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
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I can also tell you after sitting in classrooms and taking part in dorm room theology that what I am seeing now in no way reflects a change in what was expressed to me by the faculty and what I was hearing was the opinion of many of my peers. In fact the actions being taken now are actions that are MORE consistent with what was being taught in the classroom. MacARTHUR was never harpooned, but was in fact, held up as an great example of expositional preaching and someone who firmly believed and practiced such things as, separation, church discipline, and anti-worldliness.
On the subject of music I can tell you that the message was beyond mixed. Things that passed which shouldn’t, things that didn’t that should have. You also have to consider that growing influence of data based music (as opposed to CD’s). Something that was impossible to control/check. On the positive side I can say that CCM was not glorified in any way, but there was an encouraging to look at the music from a theological perspective and not a “throw everything out because Bill Gaither (sp?) was in the same town when this was written.”
I just wanted to give a testimony of someone who was there at the end of The Doc O era and the beginning of the O2 era. I see what is happening as a more consistent application of the philosophy that was already in place.
I love Northland and would not hesitate to send any of my 30 teenagers there. Every person I have brought from my church has walked away feeling like their walk with Christ was better for it. Is that not the purpose?
Tim Lyzenga
[jwstima] I am very concerned by the need for many in the Fundamental realms to have the approval or dialogue with Neoevangelicals. While I may appreciate John McCarther’s books and may even quote them from time to time in my sermons, there must be a clear understanding of separation from him.Why must there be? Paul says not to associate with a brother who is walking an unruly life. Obviously you don’t have an accusation against Dr. MacArthur in that way - you don’t even know him, or how to spell his name.
So then, perhaps you can enlighten as where his doctrine goes wrong, and I’d like chapter and verse, not categories like “neoevangelical,” as if saying it makes it both evil and reality.
I do know the man, and love him. He has taken more stones and arrows from people who simply despise biblical truth than you’ll ever know, from feminists, to legalists, to liberals, to fundies, to evangelicals, to emergents, to charismatics, to hypocrites. And it continues to this very day.
Let’s see you man up and tell us why, biblically, a man who preaches verse-by-verse, whose sermons and books are published for all to see, translated into multiple languages around the world and used in churches everywhere, and who is used to by Christ to bring souls into a saving relationship with Himself, and who is continually despised by so many religionists, is someone who “must be” separated from.
[Susan R]…but can we pretend just a bit harder that we are staying on topic? ;)I think we are still on-topic, at least tangentially. NIU has said that their philosophy of music will not change, but that their execution of that philosophy will change. Culture and (more importantly) history is on their side; any of the previously-discussed shifts, either in culture or in leadership personnel, has led to a new outworking of a relatively static philosophy. This is human nature - three people can look at one principle and come to four different conclusions about how to act in light of that principle. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I see the entire letter (not just the music part) as a natural progression. New guy takes over; to his credit he didn’t just pile on the change in his first six months; and now, finally, the fact that he is not Les Ollila comes out. He’s a different man, younger, with a different background and approach to the same principles NIU/NBBC’s always held. His letter is littered with evidence to this (all emphases mine):
[Dr. Olson]This is not the language of change. This is the language of, “How should the outworking of our unchanged beliefs look in this generation?” My point with the music thing was just to point out that the acceptance of new instruments, styles, etc., can and do come about organically, as new leadership rotates in, and as the next generation applies the same principles they were taught by the previous generation within their cultural context. Some of my “Christian practices” have changed as I grew, but as one man who knew me before and after those changes remarked last week, “You’re still the same guy.” By the same token, based on this letter, I think you have to say that NIU’s still the same school.
In reality, it is a re-commitment to a means of discipleship that has already been present at Northland.
Our standards and expectations remain the same.
Philosophically, it is 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….
Even though we haven’t changed our music at a philosophical level….
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.
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.
We affirm that Northland stands in the historic tradition of Fundamentalism and is committed to remain as an independent, Baptist, separatist institution.
1 Kings 8:60 - so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.
[James K] Ted, he was told by Dr. Minnick what to believe. Isn’t that enough? Who are you to question Dr. Minnick?Is this helpful to the discussion?
[Rob Fall] My point is it looks like Northland is going to shift their music to deemphasis ethnocentric Revivalistic Taboos which have crept in to Fundamentalist musicology. IF this is the case, they may be looking for a head of their music department who has a more knowledge of international music.That makes sense, and fits with the context of the letter. I think the speculation of 1)Olson is having tea and crumpets with Holland + 2) Olson is talking about changes to their music policies = 3) Rock Bands Performing in Chapel sound a bit paranoid. Unless there is a compelling reason to believe that is the direction they intend to go, why head there at warp speed with our hypotheses?
Please note the conditional and tentative phrasing of my last sentence.
I agree with mounty that it is entirely possible to hold to the same basic philosophy and yet realize your application has been faulty. I mean, if you’ve got kids, you have experienced this at least once, I’d think.
My prescription for those feeling under the weather with “BBB syndrome” is as follows: (1) keep own eyes clean of beams or logs (Matthew 7:4), (2) daily use a soft answer with a gentle tongue (Proverbs 15), and (3) for good bodily health, use gracious words (Proverbs 16:24). The above prescription can usually cure the ailments typically associated with “BBB syndrome.” Matthew 18:15 has some good principles for managing conflict or disagreements in our preferences - not a bad place to start.
What also worked for me is actually going up there to the northwoods (bring a GPS device) and speak to Dr. Olson and Dr. Ollila personally, as I did, and I got all my questions answered. The spirit of the student body is as good as it is ever been!
And, yes, we as leaders are always trying manage change and its potential conflicts politically - that is part of good leadership. No lying, no deceit - those are sin, but using a soft answer and wise lips are signs of spiritual maturity. Proverbs 16:23 says “The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth (or in today’s lingo “makes his speech judicious”) and addeth learning (or again today “persuasiveness”) to his lips.”
If after time, you notice detrimental results from Northland’s approach, then you can separate. As we know, “all the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit” (Proverbs 16:2).
I was challenged to give biblical reasons for separation from John MacArthur. II Corinthians 6:14-17 really sums it all up. His position on the blood and Lordship salvation have always puzzled me. His clarifications have only led to greater confusion.
For the most part his explanation and exposition are sound, but his application (or lack thereof) is where we must part ways.
The great commission is about salvation and sanctification. I am concerned that in our quest for the salvation of souls that we forget to bring men and women along in sanctification (Christlikeness). The unsaved world looks at Christians to reflect their Savior not the world around them. The difference must not only be in the message but also in the messenger.
To those who may question my listening to Dr. Minnick, I believe that he is an honorable and Spirit-filled man and someone that walks with God. Yes, I will listen to that type of man all day long.
[jwstima] The purpose of this discussion was about Northland and not to get into a long discussion about John MacArthur or Billy Graham. John MacArthur has written many good books and has been bashed by many groups, but the point is that he is still a conservative evangelical (Neo-evanglical). He continues to chose to associate himself with many in those circles.You may not want to get in a discussion about MacArthur, but you have made very serious accusations, and now have used Scripture to support them. The discussion is upon you.
I was challenged to give biblical reasons for separation from John MacArthur. II Corinthians 6:14-17 really sums it all up. His position on the blood and Lordship salvation have always puzzled me. His clarifications have only led to greater confusion.
For the most part his explanation and exposition are sound, but his application (or lack thereof) is where we must part ways.
The great commission is about salvation and sanctification. I am concerned that in our quest for the salvation of souls that we forget to bring men and women along in sanctification (Christlikeness). The unsaved world looks at Christians to reflect their Savior not the world around them. The difference must not only be in the message but also in the messenger.
To those who may question my listening to Dr. Minnick, I believe that he is an honorable and Spirit-filled man and someone that walks with God. Yes, I will listen to that type of man all day long.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17 passage presents only two black and white opposites: righteousness or lawlessness, light, or darkness, unbelief, or belief, Christ or Satan, the temple of God or idolatry. It does not deal with degrees of darkness, degrees of unbelief, of degrees of Satan, or degrees of idolatry, or degrees of anything. So please don’t go there in your response..
By citing this passage in the context of why MacArthur “must” (your words, not mine) be separated from, you are calling him lawless, in the dark, an unbeliever, an idolater, and a co-laborer with Satan.
You must either now support those accusations. If you cannot support them, or do not believe them to be true, then you owe us several responses:
First, why have you misused Scripture, and done so in a way that is injurious to a man who preaches Christ.
Second, a public apology for claiming that MacArthur should be separated from, when he in fact should be embraced by all those who loved the Lord Jesus with an unfeigned love.
[jwstima] I was challenged to give biblical reasons for separation from John MacArthur. II Corinthians 6:14-17 really sums it all up. His position on the blood and Lordship salvation have always puzzled me. His clarifications have only led to greater confusion.Please help me to connect the dots!
Re: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers”
How is J Mac yoked with unbelievers?
Enlighten me because I don’t get it!
[jwstima] His [John MacArthur] position on the blood … have always puzzled me. His clarifications have only led to greater confusion.Be confused no longer!
http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/articles/blood.htm
By the way, they (BJU) has never made this right!
[jwstima] If I believed that John MacArthur was an unbeliever, I would not be reading his books or quoting him from the pulpit. Worldly music endeavors to mix light and darkness and Dr. MacArthur uses worldly music in his youth group. When Dr. MacArthur writes a book that roundly criticizes tongues speaking and then brings in Chuck Smith, I am perplexed. John MacArthur is a good man and I am sure loves the Lord, but I cannot have close fellowship with a man who in my opinioin is close to the world in these areas.The difference between you and John MacArthur is that when he uses Scripture, he interprets and applies it according to its original meaning. When he is wrong in his understanding of Scripture, as in the Eternal Sonship issue, he own up to it. When you are wrong in your understanding of Scripture, as in 2 Corinthians 6:14-17, you do not.
Are you now saying Chuck Smith is an unbeliever? And by the way, what year was it that he was “brought in?”
And, please, tell us, what is “worldly music?” And how does one repent from it sufficiently so they might have the pleasure of your fellowship?
matthew richards
indianapolis, indiana
Bigelow and Stima, I don’t have time at the moment. But I must slip in a little comment later concerning my introduction to both GCC and CC. And in my neck of the woods in S.E. Idaho, I do appreciate the influence of both for different reasons.
Discussion