Jeff Kahl resigns Project 14 ... Northland deal "seriously impeded"

P14GM ANNOUNCEMENT

It is with great regret that we must announce that, for personal reasons, Jeff Kahl has resigned his position as Executive Director of Project 14 Global Missions. This is effective immediately. Please pray for Jeff and his family as he seeks the Lord’s will for his life. We want to thank Jeff for tirelessly working to promote world missions and the other endeavors of P14GM.

Because of Jeff’s departure from P14GM, this seriously impedes our ability to assume control and operation of the Northland campus. We are currently reviewing our options, and the Board of P14GM is working with the current Board of Northland to determine the best course of action. Further announcements will be forthcoming as soon as any decisions are made.

Respectfully, P14GM Board

Discussion

[Jay]

Barry L. wrote:

Why is there so much emotion invested in bricks and dirt?

Because those “bricks and dirt” had a staff that changed thousands of lives? There were 800 students when I was there. There were probably that many again with faculty and families and community touchpoints. It may look small, but it had a big impact, especially in the ‘local’ area, especially in Iron Mountain, where a lot of local commerce took place (simply because there wasn’t really anywhere else to go).

And finally because whether people want to admit it or not, the atmosphere and spirit of the NIU community was different. It was a special place, and that’s why I miss it. How much are your memories worth? Are there any camps or retreats that you went to where you made massive, life-altering decisions like pursuing ministry full time, or where you got saved, or where you finally admitted you needed help to break a bad habit of sin?

Jay, well said!

[Jim]

No speculation at all - one has to marvel at the weirdness:

  • Project 14 has an open enough doctrinal statement (I would call it opaque or vague) to raise questions (eg about versions)
  • Their board has a decidedly more conservative orientation (speaking charitably) or right wing fundamentalism (more pejoratively) with the likes of Mark Monte
  • Kudos to Jeff Kahl’s raising half a million in three weeks
  • But then his abrupt departure less than 1 week after the acquisition announcement ….
  • followed by the announcement that the deal probably is off

On top of all the drama surrounding Northland in the past … we haven’t changed … yes we have … against CCM … Big Daddy Weave …. gifted to Southern … that’s off … closing … must raise $ 1.2 in 3 weeks … and the rest.

All this makes one’s head spin. One would have to be crazy to see this as less than bizarre.

Truth is stranger than fiction, no? Who could’ve thought this stuff up in their wildest dreams?

Yes, but….

[Jim]

Maranatha is:

  • Wisconsin based (200 m by road)
  • Doctrinally balanced
  • Fiscally conservative
  • And appears to be very well run

Maranatha has decent facilities, and if they are wise, aren’t looking for a money pit. It would be a better fit for a group with people, money, and no facilities.

you had a friendly attitude towards West Point on the Rock (River) aka MBU. I wouldn’t wish the Northland campus on my friends, my enemies maybe, but not my friends.

‘Sides, MBU got its reputation for fiscal fitness by not getting stupid.

[Jim]

Maranatha is:

  • Wisconsin based (200 m by road)
  • Doctrinally balanced
  • Fiscally conservative
  • And appears to be very well run

Hoping to shed more light than heat..

Well, as an alumnus, I suppose I would rather see NIU in arch-rival MBBC’s hands than closed…but it’s pretty close. ;)

"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

it would be a different ballgame. But as I understand the situation, we aren’t.

[Jay]

Well, as an alumnus, I suppose I would rather see NIU in arch-rival MBBC’s hands than closed…but it’s pretty close. ;)

Hoping to shed more light than heat..

[Jay]

Barry L. wrote:

Why is there so much emotion invested in bricks and dirt?

Because those “bricks and dirt” had a staff that changed thousands of lives? There were 800 students when I was there. There were probably that many again with faculty and families and community touchpoints. It may look small, but it had a big impact, especially in the ‘local’ area, especially in Iron Mountain, where a lot of local commerce took place (simply because there wasn’t really anywhere else to go).

And finally because whether people want to admit it or not, the atmosphere and spirit of the NIU community was different. It was a special place, and that’s why I miss it. How much are your memories worth? Are there any camps or retreats that you went to where you made massive, life-altering decisions like pursuing ministry full time, or where you got saved, or where you finally admitted you needed help to break a bad habit of sin?

But it was the people, not the buildings that made it special. The people are not there anymore. God has led them elsewhere. Whatever Christian organization moves in will be a disappointment to the Alumni because it won’t be the same people or spirit they remember. Yes, they have memories, but don’t the memories live on even when strucutures fade away?

https://unknowing.wordpress.com/2015/08/08/relatively-silent/

This is the Northland heart, if you will. Northland fires Olson, Northland rehires him and then he is gone. Northland has gone to Southern, Northland is of the North again, Southern gets the guy with a PhD from Oxford who … was at Northland. Northland is saved and on the new board you have the glowing face of Monte Pastor, of the bus ministry. IDIOT-G celebrates the recapture, but there are no congratulatory comments (that is weird–weirdest). Then for personal reasons, the six person (three couples) organization raising the 1.2 millions loses one of the captain and … prayer is being requested, not money.

Curioser and curioser, isn’t it?

Personal theory of what’s happening: Jeff Kahl used the word “impact” so widely and irresponsibly in his letter of jubilation that all the sensible people immediately asked him to resign on the ground that words matter.

[Jim]

https://unknowing.wordpress.com/2015/08/08/relatively-silent/

This is the Northland heart, if you will. Northland fires Olson, Northland rehires him and then he is gone. Northland has gone to Southern, Northland is of the North again, Southern gets the guy with a PhD from Oxford who … was at Northland. Northland is saved and on the new board you have the glowing face of Monte Pastor, of the bus ministry. IDIOT-G celebrates the recapture, but there are no congratulatory comments (that is weird–weirdest). Then for personal reasons, the six person (three couples) organization raising the 1.2 millions loses one of the captain and … prayer is being requested, not money.

Curioser and curioser, isn’t it?

Personal theory of what’s happening: Jeff Kahl used the word “impact” so widely and irresponsibly in his letter of jubilation that all the sensible people immediately asked him to resign on the ground that words matter.

I have no idea what half of this means. What did the writer mean by IDIOT-G & no congratulatory comments, the guy with an Oxford degree, and the comment about Kahl talking about “impact” & “words matter?”

[mmartin]

Jim wrote:

https://unknowing.wordpress.com/2015/08/08/relatively-silent/

This is the Northland heart, if you will. Northland fires Olson, Northland rehires him and then he is gone. Northland has gone to Southern, Northland is of the North again, Southern gets the guy with a PhD from Oxford who … was at Northland. Northland is saved and on the new board you have the glowing face of Monte Pastor, of the bus ministry. IDIOT-G celebrates the recapture, but there are no congratulatory comments (that is weird–weirdest). Then for personal reasons, the six person (three couples) organization raising the 1.2 millions loses one of the captain and … prayer is being requested, not money.

Curioser and curioser, isn’t it?

Personal theory of what’s happening: Jeff Kahl used the word “impact” so widely and irresponsibly in his letter of jubilation that all the sensible people immediately asked him to resign on the ground that words matter.

I have no idea what half of this means. What did the writer mean by IDIOT-G & no congratulatory comments, the guy with an Oxford degree, and the comment about Kahl talking about “impact” & “words matter?”

Yeah, I’m still puzzling over a lot of that myself. Though I think the bit about “impact” was a sarcastic poke at the overuse of the term in the initial announcement.

[Craig Toliver]

IDIOT-G celebrates the recapture, but there are no congratulatory comments (that is weird–weirdest).

http://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-failed-niu-to-be-re…

Yeah, I’m pretty sure that he’s referring to Martuneac’s rag as well, although I hadn’t seen that article.

"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

Southern gets the guy with a PhD from Oxford who … was at Northland

http://www.boycecollege.com/academics/faculty/jonathan-arnold/

Jonathan Arnold: The University of Oxford; D.Phil. The University of Oxford

Most recently, Arnold served as Vice President of Student Services and Professor of Theological Studies at Northland International University in Dunbar, Wisconsin. He has written The Reformed Theology of Benjamin Keach (CBHH, 2013) along with numerous articles, book chapters, and book reviews for various publications. He is a Fellow of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies (SBTS) and a Visiting Fellow of the Centre for Baptist History and Heritage (Oxford).

OK, thank you to those clarifying the IDIOT-G and Northland/Oxford questions.

Can anybody help with the comment about Kahl using the word “impact” and “sensible people” asking him to resign on the grounds that words matter?