Northland International University closing
Northland Grad & Undergrad Schools Closing, Camp Scaling Back
“For nearly 55 years, God has richly blessed an “out of the way” place in the northwoods of Wisconsin. Beginning with a camp and later a college and graduate school, Northland rose to become a year-round training center with a vibrant camp and conference ministry. However, on Sunday, April 26, 2015, after prayerful consideration, the Northland Board of Trustees voted to close Northland International University, the undergraduate and graduate schools of the ministry.”
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Who would have ever thought this news would get no attention on SI? Only a drinking thread could overshadow this :) :)
most of what could be said has been said on other threads.
[GregH]Who would have ever thought this news would get no attention on SI? Only a drinking thread could overshadow this
:)
Hoping to shed more light than heat..
Consider all the filings on Northland (some to dead links but headlines still tell story.
Sampllng off top of my head:
- The rename to University (kind of like me calling myself a professional golfer … :) ) (Better Minot International Airport)
- Northland hasn’t changed
- Oh yeah
- Big Daddy Weave
- Olson fired
- Olson hired
- Olson fired
- Campus gifted to Southern
- Nope never mind we don’t want it
The drama makes Superman’s Bizarro World look kind of normal.
[Jim]Consider all the filings on Northland (some to dead links but headlines still tell story.
Sampllng off top of my head:
- The rename to University (kind of like me calling myself a professional golfer …
- Northland hasn’t changed
- Oh yeah
- Big Daddy Weave
- Olson fired
- Olson hired
- Olson fired
- Campus gifted to Southern
- Nope never mind we don’t want it
The drama makes Superman’s Bizarro World look kind of normal.
I believe Olson wasn’t fired when he finally left. I believe he resigned on his own.
After all of the threads, discussions, and comments, this entire fiasco can be boiled down to this: Colossal failure of leadership, naive YRR led supporters (mostly younger people), and waste of Paul Patz’ financial legacy.
Our daughter graduated from Northland 10 years ago. Now I guess that all the Northland clothes and coffee mugs we have are now collector’s items.
Wally Morris
Huntington, IN
I believe Olson wasn’t fired when he finally left. I believe he resigned on his own.
Yes, that is correct.
After all of the threads, discussions, and comments, this entire fiasco can be boiled down to this: Colossal failure of leadership, naive YRR led supporters (mostly younger people), and waste of Paul Patz’ financial legacy.
If the Board at NIU spent the money the way that they felt was best and closely aligned with Papa’s vision, then I don’t think you can argue that it was “wasted”, nor do I think that those of us who are younger were naive, simple, or “YRR” (whatever that means). I’m sure that Dan Patz and everyone else who helped Northland after Matt Olson left felt like Papa’s legacy was “worthless”. I know that all of us alumni and current students are totally thrilled that NIU will close.
The two things that I have been convinced of from this is that
- people will believe what they want to believe
- cultural fundamentalism is much stronger in our orbits than actual fundamentalism is
"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
[Jay] cultural fundamentalism is much stronger in our orbits than actual fundamentalism is
Fundamentalism is largely about anti-CCM, anti-Calvinism, the taboos …
…..that at least a credible case can be made that cultural fundamentalism owes more to B.F. Skinner than to the Scriptures. And….sad. I’m not arguing that it’s completely the case, but it’s arguable enough to make one sad.
Regarding whether the Patz legacy was wasted, I think that actually has more to do with whether the model of ministry is Biblical, and whether those running things had “counted the cost” on what they were about to do, than with whether the expenditures were authorized by the donor. And regarding the answer to that, I make no judgment, as I’m not an insider. I simply don’t know enough.
On the light side, we could get a few more comments here if it was announced that it would reopen as a brewery……
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
Since a few posters have come on strong against “cultural fundamentalism”, let me ask this. If I believe CCM music leads to false worship, why should I support a school that allows CCM? If I believe Calvinism is a false representation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, why should I support a school that promotes it by hiring teachers who teach it as the correct form of the gospel in their classrooms? If I believe allowing certain taboos (what ever those might be…lets take alcohol as an example) like alcohol consumption is wrong for a Christian, then why should I send my kids to a school that would allow alcohol consumption among the faculty (caveat, I don’t recall whether NIU did or not, I am simply addressing Jim’s taboo argument).
If a school used to oppose all 3 of the above, and then started to waiver on them, should it be surprised when a significant part of its support base leaves?
Absolutely not.
It is not the fault of “cultural fundamentalists”, It is the fault of the school for not realizing the foundation they relied on to exist!
[Bert Perry]On the light side, we could get a few more comments here if it was announced that it would reopen as a brewery……
“Patz” Blue Ribbon?
JSB
Mark,
I think when people are talking about cultural fundamentalism, they are largely pointing out the immense amount of time and energy that is being invested in outward issues that are, at best, secondary topics and at worst, irrelevant personal preferences. In that context, at least some of the fault would lie with those who elevated cultural fundamentalism to the sin qua non of fellowship ultimately csusing unnecessary damage to the school.
Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?
It is the fault of the school for not realizing the foundation they relied on to exist!
And I think that they realized that the foundation they used to rely on was failing them faster than any of us realized and they needed to expand that base, a struggle that killed Pillsbury and BJU is going through now. As I’ve said before, the financial losses at NIU started and grew long before Matt Olson ever darkened the doors of the campus. Look up the Form 990s.
That’s why I think that the ‘NIU compromised!11!!!111!!1 and now they are closing because of compromise’ story peddled by Lou and other people is reassuring to some but not grounded in reality. As I said, look up the form 990s, especially from the early 2000s. Facts are callous things, sometimes.
If you want the story, you have to be willing to read all the chapters, not just the ones that are most appealing.
***
As for drinking and CCM - your standards are your standards, and that’s fine. Support who you want, and feel free to pull the funding from who you want. That’s your prerogative. But don’t act like NIU was BJU; BJU and other organizations had cultural standards that everyone assumed were present at NIU, and they simply weren’t there. A lot of people knew of Northland but never really knew about Northland, or the changes that they made would not have been as shocking and unexpected.
Calvinism - I’m not touching that topic now, because I don’t know what you mean by “Calvinism”. Whether you like it or not, a lot of Calvinists supported NIU in times past. NIU was never an ‘Arminian’ school - not by a long shot.
"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
Chip’s post (just before mine) is exactly what I am referring to when I say ‘cultural’ fundamentalism.
"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
If all or part of it was sold, to whom would the proceeds go?
[GregH] Who would have ever thought this news would get no attention on SI?
Well, there’s a time to discuss and strategize - and there’s a time to mourn. Seems like there’s nothing that can be done now, so not much to talk about.
Discussion