An Open Letter from Dr. Matt Olson of Northland International University
Dear Friends in Ministry,
Thank you for your demonstration of true friendship over these past few months. So many of you have called, emailed, and written me. Yes, God has been doing great things. Yet, when He does, the pot gets stirred. Conflict often follows.
What God has been doing among us…
I thought it would be helpful for me to share a few thoughts concerning recent events at Northland as well as our process of thought. My prayer each day is that God would give us grace to work through our present opportunities and challenges in ways that fulfill His purposes for us and that please Him most. Never has there been a more exciting day to prepare this next generation for Great Commission living or to advance kingdom causes!
January 2008: I began praying for God to do “greater things” here at Northland. It seemed to me that the church as a whole had grown cold with the works of men and was crying out for the works of God to be manifest. I prayed to that end:
- For God to give us vision and clarity for what He wanted at Northland.
- For wisdom in navigating from where we were to where we needed to be.
- For boldness and grace—as we knew the process would be difficult.
- For abundant provision.
- For His name alone to be magnified.
In many ways God has been answering those prayers and has blessed Northland beyond our expectations. We felt, however, that this was only the beginning.
August 15, 2010: I began a forty day journey of fasting and prayer for the works of God to be manifested and for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. I took this step of faith with some uncertainty—not really knowing how I would do or what God would do. I was certain that I was not content to coast through this final stretch of life and ministry without seeing God do something much more. I have been longing for “greater things.” Dr. Ollila, the administration, faculty, and staff joined me in this. I wish I could share all that has taken place. It has been an incredible time!
What I did not expect was the testing that would follow. Yet, now I realize this to be a familiar pattern in scripture and in history. So, we take it from the Lord and respond with strength and grace that He gives. Sometimes our motives and actions can be misunderstood and miscommunicated. I know that happens. I have always felt that the best response would be to communicate in a positive way. The following are a few points of clarification on what is happening at Northland:
1. The Way of Discipleship
We have superseded our demerit system with what we feel is a biblical model of discipleship. In reality, it is a re-commitment to a means of discipleship that has already been present at Northland. We just took away an artificial demerit system that was awkwardly laid on top of our student system of governance. Our standards and expectations remain the same. But, the way we confront and encourage is relational and the consequences practical. Quite honestly, it is a lot more work with this new way. But, it’s more biblical. And it already appears to be yielding better results. We see “The Way of Discipleship” in the spirit of Matthew 5 where Jesus “raised the bar” from the Old Testament law. We believe grace expects more—and deepens more. While we see our system as a “work in progress,” we have been very pleased with the responses of our students, faculty, and staff.
2. Our Music Philosophy
Philosophically, it is unchanged. Let me say it again…unchanged. What we have always been trying to do, and will continue to do into the future, is to make sure Northland’s practice of music (as with every aspect of the Christian life) is built principally on clear teachings from the Bible rather than on reactionary, extra-biblical reasoning that has proven to be troublingly insufficient when exported to cultures beyond American borders. We believe the Bible is sufficient to bring us to right and God-honoring positions regardless of time and culture. Even though we haven’t changed our music at a philosophical level, we are changing our music on a missional level. Where you will see changes is in our intent to expand our training to prepare students for worship and music globally. This only makes sense because, as you may have noticed, Northland International University has become more and more an international, global ministry with a passion to take the gospel where it is not proclaimed. Over 41% of the world’s population is still without a Gospel witness. This has become our students’ burden. Our Director of Fine Arts, Kevin Suiter, has recently informed us he does not believe he can take us forward in this way and thus has announced his plans to move on. We wish Kevin and Grace the best and thank them for the investments they have made here.
3. Our Guest Speakers
We invited two speakers that have generated some questions.
a. Rick Holland. Dr. Holland is the Executive Pastor at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, where John MacArthur is senior pastor. Since we get many questions concerning John MacArthur and where he is in regard to fundamentalism, we decided that the best way to address this was to meet him face to face. In April of this year, Les Ollila, Doug McLachlan, Sam Horn, and I went to California and sat down with Dr. MacArthur, Rick Holland, and Phil Johnson (Executive Director of Grace to You). We had an excellent visit and found that while we did not agree on everything, we did agree on the most substantive issues of life and ministry. While we realize we function in different circles and with different constituencies, we appreciated what they were doing. I invited Rick to visit our campus to see what we were doing at Northland, meet with our Bible faculty, and speak in chapel. This was an opportunity to get to know one another and discuss significant issues of our day.
b. Bruce Ware. Dr. Ware is a professor at Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville. He is a well-recognized teacher and author. We have invited him to teach half of an advanced-degree seminar on a specialty subject our leading pastors need to be fully versed in. Why? Because Dr. Ware has written so skillfully and authoritatively on this particular topic. This seminar is for experienced, mature pastors who are presently in ministry. We see this as appropriate in the academic context and the type of thing we have done in the past for the very same reasons. In fact, most seminaries bring adjunct professors in to address key issues that they believe helpful. Never has this been intended as a move to align with any other group.
We did not see that having these speakers would be a significant problem. Biblically, we worked through a process of decision making and felt these choices and the context in which they were made were consistent with what we have always believed. Knowing now that these decisions might be confusing, misunderstood, or miscommunicated, we would likely have planned differently. We have no desire to distract from our focus here or on the field of ministry.
We affirm that Northland stands in the historic tradition of Fundamentalism and is committed to remain as an independent, Baptist, separatist institution. We will do our best to serve the local church, which we believe is the primary institution ordained of God to carry out the Great Commission. We respect the autonomy of the local church, the priesthood of the believer, and individual soul liberty. We know that other Fundamentalists will develop different applications based on biblical authority and the principles that flow from it. We will do our best to defer to our brothers in Christ but refuse to be swayed by party politics, threats, and pressures. While deference brings unity, the fear of man paralyzes our ability to serve Christ. In the spirit of Galatians 1, we will serve Christ.
Sometimes I have to smile when I think about the politics in college ministry. Early on I found that I had to just keep it simple: do the right thing, keep a right spirit, communicate the best I can, and leave the results to God. That is all I can do. That’s what I will do. I am not disappointed with differing views and opinions or even challenges that come from healthy critics. These help me grow. What I do think needs to be confronted in our movement is the lack of biblical process in responding to one another when we have questions or disagreements.
We must keep our focus. A friend of mine shared this with me, and I found it to be a great encouragement:
Stick with your work. Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil’s dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil’s rabbits. Do your work. Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let critics malign, let enemies accuse, let the devil do his worst; but see to it nothing hinders you from fulfilling with joy the work God has given you. He has not commanded you to be admired or esteemed. He has never bidden you to defend your character. He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood about yourself which Satan’s or God’s servants may start to peddle, or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation. If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord. Keep at your work. Let your aim be as steady as a star. You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded and rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives; you may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and despised and rejected of men. But see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being until at last you can say, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.”
If you have further questions or comments, please feel free to write or call me. I welcome that. We have never been more excited about our future than we are now. Doc O and I believe that God is moving in a very special way and that the evidence is seen in both the abundant blessing of God and in the attacks of the Devil. We have the greatest and most exciting opportunity in the world—preparing this next generation of servant leaders for Great Commission living. Pray with us as we move boldly forward for the cause of Christ.
Your friend and fellow servant,
MO
- 350 views
I think I understand you’re basic point, but I’d like to appeal to you to not just take random shots at people or deliberately try to provoke argument by poking people in the eye verbally. Maybe we’ve reached the point where nothing good can be accomplished in forums like this, but I am not sure everybody agrees with that.
Dr. McCune was very clear in his critique of the problems within Fundamentalism and caught a good bit of flack from the kinds of people you are lampooning. We’d all be better served by sticking to the subject at hand and not taking random shots at people.
DMD
[Jay C] Dan, I do think that the Filings thread is wonky. We’ve already noted it in the Admin forum, but that’s all we can do until Aaron checks into it. Thanks for the note though.***** Forum Director Comment ******
I have tried to access that filing every which way in the last hour …. without success
We did not close it … did not censor it … just a broken link
Aaron will look into it
******************************
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
[DMD] Maybe we’ve reached the point where nothing good can be accomplished in forums like this, but I am not sure everybody agrees with that.Thanks for the vote of confidence. ;)
One thing’s for sure: as the level of vehemence rises, the value of discussion falls. When we start declaring things to be obvious, we (perhaps unintentionally) we insult the intelligence of everyone who has a different opinion, which can only move a discussion toward more heat and less light.
In the long run, I don’t think there’s much profit in judging whether MO’s letter is disingenuous or naive, etc. But we have some thinking to do about where the “lines of separation” ought to be in fundamentalist ministries in the present and future. We all know that “evangelicalism” is a moving target. So it stands to reason that the distinctions of the past are not always going to be valid.
The important questions have to do with what factors should determine fellowship/non-fellowship/separation on the scene today. The underlying biblical principles don’t change, but applications have to continually adapt.
I think we owe it to NIU—and everyone else—to have some patience as they try to do that, whether we agree with their conclusions or not. I think the letter shows that they are not completely sure they’ve got it right either. But they’re trying. I would personally be more conservative (because I still can’t figure out what there is to gain as far the chapel pulpit goes), but application is complex work.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
[Aaron] In the long run, I don’t think there’s much profit in judging whether MO’s letter is disingenuous or naive, etc.I respectfully disagree. Even when changes are necessary, there are wrong ways to implement them. I brought up BJU and the interracial dating policy earlier. When BJIII lifted the ban on national television, he did so in a way that was ultimately insufficient, as indicated under Stephen’s administration when a clear admission of the wrongness of the policy was articulated. When churches have done things like make changes in translations used from the pulpit, wise leaders don’t just randomly and haphazardly abandon the KJV, then claim that they have stood where they always have, or didn’t anticipate such a negative reaction when fallout occurs. They teach about the issues, or communicate among members, or prepare materials people can refer to.
Let’s think about this. If Matt Olson and the Northland administration genuinely thought there would be no occasion for fallout with the Holland invitation, why did they feel the need to initiate the meeting with MacArthur, Holland, and Phil Johnson previous to the invitation being extended? At the very least, if they discovered in their meeting that they had been misinformed in their perceptions of the people at Grace Community Church, they should have realized that their constituency did not have the benefit of being in the same meeting as they were.
There is ample evidence to conclude that they should have been clearly aware that this would be an issue among some of their supporters- namely, the events surrounding the God-Focused Conference in 2005 and the fact that they set up a meeting with the three from GCC that ultimately led to the invitation. MacArthur has hardly been toiling in obscurity lo, these many years. If you believe that they made the right choice in inviting Holland, fine. But a good leader needs not only to be able to make bold changes when needed, but anticipate and take responsibility for the consequences of implementing those changes. The first may have been done, but it seems evident to me by the letter here that the second area is lacking.
Greg Linscott
Marshall, MN
In many of these cases you will find letters and continued statements by school Presidents insisting that there is no change and that the position remains the same. This is has often been said when the President and others in the institutions have a desire for change and meetings and events continue with the purpose of bringing about change. There is often dissatisfaction with things and positions of the past. The desire for change is almost always a sincere belief that some things have been, or are inadequate and a new perspective would actually be more Biblical. History shows that there are always unforeseen consequences that bring additional changes not seen as part of the original plan.
It is good and natural that many question such an event as a school chapel speaker of high visibility and having key association with a ministry that is viewed by the schools constituency as problematic and contrary to the schools traditional history of ministry orientation.
There are of course many posters on SI who are always for most any change within the sphere of Fundamentalism. These often offer the reasons and viewpoints as expressed in the past by the historic New Evangelicals (to me the parallels are uncanny). While they want to avoid any such New Evangelical label, and often profess to be more enlightened Fundamentalists, a check of their present church affiliations and /or other ministry associations has shown that these posters are in no way oriented toward biblical Fundamental practice in their present ministry. These are former Fundamentalists by educational background, and perhaps ministry, but really are not now so. This thread does have posters who may be so oriented. This is why some no longer post at SI and have labeled it by spirit and membership to be Pseudo Fundamentalist at best and possibly merely young New Evangelicals looking back as they seek to justify their compromises and present ministry and associations.
This viewpoint may account for the many congratulatory posts regarding the changes taking place at NIU while change is denied. The visit to MacArthur and the subsequent invitation to Holland represent a huge change in viewpoint. One only need to look at Cedarville University to see how rapidly and stealthily change does occur in schools. Such change always brings degenerative elements.
There are of course good changes that can be a desire to conform to a first premise, clear Biblical principle. This is seen in BJU changing its racial policy. Such clear scriptural principle is not in play here.
It is not trivial or Paranoid for the alumni and constituency of NIU to express concern. Fundamentalists are often not Paranoid just experienced.
Well my friend….your view look very familiar. Welcome to the hill! I should have warned you to wear your helmet and body armor - especilly in the back! Yes the arrows will come and the sad thing here is that the arrows will be coming mostly from “the brethren….or brethreim.” Your friend spoke true….don’t worry about the naysayers. You’ve heard from God, he’s given you a target - press forward my man, with faithful determination! Straight Ahead! God bless you as you plow forward in obedience to His call. Remember the words of Elijah to his servant in 2 Kings 6, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
To the rest of you,
uh….for the record…..this is what leadership looks like! Leadership does not take a poll as to what is popular. Leadership asks the question, “what is right?” Then leadership follows in that direction - no matter the cost. Some of you “arm-chair QB’s” would have doubted the Pilgrims move, especially in that the first winter they lost about 50% of the team. History I think is fairly clear the Pilgrims made the right move. I’m confident history and God’s view of Matt Olson and our friends at Northland University will demonstrate the rightness of this direction. It’s takes great faith and great courage to make any move, especially when you know you’re going to get these kinds of questions/shots. This is why most of us will never be placed in this kind of a leadership position - we are unable or unwilling to take the kind of shots leadership demands.
Matt is fairly clear in his public address here - Northland is not changing it’s values or even it’s identity - the alteration is only by way of mission. Every ministry has to update it’s mission - even if the values, vision, objectives, and goals stay the same. This is what happens when we grow. A ministry that never upates it’s mission, never raises it’s eyes to take a fresh look at the vineyard - has it’s face in the dirt and will grow increasingly unwise in the harvest!
Straight Ahead!
jt
Dr. Joel Tetreau serves as Senior Pastor, Southeast Valley Bible Church (sevbc.org); Regional Coordinator for IBL West (iblministry.com), Board Member & friend for several different ministries;
[LD] SOMETHING has changed with music, enough that their music director is quitting because of it.Unconfirmed.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
uh….for the record…..this is what leadership looks like! Leadership does not take a poll as to what is popular. Leadership asks the question, “what is right?” Then leadership follows in that direction - no matter the cost.Joel,
If it is just a “updating of mission,” why even publish the letter? If this is what leadership looks like, why even glorify the naysayers with a response? Why say “that having these speakers (was) a significant problem (with some)?” If this is the right “change in mission,” as you say, it needs to be explained. It ought not be excused. That is exactly what was done in this letter. Olson is trying to appeal to “we had no idea that this would cause such a kerfluffle” instead of saying something like:
Instead, they try to smooth things over so no one is offended, while making subtle tweaks behind the scenes. That may be a kind of leadership, but it’s not one I can admire.
Greg Linscott
Marshall, MN
NIU’s strength is that they want to stay out of all of that and focus on what they do. So when Olson says that he didn’t anticipate this level of backlash (vitriol is how I’d put it, judging from comments here), I’m inclined to believe him. NIU is way up in the sticks, and really does keep to itself. With the Internet making the world flatter, it’s quite likely that they are getting drawn into the spotlight on things that they really do think aren’t a big deal. So I believe that Olson was right. That being said, Greg’s note that they should have expected some backlash is legit.
I guess the actual comparison isn’t the BJU interracial dating policy as much as when Bush came to visit the school. Multiple people confirmed that when Presidential Candidates campaign in SC, they go to BJU. BJU invites candidates that they agree with, usually Republican. But when the word go out about Bush going, people started using the interracial thing as a stick to beat not just Bush, but also the school. Of course, the policy was wrong, and they should have changed it long before Bush ever came, so that was a factor as well.
@Greg:
You said:
Let’s think about this. If Matt Olson and the Northland administration genuinely thought there would be no occasion for fallout with the Holland invitation, why did they feel the need to initiate the meeting with MacArthur, Holland, and Phil Johnson previous to the invitation being extended? At the very least, if they discovered in their meeting that they had been misinformed in their perceptions of the people at Grace Community Church, they should have realized that their constituency did not have the benefit of being in the same meeting as they were.Two points-
1. If you want to pin down the actual positions of some high level churches and ministries on the East Coast, do you send a letter or place a phone call? You might initially to start the conversation, but at some point you’re going to realize that the conversations, if they go well, are going to get into the nitty gritty and become really detailed. If that’s the case, then it does make more sense to speak in person - because there are things that you can discuss and learn and gauge in person rather than trying to discern tone and attitude, say, in an online discussion board.
2. We’re making this sound like Olson just decided to up and call Holland and invite him over for cookies and tea. I doubt very highly that that happened. High level meetings like this just don’t happen because of one phone call.
@Bob T.
The problem here is that the landscape is riddled with Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries that began well and had very Biblical foundations but have changed significantly. The history of this in North America is constant and very long, going back to very first such institutions. This degenerative course continues to our very day.Bob, just because an institution implements a policy change or invites a person that you don’t agree with hardly means that they’re destined for theological liberalism. BJU and NIU have done things that I disagree with, but I’m not about to storm the gates and demand changes more to my liking. To be honest, since you’re not an alumnus, I wouldn’t expect you to understand the school’s thinking.
@ Louise Dan
Or maybe their old positions were wrong and NIU wants to be more in line with Scripture. How do we know that the music director is “quitting”? How do you know that maybe he decided he wanted a different, better paying job?
Northland is doing the same thing. SOMETHING has changed with music, enough that their music director is quitting because of it. And their conservative music policies of the past have affected people negatively (as well as their demerit system). Or are they saying they never kicked a student out for disagree with their earlier music standards? Was no staff member forced out because they started walking down this very road a few years before Northland decided to follow?
They are making changes because there was something WRONG with their old positions.
Assumptions are dangerous things, you know.
As for your post:
1. Have they? I never disagreed with the conservative standards. I still don’t.
2. I don’t know that. Neither do you.
3. Again, I don’t know that, and neither do you. Furthermore, if someone tells you that they left over music, I can almost assuredly tell you that it wasn’t about music - but a heart attitude of this is wrong, I disagree with the school, and I’m going to do what I want to do anyway. That’s not a music issue. That’s a sin issue.
I need to get going, but I am more and more convinced that this is nothing more than the sound and fury, signifying nothing other than an opportunity to throw rocks at positions one disagrees with like music, Lordship, higher education, SharperIron, etc. NIU is not beholden to anyone other than their Board, and I’m sure the Board had no problems with this that they didn’t already resolve.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
Perspectives on the Doctrine of God: Four Views (edited by Bruce) is good. I needed Bruce to help me navigate through these deep waters.
I am wondering if the same topic that is attracting me is the same topic attracting Matt …
[Aaron Blumer] The previously broken link several mentioned is working now.Still not working for me. I’m getting a 404 error.
[LD] SOMETHING has changed with music, enough that their music director is quitting because of it.Unconfirmed.Here is what Matt said in his letter:
How much more confirmation do you need?
Our Music Philosophy: Philosophically, it is unchanged. Let me say it again… unchanged. What we have always been trying to do, and will continue to do into the future, is to make sure Northland’s practice of music (as with every aspect of the Christian life) is built principally on clear teachings from the Bible rather than on reactionary, extra-biblical reasoning that has proven to be troublingly insufficient when exported to cultures beyond American borders. We believe the Bible is sufficient to bring us to right and God-honoring positions regardless of time and culture. Even though we haven’t changed our music at a philosophical level, we are changing our music on a missional level. Where you will see changes is in our intent to expand our training to prepare students for worship and music globally. This only makes sense because, as you may have noticed, Northland International University has become more and more an international, global ministry with a passion to take the gospel where it is not proclaimed. Over 41% of the world’s population is still without a Gospel witness. This has become our students’ burden. Our Director of Fine Arts, Kevin Suiter, has recently informed us he does not believe he can take us forward in this way and thus has announced his plans to move on. We wish Kevin and Grace the best and thank them for the investments they have made here.
This is another example of what I am complaining about. This is an attempt to make changes while claiming no changes are happening. It is purely political.
And not very well done politics at that.
[Note - emphasis in quotation added.]
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
[letter] Kevin Suiter, has recently informed us he does not believe he can take us forward in this wayIt’s not clear to me what this means in relation to music philosophy, since Dr. O says it has not changed. So it’s the “philos change —> music guy resignation” link I’m calling unconfirmed.
Don, I think you’ve made your take on the whole thing quite clear. Of course, you’re entitled to make your case, but let’s try not to repeat the same criticism over and over, eh?
(The link… yes, it’s broken again. Not having a good day with the database! It worked for a while. Back to the drawing board.)
Edit: the continuing saga of the broken link. It’s working again now. Seems Jay’s posting of his church doctrinal statement was a bit too much for one comment. There’s probably a comment max length field somewhere we haven’t set!
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
[Jay C.] @Greg:Jay,
You said:[Greg Linscott] Let’s think about this. If Matt Olson and the Northland administration genuinely thought there would be no occasion for fallout with the Holland invitation, why did they feel the need to initiate the meeting with MacArthur, Holland, and Phil Johnson previous to the invitation being extended? At the very least, if they discovered in their meeting that they had been misinformed in their perceptions of the people at Grace Community Church, they should have realized that their constituency did not have the benefit of being in the same meeting as they were.Two points-
1. If you want to pin down the actual positions of some high level churches and ministries on the East Coast, do you send a letter or place a phone call? You might initially to start the conversation, but at some point you’re going to realize that the conversations, if they go well, are going to get into the nitty gritty and become really detailed. If that’s the case, then it does make more sense to speak in person - because there are things that you can discuss and learn and gauge in person rather than trying to discern tone and attitude, say, in an online discussion board.
2. We’re making this sound like Olson just decided to up and call Holland and invite him over for cookies and tea. I doubt very highly that that happened. High level meetings like this just don’t happen because of one phone call.
I am not sure what point you are trying to make. I am not saying that the meeting was spur-of-the-moment-incidental (which is what “cookies and tea” sounds like to me when you used the phrase). I am not criticizing the fact they saw the need for the meeting. I clearly understand why they thought that meeting was a good idea.
What I am having trouble understanding/believing is why they thought that other people in their constituency, who didn’t have any of the benefit of the meeting, would have immediately reached the conclusions held by Olson and co. just because Olson and co. decided to implement the”mission changes” they did. The perception of differences (even if only slight) between Fundamentalists of the variety of Northland and Grace Community go both ways. It is not good leadership to assume people will follow unquestioningly when you yourself had questions that required thinking through.
Greg Linscott
Marshall, MN
Discussion