The Mustang Connection November 2021

November 2021 vol.

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MUSTANG CONNECTION

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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.’

WELCOME to THE MUSTANG CONNECTION. THANKSGIVING IS A PRIME OPPORTUNITY FOR REST AND REFLECTION. At TMU, students have the week off to spend time with friends and family, and to prepare for the final weeks of the fall semester. For students, faculty and staff alike, the holiday is a wonderful time to pause and remember the blessings the Lord has provided. We at TMU are thankful for each day God gives us to continue providing a higher education rooted in Christ and Scripture.

We are grateful for the enthusiasm of our students, the long faithfulness of our faculty, and the generosity of those who partner with us in our mission. We are also grateful for you, the readers of this magazine, for your ongoing interest in and support of TMU. For all of us, may this Thanksgiving be a time of joy in the Lord, in recognition of all He has done for His people. May the song of our hearts be, “Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good, / For His lovingkindness endures forever” (Psalm 136:1, LSB).

If you haven’t already, you can subscribe to the magazine at masters.edu/magazine.

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

CONTENTS

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Right Out of the Gate

M A S T E R’S I N M I N I S T RY:

Jeff & Kristen Miller O F F I C E H O U R S:

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What Can ‘Terrible Heads’ Tell Us About God’s Designs?

by D R. M AT T H E W M C L A I N

C O V E R S T O RY:

Called To Be Light

S TA F F F O C U S:

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Lisa Zamroz Is Ready To Meet the Moment

Just Catching Up

Alumni Job Board November

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RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE

CAMPUS

HIGHLIGHTS

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SENIOR MARKETING MEDIA MAJOR JOE FRIZZELL P L AY E D G E O R G E B A I L E Y I N T H I S S E M E S T E R ’ S P R O D U C T I O N O F “ I T ’ S A W O N D E R F U L L I F E .”

02 The Master’s University is now home to an academic research institute for STEM fields. The Math3ma Institute is linked to TMU’s engineering and computer science departments and includes faculty members and researchers who work to advance the fields of mathematics, computer science, engineering, machine learning and life sciences, among others — all with the goal of bringing glory to God. In October, the institute put on its first TheoTech conference. It also plans to launch an expository journal of STEM in spring 2022.

Learn more at math3ma.institute.

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03 A new study exploring year-overyear changes in the number of freshmen enrolled at colleges across the country shows that TMU saw the highest rate of growth in California and the 18th best rate nationwide between 2019 and 2020. The study — conducted by The Chronicle of Higher Education and based on federal data — counted only “first-time, full-time” freshmen, of which Master’s was listed as having enrolled 199 in fall 2019. One year later, TMU was listed as enrolling 399, an increase of 101%.

The recent TMU Theatre Arts production of “It’s a Wonderful Life” was a great blessing to our campus community.

This stage adaptation of the Christmas classic involved ambitious set design, including a towering wheeled rig for the play’s bridge scenes. Approximately 50 TMU students, faculty and staff contributed to the production as cast and crew members, production managers, directors and consultants.

04 Under the leadership of TMU’s interim dean of women, Brianna Harris, the school hosted a new women’s event on Nov. 4 called “Rooted.” The event was designed to emphasize the importance of discipleship, and it aimed to kickstart connections by pairing small groups of students with local women who attend their church. The event included a time of teaching, worship, fellowship and dessert.

UPCOMING

EVENTS NOVEMBER 29

On Nov. 29, TMU’s Christmas season will kick off with the yearly Christmas tree lighting. From that night through the end of the semester, campus will be celebrating the approach of the 25th with the likes of a cocoa night, a pingpong tournament and various other Christmas festivities. Finals week begins Dec. 13, with TMU’s traditional midnight breakfast happening that night. Dec. 19 will mark the official end of the fall semester.

DECEMBER 3

TMU’s Come Christmas Sing! concerts are happening Dec. 3 and 4 at Master’s. There will be a 7:30 p.m. performance both nights, as well as a 2 p.m. matinee on Dec. 4. For more information and to buy tickets, see masters.edu/music.

DECEMBER 9

The Master’s University men’s and women’s basketball teams’ conference home openers are on Dec. 9 against Hope International University. The women’s game begins at 5:30 p.m. and the men’s game at 7:30 p.m. For a full schedule of TMU athletic events, visit gomustangs.com/calendar.

JANUARY 15

Now is a good time to start training for The Master’s University Winter 5K, which is scheduled for Jan. 15. Since 2011, this event has been a favorite among local runners thanks to the welcoming atmosphere, scenic course and community partnerships. The 5K starts on TMU’s athletic field and winds through Placerita Canyon and Quigley Canyon Open Space. It boasts a scenic and entirely flat course with varying terrain, making it perfect for participants of all ages and abilities. Find more details at gomustangs.com/winter-5k.

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COMMUNITY BEST OF

THE WEB MASTER’S IN MINISTRY

VIDEO

JEFF & KRISTEN MILLER

Watch at masters.edu/tmu-media

ALUMNI FOCUS: JOSHUA ROGERS

PODCASTS

EP. 10: DR. GRANT HORNER ON SCARY STORIES & A THEOLOGY OF FEAR

Listen at masters.edu/tmu-media

EP. 126: WHEN I DON'T WANT TO ONE ANOTHER

NEWS ARTICLES

EP. 26: AN INTERVIEW WITH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR KELVIN STARR

Read the full stories at masters.edu/news

A new study exploring year-over-year changes in the number of freshmen enrolled at colleges across the country shows that The Master’s University saw the highest rate of growth in California and the 18th best rate nationwide between 2019 and 2020.

Dr. Tai-Danae Bradley introduces us to TMU’s new academic research institute for STEM fields. The institute includes faculty members and researchers like Bradley who work to advance the fields of math, computer science and engineering, among others.

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JEFF (TMU & TMS, ’17)

DIETRICH SILAS MICAIAH JOSIAH

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THE MINISTRY TRAINING WE RECEIVED AT TMUS AND PARTICULARLY OUR TIME WITH DRS. STREET AND SCOTT IN THE GRADUATE STUDIES FOR BIBLICAL COUNSELING OFFICE AT TMU HAS BEEN THE LORD’S KINDNESS TO US. After the joy of serving at TMU and Grace Community Church for 10 years, we have been sent to Berlin, Germany, as Grace Ministries International missionaries, and we are absolutely thrilled to be part of a church plant here on the east side (the more atheistic side) of Berlin, called Leuchtturm.

We have been here for three months and are blessed to begin settling in with this small body of believers. We are anxious to begin sharing and ministering God’s Word here in Germany, specifically in biblical counseling. Most of our time now is dedicated to language and culture acquisition as well as understanding my new role as director of the master of divinity program, which launched two years ago at the European Bible Training Center and currently has about 30 students from 17 countries. Additionally, our plans are to help establish and grow Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) certification in Europe.

We would appreciate your prayers in three areas: (1) That God would be honored in using us as a light in our community to our neighbors and in the public school where our boys attend. (2) Relief for Kristen’s neck from two different car accidents in L.A. She has already had eight chiropractic visits since being here, and she still experiences pain daily. (3) On every missionary’s radar, of course, is ongoing support. We are still in need of the final 15% of our monthly support to stay on the field. It is overwhelming to think about what God has already brought us through and that God has chosen to plant us here in Berlin. We trust Him for all that we need in the days to come, for He is faithful in every way (1 Cor. 1:9).

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OFFICE HOURS

by D R . M AT T H E W MCLAIN

P H OT O G R A P H BY W I L L I A M K. G R E G O RY. P U B L I C D O M A I N.

You’ve heard of dinosaurs, of course.

But have you ever heard of a dinocephalian ?

Dinosaurs tend to get all of the attention in paleontology, and it’s easy to understand why.

They’re amazing creatures — from 80-ton, longnecked sauropods to the ferocious Tyrannosaurus. But they’re not the only captivating creatures God made.

In fact, there are thousands of amazing animals in the fossil record that reveal our Creator’s ingenuity in completely unexpected ways. And I want to take a minute to reveal one group to you in hopes that you’ll be astounded by how these surprising marvels put God’s glory on display.

So, if a dinocephalian is not a dinosaur, then what is it?

Dinocephalia means “terrible heads,” which is an apt description if there ever was one. The name fits these creatures well because they have some absolutely bizarre heads. Interestingly, even though the name seems to be a perfect fit, it probably wasn’t chosen for that reason. Paleontologist H.G. Seeley named the group Dinocephalia in 1894 after the animal Dinocephalus, which was probably a reference to its large and scary teeth rather than the bumpy heads we’ll discuss in a moment.

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But enough about names. What is a dinocephalian?

Dinocephalians are a type of synapsid. Synapsida is the group that contains mammals as well as other creatures, like dinocephalians, that have some traits in common with mammals and some traits in common with reptiles.

In the evolutionary model, synapsids like the dinocephalians are seen as the ancestors of mammals.

The argument is that whales, pigs, dogs and humans are all descendants of synapsids.

As a scientist who stands on the authority of Scripture, I have to disagree. Humans were created from the dust of the ground, separate from the other animals on the sixth day of the Creation Week (Genesis 2:7).

Additionally, we know that God created different kinds of animals and plants. As a young Earth creationist, I expect to see multiple created kinds of mammals and synapsids. But we’ll come back to these creation/ evolution issues in a moment.

Dinocephalians are large animals that walk on all fours. They fall into two basic types. Some of them are big, scary carnivores with large heads full of sharp teeth. We call those the anteosaurs. The other dinocephalians are bulky plant eaters with short tails.

We call those the tapinocephalians.

The tapinocephalians are the particularly unusual ones, with a good example being Moschops. Moschops would have been big enough for you to ride: 8-9 feet long and 5 feet tall. It had a huge chest with slightly sprawling forelimbs, so it would have walked around like a bodybuilder. The back sloped down to the less massive hindlimbs and a pretty wimpy tail. However, the most startling feature of Moschops was, you guessed it, its head. Moschops had extra thick bone on its head making a dome. It almost certainly used this thickened dome to headbutt things, likely other Moschops, similar to the bighorn sheep of today. Not only was its head thick, but its brain and inner ear were not aligned with its snout, which means that it perpetually kept its snout pointing to the ground as it walked around, which was a perfect position for headbutting.

But the most terrible head of all belongs to my favorite animal of all time: Estemmenosuchus. I have included a picture of the skull of Estemmenosuchus because a description just doesn’t do it justice. It has two large bony flanges that point out from the left and right sides of its head, and then it has two antler-looking things (like what you might put on your dog at Christmastime) poking out of the top of its head. Then it has a nose horn on its snout, like when somebody has one of those extravagant desserts (that are given dangerous-sounding names) and then tops it with a tiny cherry. It was a big animal — about the size of a small hippo. So yes, you could definitely ride it.

Dinocephalians like Moschops and Estemmenosuchus surprise us with their peculiar appearances, but in another sense they should not be surprising at all.

Everywhere we look in nature there are animals that astound and surprise us. The deep sea is full of fish that produce their own light, sometimes as fishing lures.

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

Lyre birds can copy the sounds of other birds and even human-made objects like chainsaws and cell phones.

Tardigrades can survive extreme heat, cold and even the vacuum of space. Even animals that we are very familiar with are dumbfounding when you stop to think about them. Consider deer. Every year, male deer grow giant bony projections out of their heads just to shed them a few months later. That’s wild!

That’s one of the things I want you to see: God’s designs are wild. They’re not crazy. They’re not bad. They’re surprising and unexpected. God puts His glory on display in His creations. He shows off what He can do to make us stop and gawk in wonder. Every child loves watching animals because they are recognizing the wonder of His glory that He built into the appearance and behavior of His creatures.

A lot of people think that science is useful only because of apologetics. But whether there was a creation/ evolution debate or not, I would still want to be a paleontologist, because I get to see God’s glory on display in fantastic and amazing ways that I never would have guessed were possible. I love discovering fossils and thereby exposing myself to a new and unexpected display of God’s glory. And even better, I get to expose other people to God’s glory as I share these discoveries with them. Even secular scientists describe feelings of excitement and awe as they look at “what nature has made.” But as Christians, we get to appreciate nature on an even deeper level. We understand that the joy and wonder a person experiences when they view animals, whether they know it or not, is actually a response to the glory of God. The goofy grin of Moschops and the extravagant crests on Estemmenosuchus are fantastic displays of God’s glory. But the fossils of Moschops and Estemmenosuchus are also reminders of the reality of sin and death. God created all things good, but the creation currently groans because of the curse that was placed upon it when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. God created dinocephalians and the rest of the animals for us to manage and care for, but instead our sin brought about their savageness and extinction. As a paleontologist, I get windows into a lost world full of

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GOD’S DESIGNS ARE WILD. THEY’RE NOT CRAZY. THEY’RE NOT BAD. THEY’RE SURPRISING AND UNEXPECTED. GOD PUTS HIS GLORY ON DISPLAY IN HIS CREATIONS. HE SHOWS OFF WHAT HE CAN DO TO MAKE US STOP AND GAWK IN WONDER.

A SHORT READING LIST

on TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & COMPUTER SCIENCE Read these books with biblical discernment. Many of the current issues in this field have not yet been widely addressed by faithful evangelical Christians, so becoming informed on them requires reading authors who write from different worldviews than the one we uphold at TMU.

Imitation of Life: How Biology is Inspiring Computing NANCY FORBES Although written from a Darwinist standpoint, this is one of the best existing summaries of how God’s creation is inspiring new computer technologies and algorithms. From the effort to understand how biological organisms “compute” or process information, to the study of biological viruses to develop computer immune systems, read this book with an eye to God’s genius in creation and how human scientists and engineers are attempting to copy Him, whether they know it or not.

In Our Image: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Spirit

amazing creations of our Lord, but I also get constant reminders of how terrible sin really is.

Naturalistic evolutionists study dinocephalians and see God’s glory, but they misattribute it to the power of nature or evolution. Naturalistic evolutionists study dinocephalian fossils and are reminded of the brevity of existence and the looming threat of death, but they lack any hope of a future restoration for us and nature.

As a Christian paleontologist, I get to experience the same awe and thoughtfulness, but I do so in worship and hope. I get to lead students in studying these creatures and researching how many created kinds there were and how to make sense of their appearance in rock layers. We get to write and publish findings knowing that our work is not in vain, because the Lord made His works in wisdom and the Earth is full of His possessions (Psalm 104:24). And we get to know that these “terrible-headed” dinocephalians, though they are now rock, continue to testify along with the heavens telling us of God’s great glory (Psalm 19:1).

DR. MATTHEW MCLAIN Associate Professor, Biology and Geology

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NOREEN HERZFELD Because no theology of artificial intelligence has yet been written by an orthodox evangelical Christian — something we hope to change soon at TMU — this is currently one of the best existing theological reflections on the subject. Herzfeld is too influenced by the neo-orthodoxy of Karl Barth, Reinhold Niebuhr and related theologians, so read with your Bible handy and be ready to consult the TMU Bible faculty if anything seems amiss. But reading Herzfeld is still a worthwhile exercise in how to view A.I. and any such new technology from within a robustly biblical-theological framework.

Conquering the Electron DEREK CHEUNG AND ERIC BRACH This is the fascinating story of the electron and electronics, from ancient Greece to Silicon Valley, as told by a Stanford engineering Ph.D. and the former CEO of Rockwell Scientific. The book covers the rise of the telegraph and telephone, to electric lighting and power, to radio and television, to radar and microwaves, to integrated circuits and computers, to LEDs, fiber optics and the Information Age.

Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field: How Two Men Revolutionized Physics NANCY FORBES AND BASIL MAHON A very human, accessible and dramatic account of the lives of Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell, the two men most responsible for uncovering the relationship between electricity and magnetism and for discovering and mathematically describing the electromagnetic field, including the nature of light as electromagnetic radiation. There are few better books to read to understand how your microwave cooks or how your cell phone talks to the tower.

2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity JOHN LENNOX Though not a full-blown theology of A.I., this is without question the best existing exposition of A.I. by an evangelical. In 200 small, easy-to-read pages, the book features chapters like “The Genesis Files: What Is a Human Being?” and “Future Shock: The Return of the Man Who Is God.” The title follows George Orwell’s famous techno-dystopian novel “1984” in reflecting on what the year 2084 will be like with A.I. fully grown up. But it stays both realistic and optimistic in the bright light of Christ’s reality, reign and return.

composed by DAVID CRATER Chair & Associate Professor, Engineering & Computer Science

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

COVER STORY

by MASON NESBITT

JOSHUA ROGERS SAYS HIS TIME AT TMU PREPARED HIM TO REPRESENT CHRIST AS AN ARIZONA SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE.

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HERE’S SOMETHING THAT WON’T COME AS A SURPRISE:

JOSHUA ROGERS IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY MAN. It’s the nature of his job as a superior court judge in Arizona, his weeks a constant flow of hearings, trials and paperwork. Since the state’s governor appointed him to the Maricopa County Superior Court in 2015, Rogers has rotated between civil, family and juvenile assignments, each with its own challenges and demands on his time.

He’s also married with four children, and he serves in his church.

reinforced his biblical worldview and helped him identify his true calling as fulfilling the Great Commission wherever God called him to. He says he’s glad he didn’t transfer from TMU after just two semesters. Even if, originally, that was the plan. *** Politics. For some, the topic is strictly off limits at family gatherings. But not for the Rogers family.

Joshua Rogers’ father, Jay, was an attorney who twice ran for public office. His uncle served as a judge in the family’s small hometown of Marion, Ohio. Rogers’ mother, Marian, regularly tuned the radio to political talk shows.

“It’s not surprising I took the route in life I did,” Joshua Rogers says.

It was also on the radio where Marian came across an influential voice. She began listening to Dr. John

Here’s something that may come as a surprise: On a Friday afternoon last summer, as another full week came to an end, Rogers cleared his schedule in order to meet with visitors from his alma mater, The Master’s University.

The visitors were in Mesa, Arizona, to film an alumni focus video, and Rogers made his way down from his chambers on the fifth floor of the Southeast Regional Court Center to greet them in the lobby. He sat for an oncamera interview and answered additional questions in his chambers. Then, still dressed in a white button-up shirt and yellow tie, he helped his guests haul video equipment back to the ground floor and out to the parking lot.

If you’re looking for an analogy as to how Rogers approaches his prestigious position in the fourth largest trial court system in the nation, this is it. He doesn’t see himself as being above those who appear in his courtroom.

Instead, he hopes to meet people where they’re at, even when it’s a particularly dark place, and help deliver the best possible outcome for all parties involved. More than anything, he hopes to impact people in such a way that they see Christ in him.

Rogers says his time at The Master’s University prepared him to view his career this way. He says the school

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J O S H U A R O G E R S W I T H H I S PA R E N T S , J AY A N D M A R I A N , AT H I S T M U G R A D U AT I O N I N 1 9 9 8 .

MacArthur, and over time, MacArthur’s ministry had a significant impact on the Rogers family. So much so that Marian and Jay asked each of their five children to attend TMU (where MacArthur was president) for one year of Bible training. Then, if they wished, they could go elsewhere.

Joshua Rogers, the youngest of the five, arrived at Master’s in 1995. After a year of studying the Bible, he planned to transfer in order to continue preparing for a career in government.

But leaving wasn’t so easy.

After attending a public high school, Rogers cherished the godly friendships he formed at TMU, where classmates encouraged him to follow his biblical convictions rather than tearing them down. “I was surrounded by people who wanted to walk faithfully with Christ, and that caused me to want to walk faithfully,” he says. Rogers could also tell that his professors cared about his soul. Class time was about more than imparting information. It was about transformation.

Rogers had begun to question his decision to leave TMU by the time he sat down to talk with Dr. John Stead, a professor of political studies, near the end of Rogers’ freshman year. Stead left no doubt. He knew TMU could prepare Rogers for a career in government and for a life of eternal impact.

“Dr. Stead had an entire plan for me before I even walked in there. He was very confident,” Rogers recalls. “He said, ‘Look, you can go to any college, and you’ll get some good professors and some not-so-good professors, but I think between (Dr.) Gregg (Frazer) and I, you’ll get two pretty good ones here.’”

Says Rogers, “At that point, I knew I was going to stay.”

In the years that followed, Rogers signed up for a heavy dose of classes with Frazer and Stead (“I don’t think I would have found better professors than I found with those guys.

They were fantastic,” he says now). Those classes infused Rogers with a firm understanding of the Constitution and an appreciation for its framers. In a broader sense,

“IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER YOUR CAREER IS SPECIFICALLY WORKING WITHIN THE CHURCH OR IN THE PROFESSION THAT YOU’RE CALLED TO. CHRIST TALKS ABOUT IT IN MATTHEW 5 IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: WE’RE CALLED TO BE LIGHTS WHEREVER WE’RE AT. WE’RE CALLED TO SERVE AND TO BRING HIM GLORY. THAT’S OUR JOB. AND THAT’S WHAT TMU PREPARED ME TO DO.” TMU’s liberal arts curriculum provided Rogers with opportunities to learn to write and communicate with precision, and to develop critical thinking skills.

More than anything, though, Rogers says his time at Master’s reinforced his biblical worldview: that God’s Word is sufficient and inerrant and that as a follower of Jesus Christ, his highest calling is to honor the Lord in everything — including his career. He still has a notebook from the class on Romans he took with Dr. C.W. Smith.

“Every once in a while, I look through it and I’m reminded of the things he taught and how to read the Bible, how to

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study the Bible, how to take that and apply it to my life,” he says. Rogers says he loved how accessible his professors were at TMU, where even now the professor-to-student ratio continues to hover around 12:1.

“They knew their subject matter like no other. But even more importantly, they were invested in us,” Rogers says.

“I mean, we were over at their homes. We were having dinner with their families. They cared about us.”

Rogers certainly left a lasting impression on his professors.

“Josh Rogers was one of my favorite students,” Stead says.

Says Frazer, “I knew he would be successful at whatever he did.”

want to see,” Rogers says. “But at the same time, I also know that I can be a light in a dark place for these people — especially the kids, who are the ones who are impacted the most. I can try to put these kids in the best situation for them. I can show kindness to them and the parents, and try to remind them of what love looks like.”

This fall, Rogers was scheduled to rotate to a juvenile calendar, which involves cases of child abuse and neglect.

“You’ve got substance abuse, domestic violence, all those types of things that put children in unsafe situations, and we need to try to fix those. It’s probably harder subject matter, but I think it will be very rewarding because of the opportunity to make an impact for the kids.”

That turned out to be true.

One day, Rogers hopes to work in Arizona’s Court of Appeals, one rung below the state’s supreme court. But wherever he is, Rogers’ ultimate goal remains the same.

After graduating from TMU in 1998 with a degree in political studies, Rogers attended law school at Pepperdine, finishing in the top 10% of his class. He then moved to Phoenix — the hometown of his wife, Carie — and began working as an attorney. In 2015, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey appointed Rogers to the Maricopa County Superior Court.

“It doesn't matter whether your career is specifically working within the church or in the profession that you’re called to,” he says. “Christ talks about it in Matthew 5 in the Sermon on the Mount: We’re called to be lights wherever we are. We’re called to serve and to bring Him glory. That’s our job. And that’s what TMU prepared me to do.”

“Joshua is an intelligent and capable lawyer who has dedicated a tremendous number of pro bono hours to his church, the local youth and the people of Arizona,” Ducey said in a news release at the time. “He’s a stellar member of this community and will be an excellent and impartial judge.”

In Arizona, the superior court is the trial-level court.

Judges rotate between family, juvenile, civil and criminal assignments. Rogers was recently on a family rotation, which meant he was in the courtroom five days per week for trials or hearings. When he wasn’t in court, he was writing rulings on those cases. Often the subject matter dealt with divorce and child custody.

WATCH AN ALUMNI FOCUS VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING ROGERS’ STORY AT MASTERS.EDU/TMU-MEDIA.

Rogers doesn’t preach from the bench. But he isn’t shy about his faith or how it impacts his work.

“In terms of my worldview, divorce is something I don’t

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

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STAFF FOCUS

by MASON NESBITT

lisa zam

IS RE

M t

a mroz

EADY TO

Meet the

OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, TMU’S NEWEST HEAD COACH ACQUIRED THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND MATURITY NECESSARY TO LEAD THE MUSTANGS.

THERE’S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT LISA ZAMROZ. A FEW THINGS, REALLY.

School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, earning all-state honors in hoops. She chose TMU because it offered a premier NAIA basketball program and an environment where she’d grow spiritually.

As a freshman, she started at point guard. Her coaches, Ken Sugarman and Dan Waldeck, knew the pressure she was under and invested extra time in teaching Zamroz and boosting her confidence.

She grew into the role. That season, Zamroz averaged 8.9 points and 3.1 assists, helping Master’s earn a trip to the NAIA national tournament.

Sugarman and Waldeck showed concern for Zamroz off the court, too. They asked her about classes, friends, life.

“Anything but basketball,” she says. Zamroz still has the

It’s true she had no head coaching experience when she agreed to lead The Master’s University women’s basketball team in April. But … that’s a bit misleading.

Yes, she’d never held the title of head coach or had the final say in a huddle. But over the past 15 years, she’s acquired the skills, knowledge and maturity necessary to meet the challenge.

She knows how to connect with college basketball players because she once stood in their shoes. As an assistant coach, she has recruited, scouted and play-called. She’s benefitted from exceptional mentors. And she knows and embraces the culture of TMU Athletics, where winning is crucial, but discipleship is the priority.

So, if Zamroz already looks comfortable in her new role, now you know why. *** As a kid, Zamroz often accompanied her older brother, Brian, to his flag football practices. There, she inevitably ended up in foot races against the boys.

That competitive fire never died.

Zamroz played basketball and ran track at Union High 21

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Z A M R O Z P L AY E D H E R F I N A L T W O S E A S O N S O F C O L L E G E B A S K E T B A L L AT O K L A H O M A C H R I S T I A N U N I V E R S I T Y I N O K L A H O M A C I T Y. PHOTO COURTESY OF OCU.

Z A M R O Z C O A C H E S T H E M U S TA N G S DURING AN EXHIBITION GAME

notebook she used to scribble down her thoughts during team Bible studies. In those early college years, she felt challenged to make her beliefs her own. It wasn’t enough that her family believed in Christ. It had to be her faith.

Then, she left.

It’s important to note that Zamroz didn’t want to leave TMU. She loved her friends. She was growing spiritually.

But after her sophomore year, Zamroz’s family was going through a difficult time, she says, and she wanted to be close to home. So, she transferred to Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City.

The Eagles already had a point guard, so Zamroz shifted to shooting guard. It was a natural fit. As a senior, she knocked down nearly 40% of her three-point attempts, averaging 9.3 points on a team that advanced to the NAIA national quarterfinals.

Before those kinds of games – big games – Zamroz admits she often felt nervous, something that now allows her to empathize with a young Mustang team. Nine of Zamroz’s 13 players this year are freshmen.

A G A I N S T A Z U S A PA C I F I C O N O C T. 2 8 .

Before TMU’s season opener in October, Zamroz told the group that feeling nervous was natural. But, “when the game starts, there’s no room for nerves or fear. We want to allow that nervous energy to propel us into effort and competitive greatness,” she said. The players responded with an impressive showing against an Azusa Pacific team that entered the season ranked No. 5 in NCAA Division 2.

Here’s another way Zamroz can relate to her players: She knows how difficult it can be to balance class, church, sports and a social life.

“One of her strengths is that she’s been here. She’s been in our shoes,” says senior forward Rebekah Throns. *** Spoiled. That’s how Zamroz describes her experiences as an assistant coach. It’s hard to argue.

In 2011, Zamroz joined the coaching staff at Oklahoma

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Christian. In 35 seasons, head coach Stephanie Findley has won more games (623 and counting) than any women’s basketball coach at a four-year college in Oklahoma state history. Still, she was more than willing to give Zamroz significant responsibilities. Over the next five years, Zamroz played a crucial role in seemingly everything.

Recruiting. Analyzing game film. Designing practice. You name it.

“That gave me confidence for when the TMU job came open,” Zamroz says. “No, I haven’t done the head coaching piece, but I’ve had a hand in it all along.”

In 2019, after returning to California, Zamroz worked under Dan Waldeck, who had taken over TMU’s head coaching job a decade earlier. In 13 seasons, Waldeck won

more than 250 games. But working with him, Zamroz says she was most impressed with Waldeck’s focus on the Mustangs’ spiritual growth. “It reiterated to me what coaching at a place like Master’s is all about,” she says.

Zamroz’s coaching relationships remain strong. After Waldeck stepped away following the 2020-21 season, he encouraged Zamroz to apply for the opening. And when she accepted the position in April, Findley gave a glowing recommendation.

“TMU made a great choice,” Findley said in a news release. “You can’t find a better high-character, basketball IQ person than Lisa.” *** Those who know Zamroz believe several character traits make her a great fit at TMU. She’s engaging and personable. She’s kind, but unafraid of holding those under her care to a high standard. In anything she commits to, she’s incapable of giving less than 100%.

Her husband, Brett, TMU’s dean of men, describes his wife as “resourceful.” When they were newly married and short on cash, Lisa organized their budget in such a way that allowed them to live within their means and still have fun. When something in the house breaks down, Brett suggests calling a professional. Lisa offers a different solution.

“She’s like, ‘Oh, we can try to figure it out.

We’ll do it,’” Brett says.

AT P R A C T I C E , Z A M R O Z H O L D S H E R P L AY E R S T O A H I G H S TA N D A R D, D E M A N D I N G C O N S TA N T H U S T L E A N D S T R O N G C O M M U N I C AT I O N .

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What stands out most, though, is Lisa’s heart to serve the Lord and His people. Over the years, she’s worked with children’s and college ministries. And Lisa and Brett have regularly opened their home for church fellowship groups. They want hospitality and ministry to be a hallmark of their marriage.

That’s a major reason Lisa accepted the position at TMU. She hopes to influence young women

“ IT’S IMPERATIVE THAT DURING THESE FOUR YEARS YOU SOLIDIFY YOUR CONVICTIONS AND YOU’RE DISCIPLED IN A WAY THAT PREPARES YOU TO MOVE ON IN LIFE. BECAUSE LIFE CAN GET HARD REALLY QUICK. ”

at a critical stage in life. “College is just a blip, and then you’re on to adulthood,” she says. “It’s imperative that during these four years you solidify your convictions and you’re discipled in a way that prepares you to move on in life. Because life can get hard really quick.”

It’s early, but Zamroz is off to a strong start. When she’s recruiting, she aims to protect the program’s Christcentered culture. Yes, she’s looking for talented athletes.

But more so, she wants women committed to growing in their relationships with Jesus Christ.

At the team’s retreat this year, Zamroz shared her testimony in a way that her players described as “open” and “vulnerable.” It inspired a number of Mustangs to do the same. Sometimes Zamroz uses the talks to springboard into topics like purity or parenthood.

During the school year, Zamroz has an open-door policy.

Players are welcome to stop by and chat. Says Throns: “You can tell she’s there to come alongside us and disciple us.” *** Zamroz is adamant that a focus on discipleship and a commitment to winning aren’t mutually exclusive. She’s still competitive; she wants Master’s to be elite. In practice, she demands hustle and constant communication. Players must arrive on time. Extra running serves as an excellent motivator.

This season presents an interesting challenge. The Mustangs, ranked No. 24 in the NAIA’s preseason coaches poll, feature a mix of veterans and young players, and Zamroz must find the balance between giving freedom to play fast and providing the structure an inexperienced team needs.

For the first time, it will be up to Zamroz to make it all work. She’s OK with that. The past 15 years have prepared her to meet the moment.

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

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COMMUNITY

FROM THE DESK OF

DR. JOHN STEAD

Dear Friends of TMU, The past two years have been a time of great isolation, pressure and division.

The pandemic has put increased strain on households. Families have been heartbreakingly impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Some have felt the weight of employment instability. Depending on where we live, we have not been as free to go out and move around. Peer relationships have been crippled. Education has been disrupted. For many, so has church involvement.

We know that, as humans, we’re not made to be isolated. Scripture teaches this clearly in passages such as Proverbs 18:1: “He who separates himself seeks his own desire, / He breaks out in dispute against all sound wisdom” (LSB). Man was created to be a relational being. And many people, including TMU alumni, have faced challenges because of the isolation of the last two years.

This is why I believe that now is the perfect time to reach out to someone you went to school with. Maybe it was 10 years ago, maybe it was 30, but most people who have attended TMU built relationships here that were extremely important to them.

Over the years, people graduate and move away. They change jobs. It can be difficult to stay in touch. However, I think it is crucial, especially now, to make the effort to renew or strengthen these relationships. Reaching out is a winsome way to help people who may be struggling. Contacting a fellow graduate may be the thing that reminds them of and drives them back to the principles that were so important to them while they were at TMU. Consider who you were close with as a student. Who did you know in your major, in your dorm, or on your team? Commit to giving them a call or sending a text message or email. The Lord may well use you to encourage someone in the midst of a difficult time Sincerely,

Dr. John Stead TMU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

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JUST CATCHING UP

justyn lee tmu connection Lee graduated from TMU in 2016 with degrees in applied mathematics and computer science.

where he's at

kathleen thomson

Alhambra, California

on the job

tmu connection

Justyn is currently a principal software engineer at Northrop Grumman Corporation and will be an adjunct professor at TMU in spring 2022.

Thomson (maiden name Simon) graduated from Los Angeles Baptist College in 1979 with a degree in physical education.

favorite memory of tmu

David

I loved playing on the TMU baseball team under coach Monte Brooks. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bond with a group of guys who wanted to grow spiritually, not just athletically.

how can the tmu community pray for you?

husband children

grandchildren

Anna Abigail Amy Allison

Esther Story Elizabeth Titus Luca Jude Evelyn

You can pray for good health for my family, and for me to be able to serve effectively in youth ministry at my church.

where they’re at Santa Clarita, California

on the job She is currently a credential analyst and clinical practice placement coordinator at TMU.

favorite memory of tmu No doubt, the highlight from my days at LABC is the lifelong friendships that were made. You know who you are! Over 40 years of memories: weddings, children, children’s weddings, grandchildren and plenty of challenges, too. We have walked with each other through all these life-changing events. You can’t put a price tag on those kinds of friendships!

how can the tmu community pray for you?

Please pray that I would age gracefully and graciously, glorifying God in the ways I love, learn, lead and teach.

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COMMUNITY

ALUMNI

JOB BOARD Worship Pastor A P P LY N O W

Account Manager A P P LY N O W

Senior Full Stack Software Engineer A P P LY N O W

Director of Finance A P P LY N O W

Inside Sales Manager A P P LY N O W

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SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHT

Christ in All Things

Giving Tuesday has become one of the most strategic opportunities for those who prioritize biblical education to partner with TMU for the exaltation of Christ in the lives of our students. This year we are concentrating our efforts on three critical areas of our ministry: music, athletics and faculty.

Please consider supporting one or more of these vital components of the ministry of TMU. To give, visit masters.edu/giving-tuesday.

THE MASTER'S UNIVERSIT Y

presents 3 7 TH A N N U A L

DEC 3, 7:30PM DEC 4, 2PM & 7:30PM Purchase tickets at masters.edu/music or by phone at 661.362.2252 The Master's University | 21726 Placerita Cyn Rd., Santa Clarita, CA 91321