Updated: Matt Olson rehired by Northland

Source:

http://www.tracs.org/tracs_standards.htm

AND

http://www.tracs.org/files/January2013AccreditationManual.pdf

Pg 36. They will need to address the family connections or they jeopardize accreditation (image below)

Also P 26, “Institutional Independence: The Board of the institution has sufficient independence from any external entity (including financial independence), such that it is solely accountable for meeting the TRACS Standards.”

In Matt Olson’s blog post today he says that there is a terrific attitude on campus, a unity amongst faculty and staff, that the Lord has confirmed the direction NIU is taking, etc., etc.

It is easy to think and say that when most dissenting voices have either resigned or been dismissed.

Too bad the Bible never indicates this is how we receive confirmation from the Lord regarding our choices.

Mmartin, they dismissed all the students who didn’t agree with the changes Dr. Olson made?

I didn’t mention anything directly about students. Greg, I don’t understand why you would zone in on my point like that.

I was referring to the four board members that resigned as noted by Dr. Olson himself and people in general that are not in agreement with NIU’s direction.

My point is simply that when there aren’t dissenting voices around of course everything is going to feel great!

M,

The basic fallacy of your argument is that Dr. Olson and who’s left at NIU exist in a vacuum. They don’t. Dissension didn’t disappear overnight. If you think Olson’s not aware of the controversy that’s out there, you’re fooling yourself.

And to imply that Olson feels great because the dissenting board members resigned is accusatory at best. Inflammatory might be a better way to describe it.

What is apparent of NIU, is that they are confident and steadfast of their direction. This is a statement decision that goes directly back to the basic theme of NIU from its inception…the HEART. It’s apparent that NIU [and by extension, the Patz family] has found their heart again. Whatever you think of their heart, God will do what He wills with it.

Don’t agree with their heart? Fine. Don’t. Unless they’ve directly asked you to, they haven’t asked you to.

But DO pray for them. Earnestly. They HAVE asked you [and all of us] to do that.

Standing on the street corner howling about the direction of NIU does no one any eternal good.

[Todd Himes]

Standing on the street corner howling about the direction of NIU does no one any eternal good.

Para-church organizations come and go.

Of course I’m aware that Olson is aware of the controversy and that dissension didn’t disappear overnight so actually no, I am not fooling myself.

But within NIU itself, little by little the people questioning the new direction are either resigning, not returning, or are being let go. Look, I get it. Obviously the people that aren’t in agreement wouldn’t want to be around and NIU wouldn’t want them either. That would be true for any organization. It isn’t personal, its basic business sense.

My comments stand.

[mmartin]

In Matt Olson’s blog post today he says that there is a terrific attitude on campus, a unity amongst faculty and staff, that the Lord has confirmed the direction NIU is taking, etc., etc.

It is easy to think and say that when most dissenting voices have either resigned or been dismissed.

mmartin,

What you’re insinuating is this: the only reason there is unity on campus is that all dissension has been ended by orders from the upper ups. Couldn’t another reason be that there is actually unity created by the Spirit of God? Are these authorities that powerful that they could order this great unity that apparently exists today, but not so great that they sowed dissension two weeks ago? The logical and obvious reason there is unity on campus is that those on campus are unified.

Now that Matt Olson is back at NIU, the GARBC has decided to uninvited him as a keynote speaker from the national meetings being held the end of June. From the GARBC website…

A 2013 GARBC Conference update from John Greening, GARBC national representative:

“I am pleased to report that Dr. David Doran, pastor of Inter-City Baptist Church and president of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary in Allen Park, Mich., has graciously consented to speak at our 2013 GARBC Conference. Dr. Doran is speaking in the main sessions previously designated to be filled by Matt Olson, president of Northland International University. In light of the transition Northland International University is currently navigating in identifying its leadership, values, and direction, this change was made. Our prayers are with Northland International University as it seeks to redefine itself and settle on its future course. We are looking forward to the preaching of God’s Word, the stirring worship, and the good fellowship at this year’s annual conference to ‘Renew Our Strength.’”

What think ye?

[Chip Van Emmerik]

Too bad the Bible never indicates this is how we receive confirmation from the Lord regarding our choices.

Right, God only makes such confirmations through the church. Acts 15; 1 Cor. 6; Matt. 16, 18; 1 Tim. 3:15; etc.

[pastordjr]

Now that Matt Olson is back at NIU, the GARBC has decided to uninvited him as a keynote speaker from the national meetings being held the end of June. From the GARBC website…

A 2013 GARBC Conference update from John Greening, GARBC national representative:

“I am pleased to report that Dr. David Doran, pastor of Inter-City Baptist Church and president of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary in Allen Park, Mich., has graciously consented to speak at our 2013 GARBC Conference. Dr. Doran is speaking in the main sessions previously designated to be filled by Matt Olson, president of Northland International University. In light of the transition Northland International University is currently navigating in identifying its leadership, values, and direction, this change was made. Our prayers are with Northland International University as it seeks to redefine itself and settle on its future course. We are looking forward to the preaching of God’s Word, the stirring worship, and the good fellowship at this year’s annual conference to ‘Renew Our Strength.’”

What think ye?

I’m not going to waste my time, but I’m sure it would be incredibly easy to show the GARBC to be contradictory on this matter.

Since at least 2 of Doran’s kids are NIU grads, this is even more interesting.

I kind of enjoy watching parachurch orgs flounder about.

I’m not going to waste my time, but I’m sure it would be incredibly easy to show the GARBC to be contradictory on this matter.

I think this statement reveals a lack of familiarity with recent decisions and overall direction of the GARBC, which has been to distance itself and eventually directly separate itself from churches and institutions that could not affirm their Articles of Faith. I would also say this decision has far less to do with Northland’s “Pizza and Praise” than it does with the uncertainty brought on by the dropping of their doctrinal statement that articulated clear positions on a pre-trib, pre-mill dispensationalist understanding of Scripture, and a cessationist position in regards to the work of the Holy Spirit. While Northland may end up re-affirming those things, it certainly is not a sure thing at this point. While the GARBC has allowed a wider breadth of expression in areas like music/worship, they have generally been much tighter and more specific in drawing their doctrinal lines than say, their BJU-influenced counterparts.

I think you are exactly right in this line of thinking, that it has everything to do with the doctrinal statement and nothing to do with the “pizza and praise’. I’ve noted to self that their decision came only after the doctrinal change was made public.

Since at least 2 of Doran’s kids are NIU grads, this is even more interesting.

Why does it make it “even more interesting”?