The Mustang Connection December 2021

December 2021 vol.

The

MUSTANG CONNECTION

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A PUBLICATION of THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY

a h c u S c i s u M s I y Wh ? s a m t s i r h C f o t r a P l a i c u r C by

D R . PA U L P L E W

WELCOME to THE MUSTANG CONNECTION. THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO ANTICIPATE THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. For many, it brings valuable downtime. Often, it is an opportunity to maintain beloved traditions.

For those who enjoy gift-giving, December is particularly exciting.

But none of these are the primary reason for a believer’s joy at Christmas. In the midst of all these good things, we rejoice most as we meditate on the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.

‘For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’ ” (Luke 2:10-11, LSB).

From everyone at The Master's University, we would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

As always, you can subscribe to this magazine at masters.edu/magazine.

C O V E R P H OT O BY M A R K F I N S T E R

CONTENTS

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5

Right Out of the Gate

M A S T E R’S I N M I N I S T RY:

Ryan & Rebecca Wethern

FA C U LT Y F O C U S:

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The LSB Was a Labor of Love O F F I C E H O U R S:

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Why Is Music Such a Crucial Part of Christmas?

by D R. PA U L P L E W

C A M P U S F E AT U R E:

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A Transformative Year — Part 2

Just Catching Up

Alumni Job Board December

2021

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RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE

CAMPUS

HIGHLIGHTS

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T M U ’ S M E N ’ S A N D W O M E N ’ S C R O S S C O U N T RY T E A M S C A P P E D H I S T O R I C S E A S O N S AT N A I A N AT I O N A L S I N VA N C O U V E R , WA S H I N G T O N , I N N O V E M B E R .

02 The months of November and December are always a busy time for TMU’s music department.

On Nov. 11, TMU held its yearly orchestra concert. This was followed by BellFest, TMU’s handbell concert, on Nov. 13. The school then performed its 37th annual Come Christmas Sing!

Concert series on Dec. 3-4.

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The M U S T A N G C O N N E C T I O N

03 The theme of next month’s Truth & Life Conference is “Tactics: Practical Strategies for Being an Agent of Influence.” This theme is taken from a book written by Greg Koukl, the conference’s guest speaker. Koukl is the founder of Stand to Reason, an apologetics ministry. Dr. John MacArthur and Dr. Abner Chou will also be speaking. Learn more at masters.edu/truth-and-life.

TMU’s women’s cross country team finished sixth at NAIA nationals in Vancouver, Washington, last month, the best finish in program history. The Mustang men’s cross country team came in seventh, its second-best finish ever.

Wesley Methum, Hannah Fredericks, Arianna Ghiorso and Ellen Palmgren earned NAIA All-American honors for the Mustangs. The men’s and women’s teams also won conference titles in November. For more TMU Athletics updates, visit gomustangs.com.

04 Fall 2021 saw the return of TMU’s Israel Bible Extension program (IBEX). Prof. John Black and Zack Harris led the program on the ground, while Prof. Jason Beals and Dr. Gregory Behle provided stateside leadership.

This semester’s group enjoyed the unique experience of having the land of Israel almost entirely to themselves, as tourist travel into the country has remained limited.

FA C U LT Y

UPDATES DR. TAI DANAE-BRADLEY (visiting research professor of mathematics and computer science) recently appeared on The Art of Discernment podcast, where she discussed the latest progress in artificial intelligence and language, and how that relates to her mathematical research. The podcast episode is set for release in early 2022.

UPCOMING

EVENTS JANUARY 5-11

WINTERIM

JANUARY 12-13

DR. TODD BOLEN (Bible) recently released the Photo Companion to the Bible: Paul’s Epistles. The collection illustrates each of Paul’s letters, from Romans to Philemon, with annotated photos illuminating the geographical, archaeological and cultural background to the content of each chapter. This collection, earlier volumes in the Photo Companion to the Bible series, and other photo resources released by Bolen can be found at bibleplaces.com.

This fall saw the release of a booklet written by DR. STUART SCOTT (graduate program of biblical counseling) titled, “Help! Someone I Love Suffers from Traumatic Brain Injury.”

Scott draws on his years of biblical counseling expertise, as well as personal experience with TBIs in his own health and the health of his family, in order to give practical and gospel-centered guidance to those affected. The booklet is available at shepherdpress.com.

This semester, the Laemmle theater in downtown Newhall generously partnered with TMU, allowing PROF. MATT GREEN’s Film History class to meet in one of its auditoriums.

Never before has Green been able to show the course’s lineup of classic films in a true movie theater setting. Both Green and his students were enthusiastic about the opportunity, noting how much of a difference it makes to experience these classic films on the big screen, the setting they were originally created for.

SPRING WEEK OF WELCOME

JANUARY 12-14

TRUTH & LIFE CONFERENCE

JANUARY 15

TMU WINTER 5K

JANUARY 17

SPRING SEMESTER OFFICIALLY BEGINS

JANUARY 28

In TMU’s kinesiology department, PROFS. DAVID LARSEN and JONATHAN SKAAR have been experimenting this semester with a virtual reality program for teaching students about the musculoskeletal system. Students are able to interact with 3D models in virtual reality, manipulating muscles, ligaments, bones and other components of the human body.

Last month, the department upgraded to a premium version of the system with better graphics, cadaveric studies, simulated ultrasonography, X-ray mode, a quizzing platform, and other features designed to enhance student learning.

OPERA CONCERT

JANUARY 29

MEN’S & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HOST WESTMONT

COMMUNITY BEST OF

THE WEB MASTER’S IN MINISTRY

VIDEO

RYAN & REBECCA WETHER

Watch at masters.edu/tmu-media

STAFF FOCUS: EVAN JENKINS

PODCASTS

EP. 13: DR. JOHN BECK ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP & THE GREAT COMMISSION

Listen at masters.edu/tmu-media

EP. 127: WHEN ANXIETY GRIPS OUR HEARTS

EP. 24: AQUATICS DIRECTOR GABE WOODWARD

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NEWS ARTICLES

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Read the full stories at masters.edu/news

Dr. Matthew McLain — director of TMU’s geoscience program — was honored by Cedarville University this semester as the school’s Young Alumnus of the Year Award winner.

When Arianna Ghiorso arrived at TMU as a freshman, she felt unequipped to lead the women’s cross country team and she often struggled to stay awake in chapel. A lot has changed since then.

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R YA N W E T H E R N ( T M U ’ 1 6 , T M S ’ 2 0 )

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N AT H A N I E L HANNAH JOSHUA LEVI

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Pleasant Home Community Church

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Trinity Bible Church

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Master’s Bible Church

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Community Bible Church

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Word of Grace Bible Church

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Grace and Truth Bible Church

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32120 S.E. Dodge Park Blvd., Gresham, OR 97080 Mike Johnston, Senior Pastor Ryan Wethern, Associate Pastor

14333 N.E. Whitaker Way, Portland, OR 97230 Will Custis, Pastor

2008 S.E. 8th Avenue, Camas, WA 98607 Joey DeRuntz, Pastor

N.W. 12 Way, Battle Ground, WA 98604 Stephen McDougall, Pastor

1317 N.W. 12th Ave, Battle Ground, WA 98604 Alexey Kolomiytsev, Senior Pastor Vitali Rozhko, Associate Pastor Dmitriy Zherebnenkov, Educator

3500 S.W. 104th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97005 Joseph White, Pastor

Community Baptist Church

7405 E. Main Street, Hillsboro, OR 97123 Meets at Tualatin Valley Academy Gym Rynold (Ryne) Dean, Pastor-Teacher Travis Godeaux, Elder

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Mt. Angel Bible Church

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Faith Bible Church

590 E. College Street, Mt. Angel, OR 97362 Meeting at St. Mary’s Public School Eric Spuur, Pastor

1889 Belmont Drive, Hood River, OR 97031 Chris Mullins, Senior Pastor

IN 2013, AFTER SERVING FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN FULL-TIME YOUTH MINISTRY IN RENO, NEVADA, OUR FAMILY MOVED TO SANTA CLARITA TO PURSUE BIBLICAL TRAINING AT THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY AND SEMINARY. After graduating from TMS, I was called to serve as the associate pastor at Pleasant Home Community Church in Gresham, Oregon, alongside Mike Johnston (TMS graduate). The church has been steadily growing over the past few years, but it has recently exploded with growth. This has given me many opportunities to teach, preach, counsel and work administratively.

Please pray that Pleasant Home Community Church will continue to be a light in our community.

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FA C U LT Y F O C U S

Members of the TMUS family were thrilled to help make the Legacy Standard Bible a reality.

by K A E LY N P E A Y

IN JANUARY 2020, DR. JOHN MACARTHUR AND DR. ABNER CHOU HAD A CONVERSATION. The topic? The New American Standard Bible. The idea? Taking the NASB, which they believed to be the best English Bible translation available, and refining it.

This idea soon developed into a plan, and translation work began in March of that year. In November 2021, the first print edition of the full translation, titled the Legacy Standard Bible, started shipping to the public.

Now complete and available online and in print, the LSB was a labor of love by faculty at The Master’s University and The Master’s Seminary who hope it will become a useful tool for those who love Scripture and want a fresh glimpse into the precision and depth of its language.

Chou, interim president of TMU, remembers one of the initial conversations he had with MacArthur about the project.

“We brainstormed some names of people who had expertise, would work well together, and could get the job done,” Chou says. “Within 10 or 15 minutes, we figured out who we wanted.”

The team included Dr. William Varner (professor at TMU) and Dr. Iosif Zhakevich (associate professor at TMS), who would help Chou shoulder the majority of the work for the New and Old Testaments, respectively. Dr. Paul Twiss (instructor at TMS), Dr.

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Mark Zhakevich (associate professor at TMS) and Jason Beals (assistant professor at TMU) were brought on as consultants to help problem-solve difficult issues.

From March to July 2020, the team worked at breakneck pace to finish the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. And once they sent that section of the LSB to the typesetters, they immediately transitioned to the rest of the Old Testament, which they finished translating in January 2021.

“It was really intense,” Chou says in describing the pace of the project. However, the gravity of what the group was doing made the work worthwhile.

Beals, who teaches biblical studies at TMU, remembers, “I was thinking that even just being a minor player in this would be something that would outlive me, Lord willing, in terms of its benefit and profound impact on believers.”

So, what was the motive behind the LSB project? It was not, as MacArthur made clear during a May 2020 interview, any lack of love or respect for the NASB. Quite the opposite.

“The NASB was a landmark moment in Bible translation, because it took into account better manuscripts that had been discovered since the traditional texts that were used for the King James Version,” MacArthur explained. “Here we have this incredible tool that has always recognized inerrancy, and we’ve said, ‘Let’s just refine it a bit.’ That is just a marvelous, providential gift of the Lord. I don’t know that any of us have ever had a more serious stewardship.”

In Chou’s words, the changes that the LSB makes to the NASB are “principle-focused,” applied consistently throughout the translation.

One principle was to use “Yahweh” when the original manuscripts use God’s covenant name, rather than replacing it with “LORD.” Another was to consistently translate the Greek word “doulos” as its more literal English equivalent, “slave,” rather than “servant.”

In fact, consistency of word choice was one of the team’s primary goals while translating.

Many English translations have a tendency to use synonyms for the sake of style, even when the original text uses the same word repeatedly. But the LSB team believed that the use of repetition within and across books of Scripture was actually one of the ways the Bible conveys meaning.

Chou says, “Consistent translation allows the reader to see what I see when I read my Greek and Hebrew Bible, and what the original readers saw when they read what the author had written. That’s what we want.”

Varner, a professor of biblical studies and Greek at TMU, pointed out an example in Judges that illustrates the power of consistency. The final verse of the book is translated in the LSB this way: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

" THERE’S A REASON FOR EVERYTHING. THAT’S WHAT YOU START TO DISCOVER WHEN YOU WORK ON TRANSLATING THE BIBLE. YOU START TO DISCOVER THE INTENSE LEVEL OF PRECISION THAT SCRIPTURE HAS.

"

A R O U N DTA B L E D I S C U S S I O N W I T H T H E L S B T R A N S L AT I O N T E A M .

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“There’s a reason for everything,” Chou says. “That’s what you start to discover when you work on translating the Bible.

You start to discover the intense level of precision that Scripture has.”

And then there was the joy of finally holding the finished LSB in print.

Last month, all six members of the translation team were presented with a goatskin copy of the full handy-size LSB.

THE TEAM WITH THEIR PERSONAL

“We looked like kids on Christmas morning,” Varner says.

COPIES OF THE COMPLETE LSB.

“That’s literally what the Hebrew says, and many translations have it that way,” Varner says. “However, there is a statement by the inimitable Samson when he has his eyes on a Philistine girl, and he tells his parents in Judges 14:3, literally, ‘Take her for me, for she is right in my eyes.’

“Most translations, including the NASB, say something like, ‘She looks good to me.’ Well, that’s what Samson means, but if you don’t translate it, ‘She is right in my eyes,’ you may miss the connection, which is that Samson is an epitome of the Book of Judges.”

Connections like these can be found all throughout the translation by careful readers.

Beals says, “What I’m really excited about with the LSB is that if the average reader picks it up, and they simply work on their observation skills as they’re reading, they will see these repetitions by virtue of the consistency of translation, and they will begin to pick up on themes that the author intended to communicate.”

Even for those working on the translation, who already knew the original languages and have careers as Bible scholars and teachers, the process of creating the LSB was one of discovery.

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Even though the complete translation is now available online and in print, a few things still remain to be done with the project. Perhaps the most important of these is the online release of the translators’ notes, which will allow readers to click on a word or verse and see the team’s rationale for their translation.

“The idea is to help laypeople have a better understanding of how to use the translation as a tool,” Chou says. “Because that’s what it is; it’s a tool to understand the original.”

In the meantime, what has already been accomplished is a remarkable feat.

“I am stunned by the kindness of the Lord in allowing this to happen,” MacArthur said in the May 2020 interview. “I can’t think of a greater legacy than handing off to this generation a refinement of the very best English translation available.”

To learn more about the LSB, read the full text online for free, or order a print copy, see lsbible.org.

KAELYN PEAY is a writer in the marketing department at The Master’s University.

01.12 - 01.14 MESSAGES BY

DR. John Macarthur DR. Abner Chou Greg Koukl

MASTERS.EDU/TRUTH-AND-LIFE

OFFICE HOURS

M s I y h W P l a i c u r C a ? s a m t s i r h C by

D R . PA U L P L E W

h c u S c i s u M f o t r a P ?

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It all started on the Judean hillside in Luke 2. The angel of the Lord said, “I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Suddenly, there was a multitude of angels proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men with whom He is pleased.”

That was the first Christmas proclamation. The sky was filled with thousands and thousands of angels making sounds that I believe went far beyond the beauty of what we call music. Since then, there have been many more occasions of celebrating Christmas through the making of joyful noises. There are many Christmas carols that date back hundreds of years. Let me list a few: • “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” dates back to Aurelius Clemens Prudentius in the fourth century.

He wrote for his own personal devotional use.

• “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” was written in the seventh century in Latin. It was translated by John Mason Neale into English in 1851. Many hymns that we sing today come from Neale’s translations from Latin.

first sung with the accompaniment of a single guitar because the organ was broken.

Of course, there are carols still being written today. A couple I will mention are “Joy Has Dawned Upon the World” by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, and “Exult in the Savior’s Birth” by Matt Boswell and D.A. Carson.

So why through the centuries, and all the way down to today, has there existed such a strong connection between music and Christmas?

For one thing, everyone loves Christmas. We love the music associated with it, both sacred and secular. Music reminds us of family gatherings. Often we think of family members who are not with us anymore. We think of our children when they were small. We think of the times around the Christmas tree singing carols and reading the Christmas story.

Hearing music again reminds us of where we were and who we were with when we sang or heard a particular carol on previous occasions. I remember being at the First

• One of my favorites of those translated from Latin is “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

• “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” dates to the 15th century, and the carol, “From Heaven Above” was written by Martin Luther in the same time period.

Many were written in the 17th and 18th centuries. They were often written by gifted poets and pastors and were combined with the music of major composers of the day.

That is why we still sing them, because the poems are attached to great music.

“Joy to the World” was written by Isaac Watts and set to music by George Frederick Handel. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” was written by Charles Wesley and set to music by Felix Mendelssohn.

There are other carols that have great stories behind them.

“Silent Night! Holy Night!” was written for a Christmas Eve service in 1818 in Oberndorf, Austria, by a pastor, Joseph Mohr, and church organist, Franz Gruber. It was

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DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES, MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CENTRAL PART OF CHRISTMAS; THAT’S CERTAINLY BEEN TRUE AT MASTER’S SINCE THE SCHOOL’S FOUNDING IN 1927.

for whom Hotchkiss Hall is named, and we sang for shut-ins who loved every minute of it.

We loved it, too. Music brought us together, and the music was tied to strong biblical texts that spoke of the most important event in history … the birth of our Savior.

TMU’S COME CHRISTMAS SING! CONCERTS STARTED NEARLY FOUR DECADES AGO. THIS ONE WAS IN 2011.

Baptist Church in Marathon, New York, as a young child, with a foot of snow outside, seeing my father leading the congregation in singing Christmas carols. I can see it now … the stained glass windows, everyone singing loudly, and my sister at the piano. It is like it happened yesterday.

I also remember playing the piano for the church choir in Marathon in the musical “Love Transcending” by John Peterson. Yes, my father was leading. Memories.

As you are reading this, think about past Christmas memories that you have had. Often music will awaken those thoughts of precious moments with precious people at a precious time of year.

At what other time of year do you see people gather together and go singing house to house? They also go to retirement centers, hospitals and community centers to sing and encourage people. Music brings them together. I loved getting family, friends and alumni of The Master’s University together to go out and sing carols. We would often have more than 25 people. We would go to such places as the home of Dr. John Dunkin, a former president of TMU (it was actually Los Angeles Baptist College then). We sang for Mrs. Hotchkiss, the wife of the man

Folks, people all around the world sing the gospel at Christmas. It is because of music that it is allowed. Some of the lyrics that leave the mouths of both the saved and unsaved include: • “This, this is Christ the king” • “Come adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn king” • “Christ was born to save” • “From our sins and fears release us, let us find our rest in Thee” • “Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled” There are people who seldom sing, but they always sing at Christmas. Did you know that more recordings are sold at Christmas than any other time of the year? There are people who seldom go to church, but they often go at Christmas. Why? The Christmas carols are a big part of it. They help us remember the past in relation to our faith, family and friends.

Christmas is a wonderful time to share our faith. Do it this year. Do you have someone in mind? Pray. Also, this is the time of year to think of mending fences. Is there someone you should reconnect with and say two of the hardest sentences in the English language — “I am sorry” and “I forgive you”?

Also, there are people who seldom go to concerts but

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People all around the world sing the gospel at Christmas.

It is because of music that it is allowed.

often go at Christmas. That is why we started our Come Christmas Sing! Concerts series 37 years ago. We feature all of the musical groups on campus, including the University Orchestra, University Singers, Master’s Chorale, handbells, ensembles and soloists. We also join with the audience in singing “The 12 Days of Christmas” and our annual Christmas Carol Sing. We also sing a major oratorio with orchestra, which allows our students to sing and play great art from the heart. We do this because we want everyone to experience the wonder of music at Christmas and the strong gospel message it shares.

So why is music such an important part of Christmas?

You could say, Christmas started with a song; it shares the greatest news ever told; it brings family, friends and community together; it brings back memories of loved ones, precious experiences and opportunities; it connects us to the past, which is often forgotten; and music also helps us think of the future. Since He came the first time, He will come again.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 reads, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven … and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them … and so we shall always be with the Lord” (LSB).

Let’s sing the Hallelujah Chorus. … He shall reign forever and ever King of kings and Lord of lords.

DR. PAUL PLEW Dean, School of Music

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A SHORT READING LIST

on INTELLECTUAL HISTORY The Universe Next Door JAMES SIRE I read this title in the first edition and have profited from each edition. Sire taught college English as a Christian and sought to engage students to consider how various writers viewed the world in which they lived. Using now seven basic questions, he asks students to consider how writers view God, the natural world, the nature of man, death, the basis for morality, and the meaning of human history. His work helped shape how I approach teaching.

How to Read Slowly JAMES SIRE Sire wrote this volume to help his students and Christian readers to examine how to read a text carefully to determine writers’ perspectives on their world. He uses his principles from his “The Universe Next Door” to show how to apply a careful analysis of a text.

Your Mind Matters: The Place of the Mind in the Christian Life JOHN STOTT After reading Sire’s book, I realized that the whole of the world of academics is a battle for the mind. “As a person thinks within, so is he/she.” This title combined with others helped me realize that as a teacher, I want to help students be careful what they put into their minds.

The Pattern of God’s Truth: The Integration of Faith and Learning FRANK E. GAEBELEIN Read with discernment. When Gaebelein delivered these lectures in 1952 to an audience of seminary students, he expressed a “dayage” / “gap” idea about Genesis and he used the phrase, “all truth is God’s truth.” Still, this volume is helpful in asking Christians to see all learning in light of God’s glory. How do the various disciplines manifest the glory of God? If all that Christians are to do is to glorify God, then how do areas of mathematics, art, physical education, science, literature, music, all glorify God?

Ideas Have Consequences RICHARD WEAVER This book is not written from a Christian perspective. An English professor in a public university, Weaver very perceptively traces how after World War II the disparate views of the world came to be.

Hauntingly perceptive, Weaver shows from a secular point of view how the thinking of the Western world came to the perspective it held. When I first read it, it seemed as if I was reading current events.

composed by DR. KURT HILD Professor, English

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CAMPUS FEATURE

A TRANSFORMATIVE YEAR — PART 2

After major projects in 2020, work to make TMU’s campus more beautiful and functional continued in 2021.

by Mason Nesbitt

When Dr. John Stead joined the faculty of Los Angeles Baptist College in 1970, the school’s Placerita Canyon campus consisted of just nine structures: a library, a dorm, a gym, the president’s home, four academic buildings and an administration/dining center.

Since then, Stead has seen the construction of five dormitories, the purchase of Grace Baptist Church’s property, which now constitutes North Campus, and a long series of building projects, renovations and remodels.

Still, Stead — who now serves as executive vice president of what’s become The Master’s University — says he has never seen a more dramatic transformation of campus than what’s taken place over the past few years.

“This has been an absolutely amazing time for the University,” he says.

Stead’s comments came near the end of 2021, a year in which Master’s continued to beautify its home and increase its functionality — completing a bevy of projects highlighted by major renovations of the library and Under the Oaks. The school also constructed an oncampus track and field training center.

The renovated library includes three huddle rooms, each featuring whiteboards and LED flat-screen TVs for student collaboration.

supports TMU’s mission: preparing students for lives of faithfulness to Christ and Scripture.

“TMU is extremely grateful to the donors who have sacrificially committed their personal resources to make so many of these campus upgrades possible,” says Todd Kostjuk, TMU’s chief financial officer and vice president of administration. “Most of all, we are grateful to the Lord who has made all of this possible by moving in donors’ hearts and continuing to bless TMU financially.”

Robert L. Powell Library In November, TMU completed a major renovation of the Robert L. Powell Library, updating the space to align with modern learning.

Kostjuk says libraries have become increasingly about collaboration and project space as study material migrates to digital platforms.

“What we wanted to do, in partnership with the library staff, the provost and academic staff, was to see how we can better utilize the library for how students would use it today,” Kostjuk says.

TMU retired the library’s two-story “ark” of study carrels, moving toward an open-space study concept.

TMU’s overarching goal was to honor the Lord by stewarding the resources He has provided. Practically speaking, that meant using donor and University capital funds to update the campus so that it better

That meant rethinking the building’s layout. TMU retired its two-story "ark” of study carrels and moved toward an open-space study concept, providing students with a variety of seating options and allowing a reasonable level of talking on the first floor (upstairs remains strictly a quiet zone). TMU installed seating equipped with USB and electrical outlets — for charging laptops and cell phones — and made more computers available for online research. One centerpiece of the renovation was the construction of three interactive huddle rooms.

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The huddle spaces feature whiteboards and LED flatscreen TVs to support class breakout sessions, group projects and tutoring. Students can reserve the rooms on touch-screen panels.

That’s what four TMU students did one morning earlier this month. The group was working on a final project for a social media class.

All semester, they’d been curating Facebook and Instagram accounts that highlighted events across campus. In one of the library’s huddle rooms, they gathered to reflect on what they’d learned and to write an executive summary. One takeaway was that posting social media content consistently, writing good captions, using hashtags properly, and effectively wielding features like Instagram Reels took diligence.

“Now we understand that it’s not that easy,” said Steven Barrera, a junior communication major.

TMU completed student hangout spaces with firepits beside Dixon and Slight halls this year.

Said Cam Specht, another member of the group: “With the old library setup, I preferred to study in my room.

But now there’s variation in the library of where you can study: at a table, in a comfy chair, in a conference room, in the (Brody Study Pods) upstairs. And the library is big enough where you can squirrel yourself away.”

What stood out to interim President Abner Chou was the atmosphere created by the reimagined library, a space in which TMU exposed already-existent vaulted ceilings and installed new, consistent lighting.

“What I’m looking for in a library is a place that inspires people to deeply study and think about the things of God,” Chou says. “You’re looking for a space where, yeah, it’s serious, but it’s also joyful and collaborative. And that’s what you see when you walk into the library. You see plenty of places for students to sit and talk without interrupting other students. You see space where they can think and contemplate. And with the lofty, raised ceilings, it’s a very open and inspiring space.”

Under the Oaks has become a versatile events space.

Around 11 a.m., the group realized its reservation of the huddle room would soon expire. "Should we extend it?” asked Jeremiah Yonemura, a freshman marketing media major, moving to the digital panel on the door to update the team’s booking.

Barrera was glad to stay a little longer.

“I’m an off-campus student, so to have this area is nice for meeting up,” he said. “Sometimes in the lower cafeteria, it’s too noisy. It’s nice to have a quiet space to all work together.”

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TMU made two other key additions to the library.

Outside the entrance, the University built an open-air study area, with tables and a fountain. And inside, it created an office for TMU’s director of interdisciplinary studies, Dr. Whitney Gamble-Smith. Interdisciplinary studies is currently one of the most popular majors in the country, in part, because it allows students to, in a sense, design their own major. The library renovation provides the program with a settled home base.

Under the Oaks Under the Oaks student space has always been, geographically speaking, a center point of campus. But after TMU completed a major renovation in August, the

space is now equipped to function that way.

will help with recruiting.

TMU leveled the outdoor space between Vider and King halls and went to work — building a large outdoor shade structure and installing a turf area for lounging, eating and recreation. TMU also equipped Under the Oaks with an advanced lighting system, Wi-Fi and a network-based sound system. This state-of-the-art equipment allows the space to accommodate events like View the U, TMU’s Week of Welcome, and Campus Life activities. Under the Oaks has also hosted occasional academic classes and chapel services.

“My dream has been that any track and field athlete who desires a world-class biblical education could find a home here at TMU,” Schroeder says. “Our new training center provides for exactly that.”

“What we want to do is make it as multipurpose and functional as possible,” Kostjuk says.

A key function of the space is fellowship.

TMU also completed numerous other projects this year, including renovations of Vider Hall (which houses the school’s human resources, accounting and registrar offices) and of offices inside the Biblical Studies Center and the English and History Center. The school constructed student hangout spaces with firepits next to Dixon and Slight dorms. And it finished renovating the Engineering and Computer Science Center and all eight bathrooms inside Hotchkiss Hall. Waldock Hall’s lobbies and dorm rooms were also updated. Work on the Hotchkiss pool is expected to be completed early in 2022.

Says Chou, “Under the Oaks is a space students can go in a small group to hang out and have some of the richest conversations they’ll ever have, conversations that we pray will be used to shape their lives forever for Christ and Scripture.”

These are the same kinds of conversations Chou hopes students will have inside the soon-to-be-completed Oaks Lounge, a hangout space for TMU’s off-campus students — located just south of the shade structure, Oaks Pavilion.

Track and Field Training Center TMU track and field coach Zach Schroeder believes his men’s and women’s programs are entering a new and promising era. Part of that prediction comes from the teams’ new digs. Last summer, TMU constructed a track and field training center located between the gym parking lot and the third-base side of TMU’s baseball stadium.

Kostjuk says many of TMU’s campus updates were aided by suggestions from across campus.

The facility consists of pole vault and high jump pits, along with four track lanes that can be used for pole runs, block training for sprints, and a portion of the 100and 110-meter hurdle events.

“We really had a lot of teammates and collaboration with people on campus who had great suggestions and ideas,” he says. “We incorporated a lot of their suggestions on how we can best utilize spaces around campus.”

TMU’s track and field training center features long jump and pole vault pits, four track lanes, and a long- and triple-jump runway.

The space’s long- and triple-jump runway terminates into a pit filled with premium sand. “It’s a jumper’s dream,” Schroeder says. “It will foster development of a stronger, more explosive athlete.”

As for the bigger picture, Schroeder believes the facility

MASON NESBITT is the director of communications at The Master’s University.

December

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COMMUNITY

FROM THE DESK OF

DR. JOHN STEAD

Dear Friends of TMU: It is hard to believe that the first semester of 2021-2022 is history. Students have completed their final exams and have scattered all over the country. The Come Christmas Sing! Concert series was presented on Dec. 3 and 4. This year it came back to campus with great anticipation. Many of our attendees make it an annual event.

The campus has never looked more beautiful, as lighting throughout campus has been significantly upgraded. One of the largest campus upgrades, Powell Library, was completed and dedicated on Nov. 9, with Dr. MacArthur and Dr. Chou officiating. On Nov. 6, the women’s and men’s cross country teams both won the GSAC conference championships. For the women, it was two years in a row, and for the men it was 12 years in a row, which set an all-time conference record in any sport.

Another event that might be of interest is TMU’s Engage Day. One of the most important relationships the University works hard to maintain is with our neighbors in Placerita Canyon. This past October, the campus “engaged” with them in service. Some 200 TMU students washed windows and cars, raked leaves and did all kinds of household chores.

These are just some of the highlights of the first semester that I believe would not have taken place without your support and prayers.

Since students have departed for Christmas break, the pace of activity has certainly slowed. This gives our faculty and staff time to focus on other issues, such as grading papers and catching up with projects that need major attention.

This period from Thanksgiving through the new year allows time to thank our Lord for His incredible blessings throughout the fall semester. But the greatest blessing of all is the coming of the Son who brings the great gift of salvation from our sins, as well as the ultimate hope that one day we will possess redeemed bodies and be forever with our Savior. Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

May each of you have a blessed Christmas.

In Him,

Dr. John Stead TMU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

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The M U S T A N G C O N N E C T I O N

JUST CATCHING UP

adam holland tmu connection Holland graduated from TMU in 2004 with a business degree. He then earned his teaching credential from TMU in 2006 and a master’s degree in education in 2011.

matt & steph nalamlieng

where he's at Santa Clarita, California

on the job He has worked as a teacher at West Ranch High School since 2007.

favorite memory of tmu There are way too many wonderful memories of conversations (and laughs) in the lower cafeteria, conversations walking to North Campus, of course IBEX in the summer of 2004, SLS retreats, and always, lifelong friendships. Most of all, I am grateful for the biblical foundation I received, which solidified my faith and helped me through several storms, including brain cancer.

how can the tmu community pray for you?

Thank you for your prayers! As teachers, we can always use prayer. As a public school teacher, we could use as many prayers as you can give. Pray for my students, my colleagues, and that I will best glorify the Lord in what is an increasingly dark world.

tmu connection Matt graduated in 2008 with a degree in biology and a pre-med emphasis.

Steph graduated in 2010 with a degree in music and an emphasis in communication.

children Yael - 7 Zoe - 5 Ezra - 3

where they’re at Pasadena, California

on the job Matt works as a podiatrist, and Steph is a homemaker.

favorite memory of tmu Dorm life for sure. We made lifelong memories and friendships with roommates and dormmates who we walk alongside even to this day. People who blessed us during good times and encouraged us during the tough times. And then probably any class with professors Horner or Behle.

how can the tmu community pray for you?

Please pray for wisdom on raising children in these current times, for faithfulness in the pursuit of God's Word both in our marriage and in our individual lives, and for trust and thankfulness for God's plans and timing.

December

2021

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COMMUNITY

ALUMNI

JOB BOARD IT Support A P P LY N O W

Laboratory Technician A P P LY N O W

Videographer A P P LY N O W

Graphic Designer A P P LY N O W

Junior Broker A P P LY N O W

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The M U S T A N G C O N N E C T I O N

SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHT

TMU FUND

Advancing The University’s Highest Priority

The TMU Fund is the University’s unrestricted annual fund that represents an ongoing investment in its highest priority: improving affordability for every TMU student so that we can execute our mission.

The baseline goal upon which all other ambitions are built is to make The Master’s University affordable for all students. We would like students at TMU to experience their education fully, without having to work additional jobs to cover tuition bills. Our desire is for alumni to be able to transition to their careers when they graduate unsaddled by debilitating sums of debt. TMU’s mission necessitates that we seriously address affordability, allowing our students and their families to focus on educational possibilities at TMU rather than a prohibitive price tag.

In short, the TMU Fund invests in The Master’s University’s most critical ministry opportunity — its students.

Learn more at masters.edu/give/TMU-Fund.

MASTER’S CONNECT This is where you’ll find a monthly alumni newsletter, a church directory, a job board, and the opportunity to network with other members of the TMU family.

All in one place. stay connected at masters.edu/alumni

THANK YOU FOR READING

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You can check out any editions you missed by clicking on the covers below or by visiting masters.edu/magazine. We look forward to continuing to serve you in 2022.

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A PUBLICATION of THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY

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TMU GRAD SCOTT MABS NEVER PLANNED ON BEING THE CEO OF AN ORGANIC FRUIT COMPANY.

HIS GOAL WAS JUST TO BE FAITHFUL.

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A PUBLICATION of THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY

LIGHTS. CAMERA. OPERA!

GOD USED A SUMMER MISSION TRIP TO PREPARE TMU GRAD JOHN MOSLEY FOR HIS MINISTRY AS A COLLEGE BASKETBALL COACH.

TMU GRAD LUKE NORVELL IS ABOUT TO ENTER ONE OF THE WORLD’S PREMIER INSTITUTIONS

CHRIST SAVED GRADUATE MADI MAITLAND THREE YEARS BEFORE THE SUDDEN DEATH OF HER FATHER. AMID THE PAIN, SHE HAS SHOWN REMARKABLE FAITH.

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Making Sense of Today’s News Media Takes Time, Effort & Introspection

A PUBLICATION of THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY

TMU GRAD JOSHUA ROGERS VIEWS HIS CAREER AS A SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE THROUGH THE LENS OF MATTHEW 5.

‘ WE’RE CALLED TO BE LIGHTS.’

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September 2021 vol.

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FOR TRAINING OPERA

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A PUBLICATION of THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY

by D R . B O B DICKSON

D

r. Ruta Bloomfield loves fine art, classical music and baseball. And if you spend much time with the TMU professor, you probably will too.

sic Such a Why Is Mu of Christmas?

Crucial Part by

D R . PA U L P L E W

Dr. Shelbi Cullen and Kimberly Cummings provide biblical and practical wisdom by coming alongside women with the teaching and resources necessary to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

LISTEN AT MASTERS.EDU/WOMENSHOPE

Dr. Bob Dickson interviews professors from across The Master’s University on topics related to current events and higher education, all from a biblical worldview.

LISTEN AT MASTERS.EDU/THEARTOFDISCERNMENT

01.15.22 santa clarita, california · 9 am register at gomustangs.com/winter-5k