Volume 18.1 - The Master's Seminary

118:1MantleThe Master’sSpring 2011Vol.In this second of two special anniversary issues:FeaturesPage 2Presidential Reflectionson Seminary EducationJohn MacArthur, D.D., Litt.D.PresidentPage 14Page 16Page 17Page 19Page 20HighlightsThe Engraved PulpitThe Legacy of TMS through theDoctor of Ministry ProgramLife at TMSThe Formation of Spiritual ScholarsImpact of the Th.D. Program onFuture SeminariesThe Master’s Seminary StaffEducation “Outside the Walls”Page 6Avoiding the UnavoidableProtecting The Master’s Seminaryfor Future GenerationsRichard Mayhue, Th.D.Senior Vice President and DeanPage 12The Road Less TraveledThe Concentrated Focus ofThe Master’s SeminaryIrv Busenitz, Th.D.Vice President for Academic AdministrationPage 21Recent Publications by TMS Facultyand AlumniBack Cover Convocation 2010Alumni MinistriesPage 3Philip De CourcyPastor, Kindred Community Church, Anaheim Hills, CaliforniaPage 5Patrick AbendrothSenior Pastor, Omaha Bible Church, Omaha, NebraskaPage 7Jim Stitzinger IIIPastor, Grace Bible Church, Naples, FloridaThe Master’s Mantle is published biannually by The Master’sSeminary, 13248 Roscoe Blvd., Sun Valley, California 91352.The Master’s Seminary exists to advance the kingdom of theLord Jesus Christ by equipping godly men as pastors and/ortrainers of pastors for excellence in service to Christ instrategic fields of Christian ministry.The Master’s Seminary does not discriminate on the basisof race, color, age, nationality, non-disqualifying handicaps,or ethnic origin in its admission policies, educationalpolicies, employment policies, services, or scholarship andloan programs. The Master’s Seminary is fully accreditedby the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. VisitThe Master’s Seminary website at www.tms.edu.Copyright 2011 The Master’s SeminaryFor a FREE subscription to The Master’s Mantle, or for informationon how you can support the effort to train godly menfor gospel ministry, contact us at www.tms.eduDr. John MacArthurPresidentDr. Richard L. MayhueExecutive EditorDr. Irvin A. BusenitzEditorDr. Dennis M. SwansonManaging EditorPage 9Dean GoodPastor, Grace Church of North Olmstead, North Olmstead, OhioPage 15Dax SwansonPastor, Grace Church Bellingham, Bellingham, WashingtonPage 16David ForsythTeaching Pastor, Foothill Bible Church, Upland, CaliforniaPage 18Tom Drion and Ross OrgillPastors, GraceLife London, London, EnglandCover Photo: Dr. MacArthur praying as the 2010 TMS graduates,TMS faculty, TMC/TMS Board of Directors, and Grace CommunityChurch elders kneel.

3sermons. I remember a chapel speaker when I was in seminarywho said, “if you men will spend 30 hours a weekstudying the Word of God for the first five or six years ofyour ministry, you’ll rise head and shoulders above everybodyelse.” I sat in chapel and vowed I would do that, andtoday I’m still doing it! People say to me, “How is it that youpreach sermons that people want to listen to?” It’s what youput into them. You don’t put out what you don’t put in.I just keep digging until I go where you haven’t been.Second, spend as much personal time with faculty membersas you can to ask questions that you couldn’t ask in class.I spent hours with the men that I was drawn to, because Iknew they had answers to the questions I was asking. Whatwere they reading that we weren’t reading? Where did theyget their information?Alumni Ministry“Entrust these to faithful men whowill be able to teach others also.”—2 Timothy 2:2PHILIP DE COURCYPhilip De Courcy (M.Div., ’99) is thesenior pastor of Kindred CommunityChurch in Anaheim Hills, California.Philip is also the first of two TMSalumni to serve on the Board of Directors of TMC and TMS,and has faithfully done so since 2004. His strong expositorypreaching has found a welcome reception within both thechurch itself and the surrounding community. Recently thechurch launched a radio ministry, “Know the Truth,” thatis heard on several radio stations throughout SouthernCalifornia.Kindred Community is marked by a strong body life andwelcoming spirit. Discipleship is fostered through targetedchildren’s, youth, women’s and men’s ministries, supplementedby small groups during the week and a variety of Sundaymorning classes.Third, make good, close friends, because they’ll last the restof your life. Find guys that lift you up, challenge you,support you, and who you enjoy. Don’t blast through seminary;make sure you have time for relationships.Q: What tips would you have for newly graduated TMSgraduates in their first 3–5 years of ministry?Stitching all this together is a band of faithful prayer warriorswho pray for the power and presence of God to be manifestin every aspect of church life. Under Pastor Philip’s leadershipand through God’s grace, the church desires to attempt greatthings for God and expect great things from God. ■Dr. MacArthur: Establish the expectation of yourpeople for outstanding preaching. You should be so highlyprepared by finding the richest insights in the text, thatthere’s a “wow” factor in your preaching. They’re going tocome every Sunday to see something they can’t see forthemselves, so dig deeply! Preach something that’s fresh,insightful, and helpful in a warmhearted and gracious way.Create an expectation and then live up to it.continued on page 4Lives Depended on It.Pray that God continues to provide capable,humble, church-focused faculty.

4Second, develop men in your ministry. Every great ministryhas men freed to function according to their passions,vision, and giftedness. By the time he died, Spurgeon haddeveloped over a hundred different ministries, every one ofthem led by men. Be a man and draw men to yourself. Theexpanse of your ministry will be in direct proportion to howmany effective, motivated men you attract. If you go into achurch and try to control everybody, you’ll kill it. You’lldiscourage the people who want to lead and develop. Anddon’t make the standard for leadership so impossible thatthey can’t get there! The standard for being an elder in thelocal church is not being a seminary graduate; it’s being afaithful, godly man who can articulate the gospel and be anexcellent example to people.Q: What would be a danger for TMSgraduates to be acutely aware of andprepared to deal with after graduation?Dr.MacArthur: The mostdangerous thing out there is the seductionof church growth. You’re not goingto be threatened by the Mormons,Jehovah’s Witnesses, or prosperitygospel movements. But you will strugglein your church. You’re going to strugglefinancially, or you’ll struggle becausesome guy across town has the newestchurch-growth gimmick and has threethousand people. Why is this thestruggle you are most liable to encounter? Because you care.You care about your people, you want the church to grow,and you want the message to spread. You’d love somenew faces. You want to go out and do it bigger and better,reach people, change churches, towns, and the world.And you should want that. But there’s a bottom line here.First Peter 5 says, “Feed the flock of God among you, inyour midst.” That’s it. Don’t get seduced by the gimmicks.Q: You have recently expressed a fresh interest in churchplanting. Can you elaborate on that?Dr. MacArthur: First of all, I don’t like the term“church planting.” We’re calling our new program GraceAdvance. It has been obvious to me that we’re in a periodnow where churches are in a horrendous state of chaos.If we’re going to communicatewith the evangelicalworld frustrated bythis chaos, we’re goingto have to be availableto go out and help startan alternative.What dominates churches, and has for twenty years, ispersonality. When I went through seminary, you could goto a Bible church, Baptist church, independent church, orEvangelical Free church, and they would have the samesongs and the same sermons. There would be a gospel presentation;there would be Sunday school. Now, entrepreneurialefforts have taken over the church, and you can’teven guess what goes on inside just because it has the name“church” on the outside. They’re personality-driven, andcontent has been replaced with style. And when the currentpersonality driving the church gets unsatisfied and runs off,who is the next guy? Now they are in a state of completeconfusion and don’t know what they’re doing. Churches godown the drain, from a few thousandpeople to a couple hundred or less, asthey try to find the next personality.So one of these churches comes to usand we send one of our men there, andthey want to spit him back up. Maybethere are political factions, a fewDiotrephes who love to be first. Maybethey don’t like the fact that our guypreaches sound doctrine and exposed thebad doctrine of the guy teaching Sundayschool, who happens to give a lot ofmoney. I’m not sure these are recoverable.I’ve always said, “There are so manychurches without a pastor, so just trainmen and put them in churches.” Wecan’t just do that anymore.If we’re going to communicate with the evangelical worldfrustrated by this chaos, we’re going to have to be availableto go out and help start an alternative. I didn’t want it tocome to this, but after the last five months of intense studyof this issue, I don’t think we have a choice. I am convincedthat churches plant churches. You don’t just shoot an entrepreneurialguy out there to start a church. Grace Church ison board with a biblical model.We’re going to work with and vet the people who want tostart a new church, or those in an existing church that is ina desperate situation. We will help the leadership with ourelders leading the group for a transition time. We will assessthem carefully, making sure they are people with whom wewould entrust one of our prized possessions. We’ll look atPray that God would prepare fruitful ministriesfor TMS alumni around the world.We Train Men as if

5our men in the pipeline who want to be ordained and putin a church-planting situation. We’ll give the new group thechoice of several men who might be a good fit, but not untilwe know how they will care for that man. So we’re makinga big commitment to this. I don’t see any alternative. Themore we work on it, the more evident this becomes to us.Q: How will you be praying for TMS over the next25 years?Dr. MacArthur: The prayer that I always pray for theseminary is for those who come to TMS. It’s all about whowe get. So my prayer is that God would just send us thevery best, motivated, and God-honoring students, whomwe can try to make the very best at everything they oughtto be. I also pray that we’ll always honor Christ and neverdiscredit His name, the seminary’s name, or the church. Ipray that the Lord would continue to give us the bestfaculty, who can leave their imprint on these lives.I have great expectations of you, and I know you do, and theLord does as well. The Lord will unfold preciselyhow He wants to use you, and I pray that you’ll be faithfulto feed the flock of God wherever He places you, whateverHe does.Dr. MacArthur closed Chapel in prayer: Father, wethank you for the time to share and to consider the things thatare not just important, but urgent for us. Lord, these are the best,these are the premier troops, the special forces for the kingdom.Because this seminary is so unique, and the training so specialhere, we just pray, Lord, that You will help these men understandhow critical they are to the Kingdom in the future. Thereare other schools, there are other places doing good work, butthere’s something very unique that You’ve done here. These menare going to be on the cutting edge, interpreting Scripture,fighting the battle for the Truth and proclaiming it in generationsto come. Protect them, guard them, motivate them, purifythem, and enrich them so that they can be everything thatYou would have them to be for Your glory. We pray in Christ’sname, Amen. ■Alumni Ministry“Retain the standard of sound words whichyou have heard from me.”—2 Timothy 1:13PATRICK ABENDROTHPatrick Abendroth has been theSenior Pastor of Omaha BibleChurch in Omaha, Nebraska, since1998. Building on the strongtraining in godly leadership he received at seminary (M.Div.,’96), Pat carries on a dynamic expository preaching ministrythat emphasizes the centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ andthe sovereign grace of our God.The Lord has also seen fit touse him through the radio ministry of “Truth Matters,” as wellas seminary lecturing and speaking at various conferences inthe United States and abroad. Pat is also the author of The Truthabout Water Baptism.The motivating factor in Pat's life is “To glorify Christ byproclaiming His most precious truth.” He is currently enrolledin the Doctor of Ministry program at the Ligonier Academy ofBiblical and Theological Studies. Pat and his wife, Molly, weremarried in 1991 and have five children. ■Lives Depended on It.Pray that God enables TMS to continually uphold thesound doctrinal convictions of His Word.

7our mission. As Andover has done, I would replaceHermeneutics, Greek, Hebrew, Apologetics, andEvangelism with World Religions, Interfaith Engagement,The Arts, and Ethics in Society.Fifth, I would distract the board of directors, theleadership, and the faculty away from the importanceof vibrant relationships with one another. While love forGod, the Scriptures, and the church motivates these men, itis their love for each other that provides encouragement andaccountability.Finally, if I were Satan and wanted to ruin TMS, Iwould overemphasize the intellectual and underminethe spiritual. Devotion to God would become devotion toresearch. Vast numbers of self-labeled evangelical seminarieshave venerated scholarship ahead of the “simplicityand purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor 11:3). Scholarshipis a vital tool, but not the goal. The goal is to love and obeyGod more fully in order to be equipped to shepherd othersinto Christ-likeness.Clearly, Satan has formidable weapons. Seeing history’spoor record, we could embrace an Elijah complex andsimply give up. Or we could conclude that TMS has arrivedas the best seminary ever, thus testing the Lord by takinghuman credit. With either extreme, God could easily snatchaway His abundant grace that He has bestowed upon us.Alumni Ministry“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man andteaching every man with all wisdom, so that wemay present every man complete in Christ.”—Colossians 1:28JIM STITZINGER IIIAfter completing his M.Div. at TheMaster’s Seminary in 2002, Jimserved at Grace Community Churchas pastor of local outreach and evangelism.Later, he was the associatepastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile,Alabama.He currently ministers as pastor of Grace Bible Church inNaples, Florida.Jim writes, “Sitting here 3000+ miles from the training ground,we thank God constantly for the investment you, the staff, thepastors and many others made in us. It is not exaggeration tosay that we are effective today in a very needy area because ofChrist’s calling and your investment in us…The standard ofexcellence enforced by the faculty, the relentless and precisetheological training, the refining personal discipleship and theliving laboratory of Grace Community Church provided thecritical tools for this humbling, dependent work of churchplanting.”Jim and his wife, Sky, are also loving the joyful adventure ofraising their three daughters. ■We have a solemn responsibility to protect The Master’sSeminary, which I take extremely seriously and personally.We have identified ten shields that serve in tandem todefend the Lord’s work here. We can hope that if the enemymakes a massive attack, all ten would be employed, particularlyif it seemed that the seminary was retreating inmission and doctrine.continued on page 8Lives Depended on It.Pray for multiplied fruit and worldwideimpact in ministry for TMS alumni.

8The first shield involves the history, mission statement,and doctrinal statement of TMS. We have afounding mission, and we have an extensive doctrinal statement.These are the metrics, the benchmarks by which weevaluate ourselves. Each year we ask, “Is our core missionand doctrine today what it was when we started?” We alsoscrutinize possible changes to make us more biblical andhelp us more effectively carry out our fundamental purpose.The second shield is the Board of Directors for TheMaster’s College and Seminary. Comprised of godlymen in ministry and business, they sign annual statementsof agreement with the mission and doctrine of TMS. Theyare passionate about the Lord’s work and will faithfullyguard our integrity.The third shield is the current faculty and leadership.Our president, John MacArthur, is passionate for thelong-range consistency of The Master’s Seminary. Ourfaculty is charged with the careful and prayer-filled protectionof TMS. As an officer in the United States Navy, Ilearned a simple axiom: If you are in charge, you are responsible.You are accountable. And now, as the dean at TMS, Iapply the same lesson. I not only adhere to the classicmotto, “Not on my watch,” but hope to build enoughstrength and protection into the seminary that will servefuture deans well. Then I would prayerfully add, “Not aftermy watch either.”The fourth shield is our former faculty. Now in our25th year, we are just at the point where we havefaculty members who have either moved into a newministry or retired, but maintain commitment to TheMaster’s Seminary. If they saw an actual breach of uprightness,I think they would unite with the board, faculty, andleadership in addressing this.Possibly the most vital defense, the fifth shield iscareful new faculty hiring. History demonstrates thatone wrong man will, often sooner than later, disrupt theclassroom and the faculty. Since the beginning, we haveutilized an extensive screening process. Prior to an invitationto visit, the candidate is reviewed thoroughly. Wheninvited to visit, he stays for a week or longer, giving usample opportunity to get to know him, his wife, hisdoctrine, and his giftedness. He may be a good guy, but notright for TMS or not at this time. Or he may be a wolf insheep’s clothing and not good for TMS at any time.Consequently, to hire a new faculty member, we must havethe agreement of the entire faculty, leadership, and board.This serves us well now and in the future, and serves thecandidate well whether hired or not.The sixth formidable shield is our alumni. The vastmajority of over 1,100 graduates stay well-connectedto the seminary. They stay in contact with faculty, receivethe journal, support us financially, attend the Shepherds’Conference, and return to preach in chapel. They are a tightgroup of guys, staying in close contact with each other,whether here in America or overseas. If TMS were todeviate from our mission or doctrine, the response of thisarmy of God’s men would be astounding.Similarly, the seventh shield is our current studentbody. Our students came to TMS to learn under thefaculty’s unified doctrinal stands, so I am certain that if oneof our faculty said something in class even remotely offbase,such as suggesting that Jesus was not fully God andfully man concurrently, I would have a line of students atmy door the minute class dismissed.The eighth shield involves our supporters anddonors, standing almost 15,000 strong. We have deepaffection for their ministry to us. Although most are notintimately acquainted with the daily operation of the seminary,our major donors have a highly keen interest. Thesemen, having worked hard for a lifetime and sacrificiallygiven generously to TMS, are wise stewards of wealth andwant to see a return on their investment. They want to seedoctrinally sound men of God trained to rise to thechallenge of ministry. We love all our supporters, but weparticularly try to stay close to those who make such deepsacrifices to help us keep tuition down and pay decentPray that all at TMS remain humbly dependenton Christ, honoring Him in all things.We Train Men as if

9salaries to our staff and faculty. We want to bless them withgood reports of God’s work even as they bless us by holdingus accountable to our mission.The ninth shield is Grace Community Church. As Ilook out my office window, I see the campus of ourfirst and dearest partner in ministry. The elders and thousandsof worshippers at Grace Church stand as sentinelsover TMS, having been invested since day one. Each Maywe hold graduation in the Worship Center. Though graduationalmost always falls on Mother’s Day, it is invariablypacked with thousands of members and all the elders ofGrace Community Church, in addition to the families ofthe graduates. Grace Church members have loved ourstudents, being actively involved in their lives in countlessways. And since the doctrinal statements of the church andseminary are the same, we are bound together in love andbelief.Finally, keeping a watchful eye is the shield of GraceTo You. The GTY leadership is very concerned withperpetuating the ministry and Bible teaching of JohnMacArthur, which is doctrinally what we teach at TMS.If it looks like we are going off-track, they will certainlyask tough questions and get involved with correcting thecourse.While these ten shields are effective, the overarching shieldof shields is prayer: humble, constant, grateful, faith-filled,God-centered prayer. John MacArthur writes in his book,Lord, Teach Me to Pray, “Believers are in a spiritual war, andwe ought to be praying constantly for victory.” Our facultygathers regularly to intercede on behalf of TMS. Many ofour students gather twice weekly to pray for the seminaryand for one another at our Associated Student Body prayertime. We cherish the faithful prayers of you, our faithfulfriends and supporters. Yes, we have thought carefully aboutthe possible threats to TMS and our defenses, but it is onlythe merciful power of God sought in prayer that neutralizesthe threats and empowers the defenses.Alumni Ministry“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,immovable, always abounding in the work of theLord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”—1 Corinthians 15:58DEAN GOODA 2000 graduate of TMS, the Lordcalled Dean to Grace Church ofNorth Olmstead, a small suburbanchurch west of Cleveland, Ohio, in2004. Dean is grateful for God’s clear guidance and wonderfulprovision, and he and his family have been repeatedly blessedby the kindness and generosity of his congregation.With godlyelders and dedicated deacons, Dean has been able to give alarge portion of time to the study of God’s Word.The great joy of his ministry has been observing people growin Christ through the ministry of the Word.Truly God blessesthe preaching of the Word coupled with prayer. Dean writes,“I am very thankful to the Lord for TMS, which has been soinstrumental in preparing me for this ministry. My prayer isthat I would be diligent and remain faithful until He calls mehome.” ■Can we avoid the unavoidable? Philadelphia is proof that byGod’s grace and our faithfulness, we can. Our president, ourboard, our leadership, our faculty, our alumni, our students,and I have a common yearning: to stand with Philadelphiaand hear from our King, “You have kept My Word and havenot denied My name.” ■Lives Depended on It.Pray that the Doctor of Ministry students willbe faithful in their ministries and studies.

10The Sun Never Sets on a TMS Preacher:

TMS Graduates around the World11

12The Road Less TraveledThe Concentrated Focus ofThe Master’s SeminaryIrv Busenitz, Th.D.Vice President for Academic AdministrationTwo roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.Every seminary from time totime stands at a crossroads, afork in road that is destined toinfluence the nature, quality, anddirection of their ministrypreparation. Like Robert Frost’sfamous poem, The Road NotTaken, the impact of this choiceis incredibly far-reaching! Thechoices madenot only dictate the nature of thecurriculum, they also chart the course forthe seminary and impact the direction ofchurches for generations to come.Over the past few decades, the overwhelmingtrend among seminaries hasbeen to choose the pragmatic path. Theyhave been lured by church-growth modelswhich have far more to do with marketingand demographics. Unfortunately,however, in doing so they fail to assessfully the real cost of abandoning the timeless,Scriptural mandates for the church. Eager to shedtradition and their reputation as “ivory towers,” theysuccumb to the temptation to choose the road of pragmatism.The choice of this ministry philosophy partners thechurch with the world in a marketing strategy. The churchis no longer empowered by the inherent power of the gospelitself, but by the promotional acumen of the pastor and hismarketing staff.Like Robert Frost’sfamous poem, TheRoad Not Taken,the impact of thischoice is incrediblyfar-reaching!The New Testament blueprint, on the other hand, placesthe responsibility for guarding and perpetuating the truthsquarely on the shoulders of godly church leaders (2 Tim2:2). Consequently, as trainers of church leaders, seminariesmust not succumb to these market-driven trends; rather,they must be propelled by a biblically-based philosophyof ministry. After all, if God is the One who will buildHis church, then it is obvious that we must follow Hisblueprint.Failure to implement the scripturalmandates for ministry training has seriousimplications for the future of the church.Market-driven philosophies and methodologiesmay attract people into the church.But the more important issue is, have thesepeople been drawn into the kingdom ofGod? Slick promotions and gifted salesmanshipare never a substitute for the workof a sovereign God. While it may seem likean obvious point, it is one that all too oftenhas been lost in seminary training.Contrary to the pragmatic paradigm,Scripture beckons us to follow a different path—a return tothe model of ministry training anchored securely in thebedrock of God’s Word. The pastor’s philosophy ofministry must be drawn from Scripture, not current trendsin crowd appeal. That’s what the apostle Paul exhortedTimothy to do—to faithfully preach the Word, boldlyexpose and refute error, be an example of godliness, workhard, and willingly suffer hardship.Pray for hearts of worship amongTMS students and professors.We Train Men as if

13A century ago, B.B. Warfield warned: “A low view of thefunctions of the ministry will naturally carry with it a lowconception of the training necessary for it…. And a highview of the functions of the ministry on evangelical linesinevitably produces a high conception of the training whichis needed to prepare men for the exercise of these highfunctions.”Maintaining this high view of ministry requires two foundationalanchors. First, seminaries must focus on godlycharacter. Scripture clearly marks godly character asthe foremost ministry qualification (1 Tim 3:2–7; 4:16;Titus 1:5–9). It is the cornerstone ofeffective ministry. The spiritualmuscles of godly church leadersrespond best to the impulses of God’sSpirit, Who then empowers the treasuresof the Word, ignites the fires ofspiritual passion, sharpens the eye ofvisionary leadership, and strengthensthe hand of service. Ministry cannotdo without it.In their forthright treatment ofpastoral ministry, Liberating Ministryfrom the Success Syndrome, Kent and Barbara Hughes definea successful minister of the gospel as one who is characterizedas a faithful, servant-hearted, loving, prayer-filled, andholy man of God with a proper godly attitude. Kent writes,“God calls His people to be holy. No one can be regardedas a success who pursues a life contrary to God’s will.Holiness is fundamental to true success. Holiness must beour preoccupation, our earnest pursuit.”Second, seminaries must embrace an exegetically-basedtheology. Carl F.H. Henry has rightly observed: “NoChristian movement can impact society if its leaders areignorant of or continually undermining the veracity of andapplicability of its charter documents.” Without a knowledgeof the original languages and a theological frameworkforged in the fires of exegesis and hammered out on theanvil of diligent study, one is left to interpret the Biblesubjectively, in a “what does it mean to me” manner.Linguistic facility in Greek and Hebrew allows the nextgeneration of pastors to provide their congregations with asecure anchor to weather “every wind of doctrine” thatblows. A worthy pastor must be able to “give instruction insound doctrine and also rebuke those who contradict it”(Titus 1:9). The ultimate outworking of the character of aman of God is that he exemplifies godly living and accuratepreaching of Scripture.Having an intense desire to see the gospel propelledforward, Paul, at the close of his ministry, encouraged hisfriend Timothy to stay faithful to the gospel message. Withhis death imminent, Paul boiled down this admonition tohis protégé in one powerful statement:“I charge you in the presence ofGod and of Christ Jesus, who is tojudge the living and the dead, and byHis appearing and His kingdom:preach the word” (2 Tim 4:1–2a).After decades of preaching andmultiple missionary journeys, afterlaboring and suffering for the gospelof Christ, after writing letters ofinstruction to churches all over theworld on every crucial matter of faithand practice, Paul makes his finaldirective: “Preach the word!” He had taken the road less traveledand, from the end of that road, he was exhortingTimothy to follow the same path.Today, The Master’s Seminary stands at the threshold ofanother 25 years. We are committed to training trulybiblical elders—men who will minister with godly characterand a theology that is true to God’s Word. We arecommitted to training men with a clear biblical understandingof the function of the New Testament church andto equipping them to pursue it with passion. This is whatScripture prescribes and what the future health of thechurch demands. Shortcuts will only lead to dead-enddestinations. The road less traveled may be less populatedand less popular, but it is a road indelibly imprinted by thefootprints of faithful, godly pastors who have gone before.And, it makes all the difference. ■Lives Depended on It.Pray for the health and strength of theTMS faculty, staff, and administration.

14The Engraved PulpitThe Legacy of TMSthrough The Doctor ofMinistry ProgramRick Holland, D.Min.Pastor, Crossroads College Ministry,Grace Community ChurchDirector, Doctor of Ministry Program, The Master’s SeminarySome pulpits are ornate and lofty, needing stairs toascend. Some are plain, merely functional, even aconscripted music stand. In the missionfield, a pulpit might be hastily madefrom stacked wood scraps. But no matterthe pulpit, something heavenly happenswhen a man of God steps behind it todeliver a life-giving message from theScriptures. There is a sense of anticipation,a sense of needing to hear fromGod. It is a moment that all truebelievers in Christ cherish deeply.Certainly, the function of the pulpit isimportant; it holds a Bible and sermonnotes representing hours of devotedpreparation. But something else occursthat transforms the pulpit: It becomes engraved with the life ofthe man of God. It is etched with his relationship with Christand chiseled with his training. It is cut with the trials andpain that God has used in his life to shape him. It isoutlined with his unique, God-given personality, burnedwith the passion for biblical accuracy and stained with theresponsibility to give all glory to God. It becomes a deeplyengraved pulpit.The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program is designed toadd a significant engraving into the pulpit of experiencedpastors: the mark of a TMS-trained preacher. Let me paintthe picture of a typical D.Min. student at The Master’sSeminary. He has been in the ministry full-time for at leastfive years beyond his Master of Divinity degree. While hisM.Div. laid the necessary foundation for ministry, he couldnot always anticipate what questions to ask, nor could hefully prepare for the rigors of ministry.Pray for continued wisdom in decisionmaking by the TMS administration.As an M.Div. student, he was excited and eager to preachGod’s Word, to be appreciated by a loving congregation, buthe had not experienced the trials, the time pressure, and thetemptations that can assail a pastor in the course of a week.And after taking 20 hours to prepare a sermon for preachingclasses, and suddenly being confronted with two or threesermons per week, along with counseling, meetings,weddings, and funerals—he realizes that the learning curveincreased after seminary. Now, he has one question that theD.Min. will help him answer: “How can I be faithful in mysermon preparation, preach at a higher skill level, serve mycongregation effectively, and do it all faster and better?”It will take effort, focus, and significant coaching. This iswhere the D.Min program comes into view.The D.Min. program at TMS aims totrain men of God to rewrite the book onpreparation in ministry. I value thisprogram for three reasons. First, I lovethe objective. We are training men topreach at the highest level in their homechurches and in ministry opportunitiesall over the world. The D.Min. studentwill enter the 3-year program and meet acohort of 8–12 other men with whom hewill study. The cohort will start together,learn together, and graduate together.They will meet twice a year for intensiveseminars in Expository Preaching, Hermeneutics andExposition, Preaching the Old and New Testaments,Theological Trends, and other highly focused subjects. Inthe lobby of TMS, in 3-inch golden letters, are the words ofthe Apostle Paul to Timothy: “Preach the Word! Be ready inseason and out of season” (2 Tim 4:2). This is the core of theprogram. While a Master of Divinity by necessity is a broadshotgun spray of training which includes preaching, theDoctor of Ministry is a precision high-powered rifle ofrefinement in accomplished exposition of Scripture.Second, I love the men who come. While slightly morethan half graduated from The Master’s Seminary, manyhave come from other seminary backgrounds desiring toplace the stamp of TMS training on their preaching. Thisbrings a richness and depth to our times together that Godalone orchestrates. These are men who have mud on theirjerseys and blood on their uniforms. They are in the thickof the ministry. Some are from large churches, others small.We Train Men as if

15The seminars really become like a pastoral retreat, where allthe men build on each other’s strengths and support eachother’s trials. Time stands still as we teach, share with, andstrengthen one another. When the program is completed,the men graduate with a cohort of fellow, lifelong friends.They will now support and counsel one another, preach foreach other, and continue the camaraderie.Finally, I love the benefits I personally receive from thesemen. As both an instructor and a pastor, I cherish meetingwith them to hear their ministry stories, praise reports, andprayer requests. I love hearing how the Lord is using themin their particular ministries. I love continually revisitingthe material I teach, and hearing the wisdom of Dr. KeithEssex as he mentors the men. They are family men, onaverage in their early 40s. These are men in full-timepreaching and teaching roles already. They are sometimessuffering men, like my friend, Sam, who walked alongsidehis wife during her cancer treatment while working throughthe program. These pastors are heroes of the faith to me,and I am continually reinvigorated in my own ministry bythe example of their faithfulness.To be a part of the D.Min program at TMS is an indescribablethrill. To see seasoned men lead the way as greatpreachers of the gospel in this generation is invigorating.The D.Min. program is a key component to the legacy ofTMS. Not only are TMS M.Div. graduates coming back tosolidify the imprint of TMS on their ministries, godly mentrained elsewhere are stating their desire to have theirministry marked by the TMS tradition, ministry philosophy,doctrinal stance, and fidelity to the inerrancy, inspiration,and infallibility of Scripture. In the course of theirministries, they will undoubtedly influence young mencalled of God to the ministry to train at TMS. By God’sgrace, the repercussions of their preaching will be felt forgenerations as our D.Min. graduates return to theirchurches wiser, more focused, more effective, and moredetermined.Alumni Ministry“Grow in the grace and knowledge ofour Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”—2 Peter 3:18DAX SWANSONServing faithfully as an associatepastor in a small communitychurch in Bellingham,Washington,Dax (M.Div., ’05) was commissionedby the church in 2009 toplant a new church in downtown Bellingham.They minister inan area where less than 25% of people attend church.The church is focusing on laying hold of the clear teaching ofthe Word of God, and letting that message be the ground forauthentic Christian living.The Lord has blessed the work, andthey have grown to four elders and 200 attendees. Beforecoming to TMS, Dax worked as a physician. He gave up that lifeto train for the gospel ministry. Dax is extremely grateful forthe investment of TMS in his training, which continues to bearfruit today.Dax and his wife, Danielle, have two daughters, Hope andGrace. Their deep prayer is that Grace Church Bellinghamwould “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord andSavior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). ■When these graduates humbly and expertly approach thepulpits God has entrusted to them, those pulpits are nowadditionally engraved with the indelible mark of TheMaster’s Seminary—for the benefit of the church, the gloryof God, and the exaltation of His Son. ■Lives Depended on It.Pray for God’s continued financialprovision for TMS.

16Life atTMSAlumni Ministry“For I determined to know nothing among youexcept Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”—1 Corinthians 2:2The Seminary Wivesgroups meet onWednesday eveningsfor discipleship andfellowship.DAVID FORSYTHIn 1995, the elders of Foothill BibleChurch (FBC) in Upland, California,asked David Forsyth to join thepastoral staff. With the church’sencouragement and financial backing, David began attendingTMS in 1997, graduating with his M.Div. in 2002.The annualTMS fall picnicat the beachUpon graduation, the congregation extended a call for David toassume the responsibilities of teaching pastor. David feelsblessed to be part of a dedicated group of elders seeking tofulfill their part in the Great Commission, and under theiroversight FBC has grown in its commitment to expositorypreaching and leadership development. Over the past fewyears, FBC has begun to reap the fruit of what had been sownearlier, and hope and pray that the coming years will bring aneven greater harvest, to the glory of God.TMS facultyenjoy regulartimes together atfaculty meetings.David and his wife, Carol, recently celebrated their thirty-firstwedding anniversary and have been blessed with four childrenand nine grandchildren. ■Tuesday andThursday chapelsemphasize worshipand preparationfor ministry.Praise God for the fruit that TMS alumni are seeingHim bring forth all over the world.We Train Men as if

17The Formation ofSpiritual ScholarsImpact of the Th.D.Program on FutureSeminariesWilliam D. Barrick, Th.D.Director of Th.D. StudiesAs I have contemplated how best to impact the kingdomof God, using the grace that God has given me, Ican think of no more useful effort than to train those whowill succeed me and other like-minded teachers andmentors. I think of Paul’s command to Timothy to “entrustthese to faithful men who will be able to teach others also”(2 Tim 2:2). How do we go about training future teachers?The highest calling demands the finest training. Preparationfor biblical ministry at the highest possible level of competencydemands the pursuit of three phases of training, asnoted in Paul’s exhortation to Timothy (1 Tim 4:12–16):godly character (what a man should be), biblical knowledge(what a man should know), and ministry skills (what a manshould be able to do). Doctoral students form a bond withthe doctoral faculty and their fellow doctoral students thatcreates an intellectual community that will continue fordecades. They will man seminaries and Bible collegesworldwide to impact the lives of thousands of men who willminister as pastors to hundreds of thousands.TMS offers a distinctive doctoral program that sharpensexegetical and theological skills beyond the Master ofTheology (Th.M.). The Th.D. program focuses on thestudy of the original language texts of Scripture and acomprehension of the entire sweep of historical, biblical,and systematic theology. It is our conviction that expertisein the biblical languages makes Scripture clearer to theexpositor and helps him avoid the pitfalls of erroneoustranslations and misleading commentaries. The Th.D.program provides a biblical compass for sound theology andpedagogy. That academic commitment attracted me toTMS as a potential faculty member and eventually resultedLives Depended on It.in my transition from Bible translation ministry inBangladesh back to the seminary classroom in the UnitedStates.One-on-one mentoring forms the basic architecture of theTh.D. program. Directed studies, research, peer- andfaculty-reviewed academic seminars, and the writing anddefense of a dissertation occupy, shape, and sharpen thestudent’s skills and gifts. The program’s creative blend ofthe best elements of European and American modelsprovides a framework that allows the curriculum to betailored to the individual student’s dissertation topic.Students develop depth in their chosen field by engagingin original research specializing in Old Testament, NewTestament, Systematic Theology, or Historical Theology.At the same time, mentors expand the breadth of thestudents’ knowledge beyond the scope of their specificdiscipline.As a mentor I have the privilege of experiencing iron sharpeningiron. Mentors gain from the students nearly as muchas the students gain from us. The Th.D. program sharpens,deepens, and broadens our own faculty as we interact withstudents who are researching and writing in specializedareas. My challenge is always to keep pace with the studentand to learn what he learns from his research. It is a symbioticrelationship that insures the health of our seminary forgenerations to come.Our goal in the Th.D. program is to train the next generationof professors to staff seminary and college/universityBiblical Studies faculties—especially for placement ineducational institutions requiring doctoral-level credentials.Those institutions receiving doctoral graduates includeTMS and The Master’s College, so we perpetuate our owndistinctive academic mission by training professors for ourown programs.Academic institutions of like faith and mission actively seekto acquire TMS Th.D. graduates. One undergraduate almamater has pursued one graduate, hoping to enlist him inapplying his credentials to their academic setting. A newinternational graduate school is seeking to recruit anothergraduate. Other institutions contact TMS regularly to findmen of sound doctrine for their faculties.TMS graduates have built a sound reputation for beinggodly exegetes and expositors. In my own travels overseas toPray for the right Doctor of Theologycandidates and the theology faculty.

18teach in a number of countries and institutions, I gaininsight regarding the future faculty needs of those institutions.Many of our doctoral faculty spend several weekseach year teaching overseas and holding conferences, so ourvision for meeting the faculty needs of seminaries is internationalin scope.A commitment to train pastors for churches in both theM.Div. and Th.M. degree programs at TMS intersects withthe Th.D. program’s goal of producing those who will trainthose future pastors worldwide. For example, one Th.D.graduate travels to seminaries overseas to help trainstudents who will pastor churches or help train pastors.Only persistent prayer, hard work, and focused perseverancewill succeed in preparing for the defense of sound doctrinelocally, nationally, and internationally. In other words,doctoral candidates must demonstrate an undying commitmentto be a man of God, equipped for every good work.TMS recruits select Th.D. students to teach M.Div. andTh.M. courses while they are pursuing doctoral studies. Asadjunct faculty members, they have the opportunity to workunder experienced mentors to hone their teaching skills andto build a résumé for future employment. The EvangelicalTheological Society furnishes another opportunity forTMS doctoral students and graduates to impact the evangelicalacademic world. In recent national meetings, severalof the TMS doctoral students and graduates presentedpapers and interacted with ministry leaders across theUnited States. In the future, these same graduates will bewriting and publishing the textbooks for biblical studiesthat colleges and seminaries will use for the next generationand beyond.Alumni Ministry“Preach the Word; be ready in seasonand out of season.”—2 Timothy 4:2TOM DRION ANDROSS ORGILLHaving finished their studies at TMS in December 2010, Tomand Ross have returned to their native United Kingdom, andare in the midst of a new church plant in central London. Inpartnership with Grace Community Church, Tom and Rosshave been given the use of a church building strategicallylocated just five minutes from a major transportation hub inthe center of London.Tom writes,“We are just praising God for the way the Lord hasbeen changing and equipping us, through both the formalaspects of training, and by the rich experiences that we’ve hadthrough involvement in ministry at Grace CommunityChurch.”Ross adds, “We are really excited to be heading home and atthe prospect of serving the Lord as part of this new work.”Tom and his wife, Donna, have a daughter; Ross and his wife,Lisa, have two children. ■As director, I can think of no better way to maximize thegrace that God has granted me than to utilize my final yearsof full-time teaching to train those who will succeed me asa teacher and mentor at TMS and in the schools around theworld where I have the joy of teaching from time to time.TMS’s Th.D. program will produce the leaders of thefuture for like-minded churches and schools.By the grace of God, this ministry will continue to glorifyChrist for decades to come, long after the current facultyhave gone home to glory. To paraphrase a popular spiritualsong, “I pray that those who come behind us find us faithfulto this vision of excellence in spiritual scholarship.” ■Tom Drion (right) and Ross OrgillPray that TMS would enrich the familylife of students and professors.We Train Men as if

19Cathy RomeroAdministrative Assistant forDonor and Graduate RelationsLauren GarberCirculation Desk ManagerVanessa MorrisonReceptionistOliver SchulzAcquisitions andPeriodical LibrarianAnna Lois KrollSeminary Cataloging LibrarianThe Master’sSeminary StaffBeth ColeyReceptionistThese servants support thetraining of TMS men. Fromfaculty support to media outputTanya HauserAdministrative Assistantto the Deanto library services, these men andwomen are treasures who makea direct impact on the spread ofthe gospel all over the world. WePat RotiskyAdministrativeAssistant to thePresidentMarcia GriffithsAdministrativeAssistant for AcademicAdministrationpraise the Lord for them!Colleen CraigenCirculation Desk AssistantDana WallerAdministrative Assistant forFaculty and Doctoral ProgramsChristine DixonAdministrative Assistant for AdmissionsHolly LinskyAdministrative Assistant forAcademic AdministrationJoshua CroochMedia ProductionLives Depended on It.Pray that TMS would be solidly faithful toits original purpose until Christ returns.

20Education “Outsidethe Walls”Dennis M. Swanson, D.Min.Library Director, Director of EducationalAssessment, Director of Non-Resident StudiesOne of the cornerstones of TheMaster’s Seminary is a commitment to our residencyrequirement for students; that is, we are committed to aneducational model that provides for in-person training bothin academics and the character qualities for pastoral leadership.There are, however, some aspects of education that arebest experienced, “Outside theWalls.”Since 1994, TMS has sponsoreda study trip to Israelin conjunction with TheMaster’s College. Duringthese annual trips, over250 students, alumni, andfriends of the seminary havebeen able to participate in anintensive, three-week study inthe land of Israel, exploringthe significant sites and geographyof the Bible.Beginning this year, TMS will offer the Israel trip in alternatingyears with a Greece and Turkey trip in conjunctionwith the college. This new trip is designed to expand theon-site field studies in those important areas of NewTestament history.TMS is also involved in academic pursuits to encourageBiblical and theological scholarship. Recently, the seminarybecame a sponsoring institution for the Associates forBiblical Research excavations at Khirbet el-Makatir(biblical Ai) under the direction of Dr. Bryant Wood. Thispartnership allows the seminary to send a member of thefaculty and select students each year to study and work atthis site.Another key interest for the seminary is the promotionof Biblical creationism, often called “Young EarthCreationism.” For the last few years, Dr. Bill Barrick hasbeen involved as an instructor for the Answers in Genesis’Christian Leaders Trip through the Grand Canyon. Theobjective of this trip is to equip influential Christianministry leaders and professors from evangelical seminariesand Bible colleges with a solid understanding of the biblical,scientific, and historical data supporting the validity ofGod’s Word, especially as it relates to Creation, the Flood,and the age of the earth.Whether inside the walls of TMS, or outside the walls, thegoal remains the same: to spread the gospel of Christ andstand firm for biblical truth. ■Pray for TMS alumni who are inchallenging ministry situations.We Train Men as if

21Recent Publications by TMS Faculty and AlumniSlaveJohn MacArthur, Litt.D., D.D.PresidentIn this gripping book, Dr. MacArthur uses deepBible teaching and historical evaluation to expertlyuncover the one forgotten word that restores theBible’s definition of true Christian freedom.EvangelismJohn MacArthur, Litt.D., D.D.PresidentThis latest addition to the MacArthur Pastor’s Libraryseries addresses the theological principles that governevangelism, showing how they are played out in thechurch, as well as in family and personal interaction.Snatched before the Storm!Richard Mayhue, Th.D.Senior Vice-President and DeanInvestigate what the Bible teaches concerning therapture of the church and the scheme of pretribulationaleschatology. This book distills and helpfullycategorizes a wealth of biblical research on thesubject.Well-Driven NailsByron Yawn, D.Min.This is about the journey every preacher musttake if he is to be a fearless proclaimer of Christ.Dr. MacArthur writes, “Every preacher who wantsto be an effective expositor should read this bookand take it to heart.”My Wife—Her Shining LifeJim Rosscup, Th.D, Ph.DAdjunct Professor of Bible ExpositionRichard Mayhue writes, “Dr. Rosscup beautifully(romantically but realistically) recounts Christ’sblessings on his 51-year union with the bride of hisyouth. Only the Song of Songs exceeds these deeplyaffectionate words of appreciation for one’s mate.”The MacArthur Study Bible (ESV)John MacArthur, Litt.D., D.D.PresidentFor the first time, The MacArthur Study Bible is availablein the English Standard Version (ESV), whichcombines word-for-word accuracy with readability,literary excellence, and depth of meaning.Coming to Grips with GenesisRichard Mayhue, Th.D.,Senior Vice-President and DeanWilliam D. Barrick, Th.D.Professor of Old TestamentTrevor Craigen, Th.D.Professor of TheologyEdited by Terry Mortenson and Thane Ury, this bookaddresses key topics related to the age of the earth.With scholarly biblical and theological arguments infavor of a young earth, they address a number ofcontemporary interpretations of the book of Genesis.Dr. Mayhue contributed the essay, “Is Nature the 67thBook of the Bible?” and Dr. Barrick contributed theessay, “Noah’s Flood and Its Geological Implications.”Dr. Craigen contributed the essay, “Can Deep TimeBe Embedded in Genesis?”The Stone and the GloryGregory Harris, Th.D.Professor of Bible ExpositionJohn MacArthur writes, “Greg Harris takes hisreaders on a profound journey through the Scripturesas they explore the glorious realities of the stoneprophecies.”Dispensationalism: EssentialBeliefs and Common MythsMichael Vlach, Ph.D.Associate Professor of TheologyIn just 73 pages, Dr. Vlach gives a scripturallythorough understanding of the conceptions andmisconceptions of this key topic.Has the Church Replaced Israel?Michael Vlach, Ph.D.Associate Professor of TheologyDr. Vlach explains that, “there are compelling scripturalreasons in both Testaments to believe in a futuresalvation and restoration of the nation Israel.”These books are available online atwww.GBIbooks.comor by calling 1-800-472-2315.Lives Depended on It.

13248 Roscoe Blvd.Sun Valley, CA 91352-3798ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTEDNon-ProfitOrganizationU.S. PostagePAIDVan Nuys, CAPermit. No. 99Convocation 2010