Chapel at The Master’s University this year will center on two main objectives.

Firstly, to strengthen each student’s convictions in foundational elements of the Christian faith. And, secondly, to equip them to engage cultural opinion with biblical truth.

Tabbed “Apologia: Strengthening and Defending Your Faith,” chapel during the 2022-23 academic year will challenge students to go deeper in their understanding of Christ and Scripture. They’ll be prepared not simply to repeat arguments they’ve heard, but to wholeheartedly embrace and defend the biblical truths they themselves see, believe, and understand.

An anchoring verse for the theme is 1 Peter 3:15, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear” (LSB).

“The world has an opinion about climate change, gender, and marriage,” says Harry Walls, TMU’s campus pastor and vice president of student life. “There are different books, different religions, different viewpoints. We want our students to have confidence that they have the truth in their hands, and they know how to wield it in a way that’s both helpful to their neighbor and to their own souls.”

Walls wants TMU students to understand what they believe and why they believe it. So, the chapel series will begin with topics like the authority, inspiration, and canonicity of Scripture. From there, messages will expand to address what Scripture says about things like church leadership, the structure of the family, social justice, and Creation.

“(The Bible) is the revelation of reality,” Walls says. “No matter what you think it is, this is the way it is. And God has revealed with authority, for our blessing and benefit and for His honor, everything that we need to know on everything that matters.”

Three times each week, TMU students gather inside The MacArthur Center to sit under the expository preaching of God’s Word. Chapel is meant to complement a student’s academic and spiritual experience and provide the campus community with a dynamic worship opportunity. Speakers include pastors, missionaries, faculty members, and Christian leaders. Some of last year’s speakers included TMU Chancellor John MacArthur and President Abner Chou, along with guests Voddie Baucham, Paul Washer, and Carl Trueman.