Northland International University closing

Thanks for your analysis. I took a graduating college student of ours up to visit Maranatha last year and got to speak with some of my old professors from Northland. From my conversations with them, your analysis is pretty spot-on. I seems that a lot of trust was lost (especially with some of the older, long-term guys). I was saddened by the whole thing. I think we must have also gone to the same seminary (you mentioned yours closed last year), and we are working on DMINs at Southern, and in the same state (IN)…maybe we should do lunch sometime….

[mmartin] Through the IPEDS Data Center you can look-up enrollment figures which were reported by NIU.

Fall term / Total enrolled:
Fall 2013: 327
Fall 2012: 490
***
Fall 2011: 577
Fall 2010: 616

Jim said this:

• Those in the arena of the vocational-ministry were (my conclusion) served by Northland
• Those in the non-vocational-ministry (NVM) arena were not served. Yes they have memories and their Christian lives were advanced (but the church could have / should have accomplished that)
• But the NVM were left with a very expensive private education, educational credits that are deficient when it comes to transfers, and for some rather meaningless degrees (like Home and Family).

Jim, that may be true, but NIU was never designed to be a place that trained for ‘non-vocational ministries’; the majors were Bible, Christian Education, Ministry, Theology, and the like. Even their educational offerings were tailored at full time vocational ministries like Christian school teachers or ESL. They did try and add some other majors that were not ministry targeted, but none of those offerings fared well.
As for the whole ‘University’ thing (which I know you dropped), they were fairly clear that they were making that name change in order to faciliate the alumni’s work in foreign fields. A lot of alumni were running into problems because they graduated from a ‘college’ and not ‘university’, which is the way that it is referred to outside of the United States. They explained that at the time, and although I didn’t like it, I understood it.

[Jay]

Jim said this:

• Those in the arena of the vocational-ministry were (my conclusion) served by Northland
• Those in the non-vocational-ministry (NVM) arena were not served. Yes they have memories and their Christian lives were advanced (but the church could have / should have accomplished that)
• But the NVM were left with a very expensive private education, educational credits that are deficient when it comes to transfers, and for some rather meaningless degrees (like Home and Family).

Jim, that may be true, but NIU was never designed to be a place that trained for ‘non-vocational ministries’; the majors were Bible, Christian Education, Ministry, Theology, and the like. Even their educational offerings were tailored at full time vocational ministries like Christian school teachers or ESL. They did try and add some other majors that were not ministry targeted, but none of those offerings fared well.

As for the whole ‘University’ thing (which I know you dropped), they were fairly clear that they were making that name change in order to faciliate the alumni’s work in foreign fields. A lot of alumni were running into problems because they graduated from a ‘college’ and not ‘university’, which is the way that it is referred to outside of the United States. They explained that at the time, and although I didn’t like it, I understood it.

In my mind, this is the crux of the problem. Typically, a church will support one staff member for every 50-100 congregants and an equal number of support staff, missionaries, and the like. Yes, I know that churches “support” lots of missionaries—I’m talking divide the missions budget by the amount needed for one missionary to get the real # of missionaries actually supported by the church.

The business plan of Northland, as it were, more or less required not only those planning on going into vocational ministry to attend—those 100-200 graduates they planned per year would way more than meet the needs of all the northland fundagelical baptist churches—but also required the participation of (a) those ambivalent about vocational ministry and (b) those planning on going into something else. Without meaningful degree programs, good luck keeping the non-vocationals. Without the non-vocationals, good luck getting the critical mass needed to support the school. Not too many people can afford tens of thousands of dollars and years wasted on a worthless degree.

has been offered since at least 1977 and probably before that. I don’t believe Dr. Cedarholm was thinking in terms of non-vocational ministry. Rather, I think (at least from the start) he was thinking “medical missions.”

I get that Lou wasn’t the only guy on that bandwagon; I could rattle off at least four or five more names who went after NIU with guns blazing, but that’s not really my point. My concern, all along, was what kind of Fundamentalism are we interested in and defending. Lou and the others went out of their way to ‘prove’ that NIU was compromising, like Ahab and Moby Dick. Well, they proved their case…and helped bring down a Bible College / Christian University. Congrats, guys.
I said this back in 2013:

Well, now we’re going to find out just how strongly Fundamentalists / Fundamentalism sees Conservative Evangelicals as a threat or enemy…with NIU as the stakes. Are they enough of a threat that we’d rather see the school shut down/fail? Or can we actually cooperate with them and keep the school going?

and came back to that theme again more than a year later:

Like who? The separatists that tried to turn it into what they wanted instead of letting it be what it was from the very beginning? The people who mentioned today on a Facebook page that it would have been better for the school to close and sit vacant than for it to be taken over by the SBC? When are you going to give credit to people like Don Sailer (in the 2013 threads) - who has very close ties to the Patz’s and would know better what they wanted that friends you know and trust - or to Ken McMaster (current Board President), or to alumnae like myself? Or do we not count because we aren’t as “independent” “fundamental” and “separatist” as those of your kind of fundamentalism? Are we second class believers, in the vein of James 2?

Is that the kind of Fundamentalism - although it’s not fundamentalism, it’s something else - what you WANT? A fundamentalism where death is preferable to living service? A fundamentalism where it’s better to end a ministry than it is to continue in a place where you don’t agree with every jot and tittle of another Christian’s practices? A fundamentalism that really is a despotism - where the grand poobah tells everyone that this is the way it’s going to be, or you’re going to be thrown out or ignored as ‘not really a fundamentalist’?

I have a line going through my mind from The Empire Strikes Back as I read this… “Life creates the Force…makes it grow.” Since when did a movement committed to God, who created all things and holds all things together and who gives life, become obsessed with division? What is the priority here?

***
People act like what Lou and the others did wasn’t really important, because it was ‘just a blog’ or ‘just a website’. But if you search on the internet today for Northland, you’ll get hundreds of hits, mostly by men who were interested in attacking the school for compromise. I understand the ‘compromise’ charge and can kind of agree with it - but I doubt highly that those online jackals were interested in helping the school or fundamentalism as a whole. I think that a lot of this NIU mess was fed and inflamed by gossips and talebearers, and we ought to learn from that, and remember the ‘friends’ that were so concerned about their school’s stand for all things [culturally] fundamental.
In short, I say all of that only to illustrate the point of Proverbs 26:
17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

This is not to say that the school did everything perfectly. Far from it. Better communication from the school would have thrown some oil on the troubled seas, as more than a few people noted on this website.

I agree with Jim, Lou’s blog or other blogs are not to blame. NIU under Olson’s leadership made plenty of incredible mistakes on their own. NIU didn’t need Lou to come to the point of closure. As Mark Smith said in this conversation, this was an organization pointing a gun to its head and pulling the trigger.

When NIU kept on telling us they weren’t changing, it is only natural, and right in my opinion, for people such as Lou to call that promise into question. If it wasn’t him, then someone else would’ve and should’ve done as much. Everything Lou wrote in his blog would’ve come out anyway at some point.

NIU was a public place and Olson, the face of it made public statements about not changing. Examining those statements vs reality deserves a public response.

To be clear, this is less of a defense of Lou as a person, I don’t know the man. NIU shouldn’t be afraid of the truth. If NIU doesn’t want people calling into question its words vs actions then NIU should have communicated and acted better, much better.

[Rob Fall]

[The MBU nursing program] has been offered since at least 1977 and probably before that. I don’t believe Dr. Cedarholm was thinking in terms of non-vocational ministry. Rather, I think (at least from the start) he was thinking “medical missions.”

Faith’s nursing program (offered in conjuction with a local community college which has an accredited nursing program) flies under the radar. Like Rob mentions in regards to Marantha’s intent, Faith’s program is thinking “medical missions.” To even find information about it, your have to look under the “Missions” header in their programs on the website. Here is the description:

“The Missionary Nursing program prepares you for a ministry in medical missions. This program includes two years of study at Faith and two years of study at an accredited nursing school. Faith has established a working relationship with the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) to enable you to take your nursing classes there and still live on the Faith campus the entire time. (Visit dmacc.edu for the details of its nursing program.) You should fulfill the prerequisites of the nursing program as soon as possible, even during your high school years. A five-year optional program is available if you need to complete your prerequisites during your first year at Faith.

Core Courses at Faith
Check the college catalog for the Bible and missions courses you will take at Faith.

Courses at DMACC

• Developmental Psychology
• Health Science Physiology
• Fundamentals of Nursing
• Success in Nursing
• Nursing Practice I, II, III
• Practical Nursing Roles
• Health Science Microbiology or Microbiology with Lab

• Interpersonal and Small Group Communication
• Introduction to Sociology
• Professional Nursing Practice
• Family Health Nursing
• Mental Health Nursing
• Adult Nursing
• Nursing Seminar”

http://www.faith.edu/academics/programs-courses/majors/missions/programs

––––––––––––––––––-

My point? It’s a small, first step toward diversification of programs at Faith that offers to female students** more than just the usual Christian school teacher & church secretary combo that Bible colleges have traditionally provided. I think offering females (half the population, after all) more than just the “old standbys” might make the difference in whether Bible colleges survive (especially given that Christian school faculty positions have been on the decline in many areas over the last couple of decades).

ADDED: **Not that males can’t or don’t study nursing: but it’s a field that is preponderantly female.

If indeed Lou’s blog was to blame, that is an unbelievably poor reflection on fundamentalism. I mean, do you read the guy? It is beyond pathetic how childish and bitter he is. If you really want a laugh, read his diatribes against SI (he opened a whole website for that purpose).

In other words, if many fundamentalists are actually swayed by Lou, where is the hope in fundamentalism? Might as well turn out the lights because the party is over.

[Larry Nelson]

Rob Fall wrote:

[The MBU nursing program] has been offered since at least 1977 and probably before that. I don’t believe Dr. Cedarholm was thinking in terms of non-vocational ministry. Rather, I think (at least from the start) he was thinking “medical missions.”

Faith’s nursing program (offered in conjuction with a local community college which has an accredited nursing program) flies under the radar. Like Rob mentions in regards to Marantha’s intent, Faith’s program is thinking “medical missions.” To even find information about it, your have to look under the “Missions” header in their programs on the website. Here is the description:

“The Missionary Nursing program prepares you for a ministry in medical missions. This program includes two years of study at Faith and two years of study at an accredited nursing school. Faith has established a working relationship with the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) to enable you to take your nursing classes there and still live on the Faith campus the entire time. (Visit dmacc.edu for the details of its nursing program.) You should fulfill the prerequisites of the nursing program as soon as possible, even during your high school years. A five-year optional program is available if you need to complete your prerequisites during your first year at Faith.

Core Courses at Faith
Check the college catalog for the Bible and missions courses you will take at Faith.

Courses at DMACC

• Developmental Psychology
• Health Science Physiology
• Fundamentals of Nursing
• Success in Nursing
• Nursing Practice I, II, III
• Practical Nursing Roles
• Health Science Microbiology or Microbiology with Lab

• Interpersonal and Small Group Communication
• Introduction to Sociology
• Professional Nursing Practice
• Family Health Nursing
• Mental Health Nursing
• Adult Nursing
• Nursing Seminar”

http://www.faith.edu/academics/programs-courses/majors/missions/programs

––––––––––––––––––-

My point? It’s a small, first step toward diversification of programs at Faith that offers to female students** more than just the usual Christian school teacher & church secretary combo that Bible colleges have traditionally provided. I think offering females (half the population, after all) more than just the “old standbys” might make the difference in whether Bible colleges survive (especially given that Christian school faculty positions have been on the decline in many areas over the last couple of decades).

ADDED: **Not that males can’t or don’t study nursing: but it’s a field that is preponderantly female.

Until just a few years ago, MBU’s nursing program was run in conjunction with a local technical college which offered the expertise that Maranatha couldn’t. I think that the evolution of their nursing program is just one evidence of the commitment of the administration and faculty at my alma mater to offering a serious education while maintaining a Biblical worldview.

Paul

[GregH]

If indeed Lou’s blog was to blame, that is an unbelievably poor reflection on fundamentalism. I mean, do you read the guy? It is beyond pathetic how childish and bitter he is. If you really want a laugh, read his diatribes against SI (he opened a whole website for that purpose).

In other words, if many fundamentalists are actually swayed by Lou, where is the hope in fundamentalism? Might as well turn out the lights because the party is over.

It’s not about Lou himself. How many others follow Dave Cloud and so many others to jumped into the fray once they ‘proved’ NIU was going liberal? Many small groups have a big impact when they network together to attack an institution or person for being ‘liberal’. I know that NIU contacted some of those men to try and alleviate concerns or discuss what was going on, and they generally refused to do so because the school had ‘compromised’. I know of one case where NIU offered to fly the person to Dunbar on NIU’s dime to make things right, and they were declined and got blasted online even more as a result. There was no disclosure to the that person’s audience that the school wanted to meet and work things out…just more ‘proof’ on the blog that the school was falling apart.

I’m a “fundamentalist” because I hold to a set of theological principles or ideas that can be defined and defended from the Bible, and those principles are subscribed to and supported by other men like Dr. Bauder or John MacArthur. But there are a lot of fundamentalists out there who are fundamentalists because someone makes being ‘fundamentalist’ the sina qua non of Christianity, or because they load Fundamentalist practice with the doctrine and make those practices essential as well. That’s my frustration with the “cultural” fundamentalists and the bloggers I’ve been referring to for a couple of posts now. A church that emphasizes practice more than doctrine has stepped away from Biblical teaching. They can also they introduce division and animosity to the wider church over polity and desires, instead of truth, which then leads to infighting. Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-17.

What happened to NIU is partially a result of fundamentalist power-play politicking, and look at what it wrought.

My undergraduate degree is in political science, the science of politics. Politics, power-plays, etc are inevitable in anything that involves people. Whether good or bad depends on how it is done & why it is done.

The controversy in Acts about Gentiles involved some astute politics by the apostles, recognizing that power & control of the gospel was at stake.

All religious groups, including Fundamentalists and Evangelicals, have politics and power-plays within their ranks.

I grew up Southern Baptist and saw much “politiking” among them. The conservative “resurgence” involved politics and power as different groups used the SBC system to keep control or gain control.

Situations such as Northland, where my daughter received her undergrad degree in 2005, bring out the best and worst in us. I too was assured by Matt Olson that nothing was changing when it was obvious much was changing. The attempt to save the school by making changes is not in itself wrong. But the type and extent of many changes and the denial of any changes alienated the support base, making the situation worse.

As a graduate of BJU with 2 graduate degrees from the school, I am very interested in seeing what BJU does in light of its declining enrollment.

[WallyMorris] My undergraduate degree is in political science, the science of politics. Politics, power-plays, etc are inevitable in anything that involves people. Whether good or bad depends on how it is done & why it is done.

The controversy in Acts about Gentiles involved some astute politics by the apostles, recognizing that power & control of the gospel was at stake.

True, and my point is that we get involved in struggles over things that have nothing to do with the gospel. Of all the threads that we wrote on this issue, and all the arguments and blog posts that were written…I can’t remember any of them, ever, dealing with the gospel or other doctrine at stake, although it did pop up in an ancillary way once. It was always about people’s comfort zones and practice.

All religious groups, including Fundamentalists and Evangelicals, have politics and power-plays within their ranks.

I grew up Southern Baptist and saw much “politiking” among them. The conservative “resurgence” involved politics and power as different groups used the SBC system to keep control or gain control.

Also true. That’s why I want to talk about this here - because this is an area where I think that I can provoke some thought and hopefully discussion. I can’t do much for the SBC. ;)

Situations such as Northland, where my daughter received her undergrad degree in 2005, bring out the best and worst in us. I too was assured by Matt Olson that nothing was changing when it was obvious much was changing. The attempt to save the school by making changes is not in itself wrong. But the type and extent of many changes and the denial of any changes alienated the support base, making the situation worse.

As a graduate of BJU with 2 graduate degrees from the school, I am very interested in seeing what BJU does in light of its declining enrollment.

I was concerned when I got the ‘Northland is changing, but we’re not changing’ email, but it made sense to me at the time because I’m an alumnus and I had spent four years there, which gave me a better grasp on the content than outsiders. I was also more inclined to give the school the benefit of the doubt. It wasn’t until the truth came out on the BDW fiasco that I was provoked enough to contact the school, which I did on several occasions over the last couple of years. I found the new administration (by Dan Patz) gracious, cordial, and sincerely seeking to do what was right, and that set my heart at ease on more than a few occasions.

The case with BJU is going to be fascinating to watch in many different ways, and we’ve seen some of those precursory earthquakes already with this GRACE investigation. I think that BJU is in a particularly bad spot, as any significant changes will ripple throughout all of their constituencies and alienate those who remember the school as ‘the fortress of faith’, etc. Part of the draw for BJU was that it was “standing without apology for the old time religion” or however that went. How do you continue to stand without apology at the same time you have to change?

That’s part of why I think that part of BJU’s issue will not be how the changes are implemented, but if they can be implemented at all. I am fairly confident that Steve Pettit can and will do a good job with that, even if we may not agree. In any case, I would rather BJU survived and prospered than go the route Pillsbury and NIU had to go.

The other question in my mind is will as many people start attacking BJU as compromised as well? Will we see that kind of online frenzy to tear down the school? Or will people be hesitant because BJU is such a big fish or because there are so many BJU alumni?

I think that we’ve pretty much seen the split now that was forecase in 2005 when the Young Fundamentalist survey was released. Unfortunately, it seems like the more established fundamentalists have decided to settle into a defensive crouch, alienating the younger fundamentalists and consequently gravitating more to the unhealthy right side of KJV onlyism, music, standards, etc.