The Master’s University and Seminary Appoints Dr. Sam Horn President

It strikes me that since Christ knocked some heads in John 2, as well as having said some things very consistently to the Pharisees and Sadduccees that were pretty clearly “fighting words” (as well as John the Baptist, the apostles, the prophets, Ezra, Nehemiah, etc..), that when we’re talking about being a “brawler”, we’re talking about a persistent habit that manifests itself over quite a long time. In the same way, if someone is rightly confronted on their behavior, they are typically given a chance to defend themselves—which will generally take more than a few weeks.

So unless it’s as obvious as the pastor who gets caught in adultery or something, count me skeptical that this is a fair dismissal, especially since Horn had just joined GCC, and especially because the chapel announcement and the website announcement differ in nature.

Asked to respond to the phrase “Beth Moore,” the name of a well-known Southern Baptist Bible teacher, MacArthur replied, “Go home.”

Sounds of laughter and applause could be heard in response during a recording of the session, which was posted online.

Yes, it is completely “elderlike” for JMac to tell a woman who teaches the bible to other women to “go home.” I think JMac himself has crossed the “pugnacious” line a time or two. I also direct your attention to his lawsuit against local civil servants and his smear of them as “tyrants.”

Merriam-Webster tells us pugnacious means “having a quarrelsome or combative nature.”

Revised Job Description for President:

• Proven track record as “yes man”
• Clear vision that Mac will really be in charge

That chapel announcement seems like a pretty low blow to me.

[AndyE]

That chapel announcement seems like a pretty low blow to me.

Yeah, not much class. However, if that was the issue, I’d have made them fire me.

To be fair, whatever the reason, the university president resigned on March 1. The students know this and ought to know why. They have heard rumors likely. So they have to be told something. They said he violated the “elder” rule about being pugnacious, and only that. I presume the intent there was to limit any concern about sex issues.

What else could they have done?

[Mark_Smith]

What else could they have done?

mentions briefly that some students had complained about him. So if that is true there was probably a campus rumor mill operating. I have no idea, just highlighting what was said. Of course, if you are going to fire a president for pugnaciousness disqualifying him, what about gossip and students…

….but I’d guess just about any HR person in the country would say “That announcement was like a sign on our back saying ‘sue me’.” Even if it’s true, you don’t just do that when you haven’t gone through the process of giving the accused a chance to speak on his own behalf and the like.

We might infer that the governance issues that Horn was brought in to fix have not exactly been addressed adequately. Again, if it’s true, you want the process so that other possible employers know he was fired for cause. If it’s not, you want the process so you don’t get sued for trashing someone’s employability.

We might also argue, per Andy’s comments, that it is evidence of a pugnacious spirit on the part of the board of directors. Oopsie.

they would have fired Sam Horn for cause if he didn’t resign… which isn’t usually done in public.

One source I found claims the board wants to disentangle the seminary, TMS, and TMU, the college. This is a good idea in general. But it seems MacArthur is interested more in the seminary and his name would would go to the TMS, with maybe him going back to being Chancellor. This would leave TMU high and dry and in need of new funding sources. Maybe… Horn didn’t like this direction.

Mark, I don’t know if what you wrote is true or not, but if it is, what it is would be an end run around the institutional controls that the accrediting agencies are insisting on, and it also would be a pillaging of the common purse for these institutions.

You and I both hope that what you’ve heard is nonsense, because an attempt to do this would end up being just.plain.embarrassing.

…,from a Christian layman’s point of view, that Dr. Horn went to an institution under the sway of autocratic leadership in the first place. While I am not as familiar with Northland, they seemed to have a very horizontal method of administration. Central and BJU were free of their “benevolent despots” for years before Dr. Horn joined them. Men that have not matured under autocratic leaders often chafe when placed under them. No matter how long it takes, men that believe in servant leadership will eventually buck a unitary executive. G.B. Vick, passive though he was, revolted against Norris’ paranoia and micromanagement in 1950. Wendell Evans—adjusted to the strongman behavior of Lee Roberson—was conditioned to the style of leadership that Hyles exhibited when he was brought on the faculty of Hyles-Anderson in the 1970s.

Horn had to have known MacArthur’s leadership style. He had affiliated with The Master’s University and Seminary prior to assuming the presidency. There was much inherent risk in joining the ministry out in California. Unfortunately, MacArthur’s worst impulses were not restrained. Poor Dr. Horn is the victim of it.

Well said. Couldn’t be stated better.

We have the announcement, and the chapel service audio clip. From those we know:

-Sam Horn resigned.

-TMU says he was asked to resign due to issues with being mean-spirited.

From that the majority posting here at SI KNOW… KNOW mind you, that the virtuous, cherubic Sam Horn arrived at TMU to fix the evil, selfish, authoritarian dictatorship run by Johnny Mac, but was driven out by his hoods.

If you have proof, let me know. Otherwise realize you have an opinion, not the facts. You might be right. You might be wrong. How about we wait until we know?