The Mustang Connection June 2021

June 2021 vol.

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MUSTANG CONNECTION

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A PUBLICATION of THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY

LIGHTS. CAMERA. OPERA! TMU GRAD LUKE NORVELL IS ABOUT TO ENTER ONE OF THE WORLD’S PREMIER INSTITUTIONS FOR TRAINING OPERA SOLOISTS

WELCOME to THE MUSTANG CONNECTION. SUMMER IS HERE! And as you lounge by the pool or leave town on vacation, we hope you’ll bring this edition along for the ride. This month, you’ll meet a recent TMU graduate who’s been accepted to one of the world’s premier institutions for training opera soloists.

Luke Norvell, who has a dynamic tenor voice and a tender heart for Christ, will start at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia this fall. You’ll also hear from Dr. Grant Horner, who makes a passionate — and entertaining — case for why he started a classical liberal arts major at TMU. Horner shares a delightful anecdote involving C.S. Lewis that you won’t want to miss. Finally, we’ll talk to Dr. Greg Gifford about his latest book, “Heart & Habits: How We Change for Good.”

As always, you can sign up to receive this magazine via email at masters.edu/the-mustangconnection. We hope you’ll share it with a friend.

C O V E R P H OT O BY T R I N I T Y P E R A LTA

CONTENTS

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A Case for the Classical Liberal Arts

by D R. G R A N T H O R N E R

A Talented Tenor

A Biblical Perspective on Habits

M A S T E R’S I N M I N I S T RY:

Kirk & Corrie Welch

Alumni Job Board

Upcoming Events

Scholarship Highlight June

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OFFICE HOURS

W H AT D O E S A C L A S S I C A L E D U C AT I O N H AV E TO D O W IT H M O D E R N - D AY L I F E ?

WELL ...

EVERYTHING. There is an ancient commonplace — that is, a phrase of wisdom often repeated by thoughtful scholars and wellread persons — which has been variously attributed to several of the greatest medieval theologians. Its origin is unknown. The line is brief and beautiful, exemplifying classical rhetorical devices such as parataxis and asyndeton and tricolon. But beyond fancy linguistic terminology, the beautifully balanced line is a pearl of wisdom in three parts: “Numquam negare, raro affirmare, semper distinguere.”

Never negate, rarely affirm, always distinguish.

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*** A few years back I had an opportunity to give a talk at New College Oxford, and enjoyed the astonishing blessing of meeting and spending some time with Walter Hooper, who had been the best friend of the aging C.S. Lewis, and later the executor of his literary estate. Hooper had come from America to Oxford as an undergraduate, and I asked him to tell me his favorite C.S. Lewis story.

When he arrived for his first year at Oxford, he happened to meet Lewis and told him of his planned studies in English literature. Lewis enthusiastically invited him over to his home for tea and conversation. Hooper imagined that he would arrive as a minor guest at a large party of distinguished academics, the recipient of a pity-invitation, and was quite terrified when he entered Lewis’s home and realized this was to be a one-on-one with perhaps the most famous writer of his time. Lewis brewed a pot of tea, and began by asking the nervous Hooper, “Which of

by D R . G R A N T H O R N E R

my books do you think is the best?”— rather an awkward opening moment, as Walter told me that day in Oxford!

Hooper the googly-eyed freshman responded, “Well, uh, sir, my favorite is ...” but the Oxford Don responded with his hand in the air, “No, no, I didn’t ask you which one you preferred — I asked you which was the best.”

Realizing the young student was befuddled, the brilliant professor went to brew another pot of tea, and the conversation picked up in a similarly literary and erudite vein. It went on through a good part of the afternoon, and pot after pot of tea was consumed. Hooper then told me that the inevitable, embarrassing moment came to pass: he needed to use the toilet. He nervously stood up, interrupting Lewis, and asked, “May I use your bathroom, sir?” Lewis responded, “Oh yes, yes of course, right this way,” and took him upstairs, opening a small white door which the student entered, and saying quickly, “There you are — fresh towels, soap, and the tub. Enjoy your bath.” And closed the door with a distinct click. The

horrified young man looked around. There was indeed a tub, with soap and towel laid out, and there was a small sink. And nothing else. Minutes passed as he mulled over all conceivable options. None were appropriate to the situation. This was C.S. Lewis’s home! He desperately needed to go to the bathroom, but it was not possible in that little room. He was too humiliated to go back downstairs and tell the famous literature professor of their mutual miscommunication. He was absolutely paralyzed with grief and shock — what a first impression! “What does one do? What does one do in such a nightmare scenario?”

Hooper told me. I was bursting with suppressed laughter at his story, wondering how it would end.

Finally the faltering young American student, who did not understand the crucial British distinction between a “bathroom” and a “water closet,” gave in, as he could bear it no longer — physically or emotionally. He opened the door to find the intimidating professor still standing right there, almost 10 minutes later, himself trembling with June

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suppressed laughter and a bright red face.

“That will cure you of those bloody American euphemisms!”

And that day Walter Hooper, Oxford freshman from North Carolina, learned the crucial distinction between making necessary distinctions ... and failing to do so.

The classical liberal arts major at The Master’s University just had our first graduate, Tate England, who was actively recruited as a teacher by more than one school and had a faculty contract offered before she finished. Numerous classical schools are already actively pursuing next year’s graduates. The number of students majoring in CLA has doubled each semester since it began. These are great markers of success for a major that is only two years old.

But beyond gainful employment is the real reason behind a classical liberal arts education: to cultivate the ability to think with precision; to recognize, pursue, and enjoy goodness, truth, and beauty; and in those things — things both human and divine — to seek and love and serve God more fully. This has been a significant part of the experience of Christians through the ages, from Augustine to C.S. Lewis, by way of Boethius, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, and countless others.

DR. GRANT HORNER, RIGHT, WITH WALTER HOOPER AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY IN 2001.

*** I have been asked many times, “Why in the world would you create a major in classical liberal arts?” The idea sounds absurd in the twenty-first century. It is retrograde, backwards-thinking, useless. What do you do with that?

Well, there is both a practical and a personal reason to pursue classics. One of the fastest-growing movements in the church for the last four decades is seen in classical Christian schools: there was just one in the early 1980s, and now there are hundreds of schools across the U.S., with tens of thousands of students and as many as 8,000 seniors graduating each year. These schools use an ancient approach to discussion-based learning, grounded in the Christian faith, and with a curriculum built on the Western canon, the sum of learning in Judaeo-Christian culture. They do not work at all like public schools, or traditional Christian schools, themselves modeled on public school pedagogy.

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The study of classics does not mean just Shakespeare and Jane Austen and Virgil and Rembrandt and Beethoven, all the while being forced to learn Latin and Greek. The idea of the “classical” and the “classics” is a conceptual framework derived from the Latin classis, which means “standard.”

Many of the ancient pagans, through what theologians call “common grace,” had a deep sense that there were final and absolute standards of judgment in many areas, such as aesthetics, philosophy, and intellectual cultural production of all kinds. Some things were qualitatively better than others. Rhetorician-philosophers like Cicero believed that aesthetic standards somehow reflected and were linked with moral standards — that both were part of a universe that was built on some final standard, some final absolute judgment of value … or that at least required an attempt to discover such a standard.

While the idea of final or absolute standards is often considered highly debatable among us humans, it is very telling that many great thinkers have tried to work through the related question of objectivity and subjectivity. Claiming that everything is subjective (as seems quite rational to many) is a self-dismantling kind of statement, because it is of course absolutist. Claiming that everything is objective and therefore plain and obvious doesn’t quite seem to work either, as humans have observably different responses in some if not all

categories, such as aesthetics. We can’t even agree on moral standards it seems. And yet all of us share a moral sense of some kind. This suggests the existence of a moral framework that we cannot fully articulate or follow that is somehow built into our consciousness — it is hardwired into our very souls. This is precisely what Paul describes in the second half of Romans 1. So what does this have to do with getting an education, classical or otherwise?

The common reason for procuring an education now is to get a good job with excellent pay and benefits. But is that the only reason, or even a half-sufficient motivation for a believer?

If the purpose of education is to be reoriented to the ancient classical “standard” — to “know thyself” through the study of everything under the sun (as Solomon says in Ecclesiastes, and as many old pagan philosophers articulated) and by self-knowledge to simultaneously recognize our glorious divine origin and our tragically fallen state (as Calvin argues in the opening of the Institutes), then what might that education look like?

Well for one thing it wouldn’t be merely work, or in the common phrasing, schoolwork.

Our word “school” comes from the classical Greek word schole, which actually means “leisure.” The original idea was that once you had procured your living from the land, if you were fortunate, you had some leisure time for learning. Learning was actually play. It was joyful. The Romans had a similar concept — business and work were called negotium — the negation of otium. What was otium?

Leisure, play, enjoyment, fun! Learning, reading, study, and, very importantly, conversation about what you’re learning was the highest form of otium — not what you had to do, but what you got to do, after you’d finished your business “negotiations.”

Schole, otium, doesn’t seem like “work” — it is not drudgery; it is joyful. It is hard work that is pleasurable. That is why we often meet outside for my classes, by the fountain, or at the cafe, or in my garden, by the pond, next to the fireplace, at my home. I want my students to be sad when class ends, and when the semester is over! Real learning, for believers, has a positive, pleasurable effect — and a moral

one. It does not pander to narcissism — it dismantles the ego by showing us our ignorance. It does not make you selfish — it expands the mind in empathy toward humans and adoration toward God. It is not narrow-minded — it considers all subjects and disciplines: language, literature, history, philosophy, all the arts, every branch of science and mathematics, and does so through exploratory reading, observation, and discussion, bringing all thoughts captive to the Word of God. Not only is it not non-judgmental, it is specifically designed to teach right judgment — making right distinctions and proper valuations. It is, in other words, the absolute opposite of what happens in most schools and universities these days. It teaches you to weigh all things wisely and charitably. Semper distinguere.

Most fallen human ideas about most things tend to be wrong, at least in part. And on top of that, we tend to judge poorly. So we must be careful to follow numquam negare — never to immediately negate an idea. It must first be examined, and then judged wisely. Similarly, we must not jump happily and foolishly on the bandwagon for every idea that comes our way — we must practice raro affirmare — rarely affirm. Much of human thought is in error, and we are poor judges, with sinful affections and desires. But our greatest weakness — a terrible result of our fall from perfection — is our inability to make proper distinctions between things; to cite an example by progression, between good and evil, but also between good and better, better and best, best and God’s will, for example.

Semper distinguere. *** To consider further the Western linguistic roots of our own learning culture, note that the Latin infinitive verb educere means “to be led out from.” Out from what?

Out from the self.

The worst effect of any kind of ignorance is utter selffocus — the kind an infant has. They don’t know any better, and, as adorable as they are, they are ultimately

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little barbarians, concerned with no one, and aware of no one, except themselves. This is why we educate them, at every level, from parenting to the playground to school, on how to be a good human. We lead them out from themselves. The worst insult a man can receive is to be called an infant. A real education grows you into a fully formed human.

The best way to do this is to walk the student carefully and thoughtfully through “the best that has been thought and said” (according to Victorian critic and education theorist Matthew Arnold): those works of human culture that have stood the test of time by being repeatedly examined in order to understand their very staying power. This staying power (what I call “cultural tenacity”) is inevitably grounded in a mysterious ability to provoke a response which is aesthetic and moral as well as intellectual — and therefore, at root, spiritual. ***

A SHORT READING LIST

on BIBLICAL GEOGRAPHY & ARCHAEOLOGY Zondervan Atlas of the Bible CARL G. RASMUSSEN

This classic stands out for its clear descriptions of Israel’s geography and its conservative interpretation of biblical history. This is both a terrific introduction and a valuable reference.

Unearthing the Bible: 101 Archaeological Discoveries That Bring the Bible to Life TITUS KENNEDY

But if that education is to be of actual value, true and good and beautiful in the best sense, it must be built upon standards that are grounded and tangible. While the Western canon has many great things to offer (and many that can be critiqued), unless it is further grounded, yes, absolutely grounded, in Scripture and the Lordship of Christ, all it will produce is an erudite, sophisticated barbarian.

To learn more about classical liberal arts at TMU, visit masters.edu/cla

From ancient creation accounts to New Testament manuscripts, this new book highlights the most important archaeological finds related to the Bible, emphasizing Scripture’s historical accuracy.

Where God Came Down: The Archaeological Evidence JOEL P. KRAMER

This lavishly illustrated work explores 10 important locations in biblical history, combining archaeological analysis with devotional application.

A Rooster for Asklepios CHRISTOPHER D. STANLEY

This historical novel immerses the reader in the firstcentury Roman world in telling the story of a master and his slave who travel through Asia Minor in the time of Paul. Written by an expert in Greco-Roman customs, this fascinating read is meticulously researched.

DR. GRANT HORNER Professor, Renaissance and Reformation Studies

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composed by DR. TODD BOLEN Professor, Biblical Studies

COVER STORY

A s he prepares to

enter an elite opera program in the fall, Luke Norvell says TMU provided him with the vocal and spiritual training he needed

Luke Norvell loves opera. That’s about as understated as saying the recent graduate of The Master’s University has just an OK singing voice.

Norvell, who will soon attend the Academy of Vocal Arts, one of the world’s premier institutions for training opera soloists, wears his devotion to opera on his sleeve.

“Opera is an art form that encompasses all art forms,” says Norvell, who also earned acceptance to The Juilliard School. “There's music. There’s dance. There's visual arts.

There's singing. There’s instruments. It has everything you need.”

As it turned out, Norvell’s passion for opera led him to briefly consider transferring after his freshman year to a larger music program near his home in Washington state.

But that never happened.

by M A S O N N E S B I T T

Ultimately, an exceptional voice teacher in TMU’s School of Music and a curriculum based on the Word of God helped convince Norvell to remain at Master's. And after graduating summa cum laude in May, he says he’s glad he stayed.

Looking back, he says he received both the vocal and spiritual training he needed. *** You can’t tell the story of Norvell’s time at TMU without mentioning Eric Carampatan.

An accomplished baritone, Carampatan has performed all over the world. He's wowed fans in some of Europe’s best opera houses. He’s been a soloist in Sydney. He’s served as a guest artist at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

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Carampatan is also a follower of Jesus Christ. And for the last four years, he’s served as an adjunct professor in TMU’s School of Music. That’s where, in the fall of 2017, he met a freshman with an impressive voice and room to grow.

“Luke said without hesitation that he wanted to sing opera,” Carampatan says. “So I said, ‘We have great work to do, and no time to waste.’”

The son of a doctor, Carampatan often begins his lessons by emphasizing the anatomy of singing. He points to charts of rib cages, lungs and diaphragms — insisting that proper breathing technique is as important to singing as air tanks are to scuba diving. In both cases, you don’t want to run out of air. “The consequences would be dire,” he says.

Another key area of development came in urging Norvell to be himself. Young singers, Carampatan says, often want to imitate famous voices, like Adele or Pavarotti. “But we've already had those,” he says. “I tell every student, ‘You’ve got to be what God made you.’”

Despite the early progress, Norvell considered transferring to a university closer to home that featured a voice teacher he’d worked with previously (the school was also scheduled to put on two shows that piqued Norvell’s interest).

On the other hand, Norvell believed in Carampatan.

He appreciated the instructor’s attention to detail and ability to merge musicality, presentation and vocal technique. He also trusted that TMU’s School of Music, which is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, would help him take the next step in his career.

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“It got me asking the question, ‘How can I best have a compelling faith that helps people see Christ and want Him.’” about was singing as well as I could,” Norvell says. “But the reality is, if you can't convince the audience that you really believe what you're saying, then you’ll lose them.”

Norvell didn’t want that. So, he watched himself in the mirror and on video, analyzing how he could better embody the characters he played and growing more comfortable day by day.

Meanwhile, Norvell sang with The Master’s Chorale and University Singers. He also improved his diction in Italian and French classes offered by the School of Music, and in a class on conducting, he learned how a production’s score should influence character and vocal decisions.

Onstage, Norvell took cues from Sarah Dixon, TMU’s director of vocal studies. He debuted in “The Telephone” as a sophomore, and he starred in the school’s opera scenes as a junior and senior.

He wasn’t disappointed.

In the process, his voice continued to mature.

Over the next three years at TMU, Norvell continued to unlock a storehouse of natural talent. Carampatan helped him successfully transition from singing as a baritone to a tenor, a better fit for his voice, and together they worked on Norvell’s stage presence. “When I came here, I didn't really think about acting. All I thought

“His voice is full, but not too heavy,” Dixon says.

“He moves smoothly from note to note. And he can powerhouse the high notes, which as a tenor, you've got to be able to do every time — and he does it.”

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

It helped that Norvell always put in the work. “He

never came to a lesson unprepared,” Carampatan says.

“Never.” **** TMU’s commitment to Christ and Scripture was another major reason Norvell decided not to transfer.

**** As the director of vocal studies, Dixon always tells incoming students about additional performance opportunities at nearby opera companies in the greater Los Angeles area.

Norvell took full advantage.

As a teen, baseball games had often kept Norvell from church — something that he says stunted his spiritual growth and knowledge of the Word. So, as a freshman, he was awestruck by Dr. Abner Chou’s Essentials of Christian Thought class. Norvell especially enjoyed the course’s focus on how to study the Bible.

“That’s something that’s going to carry me for the rest of my life,” he says.

Norvell’s time in the School of Music had a similar impact; professors like Dixon and Dr. Paul Plew emphasized the true reason to pursue the craft. “It’s so easy as musicians to idolize what we do, and to do it for the wrong reasons,” Norvell says. “We’re called to use the gifts that God has given us as an act of worship.”

Christians are also called to encourage one another, something Norvell experienced firsthand at TMU. “It was so valuable to have people in my dorm who know the Lord and are able to keep me accountable,” he says. “Just being with other godly men who are in the same stage of life, to be able to talk to them about the Lord and study the Bible with them was something I wouldn't have had hardly anywhere else.”

There was fun to be had, too, like day trips to San Diego or the beach and a visit to Downtown Disney. “Some of my best friends are from my dorm,” Norvell says.

Then there was chapel, where messages pointed Norvell to Christ. One preaching series that stood out was on “Compelling Christianity."

“It got me asking the question, ‘How can I best have a compelling faith that helps people see Christ and want Him,’” Norvell says.

In addition to performing at TMU, he appeared in more than 10 other shows, one of his favorite roles coming as Prince Charming with an opera company in Orange County.

On several occasions, Dixon and other TMU professors traveled to watch Norvell — often receiving similar feedback from directors and cast members. “They always say, ‘Oh, Luke is the best. He’s always prepared.

He’s always on time. He's always kind,’” Dixon says.

“Whether they know it or not, Luke is representing the Lord well.”

Sometimes that has led to conversations about Christ — conversations Norvell hopes to have during the next stage of his journey.

Accepted to The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music and several other prestigious programs, Norvell chose the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, in part, because tuition was free and it specializes in performance training (in four years, he’ll receive an artist diploma).

One day, Norvell hopes to perform with opera companies in the U.S. or overseas — an aspiration Carampatan believes is well within reach.

“He’s a tenor and he can sing difficult parts,” the instructor says. “He has the work ethic, and we know that whatever God wants you to walk into, you’ll be prepared for it.

Luke has the talent to be very successful.”

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

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FA C U LT Y F O C U S

T M U P R O F E S S O R’ S L AT E S T B O O K AIMS TO HELP CHRISTIANS U N D E R S TA N D T H E C O N N E C T I O N B E T W E E N W H AT T H E Y FR E Q U E N T LY DO AND THEIR HEARTS

A BIBLICAL P E R S P E C T I V E on “As it is not one swallow or a fine day that makes a spring, so it is not one day or a short time that makes a man blessed and happy.”

So said Aristotle. From this idea we have gotten the memorable and Instagram-worthy line, “Excellence is not an act, but a habit.”

Aristotle’s point was that happiness and character are not the result of one event, but instead flow from what a person does habitually every day. The Puritans thought and wrote often about this same idea, pondering how habits fit into the sanctification process. But nowadays, it seems like only secular psychologists and productivity gurus write about habits.

That’s why Dr. Greg Gifford, an associate professor of biblical counseling at The Master’s University, set out to write his new book “Heart & Habits: How We Change for Good.” He wanted to give believers a Scripturebased resource to help them learn how to glorify God with their habits.

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by K A E LY N P E A Y

Gifford says that, at its core, his book is about the “interplay between what we frequently do and our heart.” He hopes to address two errors that Christians make when it comes to habits. On the one hand, some people approach habits by emphasizing the actions and ignoring the underlying motivations. On the other hand, Gifford believes that more people make the mistake of neglecting habits entirely.

“There is this spirit of, ‘Well, I’m not going to obey until I really feel like doing it, because that would be phony,’” he says. “‘I’m not going to wake up and do my devotions this morning because I don’t feel like it. My heart’s not there.’ That new form of legalism, ‘Don’t act until you feel like it,’ involves a serious misunderstanding of the heart.”

The antidote to this new legalism is learning how God uses our habits to change our hearts.

Gifford begins the book by borrowing a Puritan metaphor that compares the sanctification process to a

campfire. God gives the initial spark of change, but it is the believer’s responsibility to stoke the flame through spiritual effort.

“Once we have that symbiosis — once we have that flame burning well — it’s much easier to maintain the campfire. And that’s the way it works for habit development. Once you’ve developed good, godly, beneficial habits, change will start becoming easier over time. So much so that you can begin doing what honors God in a habitual way without thinking a lot about it.”

Gifford gives the example of a car accident. If a believer has practiced thinking about and approaching situations in light of God’s sovereign and loving purposes in everyday life, it’s more likely that their knee-jerk reaction to an accident will be trust, not panic.

The key to developing this sort of instinctual faithfulness is by beginning to act faithfully even when we don’t feel like it. This is because, as Gifford explains, “God uses what we do to shape what we want to do — to steer and direct it.”

In his ministry as a biblical counselor, Gifford has often observed this heart/habit dynamic and guided people through it. “If a person says, ‘I don’t really have the warm fuzzies for my spouse,’ I’m like, ‘That may be true right now. But how do you get the warm fuzzies for your spouse? It’s through Spirit-filled obedience. It’s through the practices you do every day as you habitually do what God has called you to do. That’s how the warm fuzzies come about.’”

putting on godly ones, and experiencing the resulting heart change. No one has arrived, but every one of us can look back on our lives so far and see progress.

Gifford hopes that his book will become a valuable tool for people in this journey — a biblically faithful alternative to secular resources.

Rachel Miller, a recent graduate of TMU’s biblical counseling program and one of the book’s proofreaders, says, “There are a ton of books on habits out there, but they’re very self-help, pull-yourself-up-by-yourbootstraps books. Dr. Gifford’s book comes from a biblical perspective. It talks about how change actually happens and the balance between personal responsibility and the work of the Spirit.”

Gifford plans to continue developing new resources, including a series of videos on the book’s website and a companion workbook for those wanting to get serious about habit development. In the meantime, this book will help readers overcome common misconceptions about obedience and encourage them to be faithful even when it feels difficult.

“One of the most admirable steps of obedience is doing something even when you don’t feel like it,” Gifford says. “If you let your emotions — your state of being in the moment — prevent you from being obedient, you are never going to see heart change. But if you say, ‘God, I don’t want to do this, but I trust you, and I’m going to do what you’re calling me to do according to your Word’ — boom. That’s money.”

In Gifford’s own life, church attendance was something that began as a habit and moved to the heart.

“There was a time when going to church was a hard habit to practice. But now it’s not. And that’s true for a lot of people; we just know that Sunday morning is church time, and we don’t have to wrestle with that.

And that habit of going to church has shaped our hearts so much that now we want to go, and it’s just part of what we do.”

Every believer, regardless of maturity level, is in the middle of this process. We are all putting off bad habits,

You can purchase Gifford’s book on Amazon or learn more at heartandhabits.com.

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

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FEATURE BEST OF

THE WEB MASTER’S IN MINISTRY

VIDEOS

KIRK & CORRIE WELCH

Watch and listen at masters.edu

THE ABSOLUTE URGENCY OF CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION with DR. ABNER CHOU

5 TMU ENGINEERING PROMO

PODCASTS

8 6 EP. 3: DR. MCLAIN ON A CRUCIAL FOSSIL DISCOVERY

EP.121: TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD - SUBJECT TO HUSBANDS

NEWS ARTICLES

EP. 22: AN INTERVIEW with WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH LISA ZAMROZ

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Read the full stories at masters.edu/news

While our students traveled home for the summer, Dean of Campus Life Jonny Ardavanis (TMU, ’13) headed north to Hume Lake Christian Camps. Read about the work he’s doing and how it connects with his vision for TMU students.

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In high school, Aaron Ramirez was introduced to TMU at the Truth & Life Conference. Four years later, thanks to a generous donor, he graduated from Master's with a business degree, lasting friendships and a greater love for Christ.

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KIRK (TMU, ’94)

JONAH - 22 CALEB - 20 BENJAMIN - 18 JOSIAH - 14 TITUS - 10

I AM THE SENIOR PASTOR OF CORNERSTONE BIBLE CHURCH IN WESTFIELD, INDIANA. Westfield is a rapidly growing suburb on the northside of Indianapolis, and our church is located in the center of a 1,000-house neighborhood. We are a congregation of gospel-centered people fiercely devoted to proclaiming God’s truth and loving people well. It has been my joy to serve here for over 16 years. Please pray that God would use us to save people here in our city and disciple them to maturity and usefulness for Christ and His kingdom.

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Cornerstone Bible Church

720 Liberty Drive, Westfield, IN 46704 Kirk Welch, Lead Pastor Ryan Swedberg, Youth Pastor Daniel Morales, Worship Director

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Cornerstone Community Fellowship

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Zion Bethel Church

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Battle Ground Bible Church

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Calvary Baptist Church

The Bible Church of Brownsburg

6045 E County Road 500 N, Brownsburg, IN 46112 David Kaneversky, Associate Pastor

First Baptist Church

1010 E. 126th Street, Carmel, IN 46033 Kurt Larson, Pastor of Discipleship & Administration

Castleview Church

1375 Maple Rd., Plymouth, IN 46563 Stephen Cox, Lead Pastor

415 S. Third St., Monticello, IN 47960 Aaron Smith, Assistant Pastor

2430 East 600 North, West Lafayette, IN 47906 Ken Loehe, Senior Pastor

1399 Falls Avenue, Wabash, IN 46992 Matt Haynes, Senior Pastor

8601 Hague Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46256 Kelly Wright, Associate Pastor

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JOB BOARD

TMU ALUMNI

JOB BOARD Employers from across the country are seeking to hire TMU alumni, and we would love to help you in your career search. Please feel free to contact us at alumni@masters.edu.

Social Media Manager A P P LY N O W

Senior Controller A P P LY N O W

Business Intelligence SQL Developer 2 A P P LY N O W

Customer Support Engineer A P P LY N O W

Lower Elementary Teacher A P P LY N O W

For our full job board, visit alumni.masters.edu/jobs.

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

UPCOMING

EVENTS Even though our students are gone for the summer, campus is far from quiet, as a number of renovation projects are happening. Vider Hall is undergoing a full overhaul, and our library is being updated with collaboration rooms, outdoor seating and a vaulted ceiling. The North Campus lawn is being redone with a new walkway and new seating.

We are also updating signage across campus to match our craftsman style. These and other changes are the latest collaboration between TMU and our generous donors to beautify the campus.

Please continue to pray for our student Global Outreach teams as some of them travel home over the next few days. Pray that our students would return safely, have a joyful and restful time reuniting with their families, and experience a deep and ongoing passion for God’s work abroad as they reflect on their trips.

TMU Athletics is hosting a variety of youth sports camps this summer, with an exciting schedule that includes soccer, baseball, basketball, indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. Dates, prices and age ranges vary by camp. Visit masters.edu/summercamps for more information.

From June 11 to July 24, our biblical counseling department is offering its annual Summer Institute Program (SIP). This program provides condensed lectures in a synchronous format to Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling students, allowing them to either attend classes in-person or join the live class remotely over Zoom. Dr. John Street, Dr. Stuart Scott and Tom Sugimura will be covering topics like conflict resolution, hermeneutics and the essential qualities of the biblical counselor. Over 100 students are participating, 30 of whom will be on campus. We are praying the Lord will richly bless these students as they spend time learning how to use God’s Word better to counsel and disciple other believers.

June

2021

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SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHT

THE 1927 SOCIETY The 1927 Society was created to provide a way for TMU alumni, friends and family to support current students who require financial assistance to continue their Christ-centered education at The Master’s University. Thousands of TMU graduates have received scholarship aid from donor funds during their time at the University. This fund continues that blessing of awarding scholarships to deserving students directly from donors like you, our alumni and family*.

Join the many Mustangs already supporting current students and future alumni.

THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE 1927 SOCIETY •

Give a minimum of $10 a month or $120 annually.

•

Are ambassadors for TMU, engaging prospective students and informing them of the great opportunities available at The Master’s University.

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Partner with TMU by employing graduating students, providing internships for current students, and mentoring students and graduates as they transition into the workforce.

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT MASTERS.EDU/GIVE/1927-SOCIETY.

*AID AMOUNT AWARDED IS SELECTED BY A COMMITTEE PROCESS.

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