a lifelong learner.

Barry (’13) and Whitney (Rysdyk) (’11)

Moore’s past five years have been an exciting and challenging season for their family. They welcomed their beautiful children into the world, helped plant a church, started a new career, and lived in a new state. Barry is thriving in his new career as a software engineer at a startup based out of Ventura, California, and Whitney is keeping busy managing a full load of clients with her virtual assistant business. This summer, they moved back to California, where they will be serving at their former church, Grace Baptist, in Santa Clarita. They are looking forward to what the Lord has in store for the next five years!

THE PETERSENS

THE MOORES

THE BRADENS

Johnny (’20) and AJ (Thielen) (’21)

Broadworth are coming up on three years of marriage and currently live in Meridian, Idaho. They are part of Compass Bible Church Treasure Valley, where Johnny serves as the director of worship and middle school.

AJ works as a ninth-grade English teacher at Columbia High School. One of their greatest joys is getting to participate in the work that God is doing to save souls in the Treasure Valley area. In their free time, they enjoy exploring the local food scene, playing tennis, and soaking up the great outdoors of Idaho.

Connor (’16) and Kailey

(Richardson) (’17) Weiss

met during WOW Week at TMU in 2013 and were married in 2018. They live in Santa Clarita. Connor works as a finance executive for PureSpectrum, a market research technology company based out of Westlake Village, California. Kailey is a stay-at-home mother to Elsie (4) and Foster (9 months). Their second daughter, Remi, is in the arms of Christ. For more than seven years, they have been deeply involved in their local church, Oak Hill Bible Church, where they love serving and doing life with their church family.

Emmy Gaddy (’19) graduated from TMU with a degree in communication and an emphasis in cinema and digital arts. After graduation, she moved back to her hometown of Greenville, South Carolina, to begin working as a TV and commercial producer at Electric Soul Productions. Emmy has since worked with various brands, including Lowe’s Home Improvement, Magnolia Network, and Belk, and has reached her career goal of winning an Emmy award. Now moving into freelance production, Emmy is still producing and continues to seek to help everyone she encounters see beauty in the life offered to us through Jesus.

Josh (’21) and Kimberly (Illg)

Bridges live in Kelseyville, California. After receiving his bachelor’s in Bible at TMU, Josh became the youth pastor at Grace Church in Kelseyville in 2021. Josh has the joy of regularly preaching and teaching to the youth ministry of 6th-12th graders twice a week, engaging also in weekly discipleship and counseling with students. He and Kim have been blessed with two beautiful sons, Judah (2 years old) and Ransom (1 year old), who are their tiniest and most favorite disciples. Kim recently finished her counseling certification through ACBC and was able to take all of her phase-one requirements through TMU. The Lord has been incredibly faithful while Josh presses on to balance leading his family and his ministry while working on his M.Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE BRIDGES

THE WEISSES

EMMY GADDY

Caroline Choo (’16) graduated with her M.A. in Biblical Counseling from TMU but professionally has been working in finance for the last 30 years. At her church, Grace Community Bible Church in Melbourne, Australia, she serves as an accountant and has

provided free counseling and discipleship to younger women over the past nine years. Together with her husband, Ming, they occasionally provide marriage counseling to couples. Caroline is passionate about teaching young women to fulfill their God-given role.

Ryan Freeman (’16) lives in Highland, California, and is serving as an editorial supervisor for Answers in Genesis, an apologetics ministry dedicated to enabling Christians to defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively. He oversees a team of editors who proofread ministrywide content such as books,

Faith Brunner (’22)

has worked for Upon the Rock Christian Camp in La Veta, Colorado, for the past two years. Her parents began the ministry in 1994 and she has been attending the camp since birth, now serving as the activities director for the summer program. In the off-season, her role involves writing devotional material for campers and staff, performing administrative work, and restoring camp property that was damaged from a past wildfire and subsequent flooding. Faith is part of the worship team at Mountain View Baptist Church, a tiny mountain town congregation of about 15, and she is looking forward to offering biblical counseling services to the church body once she has completed her ACBC certification. She is also a licensed EMT, volunteering with the La Veta Fire Protection District and the Huerfano County Search and Rescue.

vacation Bible school and Sunday school curricula, and other materials at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter. Ryan sees it as a great blessing to be part of the development of God-honoring resources that equip families and individuals to grow in their faith, both within the home and abroad. Ryan enjoys being involved at his church, Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church in Riverside.

FAITH BRUNNER

THE CHOOS

RYAN FREEMAN

Emily Karsik (’15) graduated from TMU with a communication degree. Immediately upon graduating, she began working as a legal assistant at a small bankruptcy law firm, and her legal journey began there. She went on to earn a paralegal studies degree in 2018 and spent the next two years studying and working towards her M.A. in Theology at Talbot School of Theology. After many years of praying and seeking counsel about whether to continue on with her legal studies, Emily applied to and was accepted at Southwestern Law School in 2020. She earned her law degree in 2023, passed the California Bar Exam, and is licensed to practice law in California. She currently works as an employment law attorney and, apart from work, is actively involved in her church, Reality L.A.

Nicholas (’15) and Britney (Jones) (’18)

Dudley have seen the Lord’s faithfulness in their lives, being anchored in His Word and maturing in their faith in ways that can only be attributed to Him. They recently moved from Tempe, Arizona, to New Orleans to plant a church, and they welcomed their fourth child in March. Nicholas is growing his real estate business in Arizona and Louisiana, serving sellers, buyers, investors, and tenants while also pursuing personal real estate investment opportunities. He also works for the State of Arizona doing auditing, business process improvement, and consulting as a Lean Six Sigma black belt. Britney labors faithfully in the home as a stay-at-home mom of four while homeschooling the kids. God is good and continues to grow their love for His Word and His church.

EMILY KARSIK

THE DUDLEYS

Joel Peluffo (’12) is a senior manager at Hedman Partners, LLP, a public accounting and business advisory firm based in the Santa Clarita Valley. Peluffo graduated from The Master’s University as a business administration major with an emphasis in accounting.

"Industries such as public accounting demand significant investment of time and energy, often involving long hours and high levels of dedication. This could easily lead to dissatisfaction and burnout, so having the right motivating factors is crucial to not only finding fulfillment in your job, but most importantly, to glorifying God through the process.

HERE ARE THREE QUICK REMINDERS TO KEEP YOU MOTIVATED:

WORK FOR YOUR TRUE BOSS

Believers are commanded to work as unto the Lord (Col. 3:23-24). We are called to utilize our abilities and efforts to glorify God, and hard work with excellence gives Him glory. He is the one giving you the capabilities and energy to work, so perform in a way that honors Him.

BE A LIGHT

Our actions speak louder than our words, and the way we work can have an impact on those around us. People will notice your work ethic, and it will open the door to gospel conversations. Talking about why we work hard and what keeps us motivated is a great way to introduce Christ to others.

SUPPORT GOD’S MINISTRY

We work to provide for our families, and that in and of itself is a motivation. However, succeeding in your industry will also enable you to support the local church and partner with ministries that align with your beliefs."

Find out more about Hedman Partners, LLP, at hpllp.com.

We always love having alumni back on campus! This iconic shot is from the 1989 alumni baseball game.

SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHTS

Tobin Bolter Memorial Scholarship

AMOUNT: VARIES

This scholarship fund has been established in loving memory of TMU alum Tobin Bolter (’17), whose earthly life was taken in the line of duty working as a deputy for the Ada County Sheriff’s Office in Boise, Idaho. Scholarships from this fund will be awarded in honor and memory of Tobin’s life and legacy.

LEARN MORE AT MASTERS.EDU/TOBIN-BOLTER

The David van Wingerden Scholarship

AMOUNT: VARIES

The David van Wingerden Scholarship fund has been established in honor of David van Wingerden, who dedicated over 30 years of service to TMU as a student, parent, supporter, and board member, and whose legacy continues through the numerous students, alumni, and leaders who have been affected by his commitment to the training of a generation in the truth.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/ DONOR-SCHOLARSHIPS

President’s Academic Scholarship

AMOUNT: $76,000 awarded as $19,000/year for up to 4 years.

This highly competitive academic scholarship is awarded based on an interview process. Full-time incoming freshmen applicants must have a weighted high school GPA of 4.00 and an SAT I score (Critical Reading and Math sub-tests only) of 1,350 or ACT score of 30 or CLT score of 91. The scholarship is renewable with a college GPA of 3.5.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/ACADEMIC-SCHOLARSHIPS

Steadfast Scholarship

AMOUNT: FULL TUITION COVERAGE

Recipients of this scholarship pay zero tuition. This unique scholarship, which honors Dr. John Stead, combines all existing financial aid that a student receives and then supplements the remaining amount to offer a full-tuition scholarship. Five scholarships are awarded each year.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/STEADFAST

If you are an alum of LABC, TMC, or TMU, we would love to have you visit us on campus! We invite you to schedule a personalized tour, hosted by the offices of development and alumni, to see and hear all the Lord is doing here on campus in the lives of our students and staff.