The Master's University Magazine | Winter 22-23

Innovation Lab

New program at TMU provides extra support for student entrepreneurs.

Exponential Growth

Joanna Johnson is making the most of her time at TMU as she prepares for a career in software development.

Many friendships formed at TMU are still going strong today (even when those involved live far apart).

Waves of Perspective

Dr. Bob Dickson nearly died in a surfing accident. Here’s what the beloved TMU professor learned.

The Master’s University Magazine

An Electric Event

DR. JOHN MACARTHUR, CHANCELLOR OF THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY, WAS PART OF A DYNAMIC LINEUP OF SPEAKERS AT TMU’S ANNUAL THEOTECH CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER. THE EVENT EXPLORES TECHNOLOGY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY. THIS YEAR’S TOPIC WAS INERRANCY, ELECTRICITY, AND DIVINE POWER.

Senior Joanna Johnson has gone all in at TMU to prepare academically, professionally, and spiritually for a career in software development.

Dr. Todd Bolen uses his experience in Israel — and his camera lens — to bless others with glimpses of the biblical world.

Dr.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Where Has the Time Gone?

As the fall semester draws to a close, it seems to me that it all went so fast.

It seems like just yesterday that we began classes, and here we are wrapping up examinations. All our concerts, Christmas parties, and events have ended as we get ready to go on break.

The semester, in my mind, is a microcosm of my own experience as a member of the faculty at Los Angeles Baptist College, The Master’s College, and, now, The Master’s University.

Over the years, I’ve worked with so many wonderful professors, students, and staff and board members. (You can read more about my friendship with Dr. Gregg Frazer in this edition’s cover story.) I’ve witnessed the growth of this institution from tiny LABC to a fully fledged liberal arts university. We’ve won athletic events and hosted compelling concerts. We’ve striven every day to honor the Lord by preparing men and women to serve Him with their lives.

The time goes so fast.

I’m honored to continue serving the school as part of the administration. The Lord has gifted us with leaders who are committed to Christ and Scripture with their whole hearts. This is a group that truly wants to make the most of the opportunities Christ has given us to shepherd the hearts of our students.

And that’s the idea, right? We all want to make the best use of our time in every area of life so that the Lord is honored.

I’m reminded at Christmas of many sweet holidays at home with my wife, Ellen, and the children. Of course, the kids are all grown up now. But as I look back on those days, I am thankful for sweet, unhurried time together.

I’d encourage you this Christmas to reflect on the Incarnation, the second person of the Trinity taking on human flesh. Without this, there would have been no atonement.

I’d also urge you to spend focused, undistracted time with family and friends. Don’t take these moments for granted. They go so fast.

Merry Christmas.

Dr. John Stead EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY

tmu’s reese field • 9am

Since 2011, The Master’s University Winter 5K has been a favorite among local runners thanks to the welcoming atmosphere, scenic course, and community partnerships. Starting on TMU’s athletic field and winding through Placerita Canyon and Quigley Canyon Open Space, The Master's University Winter 5K boasts a scenic and entirely flat course with varying terrain, perfect for participants of all ages and abilities. Come experience what local runners have called their “favorite way to start off the new year!”

learn more and register at gomustangs.com/winter-5k

The Los Angeles Baptist College Chorale during the 1981-82 school year. Can you find Dr. Paul Plew?

During TMU’s 38th annual Come Christmas Sing! concert series in December, Prof. Ben Mason conducted TMU’s orchestra, and soloist Faith Burnett wowed the crowd. Burnett is a senior vocal performance major.

BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

TTMU Today

PHOTO

TMU Students Excel on National Business Exam

top1%

TMU seniors scored in the top 1% in accounting, economics, marketing, legal and social issues, and international business on the most recent ETS Major Field Tests.

4%

TMU students scored in the top 4% in finance.

Collectively, TMU students outscored 97% of the schools that took part in the exam.

The number of colleges and universities across the country that administered the annual exam.

TMU’s ‘Innovation Lab’ Offers Additional Support to Student Entrepreneurs

Successful entrepreneurship often comes as the result of intensive mentorship and investment.

This is precisely what The Master’s University’s entrepreneurship program is now offering through its Innovation Lab.

Students accepted into the Lab receive access to office space and supplies, advice from volunteer consultants, and the potential for seed financing. The overall goal is to foster hands-on skill development in venture formation and to help students build businesses that glorify Christ.

The capstone project for every student in TMU’s new entrepreneurship program is to develop a business plan and present it “Shark Tank” style to Christian businesspeople from TMU’s network. For those accepted into the Innovation Lab, the capstone includes an opportunity to meet investors through TMU’s business faculty.

“Entry into the Lab will be competitive,” Beck said, “because we’re going to be putting a lot of investment and attention into these ventures. But we’re really optimistic about the results that can

BY KAELYN PEAY

New hands-on opportunity provides access to office space, advice from consultants, and the potential for seed financing.

come from that level of support.”

In fact, Beck has seen evidence that this kind of support works.

“We’ve already begun to do this,” he said. “Two years ago, I started taking proposals from TMU students for businesses that could easily be hatched with a little bit of support and investment.”

Two such ideas have already been launched — one a coffee subscription service and the other a video production company. The latter required greater initial investment but is going strong to this day.

“That idea involved an investment of about $10,000, as well as a lot of expertise and advice,” Beck says. “It’s still ongoing, and while it’s not a growth business, it’s a business that has benefitted from its connection with TMU. And, I might add, they’re supporting the mission of the local church and putting the character of Christ on display in the way they do business. And that’s really our heart behind all of this.”

Whether or not an incubated idea turns into a successful company, the

Innovation Lab will give students a prime opportunity for experiential learning. Graduates of the program will have interviewed potential customers, created a minimum viable product under a tight deadline, and worked with a team to accomplish business goals.

“But mostly — and this is key,” Beck said, “they will have experience networking and building relationships in the broader ecosystem that’s going to support their efforts after they leave TMU.”

As Beck looks to the future of the program, he has high hopes.

“It would be nice to have one believing billionaire come out of our program who can go on to leverage that wealth for Kingdom purposes.”

Ultimately, the Innovation Lab is just the latest development in the business department’s ongoing mission.

“Our goal is to support biblicallyinformed and Spirit-led agents of the Kingdom in the commercial sphere,” Beck said. “To say it another way, we’re all about making marketplace ministers.”

Interview Competition Provides Professional Development

BY MASON NESBITT

More than three dozen students at The Master’s University recently competed for a $1,000 scholarship in the school’s first-ever interview competition.

“The Master Interview” consisted of four phases, with students creating resumes and cover letters, executing elevator pitches, meeting with mentors, and sitting for mock interviews.

Ultimately, five finalists took turns answering questions in front of a live audience.

The competition, it turned out, was too close to call. Seniors Zach Garey and Liam Payne both received $1,000 scholarships. What’s more, they were two of the 39 students who received invaluable professional development.

“At TMU, we want students to be trained up in the classroom and developed academically. We want them to have a great campus life opportunity, too,” said Michael Chrzanowski, interim director of TMU’s Office of Career Services. “But we also want to provide them with the professional development that they need in order to go into these companies and represent the Lord rightly.”

The first step in The Master Interview was relatively simple: Students picked an actual job listing and tailored a resume and cover letter to the position.

From there, they made elevator pitches of 60 to 90 seconds, answering one of the following prompts: “Tell me about yourself,” “Why did you apply for this position?”, or “What is your long-term career goal?”

Phase 3 involved a mock interview with a professional from TMU’s network, the outcome of which factored significantly into which students advanced to the final.

The grand finale took place Nov. 2 at TMU, with a crowd of more than 100 people packing inside the John R. Dunkin Student Center.

Todd Sorrell, an attorney and a TMU alum, interviewed each contestant. Afterward, the students received feedback from a panel of judges that included Tango Packaging founder Trent Jackson; bookreport CEO Cassie Gerdes; Enviro Safety president Chris McCarty; Executive and Leadership Coach Bobby Doyle; and Sorrell. Jackson and McCarty are both TMU alums.

The Master Interview finale took place in front of a live audience in the John R. Dunkin Student Center in November.

The judges for The Master Interview finale included, left to right, bookreport CEO Cassie Gerdes; Enviro Safety president Chris McCarty; and Tango Packaging founder Trent Jackson, among others.

“The judges’ feedback was amazing,” Chrzanowski said. “They were direct. They were kind and encouraging. But they were clear on the areas where the students can improve.”

During the month-long competition, students also benefited from professional mentorship. Contestants met at least twice with a mentor who works in an industry of interest to them. It’s likely that internships and job opportunities will arise from the networking that took place, Chrzanowski said.

In other words, the impact of The Master Interview is far from over.

Dozens of TMU students create resumes, make elevator pitches, and sit for mock interviews during ‘The Master Interview.’

PHOTO BY CHLOE JOHNSON

PHOTO BY CHLOE JOHNSON

TMU Online Adds Graduate Degree in Health Administration

New program provides a pathway into healthcare leadership.

BY KAELYN PEAY

The Master’s University Online is launching a new Master of Health Administration program this spring. The degree will prepare students for a leadership career in an industry that is a clear mission-match with TMU.

“Healthcare is an area where Christians should be,” says Matt Frields, TMU’s director of marketing and enrollment for online programs. “It’s a field where you’re able to serve and care for people — not just people who are sick, but those who are taking care of the sick. People who work in healthcare need good leadership, so this was kind of a no-brainer.”

On top of that, medicine is a growing field. The demand for health service managers, Frields says, is expected to

grow significantly over the next few years, creating more opportunities for those looking to enter leadership roles.

TMU’s new MHA is designed to train these future leaders.

“Graduates from this program will be able to step right into a leadership position within the healthcare industry,” Frields says, “whether at a hospital, an urgent care center, a health insurance company, or elsewhere. There are a lot of options out there.”

The MHA program will educate students in everything from the big picture of the United States healthcare industry down to the particulars of risk management and regulatory

compliance. The program’s 36-unit curriculum is split into eight-week modules and will take one to two years to complete.

Frields expects the program will have wide appeal, offering a pathway for healthcare practitioners to enter leadership roles, as well as an avenue for those outside the industry to break in. He also believes that the program is an excellent option for recent TMU graduates wanting to enter an indemand field.

“If you’re choosing between an MBA and an MHA, and you have a desire to work in healthcare or progress your career in healthcare, the MHA is the route to go,” Frields says.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS TO TMU ONLINE SPRING SESSION #1

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT

Baroque concertos, romantic nocturnes, classical string quartets, and modern reinterpretations. This concert looks to examine familiar works of chamber music through a new lens — marrying the best works of Western art music with innovative interpretations that will thrill and delight. Experience breathtaking music set to immersive visuals that bring the music to life. Join us on Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in TMU’s Music Recital Hall for an unforgettable evening of chamber music, reimagined. Buy tickets at masters.edu/arts-and-events/music

SPRING THEATRE ARTS PRODUCTION, “FATHER OF THE BRIDE”

“Father of the Bride” by Caroline Francke is beloved by people of all ages and generations. Don’t miss this heartwarming and stunning production in the spring. Learn more at masters.edu/theatre

CAREER FAIR

TRUTH & LIFE CONFERENCE

Tune in via livestream to this year's Truth & Life Conference, featuring speakers Drs. John MacArthur, Abner Chou, and Alistair Begg. Tickets are required for entry. Learn more at masters.edu/ truth-and-life

THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY WINTER 5K

Since 2011, this event has been a favorite among local runners, thanks to the welcoming atmosphere, scenic course, and community partnerships. Come experience what local runners have called their “favorite way to start off the new year.” Learn more at gomustangs.com/winter-5k

RUN THE BEAST, FEED THE HUNGRY

TMU and Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF) are teaming up to collect non-perishable food for packing CHF “Food Paks.” Participants are invited to donate non-perishable items and run/walk/hike the Beast to raise awareness and food for hungry children. Learn more at runsignup.com/Race/CA/Newhall/ RuntheBeastandFeedtheHungry

A NIGHT ON BROADWAY

Come enjoy A Night on Broadway with TMU Opera as students perform scenes from well-known musicals, accompanied by orchestra. Buy tickets at masters.edu/arts-and-events/music or at the door. Showtimes are 6 and 8 p.m. in TMU’s Music Recital Hall.

CHORALE CONCERT

The Chorale Concert is a much-anticipated annual event. Come hear the Chorale under the leadership of Dr. Paul Plew, as they are preparing for their Spring tour in Israel. Buy tickets at masters.edu/ arts-and-events/music or at the door.

We offer career fairs in the fall and spring to give TMU students and business partners an opportunity to connect with each other. Learn more and get in touch with our Career Center at masters.edu/ careerservices

CREATION SUMMIT 2023, “AFTER THE FLOOD”

Join us for our annual Creation Summit, a conference exploring topics in science from the framework of six-day creation. Featured speakers this year include Dr. Andrew Snelling of Answers in Genesis, Dr. Steve Gollmer from Cedarville University, and TMU’s own Dr. Matthew McLain. Learn more at masters.edu/creationsummit

This year, TMU’s Chorale and Orchestra will be performing “Requiem” by John Rutter, a modern work that puts the Requiem Mass to music. Buy tickets at masters.edu/arts-and-events/music or at the door.

THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

TMU MEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. STANFORD DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS TO TMU ONLINE SPRING SESSION

For complete schedules for all of TMU’s athletic teams, visit gomustangs.com

#2

TMU Online runs six sessions throughout the year. If you’re interested in the session running from March 13 to May 7, the deadline to submit your application is March 8. Learn more at online.masters.edu

VIEW THE U

This is a two-day event for prospective students and families, offering an unforgettable opportunity for students to become a Mustang for a few days. Overnight accommodation is provided for prospective students from Thursday night to Friday. Learn more at masters.edu/visit

May

The Master’s University will host its 96th annual Commencement Ceremony on TMU’s athletic field May 5. Tickets and parking passes will be required to attend. Updates will be available at masters.edu/ graduation

ATHLETICS

TMU’s Davis Inducted Into the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame

Athletics Roundup: Cross country teams win GSAC titles, women’s soccer coach honored.

Davis, head coach of both The Master’s University women’s indoor volleyball and beach volleyball teams, was inducted into the California Beach Volleyball Association Hall of Fame on Nov. 12.

Davis and her playing partner, Jenny Johnson Jordan, were the first African Americans to make the U.S. Olympic beach volleyball team, finishing fifth at the 2000 Games in Sydney.

Davis and Johnson Jordan met as freshmen on UCLA’s indoor team and, as Davis puts it, “immediately became best friends.” Ultimately, they spent 13 years together as a team, traveling the world as part of the FIVB Tour. Despite the demanding schedule, their priorities were clear.

BY DAVE CALDWELL

“God was first, our family second, and volleyball was a distant third,” Davis said. “And through the years of traveling the world, we would have Bible studies and invite whoever. There were players who didn’t know the Lord. Many times, it was the first time someone had ever heard the gospel.”

Men’s, Women’s Cross Country Teams Win GSAC Titles

The Master’s University men’s and women’s cross country teams won their respective Golden State Athletic Conference Championships on Nov. 5 in Rocklin, California. As of the magazine’s deadline, the teams were preparing to compete at the NAIA National Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, on Nov. 18. Both were national title contenders. The men were ranked second

Annett

Annett Davis will enter her fourth season as TMU’s beach volleyball head coach in 2023.

in the country, the women fourth.

For the women, this was their third consecutive GSAC title. The men won their 13th straight, extending the conference’s record for the most consecutive GSAC crowns in any sport.

Mustang junior Ellen Palmgren won the women’s individual 5K, while graduate student Davis Boggess was the highest finisher for TMU’s men, placing second.

“The Lord was so kind to us as a team,” Palmgren said. “This is the best race we’ve ever had as a women’s team because we were not focused on ourselves but God’s glory and love for each other, from top to bottom.”

Lewis Named GSAC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year

TMU Head Coach Curtis Lewis was named the 2022 GSAC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year.

Lewis led the Mustangs to the semifinals of the GSAC tournament this fall in what proved to be his final year with the team. Late in the season, Lewis announced he was stepping down from coaching to spend more time with

Lewis, a graduate of The Master’s, leaves as the winningest coach in program history, owning a career record of 176-10835 over 17 seasons. He was a three-time GSAC Coach of

Said Lewis, “To be able to coach with my wife, Deann, and brother-in-law, Doug, as assistant coaches for so many years was an amazing journey. I want to thank them for so many years of working alongside me. So many players who came through our program are walking faithfully with the Lord today — that’s

Government and Politics

Why Government Can’t Save You Dr. John MacArthur

Dr. MacArthur provides an accessible overview of the biblical purpose of government and our responsibility to it.

The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion

Stephen L. Carter

Those who miss respectful and rational public discussion will find this book to be a breath of fresh air.

Blinded By Might

Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson

Two former leaders of the Moral Majority reassess the approach and methods of the Religious Right and argue for an alternate method of changing American politics and culture from a Christian perspective.

The Moral Majority: Right or Wrong?

Robert E. Webber

Webber critiques the former flagship of the Religious Right, but he also critiques the Religious Left and argues for the “prophetic center” and a biblical approach to politics and economics.

Vindicating the Founders: Race, Sex, Class, and Justice in the Origins of America

Thomas G. West

West argues that America’s Founders have gotten a “bum rap” when it comes to matters of race, sex, class, and justice.

COMPOSED BY

DR. GREGG FRAZER Dean, John P. Stead School of Humanities Professor, History & Political Studies

Curtis Lewis

Leaving wasn’t easy, Lewis said.

“Titus, my 9-year-old son, was in tears after our final loss, as this is all he has known. He really loves these girls, and they have been so great to my kids over the years. Now I get the chance to help more with (my daughter) Natalie’s therapies and work closer so I can serve my wife better at home. It is a bittersweet reality. I have learned that God doesn’t always give us storybook endings. But His endings are always good.”

Waldeck Earns NAIA Award

This fall, TMU Senior Associate Athletic Director Steve Waldeck was named the NAIA Administrator of the Year.

“Waldeck just completed his 11th year as an athletic administrator (at TMU),” noted the NAIA’s announcement. “His peers see his hard work and dedication to the university, and his accolades reflect that.”

Said Waldeck, “It’s been a privilege to work back at my alma mater. I don’t know how many people get to say they do that. Ultimately, any award like this doesn’t compare to any reward the Lord would give to us for our actions being pleasing in His sight, and that’s really been my motivation in my 30 years in higher education.”

Missions on the Mind

TMU students meet to learn about and pray for God’s work overseas.

BY MASON NESBITT

More than two dozen students at The Master’s University met weekly this semester to discuss topics related to missions and to pray for unreached people groups.

The gatherings began at 7 a.m. and featured messages from Elijah Kellogg, TMU’s missionary in residence. Kellogg, who served in Myanmar, addressed subjects like “Christ’s Desire for the Nations,” “Christ, The Perfect Missionary,” and “Preparing Well for Cross-Cultural Ministry.”

The sessions included Q&As and an opportunity for students to break into small groups to pray for people groups who haven’t yet heard the gospel.

Men’s Volleyball Beats Hawaii in Exhibition Match

TMU Men’s Volleyball defeated the University of Hawaii in a thrilling five-set match (25-22, 18-25, 25-23, 24-26, 15-13) inside The MacArthur Center on Nov. 5.

Hawaii, the two-time-defending NCAA Division 1 national champion, used a split squad, as the program had another exhibition match in Southern California that day. But that didn’t faze a crowd that learned TMU should be a legitimate NAIA national championship contender when the regular season begins in January.

TMU was led by 6-foot-10-inch freshman Nolan Flexen, who had 27 kills. The Mustangs will play Stanford University at TMU on Feb. 4 at 1 p.m.

For stories, schedules, and stats for all 17 of TMU’s intercollegiate athletic teams, visit gomustangs.com

Said TMU Director of Outreach Brayden Campos, “It's been very encouraging. A lot of students have been asking, ‘How do I know if the Lord is calling me to missions?’ I think talking through that and explaining to people that God can use anyone and seeing people start to realize they can use their majors for God’s glory in the U.S. or on the mission field is cool to see.”

Campos said he’s also seen students take on a greater appreciation for the freedoms and resources they enjoy in America.

“We spend time talking about people who don’t have a Bible, or commentaries, or Christian literature, or sometimes even a written language,” Campos said. “So it’s cool to see students having a greater appreciation for the gospel and for the ability to pray in a free country.”

The meetings were organized by TMU’s Department of Global Outreach, which sends students each summer on short-term mission trips. In 2022, TMU students traveled to Canada, Madagascar, Togo, and England, serving alongside missionaries and their families.

ON CAMPUS

Elijah Kellogg, TMU’s missionary in residence, addresses a group of students during a “Missions Morning” at Oaks Pavilion.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL ROURKE

TMU Honors Two with ‘Professor Emeritus’ Title

Dr. John Hotchkiss and Dr. Paul Plew recognized through program implemented for retired faculty.

BY KAELYN PEAY

The Master’s University honored two individuals this year with the title of “professor emeritus” through a new program implemented by the faculty advancement committee.

The honorees are Dr. John Hotchkiss and Dr. Paul Plew.

“It’s a standard thing done at universities, to recognize stellar faculty after they retire,” says Dr. Gregg Frazer, dean of the John P. Stead School of Humanities. As chair of the faculty advancement committee, Frazer worked to design TMU’s emeritus program.

“The point is to identify retired faculty members with whom we want to continue close identification,” Frazer says. “It’s also a way to recognize someone and honor them.”

The title will not automatically be bestowed on retiring faculty members.

The faculty advancement committee has agreed that the status of professor emeritus should be given selectively, making the reception of it an exceptional honor.

The criteria include a minimum required length of service and continued faithfulness to the doctrinal and moral standards kept by acting professors. Qualifying professors must then go through a nomination and approval process.

The committee completed its first round of receiving and evaluating nominations this fall, with Hotchkiss and Plew accepted as the first to receive the title.

“It’s appropriate that these were the first two recipients,” Frazer says. “They are special in various ways. Their length of service — as well as the influence they had here — is extraordinary.”

Hotchkiss (son of Dr. Herbert Hotchkiss, the namesake of Hotchkiss Hall) graduated from what was then Los Angeles Baptist College’s English program in 1967 and returned as a professor two years later. In 1973 he became the English chair, leading the program from which he graduated until his retirement in 2013.

Nine years later, Hotchkiss says he was surprised and grateful to hear the news from Frazer.

“I am thankful to the selection committee to be among the inaugural group of profs with this rank,” Hotchkiss says. “I am certain that establishing this official status will benefit many faculty among those currently serving and in the future. May our Lord bless and keep TMU true to Him and His word until He comes again.”

Like Hotchkiss, Plew has

a long history with the University. He joined the faculty in 1979 and led the music department until his retirement at the end of the 2021-22 school year. He continues to serve as the University’s choir director.

“It’s humbling and encouraging,” Plew said of receiving the title of professor emeritus. “My commitment to The Master at The Master’s University and the students will continue as long as I’m on God’s green globe.”

Frazer expects that more recipients of the professor emeritus title will be named before the end of the academic year, either from new retirees or from those who, like Hotchkiss, left longer ago but finally have a conduit for being formally recognized.

Dr. John Hotchkiss led the English department at his alma mater from 1973 to 2013.

Dr. Paul Plew joined TMU’s faculty in 1979. He was recently given the title of professor emeritus.

ACADEMICS

Dr. Kurt Hild Gets to the Bottom of Detective Fiction

This semester, TMU offered a course titled “Genre Literature: Detective Fiction.” Every Tuesday and Thursday, a group of students gathered with English professor Dr. Kurt Hild to enjoy cornerstone classics of detective fiction and explore the genre’s development over time.

So, why teach a course on detective fiction?

If you ask Dr. Hild, it’s because the genre is widely influential and provides significant insight into human nature.

“We see from current media that the motif of detectives, police, and crime-solving is very popular,” Hild says. “And it indicates that there is a human yearning for safety and protection. We want somebody to step into the breach, solve the issue, and deal with the bad guy.”

Hild argues that this longing ultimately points back to Christ.

Students examined these realities by reading through and discussing tentpole works in the genre, including Edgar Allan Poe’s detective short stories, Arthur Conan Doyle’s “A Study in Scarlet,” and Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express.”

BY KAELYN PEAY

Other courses in the English department this fall included “History of the English Language” and “Literary Criticism,” among others.

AN ANCIENT INSCRIPTION

This is a 2,000-year-old marble plaque that marked a grave somewhere in the Roman Empire. It’s from the reign of Caesar

Dr. Grant Horner

A WORLD-CHANGING POEM

This is a 1518 manuscript of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses.” Ovid was the most popular of the Roman poets. I’m actually writing a book on this work right now.

A RENAISSANCE CLASSIC

This is the Lexicon Graecum, the first-ever Greek dictionary produced during the Renaissance. This is an embodiment of the Renaissance, because much of that time was about the recovery of the Greek language and culture. This first-edition copy was printed in 1539. They printed 2,000 of these, and fewer than 200 are left.

A CARVED KEEPSAKE

This is an elephant carved out of ebony and ivory that my grandfather got in Africa. I remember seeing this as a little kid and being kind of terrified by it. It was on a bookshelf in his house. It ended up being passed down to me, and I love it, because my daughter-in-law is from Africa.

Hild was first hired at Master’s in 1988 and has taught in both the English and teacher education departments.

PHOTO BY REAGAN NOLL

get started at alumni.masters.edu/jobs or alumni.masters.edu/resources

Guest Speakers Provide a Spark of Inspiration

TMU Engineering & Computer Science students hear from men and women with experience at Microsoft, Amazon, and SpaceX.

BY KAELYN PEAY

How do you motivate students in rigorous engineering and computer science programs to make the most of their opportunity? Prof. David Crater says that one way is to remind them what they’re working toward.

Crater, chair of the engineering and computer science department at The Master’s University, has been doing that by inviting professionals in the tech industry to speak to his students.

Past guests have included husband and wife Jeff and Jennifer Cruzan (highlevel managers at Microsoft), Matthew Guerra from Amazon, and David Beaman from SpaceX.

“The idea has been to expose our students, as much as possible, to the real world, where what they’re learning is being applied,” Crater said. “It gives them some industry context for the academic things they’re

studying — which always helps. It puts flesh and blood on the academic bones, if you will.”

For example, when the Cruzans spoke in September (an event held in conjunction with TMU’s Office of Career Services), they were able to shed light on careers in Big Tech.

Jeff, who serves as a principal group engineering manager at Microsoft, shared insights into daily life as a software engineer, while Jennifer offered insight into what business careers in Big Tech look like from her experience as a senior business manager. They also offered advice regarding key skills students should focus on developing in preparation for life after graduation, including integrity and curiosity.

They emphasized how studying hard as a student during college sets

Career Tips to Propel You

SPONSORED BY ENVIRO SAFETY

the trajectory for what comes after graduation.

“You cannot overestimate the value that your time in college will have,” Jennifer said. “So many of the things you develop — in terms of discipline and rigor — will come back to you in your career. There’s a great opportunity to instill that while you’re in college and have the support of your classmates and professors. You can’t be in a better place than TMU, honestly.”

This emphasis on hard work is one of Crater’s primary goals with these seminars.

“At every one of these events, I say, ‘You’re not going to stroll into Microsoft and get an internship or a job if you haven’t really studied and know what you’re talking about,’” Crater says. “Internships and jobs at places like that are highly competitive.

So students hear what life is like at an elite software company and hopefully take away some motivation to really study hard.”

And even more importantly, Crater wants his students to see examples of Christian faith lived out in these careers.

“Anytime I find an authentic Christian out there in the tech world, I want to try and develop connections with them. Now we have a network of professionals in the tech world who can help model for our students what it looks like to be a believer in that space.”

The hope is that someday soon Crater’s graduates will return to campus to encourage another generation of students.

FOCUS ON FIT

You are who you are. Each company is what it is. Every role needs what it needs. Fitting these together is like connecting puzzle pieces. Realize your strengths, understand the culture of the company, and ask great questions about the role. The location or compensation are not enough to say a job is the best one for you. Focus on fit to maximize your potential and the company’s results.

Snapshots of the Semester

1. CHAPEL

Scott Ardavanis — a graduate of LABC, a TMU board member, and the senior pastor of Grace Church of the Valley in Kingsburg, California — spoke in chapel on Sept. 9. He delivered a message titled “How Can I Be Sure of My Salvation?” The sermon was part of this year’s chapel theme, “Apologia: Strengthening and Defending Your Faith.”

2. THE MOUSETRAP

TMU Theatre Arts performed Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.” Junior Matthew Brecheen, center, brought plenty of energy to the eccentric role of Christopher Wren.

3. DAY OF PRAYER

On Sept. 27, TMU canceled classes so students could come together to worship the Lord through song, meditate on His character, and pray for one another.

4. THE BACH LEGACY

Dr. Ruta Bloomfield performed a harpsichord concert inside the library, exploring the influence Johann Fischer and Johann Kuhnau had on Bach.

5. CAMPUS LIFE

TMU’s neon dodgeball tournament and retro night, hosted by Trophy Coffee, featured outdoor video games on the big screen.

6. FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Jordan Morton is dean of TMU’s Pearl C. Schaffer School of Education. The School of Education offers degrees in liberal studies and interdisciplinary studies, along with single- and multiple-subject credentials.

7. CAREER FAIR

In November, TMU students had the opportunity to network with nearly 40 businesses, schools, churches, and other ministry organizations from Southern California and across the country. TMU alum Matthew Hagen was on hand representing JT4, a federal contractor for the Department of Defense.

PHOTO BY REAGAN NOLL

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

FACULTY UPDATES

Dr. William Varner (biblical studies) delivered the Stewart Custer Annual Lectures at his alma mater, Bob Jones University, on Nov. 8. Varner also received word that 316 Publishers will print his book, “A Handbook for Praying Scripture from the Legacy Standard Bible,” in time for Shepherds Conference in March. Two other books of Varner’s will be published soon: “The Apostolic Fathers: Introductions and Translations” (T&T Clark) and “The Preacher and the Song” (Fontes). Varner is currently teaching through Hebrews as an Adult Bible Fellowship leader at Grace Baptist Church.

Prof. David Crater (engineering) traveled to Romania this fall to speak at Emanuel University and give a presentation at the Romanian AI Days conference. At Emanuel, Crater taught a short-term intensive class on artificial intelligence. Fellow TMU professors Dr. Monica Vroman (visiting research professor) and Dr. John Eickemeyer (computer science) also spoke to the students over Zoom. Vroman addressed machine learning, and Eickemeyer spoke on computer vision. At the Romanian AI Days conference, Crater gave a technical talk on the Google Transformer, a state-of-the-art neural network primarily used for natural language processing. Of note, Dr. Vroman was born and raised in Romania.

Dr. Dwight Ham (business administration) was selected by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal as the private company CFO of the Year in the growing company category. In addition to serving as chair of TMU’s business administration department, Ham has been the CFO of Guardian Drain Lock in Simi Valley, California, since 2008.

(biblical counseling) presented lectures at the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, this fall. In addition to Cullen’s lecture on postpartum depression, ACBC published her booklet entitled “Postpartum Depression: Stopping the Spiral with His Sufficient Word.” This booklet is meant to equip counselors as they help women struggling with PPD to understand and apply biblical truths rightly in order to find hope and pursue biblical change. Next year, the ACBC Conference will be held in Santa Clarita at Grace Baptist Church, Oct. 2-4.

Dr. Todd Bolen (biblical studies) had three articles published recently: “The Date of the Davidic Covenant” in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, “The Messiah in Isaiah 7:14: The Virgin Birth” in The Master’s Seminary Journal, and “A Case for a Messianic Reading of Psalm 18” in “To Seek… To Do… and To Teach: Essays in Honor of Larry D. Pettegrew” (Shepherds Press).

Dr. Shelbi Cullen, Dr. Greg Gifford, and Dr. John Street

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

PHOTO BY MICHAEL ROURKE

TMU Sport Management Gets in the Game

New program puts high emphasis on ‘experience’ in student learning.

BY MASON NESBITT

Students in TMU’s Event Management class attended an LA Galaxy game in September, meeting with the team’s director of player personnel before the match.

A crucial part of the sport management program at The Master’s University takes place outside the classroom.

This semester, TMU students attended an LA Galaxy match and met with the team’s director of player personnel.

Others traveled to Anaheim to take in an Angels game.

One student flew to Texas and served as a volunteer during three days of Formula 1 qualifying and racing.

The venues and sports varied, but the purpose of placing TMU students right in the mix of things remained the same.

“For sure, we want to build a knowledge base and an understanding of the field in the classroom,” says Dr. Wayne Rasmussen, director of TMU Sport

Management. “But then we want to capture these practical experiences, so students can hear from professionals in the field and apply what they’re learning.”

In September, Rasmussen and adjunct professor Kiel McClung (a former Galaxy draft pick) took members of McClung’s Event Management class to watch the Galaxy play the Colorado Rapids in LA’s Dignity Health Sports Park.

Before the match, the team’s senior director of player personnel, Gordon Kljestan, talked to the students about his job and provided behindthe-scenes details of what goes into running a professional soccer team. He also highlighted the importance of mentorship and internships. Then he opened it up for student questions. Kljestan also introduced the students to Wes Meadows, the Galaxy’s director of programming and youth development.

OUTSIDE THE CANYON

Sport Management Emphasis Added to TMU Online MBA

The program will prepare Master of Business Administration students for a wide range of careers in athletics.

BY KAELYN PEAY

The Master’s University has added a new sport management emphasis to its online Master of Business Administration program. This program is a strong option for individuals wanting to prepare for — or further develop — a career in sports while gaining a deep foundation in business principles.

The MBA program consists of 36 credits, and the sport management emphasis will feature three specialized courses: Data Analytics, Economics of Sport, and Facility Development. These new courses will be available beginning in spring 2023.

The emphasis will prepare MBA

students to confidently enter the field of sports, whether as a general manager, communications officer, athletic director, or in some other area of leadership.

Dr. Wayne Rasmussen, director of the sport management program at TMU, sees this online offering as appealing to those interested in the highestperforming levels of athletics.

“This would be for students who have an interest in working either in high-level collegiate sports, or in the professional or Olympic ranks,” Rasmussen said. “So we use our background and our network to develop opportunities in those spaces

across a wide array of activities.”

With billions of dollars in annual market revenue across North American sports alone, the opportunities available to sport management professionals are numerous. And for believers, the gospel opportunities in the field of sport management also abound.

Rasmussen says, “We’re just really excited for how we can use the MBA, combined with the very specific sport management courses, to intersect with our faith in how we go forward to be practitioners in the field. We not only want to run great sports programs, but to spread the gospel.”

Cade Walker, a senior sport management student, said the best part of the evening was interacting with industry professionals and asking about the inner workings of sports operations at the highest level.

“There’s more people involved in the day-to-day operations of a pro sporting event than I anticipated,” Walker said. “I also learned that the scouting and development process takes place a lot earlier in a player's career than in other sports I’m familiar with.”

One month after the Galaxy game, TMU freshman Isaac Hopewell traveled with Rasmussen to Austin, Texas, to serve as a volunteer at

Formula 1’s 2022 United States Grand Prix. Hopewell worked in customer service and event management support. Over the three days, the event drew nearly 450,000 fans.

“This meant everything to me because it’s my dream to work in the Formula 1 world, specifically on the business side,” Hopewell said. “This was an opportunity to get my foot in the door.”

Rasmussen hopes that Hopewell’s experience will open the door to take more students to work with Formula 1 in the future. It’s all part of a program designed to prepare students to faithfully represent Christ in whatever

career He calls them to.

“Things like going to the Galaxy game help us build a solid experience base,” Rasmussen said, “and internships help students build networks and meet professionals. We do all of that in the context of asking, ‘How does our faith in Jesus Christ interact with these things that we’re doing? It’s great to work pro soccer, but how is it Kingdom-building?’

“These questions will always be at the forefront of everything we do in the TMU Sport Management program.”

Sinclair Ferguson Reminds TMU Students of Paul’s Vital Words to Timothy

KAELYN PEAY

This semester, The Master’s University had the privilege of hosting Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, a well-known pastor, author, and professor of theology, as a speaker in chapel. Ferguson taught out of 2 Timothy 1, examining Paul’s words to his disciple, Timothy. Through this passage, Ferguson unpacked what it looks like for every believer to serve Christ.

“I want to consider these words with you this morning because, in my own judgment, they are among the most important words ever written to a single individual,” Ferguson said. “There are very few sections in God’s inspired Word that are written to individuals, and this is one of them.”

Ferguson encouraged his audience to see Timothy as a Christian “everyman'' — not an unreachable ideal, but “a model of what God wants to produce in us if we are to serve Him in our own generation.”

Out of this chapter, Ferguson highlighted five distinguishing marks of the life that Paul called Timothy to:

1 Faith without hypocrisy.

“In this kind of environment, there are pressures on us to put on a mask,” Ferguson said. “And it’s such a reassurance, as well as a challenge, to know that what God delights in — what the apostle delighted in — was faith without a mask.”

2 Commitment to service.

“Absolutely fundamental to your Christian service and fruitfulness is your willingness to kneel before others and say, ‘Because Jesus Christ is my Lord, I am prepared to be your bondslave for Him.’”

3 Unashamed loyalty to Christ.

“In my own ministry in the church, I’m absolutely sure that the test of not being ashamed of Christ has been whether I’m not ashamed of the least and lowest in the congregation.”

4 Necessary holiness.

“Paul sees that as the quintessential goal of what the Spirit of God is doing in Timothy’s life. He wants to make him like Jesus.”

5

Love for true teaching.

“This is not a metallic commitment to orthodoxy — this is a commitment to the truth of the gospel that brings health, and it’s held in love for Jesus.”

As he concluded, Ferguson emphasized one last mark fundamental to all the rest: mercy.

“He’s being called to the highest conceivable calling. Who is sufficient for these things? [Paul says,] ‘Timothy, in all your weakness, all your frailty, all your self-doubt, all the challenges that face you, all that you’re going to feel because I’m not going to be there to guard you, there is mercy in God, and He will sustain you.’”

In addition to Ferguson, TMU also enjoyed chapel messages from Dr. John MacArthur, Dr. Abner Chou, and Dr. Paul Twiss this fall, among many others.

Past messages and future chapel livestreams are available through TMU’s YouTube channel

CHAPEL

BY

Well-known pastor, author, and professor unpacks 2 Timothy 1 in chapel message.

PHOTO BY TRINITY PERALTA

FFeatures

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

Hotchkiss Resident Director O.J. Gibson performs during the Dixon Coffee House event this fall outside Dixon Hall.

ILLUSTRATION

ANNA CARROLL

BY MASON NESBITT AND KAELYN PEAY

Many friendships formed at LABC, TMC, and TMU are still going strong today. Here are examples we hope you’ll find encouraging.

When we ask alumni about their favorite memories of Los Angeles Baptist College, The Master’s College, or The Master’s University, one theme consistently emerges: friendships.

When people reflect on their time as students, they inevitably think about the foundational relationships they formed here — relationships that, in many cases, are still going strong years (or even decades) after graduation.

For this story, we asked alumni to talk about ongoing friendships that formed during their college years.

Some of these friends live in the same place and work side-by-side. Others support each other from across the country or the globe. But in every case, those involved in the friendship are striving to love others the way Christ has called us to. We hope these stories encourage you as much as they have encouraged us.

Mark Spansel (TMC

’93)

Steve Balentine (TMC

’94)

It doesn’t hurt if that person is your best friend from college.

The friendship between Mark Spansel and Steve Balentine crystallized at The Master’s College as they roomed together in Waldock Hall and served together on ASB — Spansel as president, Balentine as chaplain.

The two men graduated from The Master’s Seminary in 1997 before spending the subsequent decades in ministry. Balentine has served as a pastor at San Gabriel Community Church in San Gabriel, California, for the past 26 years. Spansel worked at TMC before serving as a pastor in Corona, California, and then in northeast Ohio. In 2019 he returned to Santa Clarita, where he’s now a discipleship pastor at Crossroads Community.

Over the years, Spansel and Balentine have encouraged each other with timely phone calls and visits. Balentine preached the installment ceremony at Spansel’s church outside Cleveland and visited on one of Spansel’s birthdays during a particularly challenging time.

“Steve is pretty much the go-to for me when it comes to ministry struggles, when I just need to talk something out,” Spansel says. “We have a lot of history, and we’re very like-minded in ministry. It really is a Proverbs 18:24-kind of friendship.”

Now that they both live in the Greater Los Angeles area, they meet up for coffee once a month. They still make each other laugh, but they say that’s not the main thing that’s bonded them together.

“We love the same things,” Balentine says. “The Lord, the church, the Word, our wives, our kids.”

Says Spansel, “There’s also a lightheartedness. Student Life was big for both of us. The community and discipleship that took place in the dorms and on campus — our friendship was a product of that.”

As a pastor, it’s nice to have someone outside your church you can turn to for advice on especially difficult matters.

During decades of working in ministry, Mark Spansel, left, and Steve Balentine have looked to each other for biblically sound advice.

Even in college, Spansel, top, and Balentine could count on each other for support.

PHOTO BY MARK FINSTER

Beth Busenitz

Williams

During college, Beth, Nicole, and Kellie (left to right) grew close through classes, singing in The Master’s Chorale, and serving at Grace Community Church.

The time difference is 12 ½ hours. So when Nicole Williams sends a latenight text message from western India, it’s received by Kellie Cunningham and Beth Busenitz early in the morning in Southern California.

That hasn’t stopped the trio from staying in touch over the years after graduating as music majors from TMC. During college, they grew close through classes, singing in The Master’s Chorale, and serving at Grace Community Church. Beyond that, Nicole and Beth were involved in a serious car accident, the aftermath of which brought all three girls closer.

Since graduation, Nicole has served in India with her husband, Sammy, also a TMC alum, for more than two decades. They

return to the U.S. every couple years and always get together with Kellie, Beth, and Beth’s family of six. In fact, when Nicole brought her daughter Hannah to TMU this fall, they spent time with the Busenitz family getting Hannah ready for the semester. Hannah is also taking a piano pedagogy class from Kellie, an adjunct professor at TMU. “Twenty-five years later, my best friends are taking care of my girl,” Nicole says.

Beth and Kellie, both of whom live in Santa Clarita, have served together in various capacities at Grace Community. Even with Nicole so far away, the three women continue to build up each other spiritually.

Says Kellie, “The reason we are so much like family is because the Lord is primary in each of our lives. And that’s so evident in the darkest, hardest times and in the most exciting and wonderful times.”

Olling shot 42 weddings this year. And since taking up the gig full-time several years ago, she estimates she’s worked in more than 20 states and four countries. In any given year, she might spend 280 days away from home.

Maddie Olling travels the country and the world for her wedding photography business.

Maddie Olling, left, with TMU friend Taylor Cherry (Brooks) in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2021.

When Nicole Williams, center, visits from India, she always gets together with Kellie Cunningham, right, and Beth Busenitz.

More than ever, she says she’s aware of her need for community. That’s one reason why she moved last year to Anchorage, Alaska, where she’s surrounded by TMU friends like Hannah Edwards (Karlberg), Taylor Cherry (Brooks), and Mary Sliwinski.

“It’s been really fun. I was burnt out from traveling for work, as you can imagine, and I have some really close

friends up there and a good church,” Olling says. “It made it easy to jump back into life when I was home because I had people I love nearby.”

When Olling travels, she makes it a priority to stay with TMU friends or to visit a TMU-affiliated church. Recently, she spent time with TMU alums Wyatt and Jessica Sosey in Paris, where Olling was shooting a wedding.

“It’s essential to have accountability as a believer,” Olling says. “When you’re not able to go to your home church or have a consistent schedule every week, it can be easy to not read the Word or not have the right thinking. So having those people who know me so well and have the same worldview and values is incredibly grounding.”

The Soccerheads

A gregarious group of freshman men’s soccer players arrived at The Master’s College in the fall of 1986.

The newcomers didn’t immediately endear themselves to everyone on campus (“Oh, they’re just those Soccerheads,” some would say). And it’s true, the players may have had some maturing to do. Nonetheless,

the group was able to lay the foundation for a winning program, and over time, they won their classmates over, too. After graduation, a number of the players have stayed in touch.

The group eventually expanded to include soccer alumni from the 1990s and 2000s. Frequency of communication and time together has ebbed and flowed, but an enduring camaraderie and interest in each other’s spiritual

lives has remained. Tim Tallman (TMC, ’91), largely considered the Soccerheads’ leader, shares devotionals and sermons in group text messages. He has also hosted reunions at his home in Louisville, Kentucky, on multiple occasions.

During those reunions, 10 to 20 guys descend on his home for three days of golfing, catching-up, and engaging in Christ-centered discussion.

“Every time the Soccerheads get together, there is nonstop laughing and reminiscing,” Tallman says. “It’s crazy how we all can remember small details of games from over 30 years ago. But what’s most important is our spiritual brotherhood. We relish the opportunity to encourage each other and share what the Lord is teaching us. It’s amazing.”

Tim Tallman, left, and Jim Rickard in 1986 after a game at Cal Baptist.

A reunion of some of the Soccerheads (left to right): Jim Rickard, Tim Tallman, Mark Wheeler, Tim Peterson, Justin Roath, Dave Tallman, and Dave Leaman.

Dr. Gregg Frazer

Dr. John Stead

When Dr. Gregg Frazer first arrived at LABC as a freshman in 1974, he made a beeline for the basketball court and joined a pick-up game.

One of the other players that day?

Dr. John Stead, professor of history. After the game, Stead invited Frazer and two other students to a Dodger game that night.

It was the beginning of a friendship that continues to this day — a friendship that has both shaped Frazer’s career and created an academic program.

“My first couple years at LABC, I worked on my general education classes,” Frazer says. “I had five

(LABC ’78)

majors I was considering, and I went and talked to the heads of each department. But on registration day for my junior year, I went to Dr. Stead and told him, ‘OK, I’m a history major.’ And I picked that major largely because of Dr. Stead. I tell my students today that my major was Stead-ology; I took some 40 units from him.”

On top of the history major, Frazer and another student also asked Stead to teach them about politics, becoming LABC’s first-ever political studies minors.

“Dr. Stead created the program for us,” Frazer says. “There was no political studies major at the time.”

Then, 10 years after graduating, Frazer heard from Stead, who by

then was serving as the school’s academic vice president.

“He said, ‘I want to start a political studies major, and I want you to come and be the one to do it,’” Frazer says. “So I did.”

That was 35 years ago. Ever since, Frazer and Stead have taught sideby-side in TMU’s history and political studies department. Today, their office doors are feet apart inside the John P. Stead School of Humanities, where Frazer serves as dean.

“One of the greatest blessings in my life was to watch Gregg mature,” Stead says. “Not only as a tremendously committed Christian, but also as an outstanding example of academic scholarship.”

Forty-eight years since they first met, Frazer and Stead are now part of one of the longest-existing friendships on campus.

PHOTO BY MARK FINSTER

When Frazer got married, he and his fiance Leanne asked Stead to officiate.

April Board (Smith)

Sarah Ehrsam (TMC ’03)

The friendship between Sarah Ehrsam and April Board proved particularly precious in December 2020 and the months following, when Ehrsam was diagnosed with breast cancer and began treatment. Board texted her friend every day to check in on how she was doing and prepared home-cooked meals for Ehrsam to reheat.

Says Board, “It was such an encouragement to me spiritually to see her walk through this really difficult trial and how He grew her faith and trust in Him. She never wavered in that. She didn’t want her suffering to be in vain; she wanted to be able to point people to Christ and encourage them any way she could.”

Ehrsam, in turn, was encouraged by her friend’s persistent care. “April is somebody who loves other people very well,” she says. “She’s very others-focused. She’s always that consistent, empathetic person you know you can call.”

Ehrsam and Board’s friendship began in fall 2000 when they both transferred to TMC — Ehrsam to major in biblical studies, and Board to major in business. They met as wingmates in Sweazy Hall, and in the spring, they had two classes together.

“April was the only person I knew in that first class,” Ehrsam says, “and we would get lunch together before the second class. That was how

Ehrsam, right, and Board both live in Southern California these days, with Board in Bakersfield and Ehrsam in Santa Clarita.

(TMC ’02)

we really got to know each other.”

After graduation, April married Darren Board (TMC ’03) and moved several times, but Sarah and April worked to keep their friendship strong. Now they’re both back in Southern California, with the Boards living in Bakersfield and Ehrsam in Santa Clarita working as an athletic trainer at College of the Canyons. “Even with all of those moves, she’s my best friend,” Ehrsam says. “She’s my iron-sharpening-iron friendship.”

Ehrsam’s trial (she is now cancer free) was just the latest example of how their friendship continues to strengthen and sharpen them.

“We know we’re there for each other to listen and to pray,” Ehrsam says. “We rejoice with each other and weep with each other. And we encourage each other with Christ’s truth. I’m just super thankful for her.”

to right) Amy Kidder, Hannah Leake, and Adrienne McCabe have made a point of traveling together.

Here, they’re in Port Angeles, Washington, where McCabe grew up.

(Left

Ehrsam, left, and Board’s friendship began in fall 2000 when they both transferred to TMC. They met as wingmates in Sweazy Hall.

Two Decades of Faithful Friendship

For two decades, they’ve gotten together nearly every summer to reminisce and remind each other to live for Christ.

Mike Penberthy, Bobby Bandara, Steve Garrett, Matt Ratzlaff, Jes Dailey, Ken Brown, and Kirk Welch all attended TMC in the early 1990s.

Since graduation, they’ve moved to different parts of the country (Welch, a pastor in Indiana, is the farthest east), and they’ve taken on different careers (Penberthy works for the Denver Nuggets basketball team, Bandara is in construction, Ratzlaff is in real estate, Brown owns a custom cabinetry company, Dailey is director of a large bottling plant, and Garrett teaches and coaches high school basketball).

Adrienne McCabe (TMC ’09) ,

From left to right: Bobby Bandara, Ken Brown, Steve Garrett, Jes Dailey, Matt Ratzlaff, Mike Penberthy, and Kirk Welch met up at Shaver Lake in 2021.

But beginning in 2003, they’ve kept coming back together because of their bond in Christ and the friendships they formed at TMC. The only year they’ve missed was 2011, due to the national economic downturn.

“The group has become really close through the guys being intentional,” Bandara says. “We ask each other the hard questions, as far as how we’re really doing. If we were to ask our wives how we’re doing, what would they say? We have those types of conversations. We’ve made a point to say, ‘Listen, man, these three days together, we've just

got to commit to it.’”

Usually they meet in Orange County or Shaver Lake, outside of Fresno, California. The three-day gatherings consist of golf, good food, and plenty of spiritual conversation. (They used to play pickup basketball, but those days are long gone.) On the last day, they always spend time in prayer.

“Christ is the center of the group,” Penberthy says. “After that comes love, accountability, and friendship.”

Hannah Leake (TMC ’09)

Adrienne McCabe will tell you there isn’t anything extraordinary about her friendship with Amy Kidder and Hannah Leake.

McCabe says the women have simply taken what they learned about Christhonoring relationships at TMC and kept it going.

“To be a good friend, you need to be in each other's lives and ask questions and be consistent,” McCabe says. “It’s been 13 years of that.”

Amy Kidder (Trae)

These days McCabe is based in Santa Clarita, but she frequents other states (her job as a project manager for Disney corporate HR provides the work-life balance that allows her to do so). When she’s in Maryland, she stays with Leake, who works in procurement for Geon Technologies. Kidder lives in Missouri and is a stayat-home mother with three young children.

As you can imagine, the women are busy. Text messages can go long unanswered. Because of that, they make a point of scheduling phone calls to catch up.

(TMC ’09)

They also look for opportunities to travel together. Several months ago, they spent a weekend in Asheville, North Carolina, getting coffee and massages and continuing their totally normal but exceptionally consistent friendship.

“Having a good friendship is harder when you’re older,” McCabe says. “It’s really easy to be like, ‘I don’t live there anymore,’ or ‘I don’t have kids so I can't relate to you.’ But we’ve consistently found common ground. And if it’s not common ground, we care enough about the other person to know what’s going on in their lives, even if we can’t relate.”

Kathleen Thomson (Simon) (LABC ’79) Cindy Hallman (Ilstrup) (LABC ’81)

Kathleen Thomson and Cindy Hallman didn’t know each other before college — but even still, their paths to LABC were connected, and their paths have been connected ever since over the course of a 40-year friendship.

Thomson came to LABC in 1975 as a physical education major.

“They had just started women’s sports that year, and I was really involved in that,” Thomson says. Thomson also sang in the summer gospel team, a mixed quartet that traveled and performed at camps and churches up and down the coast.

“During the summer after my junior year, we were at a camp in Carnation, Washington, and Cindy Hallman was a lifeguard and counselor there,” Thomson says.

Hallman was two years into college at that time. But Thomson talked to her about the possibility of transferring to LABC. After much prayer in less than a week, Hallman decided to come to the campus, sight unseen, as a liberal studies major to pursue her lifelong dream of teaching.

From there, Thomson and Hallman bonded over athletics, playing together on the volleyball, fastpitch softball, and basketball teams.

After graduation, their connection with each other and the school continued. Thomson married her husband, David, on North Campus and had her wedding reception in the Student Center. Hallman married Jeff, a fellow LABC athlete and a longtime friend of Thomson’s husband.

“We always stuck together,” Hallman says. They attended the same church and the same Sunday school class for many years, and when the Thomsons began raising kids, the Hallmans became godparents. Cindy was a teacher and Kathleen a substitute teacher in the Saugus Union School District together for a time.

Today, they serve together in the Pearl C. Shaffer School of Education, Thomson as a credential analyst and Hallman as an associate professor. A huge part of their friendship now is laboring together to prepare students to serve Christ in the essential field of teaching.

“We’ve kept up with how to make our classes better, to allow our students to be the teachers they need to be,” Hallman says. “And that is important because it’s a tough job. Children must have someone who’s passionate about what they’re doing.”

Kathleen Thomson (Simon), left, and Cindy Hallman (Ilstrup) now serve together in the Pearl C. Shaffer School of Education at TMU.

PHOTO BY MARK FINSTER

The Bohrs (TMC

The Anthonys

There’s a standard truism: Most college friendships will not be quite as close after graduation as they were during school. But for the Bohrs and the Anthonys, it was quite the opposite.

While Mike and Danielle (Posthumus) Bohr and Ryan and Michelle (Wozniuk) Anthony all majored in different subjects as students, their paths crossed because of their involvement in Chorale and Majesty. But when the Bohrs graduated in 1998 and the Anthonys followed in 2000, their friendship was somewhat incidental.

“I really didn’t even become friends with Ryan and Michelle until after we graduated,” Danielle remembers. “My husband was friends with them first.”

It was music ministry that brought the couples together.

’98)

(TMC ’00)

“My wife and I went right into music ministry after we graduated,” Mike says. “We went to a church up in the Antelope Valley, and the Anthonys followed us.”

Ryan served as a sound technician for the Bohrs’ music ministry, and Michelle joined in as a singer.

“That was when we really got close and became best friends,” Mike says. “And we started our long tradition of spending New Year’s Eve together.”

That tradition has been going for the past 22 years.

Now, the Bohrs live in Van Nuys and the Anthonys are in Newhall. Mike works in real estate and solar consulting, Ryan teaches at Legacy Christian Academy, and Danielle and Michelle serve as stay-at-home moms. Their kids (the Bohrs’ four and the Anthonys’ two) love spending time together as much as their parents do.

In fact, the oldest sons of both families are now at TMU and singing in Chorale together.

“It’s been a blessing from the Lord that we’ve been able to maintain a close relationship and grow together as friends,” Mike says. “And having our kids together at TMU is a blessing, too. We love the relationships that they’re establishing there.”

Michelle agrees, saying that TMU was instrumental in making their friendship last.

“The foundation of faith and truth we received at The Master’s University really was and has been the backbone of our close friendship all these years,” she says. “That’s why we feel strongly about our kids going to TMU, as well.”

Helping to transform students into lifelong learners.

We offer quality guidance from committed tutors who help students in grades 6-12 learn how to learn.

WRITING & ENGLISH MATH SC IENCE

For the past 22 years, the Bohrs, left, and the Anthonys have been spending New Year’s Eve together.

OFFICE HOURS

Waves of Perspective

Dr. Bob Dickson, chair of TMU’s communication department, nearly died while surfing last summer. The experience reminded him of a truth we all must remember.

BY DR. BOB DICKSON

I almost drowned last summer.

Looking back, it’s easy to see that every choice I made leading up to the incident (as I like to call it) played a part, and that by the time I took my first step into the ocean that morning, something bad was bound to happen.

To begin with, while I am (normally) a strong swimmer, I am a novice surfer. I wasn’t entirely familiar with the break I intended to surf that morning, and my lack of experience blinded me to signs that should have kept me on the sand.

Additionally, I hadn’t participated in any consistent physical activity in years, so I could expect to tire easily.

Finally, I had made an all-or-nothing commitment to surf every day over the summer in an effort to get into shape, so it didn’t deter me that the currents were strong that morning or that there was no one on the beach and no lifeguard on duty. Longboard tucked under my arm, I waded foolishly into a choppy, heavy swell while simultaneously lauding myself for my commitment and determination.

The spot I picked features a rock jetty that extends about 100 yards into the water. It was constructed decades ago to protect the Ventura shoreline from being battered into submission by the sea, while at the same time creating a calmer community beach on the other

side of it. Local surfers congregate beyond the jetty in a spot they call the Dredge.

I had no intention of surfing the Dredge that morning. The regulars there, some of the best surfers in Ventura, are territorial about the spot and would have disdained an unfamiliar, inexperienced 54-year-old clogging up their lineup.

My plan was to stay on the other side and catch whatever scraps I could. I didn’t expect to do much riding. My goal was to start slow — work my way back into shape by paddling around by myself. If I caught a wave or two, all the better.

I waded out a good 50 yards up the beach from the jetty. My inexperienced eyes judged that to be a sufficient cushion to paddle through the current and the crashing waves to calmer water beyond.

Waves hammered me as I tried to paddle out, however, and progress was slow. Every time I came close to getting clear of the crash zone, another wall of whitewater pushed me back toward the beach. Meanwhile, the current was nudging me closer and closer to the rocks.

It happened quickly. I stopped paddling for a moment to catch my breath and relieve my burning shoulders, and suddenly, the jetty was dangerously close — just a few feet away. I was close enough to see the black and green mussels affixed to the concrete and rocks. I could hear the water slapping against them.

It was at this point that I realized I was in trouble. Exhausted, caught between a strong current and a wall of rock, I bobbed up and down on my board like a cork. My best chance was to make one final push to clear the jetty and paddle over to where the experienced surfers were lining up. But I was already out of time. The current had now pushed me close enough to touch the rocks. I remember placing my hand on their slippery surface, hoping to push off and use that momentum to propel me around the jetty.

But then another wave came. It swelled under my board, pushed me skyward, and threw me back-first into the rocks. The impact slammed into my shoulder, my hip, and my arm. My board shot off in some other direction.

After the water rushed past me, I took a quick self-survey. Not too bad. No horrific injuries as far as I could see, although I couldn’t see a lot. I was wedged ribs-deep in the rocks. Climbing to safety was impossible, so I was going to have to muster all my strength just to get back into the water.

I tried to wriggle myself free. At the same time, another wave — a much larger wave — began to rise and curl toward my position. I hoped to crouch as low as I could and cling to the rocks for stability. But that was never going to happen.

The swell hit from below first, pushing me out of the rocks as if I were nothing more than driftwood. I could feel myself ascending, and then the wave came over my head. I was suspended. I could feel the weightlessness and I remember thinking, this isn’t going to end well.

Above me was a wall of water and below me were rocks.

I heard the next sensation more than I felt it — this loud bang as my body was tossed onto the rocks. Saltwater forced its way into my nose and down my throat as I tumbled, backward at first, then flipping once or twice. I didn’t know which way was up. I didn’t know where the next impact would land — my head, my face, my spine. I believed I was about to die.

The surfers beyond the jetty could not see me at all, so there is no one I can ask to explain what happened next. All I know is that when my head broke the surface of the water, I was about 10 feet clear of the jetty — not far enough to be safe, but still alive and at least no longer trapped in the rocks. My board, still tethered to my ankle, floated six or seven feet away. The shore lay about 50 yards in the other direction.

I was beyond exhausted. I needed my board to keep me afloat, but I lacked even the energy to reach down and grab the leash to pull it toward me. My wetsuit felt too tight. I couldn’t catch my breath. I couldn’t take a breath. I was hyperventilating. I didn’t know the extent of my injuries because I was in a state of shock. All I knew was I needed to get to shore or I was going to drown. And I needed to get away from those rocks.

I have spent most of my life on the West Coast, and more hours in the ocean than I can count. I have never feared it. I have always wondered at how a good swimmer can get caught in a riptide and be lost at sea. In those moments just after the ocean spit me out from the rocks, I gained a new understanding. I could see the shore, tantalizingly close. And yet, try as I might, I could not beckon it any closer. My muscles had nothing left to give, and the tide was pulling me in the other direction.

“Breathe, Bob,” I told myself. And that helped. With each slow, deep inhalation, I could feel a little life return to my arms and legs. I could not fight the current and get to the beach, but I could keep my head above the surface.

It was in these moments that I seriously began to contemplate death. I thought about not making it home to my wife, Debbie, who didn’t even know I had gone surfing that morning and who was probably still asleep. I thought about

my daughters and the moments of their lives I would miss. I thought about some of the things I had always wanted to do with my life that would never happen.

I didn’t try to make any deals with God. Out there, at the mercy of the waves, the tides, and my weakness, I found a sense of calm. My situation, dire as it was, merely magnified a truth I had long-ago acknowledged: I was no less in control of my life or my safety or my future in that moment than at any other moment in my life.

I could have chosen not to surf that morning. I could have been nestled under my blanket at home instead, and if that was my moment to leave this world, I would have left it just the same. The fear and panic I was feeling was a reaction to the circumstances, not to the reality. I am never out of God’s hands and never outside of His sovereign plan. Out there on the water, helpless as I was, I found a deep comfort. If this was my day to enter eternity, then it was my day.

Two factors led to my escape that morning. The first was that there was no third wave. The sea was calm after twice throwing me into the rocks. That was a mercy.

The second factor was that I stopped trying to swim to shore. I knew I couldn’t make it. I also knew that on the other side of the jetty, there were surfers. If I could get to them, they could help me get to shore.

I turned around and swam out to sea. The jetty was mere feet to my left, but I was out of options. Within seconds, I reached my board — another mercy — and a few seconds later I was past the tip of the jetty, wrapping around to the safer side.

Now the waves and the tide were working with me. They pushed me shoreward. I gripped the board with my left arm and half paddled, half drifted past the Dredge’s strong break and into the soft cove of Marina Park Beach. I got about 10 steps onto the sand and collapsed. For 30 minutes, I just sat on the sand, sucking air, retching, and taking stock of my injuries.

I suffered lacerations to my left wrist and foot, which were bleeding enough to drip onto the sand. My wetsuit was sliced along the outside of my right thigh, and I could see that the slice had penetrated my skin. My right shoulder was scraped up and already bruising.

The bruising on my hips took a couple of days to emerge.

I was never so grateful to walk through my front door — although Debbie was none too pleased to hear my story. She has only ever tolerated my surfing and would rather me trade my surfboard for a boogie board.

I’m undecided about that. But if I were to stop surfing, it wouldn’t be out of fear. At the same time, I would never put the Lord to the test (Matthew 4:7) by willingly, foolishly ignoring real danger. But of all the lessons I learned in the ocean that morning, the most powerful — and the most exhilarating — is to never forget who it is that holds my life in His hands.

COMPOSED BY

DR. BOB DICKSON Chair, Communication Department

The fear and panic

I was feeling was a reaction to the circumstances, not to the reality. I am never out of God’s hands and never outside of His sovereign plan.

”

A SEASON OF EXPONENTIAL

GROWTH

STORY BY Kaelyn Peay

PHOTOS BY Mark Finster

STUDENT FOCUS

joanna Johnson isn’t one to overlook an opportunity to grow.

During her time at The Master’s University, she has juggled a doublemajor workload, thrown herself into extracurriculars, and pursued internships to prepare for a career in computer science. She’s also been prepared spiritually through chapel and the influence of godly professors.

In the midst of it all, she exudes a winsome enthusiasm and gratitude for the doors the Lord has opened. Her professors are eager to see what she does next.

* * *

Born in India, Johnson moved to Southern California with her family when she was 5 and later relocated to Santa Clarita while a junior in high school. It was then that she heard about The Master’s University.

Johnson took her very first college tour at TMU, and she remembers loving the campus. Since arriving as a freshman, she’s only fallen more in love with the school.

“After coming here, I was truly blessed by the chapel sermons and by how the professors here teach,” she says. “Another blessing is the fact that TMU is small, so you really get to know everyone. It feels like a family. Being

SENIOR JOANNA JOHNSON IS MAKING THE MOST OF HER TIME AT TMU AS SHE PREPARES FOR A CAREER IN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT.

at a smaller school, you really grow academically and spiritually, and you do that growing together. It’s wonderful.”

Johnson hit the ground running, double-majoring in applied mathematics and computer science.

“My dad is a software engineer,” she says. “Ever since I was little, I knew that I wanted to go into computer science. So I followed in his footsteps.”

As for the mathematics, that’s just for fun, and because she has a knack for it.

She has enjoyed both tracks. From the enthusiastic math lectures of Dr. Tai-Danae Bradley, to the practical preparation offered by Prof. Justyn Lee’s Software Engineering course, she feels the experience has been highly valuable.

“All of the courses have been welldesigned, and they are structured very intentionally,” Johnson says. “There’s no busy work — every part builds on what came before, and every part is useful.”

Johnson has also stayed busy outside the classroom. In fact, she helped bring a club back from the dead.

“I wanted to be a part of the Computer Science Club here at TMU, but it had gone dormant because of COVID. So Dr. (John) Eickemeyer, Prof. (David) Crater and I discussed it, and we were like, ‘OK, we should revive this club.’ So we did!”

Johnson and her friends in the computer science program were able to build momentum with the club, and she eventually transferred leadership to another member so it can continue on after she leaves TMU.

As if this project wasn’t enough, she’s also been actively involved with career preparation opportunities such as internships and “The Master Interview,” an interview competition put on by TMU’s Office of Career Services.

“I do want to go into software development, though I’m not 100% sure which part of it yet,” she says, so she’s been exploring her options. “I was able to participate in the RISE leadership program at Capgemini, which is a tech consulting company. The program allowed me to work at their location in Atlanta, Georgia, and go through a mini training program in how to be a consultant.”

She has also worked as a software engineering intern at bookreport, a software development company in the K-12 education sector.

“I worked on front-end and backend development, and I also gained experience with different coding languages,” she says. “I gained insight into the software as a whole, how to work on a team, how to do a development sprint, and things like that. You learn all of this in the Software Engineering course at TMU, but getting to apply it in practice is a great opportunity.”

Needless to say, Johnson has made an impression on the TMU community — and particularly her professors. “Joanna is one of our top students. There’s no question about it,” says Prof. David Crater, chair of the engineering and computer science department. “In addition to performing excellently in her courses and being involved in the department’s club, she also just has a very sweet, warmhearted faith. Her parents raised her to love Christ and love the church.

“She, like all of our best students, recognizes the opportunity that she

Johnson is one of TMU’s top computer science students, according to Prof. David Crater.

has here at TMU and wants to make the most of it. She knows that she’s not going to end up in a great career situation if she doesn’t work hard, both academically and in extracurriculars. So she just has a great attitude — very mature, cheerful and joyful. She’s always happy every time I see her. And it’s not fake happiness. It’s genuine, joyful gratitude for what the Lord has done for her.”

Crater believes great opportunities lie ahead for Johnson. In the meantime, Johnson is just grateful for what she has right now.

“It’s by God’s grace that I’m here studying at TMU,” she says. “The friends I’ve made here and my professors are a huge support for me. My parents have also supported me greatly. Their sacrifices have been crucial to getting me this far.”

Double-majoring and participating in extracurriculars has been a lot of work, but Johnson says her family, friends and professors have been great sources of support.

Corporate Partnership with The Master’s University Magazine

The Master’s University Magazine is the school’s quarterly publication for alumni and friends of TMU. Each edition goes out digitally to a network of alumni, pastors, friends and supporters. The magazine is also shared across the school’s social media platforms.

Each magazine highlights stories of God’s faithfulness in the lives of alumni, faculty, staff, and current students. It also highlights upcoming events and the latest news from TMU.

By partnering with the magazine, you can position your brand in front of an audience of Christ-followers who are interested in products and companies who share their commitment to integrity and excellence. This can also serve your organization’s internship and career needs, as alumni already come to the magazine looking for our regular job postings.

By partnering with us, you’re also supporting a ministry that aims to serve alumni as they shine as lights for Christ in the environments He has called them to.

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP MICHAEL CHRZANOWSKI AT MCHRZANOWSKI@MASTERS.EDU

FACULTY FOCUS

The Next Best Thing to Being There

Dr. Todd Bolen uses his experience in Israel – and his camera lens – to bless others with glimpses of the biblical world.

Dr. Todd Bolen’s interest in photography came early. He bought his first camera in sixth grade with money he earned on a paper route.

His love for Israel, however, came much later. And it wasn’t until he was living and teaching there as a professor at The Master’s University’s Israel Bible Extension (IBEX) program that these two interests united. But in the years since, the combination has borne tremendous fruit.

* * *

When Bolen came to TMU in 1989 as an undergraduate youth ministry major, neither Israel nor college teaching were anywhere on his radar. But that was before he spent a semester abroad, studying at the Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem.

There, everything changed.

BY KAELYN PEAY

Bolen may have ultimately left IBEX behind to teach at TMU’s main campus, but he continues a ministry of opening the world of the Bible to his students — and people across the globe — through his website, BiblePlaces.com. For many people, his photos and expertise are the best glimpse they have of the Promised Land.

“Going to Israel opened my eyes,” Bolen says. “When you’re there, you’re living in the Bible. You’re experiencing it, and it comes to life. As soon as I got back, I was looking for a way to get back and live in Israel.”

And it wasn’t just that. His experience in Israel made him realize he wanted to be a college

One of Bolen’s many photos of Corinth, with the Temple of Apollo prominent in the background.

PHOTO BY MARK FINSTER

professor more than he wanted to be a pastor.

Most importantly of all: He met a girl named Kelli who was studying at the Institute from another American college.

The two of them soon had an opportunity to return to Israel. After graduating in 1992, Todd married Kelli and came back to the Institute to work toward a graduate degree.

During that time, plans began to form at what was then The Master’s College for an extension campus in Israel. When IBEX launched a few years later, Todd was one of the founding faculty members.

On top of teaching classes, Bolen was also responsible for student life at IBEX. One of the projects that fell under his purview was the program’s website, where he

uploaded photos he took during field trips throughout the country. In the time before social media, this was one of the few ways that a student’s family and friends received updates.

Soon, though, Bolen was also shooting photos with an educational purpose in mind.

“I had a desire to take photos for use in the classroom — even while I was teaching students who were living in Israel and could look out the window at it,” Bolen says. Photos helped jog memories, fill in holes and introduce his students to sites they hadn’t yet seen. “When I was looking through the viewfinder on the camera, I was always thinking, ‘How do I use this for teaching?’”

This desire became the impetus

for a new project. He called it the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands — a photo collection organized around key sites in Israel and other biblical lands. He released the first edition in 2000, with new volumes added as he traveled to places like Egypt, Turkey, and Greece on study trips.

At first, Bolen’s primary audience was seminary students who wanted high-quality, properly-labeled photos of biblical sites. Bolen’s education, position, and affinity for photography put him in the perfect position to fill this niche.

“There were other professional photographers,” Bolen says, “but I was the photographer for teachers.”

* * *

The Bolen family’s time at IBEX

Todd and Kelli Bolen at Hazor in 1992 — back in Israel for graduate studies.

eventually came to an end in 2007, and they relocated to Texas so Todd could work on a doctorate at Dallas Theological Seminary. While there, he released a greatly expanded, 18-volume edition of the Pictorial Library through his website, BiblePlaces.com. In 2013, the Bolens moved back to California, and Todd began teaching at TMU’s main campus.

Coming back to teaching, Bolen says, was like starting fresh. But in another sense, he carried Israel with him to Santa Clarita.

“I brought in my knowledge of geography and archaeology,” he says. “People ask me, ‘Do you miss Israel?’

And of course I do. But in another way, I’m still there. In my mind, I can stand at any of these sites, partly because I’ve been to them so many times.”

And a large part of how Bolen shares

this with his students is through the photos he brings to class.

“I can’t bring IBEX to Santa Clarita — though I can try to convince my students to go,” Bolen says. “But I can give them a taste of the land. I can show them pictures. Real pictures of real places. I don’t have an apologetic purpose, but it accomplishes an apologetic objective when students see photo after photo of places throughout the semester and are impressed by the reality of what Scripture says happened there.”

Julia Hildebrandt, a junior biblical counseling major, took New Testament I and II with Bolen and has experienced this firsthand.

“Now, every time I read the Epistles, I remember the pictures he showed us,” Hildebrandt says. “They definitely made it come to life. It’s the next best thing to being there.”

As the focus of Bolen’s teaching shifted toward individual books of the Bible, the direction of his BiblePlaces projects also shifted.

“I thought that it would be really neat to organize photos by biblical reference,” Bolen says. “So instead of grouping photos by place, you would pull together all of the photos related to Mark 1, and then Mark 2, and so on.”

The scope of the idea was intimidating — much larger than any one person could manage alone. But a team of people soon formed around it, and work began on the Photo Companion to the Bible (PCB). The PCB compiles photos of archaeological sites and museum artifacts, as well as historical and public domain images, to illustrate Scripture chapter by chapter, verse by verse, alongside explanatory notes.

Bolen taught at IBEX from 1996 to 2007. He’s shown here during his final year in Israel with a group of TMU students at Kursi, near the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

“The goal was to pull all that together into an easily accessible collection that teachers can just grab and use,” Bolen says. And as it turned out, this resonated with his audience. Nowadays, he frequently gets emails from people who use the PCB every week in their teaching.

One of the PCB’s most passionate users is Dr. Jason Beals, a fellow professor in TMU’s School of Biblical Studies. Like Bolen, Beals wants people to experience Israel for themselves. “But the next best thing is to use this resource,” he says.

“I use his resources in every class I can. They help me as much as my students, because I’m a visual person,” Beals says. “And also, they aren’t just pictures. There’s a lot of information embedded in the notes. So the resources are great for people who just want to study the Bible and go a little deeper for themselves.

There’s a lot of great insights.” For example, Beals remembers being struck by photos of the city of Corinth, including views of how close its temples were to its marketplace — a vivid illustration of why meat sacrificed to idols was such a pressing issue for the Corinthian church.

“Our hermeneutic is a historical grammatical hermeneutic,” Beals says. “And we spend a lot of time on the grammar, how the words fit and flow together. But sometimes we neglect, in our evangelical circles, the historical side. And so there is a part that’s lacking in a lot of people’s understanding of Scripture.”

On top of producing BiblePlaces resources, Bolen also licenses his photos for use in the publishing world. Over the years, he has licensed his photos for use in more than 1,000 books, atlases, study Bibles and other materials.

His photos show up in all sorts of interesting places.

In his office, Bolen has a shelf of Bible translations.

“Those Bibles are the first Bibles produced for their respective languages,” Bolen says. “And they have my photos in them. I just have a policy that translators can use my photos for free.”

For each of those language groups, their entire culture’s first glimpse of Israel and of the biblical world likely comes through Bolen’s lens. Bolen doesn’t take that opportunity — or the path that led him here — for granted.

“There’s a very real sense in which every piece of this story is that of God’s faithfulness,” Bolen says. “Every action or decision or opportunity came from Him.”

Todd, Kelli, and their oldest son Luke at Yad HaShmonah, the home of IBEX, in 1998.

During his years in Israel, Bolen had opportunities to photograph nearly every corner of the country. Shown here is Nahal Zin, the southern border of the Promised Land.

The stairs leading to TMU’s dormitories received a facelift in recent years.

PHOTO BY REAGAN NOLL

CONNECT

The Master’s Global Scholarship Is Making an Impact

Growing up in Northridge, California, Onalee Miller thought she wanted to be a lawyer. Then, during high school, an entirely different world was opened to her.

“I visited a Christian nonprofit that tutors homeless kids,” Miller says. “These kids were obviously very behind in their education — there were juniors who were reading at a third-grade level. It was intense. But it led to me figuring out that I love working with kids, and I want to be that kind of extra support for people whose families aren’t there for them.”

Since then, Miller has had her heart set on working with kids in her future career. But where would she go to prepare? As she looked

BY KAELYN PEAY

at various Christian colleges, she wasn’t always impressed by their approaches to Scripture. TMU, though, was different. The only question was whether she could afford it.

“It seemed kind of out of reach for me. It looked like such an awesome school, but I just wasn’t sure it was going to work out.”

She says she “fell in love” with the University after she came on a tour, and she began praying that the Lord would make a way for her to come.

Almost immediately, people she knew at Grace Community Church encouraged her to apply for scholarships at TMU. One that she applied for, and received, was The Master’s

Here are three stories of students blessed by the generosity of TMU donors.

Onalee Miller

PHOTO BY TRINITY PERALTA

Global Scholarship. Between that and other financial aid opportunities, her prayers were answered.

This fall, Miller arrived at TMU to major in liberal studies, with an emphasis in teacher education. In the long run, she is considering becoming a teacher or pivoting to speech pathology or social work. But in the meantime, she’s relishing her time at TMU.

“I’ve been in public school all my life, so I’ve been super thankful to get to be in classes that open with prayer, and to have friends around me who are likeminded,” Miller says. “And I’ve really appreciated the depth of thought that’s encouraged here. My professors all encourage me to think, and then think some more, and then to think about my thinking. It’s really helped me to not be complacent with where I’m at, but to really push myself.”

Cedar Collins ran on a top-performing cross country team at his high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado. But for most of his running career, his heart was not in the right place.

“I was running for myself,” Collins says. “I was running for my own honor. And it wasn’t going well.”

Then, about a year ago, things changed. “I really woke up to sin

in my life. God also started giving me a desire to run for the Lord’s glory. And once that happened, things just started falling into place. Everything changed in my life.”

Soon after, through one of his teammates, Collins heard about TMU.

“I had been looking for a Christian college where I could run. I talked to a bunch of coaches, but I just saw how secular all of their teams were. It was not at all appealing to me. And as I was walking through that and praying about it, one day the Lord answered my prayers when I found out about TMU.”

He looked at the University’s website and was “blown away” by TMU’s commitment to Scripture. Collins was thrilled about the idea of being a student here. “I remember running around my house, just being so excited. I reached out to Coach (Zach Schroeder), and he emailed me back four minutes later asking me when I could fly out.”

Collins came out to California to visit, met the team, and instantly felt at home. It seemed like the perfect opportunity. There was only one barrier: finances. As the son of a single mother who worked

Cedar Collins

as a schoolteacher, money was tight. But Schroeder helped connect Collins with financial aid opportunities, including The Master’s Global Scholarship, which has allowed him to attend.

Collins says that this first semester at TMU has been a wonderful experience. He’s been in the process of figuring out his passions and committing to a major, as well as bonding with his new team.

“The experience has been absolutely amazing,” Collins says. “Being on the team these past months has been one of the most life-changing things. Coach Schroeder always starts off our day by connecting the Bible with what we’re doing

as runners. He shows us how to run as champions for Christ. And that same mindset really carries over to everything that we do in our lives.”

Sofiia Omelchenko never had ambitions to study in America. She grew up in Ukraine, attended a solid church, and had her eyes set on an undergraduate degree in Spanish from an institution in her home country.

But then, during her sophomore year in college, the war with Russia began.

“When the war started in Ukraine, we stopped our education,” Omelchenko says. “Then they tried to do it as distance learning — but

PHOTO BY ANNIE VLADOVSKA

Sofiia Omelchenko

it was still hard, because we would hear explosions and air sirens every single day. So it was hard to concentrate.”

Eventually, her parents decided it would be best to send her out of the country. Omelchenko moved in with her sister in South Carolina. Through her father, Sergei, a translator for Slavic Gospel Association, she connected with TMU and qualified for The Master’s Global Scholarship. This allowed her to continue her college education while stateside, with Omelchenko moving onto campus this fall for the One-Year Bible Program. “I love it here so far,” Omelchenko says. “I didn’t even expect to like it so much, because studying abroad was never a goal I

had for my life. So once it was offered, it took me a while to make a decision. But I’m so happy that I’m here, and I’m so thankful for everything that happens here.”

She has especially loved chapel and her theology class with Dr. Greg Gifford. As she takes this year to complete the Bible program, she intends to explore her options and determine her next steps toward finishing an undergraduate degree.

Learn more about The Master’s Global Scholarship at masters.edu/donorscholarships

PHOTO

THE MASTER’S GLOBAL SCHOLARSHIP

THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO DESERVING STUDENTS SHOWING REASONABLE PROGRESS TOWARD THE COMPLETION OF A DEGREE AT THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY. THE SCHOLARSHIP IS DESIGNED TO AID:

1. International students with a proven affiliation to TMU through GMI, TMAI, GTY, TMS, or TMU alumni, as an expansion of the newly launched International Students Tuition Care program.

2. Students originating from churches with long-standing relationships with TMUS, especially churches led by pastors from TMS, members of TMF, or the TMUS Board.

3. Students who are children of TMU alumni.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT WWW.MASTERS.EDU/GLOBAL-SCHOLARSHIP

What child’s life, destiny, and impact on the world can be specifically and accurately described before the child has ever been conceived? Humanly speaking, this is impossible. But on occasion, God chooses to reveal the history of a life before it has been lived, and before a child is even born.

This is exactly what happens in the first chapter of Luke.

For the first time in 400 years, God speaks. Miracles begin to happen. As the New Testament begins, there is a flurry of supernatural activity, beginning with the delivery of prophecies about people who are not yet born or conceived.

First of all, the angel Gabriel comes to a man named Zechariah, telling him that he is going to have a son, even though he and his wife Elizabeth are well past childbearing age. Elizabeth had been barren all of her life, but Gabriel tells Zechariah they are going to have a child named John who will make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Then, when Elizabeth is six months pregnant, Gabriel appears again. He returns with another prophecy about another amazing child to be born. He comes to the region of Galilee, to a town called Nazareth, and to the home of Mary, a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph. And Gabriel says:

“... Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.” (Luke 1:30-33, LSB)

These are the most astonishing words that have ever been spoken to any woman — though Mary is a virgin, she will have a child. And this child will be great.

The greatness of Jesus unfolded as He

lived His life. His teaching was unlike any teaching that had ever been heard by anybody. “Never has a man spoken like this,” they said (John 7:46). No man ever had the insights, the divine knowledge, the truth from God to the degree that this man did.

His miracles attested to His glorious greatness. He raised the dead, provided food for multitudes, and walked on water. He banished illness and cast out demons at will.

And the greatest of all His miracles was that He was raised from the dead Himself. He, with His own power, shattered the bonds of death and came forth alive. This was the greatest child ever born.

This post is based on a sermon Dr. MacArthur preached in 1998, titled “The Greatest Child Ever Born.” Find more posts from Thinking Biblically at masters.edu/ thinking-biblically. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook (@mastersuniv) to receive updates when the latest posts are published.

A SUPERNATURAL CHILD

The Master’s in Ministry

After graduating from TMC in 2010 and going on a Global Outreach trip to American Samoa, Tyler Salvey knew he was called to ministry. He moved home to Vancouver, Washington, for a year until he took a pastoral internship position at Range Community Bible Church in Hurley, Wisconsin.

What started as an eight-week internship has turned into more than 10 years of ministry at Range. During this time, Tyler has been blessed to meet and marry his wife, Rachel (2013), have four children, complete his Master of Divinity online, and grow as a husband, father, and pastor.

Tyler says it has been his privilege to serve the church as an associate pastor in several

different ways, including through youth ministry, discipleship ministry, and as interim lead pastor. Tyler asks that you pray for unity as his church is in a time of transition and growth. He also asks for prayer for his family as they adjust to being a unit of six after the recent birth of son, Miciah.

Tyler & Rachel Salvey

Prayer Request

Lastly, Tyler asks for prayer that he would continue to grow in his ability to disciple his family members in their love of Christ.

Salvey, far left, was a member of The Master’s men’s soccer team in 2009 that reached the NAIA national championship game.

A former Mustang soccer player is now making an impact as an associate pastor in Wisconsin.

CONNECT

Highlighting Alumni Serving the Lord in Vocational Ministry

Tyler (TMC, ’10) Oliver (6) | Reya (4) | Emma (2) | Miciah (2 Months)

David + Cheryl Robinson

TMU CONNECTION

Cheryl (maiden name Nicholls) graduated from TMC in 1999 as a Bible major with an emphasis in biblical counseling. David graduated in 2002 in business with an emphasis in accounting.

CHILDREN

Karelynn - 11 | Katelynn - 11

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Brownsburg, Indiana

ON THE JOB

Cheryl is a teacher and works with an independent study school, which allows her to homeschool the girls and work from home. David is an accounting manager at American Pain Consortium.

FAVORITE MEMORY OF TMU

Cheryl treasures the valuable friendships she made at TMU, as well as the love for the local church she developed here. David relishes the memory of “Gotcha” week. He also appreciated the emphasis on business ethics taught in his major classes, the principles of which “sustain every job” he works.

HOW CAN THE TMU COMMUNITY PRAY FOR YOU?

“Please pray for us to have wisdom as we raise our girls: Parenting is never easy, but adoptive parenting throws a little extra dimension to work through.”

James + Linda Borland

TMU CONNECTION

James graduated from LABC in 1966 as a Bible major.

CHILDREN Sarah | Ruth | Hannah | Jonathan Daniel | Andrew | Shana | Matt 25 grandchildren

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Lynchburg, Virginia

ON THE JOB

James taught Bible and theology at Liberty University for 40 years (1977-2017). Currently, he is the senior pastor in charge of the Wednesday night Bible study at Thomas Road Baptist Church. He also teaches an adult Bible class on Sunday mornings.

FAVORITE MEMORY OF TMU

James remembers the outstanding professors he had — Marchant King, Herbert Hotchkiss, Richard Patterson, Edmund Gruss and John Dunkin. He also remembers the great fellowship he had. He recalls traveling with President Dunkin on a gospel team as a violin player, getting to know other members of the team as they traveled up and down the coast.

With Christmas around the corner, we asked Maddie for a few tips for taking better family photos this year.

In this photo from the mid-1970s, Los Angeles Baptist College students make their way through the cafeteria lunch line — in upstairs Rutherford Hall.

SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHTS

Just Thinking Scholarship

AMOUNT: $40,000 awarded as $10,000/year for up to 4 years.

The Master’s University is partnered with Just Thinking to help recognize and develop students who have the ability to tackle some of the most pressing and significant issues of our culture today. Apply for this scholarship by submitting an essay addressing the question “Why is biblical anthropology vital to how the Church responds on issues involving race and culture?”. Students must first apply and be admitted to TMU before submitting an application for the Just Thinking Scholarship.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/JUST-THINKING

President’s Academic Scholarship

AMOUNT: $72,000 awarded as $18,000/year for up to 4 years.

Competitive scholarship awarded to full-time incoming freshmen. Applicants must have a weighted high school GPA of 4.00 and a SAT I score (Critical Reading and Math subtests only) of 1,350 or ACT score of 30 or CLT score of 91. Renewable with a college GPA of 3.5.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/PRESIDENTS-SCHOLARSHIP-APPLY

Steadfast Scholarship

AMOUNT: FULL TUITION COVERAGE.

Recipients of this scholarship pay zero tuition. This unique scholarship, which honors Dr. John P. Stead, combines all existing financial aid that a student receives, then supplements the remaining amount to offer a full-tuition scholarship. Ten scholarships are available for fall 2023.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/STEADFAST

Pastor and Missionary Dependent Scholarship

AMOUNT: $16,000 awarded as $4,000/year for up to 4 years.

Awarded to full-time students demonstrating need, who are dependents of full-time pastors or missionaries who provide their family’s primary support, and whose ministries are consistent with the mission of TMU.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/PASTOR-MISSIONARY-DEPENDENT

The Master’s University examined media through the lens of Scripture during its first Muse Conference in November. Speakers and panelists included, from left to right, TMU President Abner Chou, TMU Professor John Beck, podcaster Darrell Harrison, and producer/director John Sullivan, among others.

PHOTO BY TRINITY PERALTA