The Project 14 Global Missions board of directors will lead Northland Baptist Ministries
“We will merge our global mission efforts at Project 14 Global Mission agency, Global Bible University, OneLife Christian Camps, and BluePrint Church Planting program to Northland campus in strategic ways to be determined soon.”
- 9 views
From the looks of the board, it appears this “revived” Northland will have more of a Sword of the Lord flare to it. When I first became familiar with Northland, it was in the BJU fundamentalism, then it swung towards conservative evangelicalism, and now it’s swinging more towards an SOTL.
[Pastor Joe Roof]From the looks of the board, it appears this “revived” Northland will have more of a Sword of the Lord flare to it. When I first became familiar with Northland, it was in the BJU fundamentalism, then it swung towards conservative evangelicalism, and now it’s swinging more towards an SOTL.
As a Northland alumnus myself, I was a bit disturbed over the wave of apparent nostalgia that prompted so many of my fellow alumni to jump on board to “save Northland.” Was this merely devotion to a place? It should have been apparent from the beginning that this won’t be the Northland they knew and loved.
[Pastor Joe Roof]From the looks of the board, it appears this “revived” Northland will have more of a Sword of the Lord flare to it. When I first became familiar with Northland, it was in the BJU fundamentalism, then it swung towards conservative evangelicalism, and now it’s swinging more towards an SOTL.
Where are you seeing who’s on the board… and what’s giving you the impression it would be a move toward the SOTL flavor of fundamentalism (as in revivalist tradition vs. expositional tradition)? It does seem pretty clear that they are not aiming for an academic institution, but I have to say that “practical training” has been more of Northland’s focus for as long as I’ve been familiar with them, which would be since about the early 80’s.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
This is aimed at no one in particular. I know we all know this. A quick reminder. It seems like near the end of Luke 9 Jesus says something like, “don’t stop them…..they aren’t against us”…. (implication - “they are with us in connection to God…..gospel…..kingdom…..etc……even though they are not part of our group”). So even though you or I might not agree with everything connected to one group or another, if they preach the gospel, love Christ, love God’s Word, are committed to discipleship, NT Christianity, etc……even if they have an emphasis (or music, polity, etc….) that might not be totally consistent with “our group” ….. how is it bad the group is doing what they are doing? We have to remember who the real enemy is. That helps you remember who our brothers are and who qualifies to be viewed as “friend” and “co-labor.” This is why I plead for brothers to remember fellowship / separation with other brothers is rarely 100% or 0%. Frankly I’m rejoicing over Northland and Project 14. If God has raised up p-14…. and the campus of Northland connects with p14…..and this can be used to further missions…..even if I would be limited with this group (and I don’t know how close or apart my approach is compared to these brothers….)…..I rejoice in how God will use it. For those who will say…..there is a limited amount of resources out there for God’s work……haven’t understood the Bible. God’s resources for God-ordained ministry has no limit….even for cessationists :)). A quick thought..or two…..Straight Ahead! jt
Dr. Joel Tetreau serves as Senior Pastor, Southeast Valley Bible Church (sevbc.org); Regional Coordinator for IBL West (iblministry.com), Board Member & friend for several different ministries;
P14 board info is here: http://p14gm.org/about-us/our-team/p14gm-board-of-directors
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
That’s telling
I agree Joel. That is why I simply noted the swing. I did not make a judgment about this swing but just noted that you do not see many ministries arrive at all of these points on the swing of the pendulum.
I really doubt there will be a Northland like the Les Les Ollila-fast growth Christian college of old.
Perhaps a robust camp, but even that market is crowded.
The remoteness which is charming is also it’s weakness. And Christian college without regional accreditation is difficult to market.
But I wish them well!
Was there any of that Luke 9 Spirit when the SBC was interested?
"Some things are of that nature as to make one's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache." John Bunyan
[Ron Bean]Was there any of that Luke 9 Spirit when the SBC was interested?
You mean when local churches were being coerced to join the SBC?
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
I’m not shocked at all that Marc Monte is involved with this; I knew exactly from the get go that his kind of Fundamentalism would be the only kind that would be able to pull together enough support and enough money to make the ‘new Northland’ happen. I am a little disappointed because I thought Jeff Kahl had more sense than that, but I guess I was mistaken.
Someone mentioned that there didn’t seem to be a common thread with the various parties behind the new Northland. I beg to differ…there is a massive common thread there. The common thread is to have a school that teaches and preaches traditional, fundamentalist Christianity with a very specific set of conservative practices or conservative cultures. Everyone that I have talked to about ‘saving Northland’ (and it’s been more than a few) wants a very specific subtype of Christianity with very specific theological practices. They want the KJV, they want very traditional standards, and above all else (because this is what they mention time and time again), they want conservative music. I have yet to meet anyone who disagrees with me on doctrine, but they’ll go to war every time about music, probably because the importance of conservative music has reached the point of an non-negotiable, core doctrine that is the sine qua non of their identity with Christ. They separate, therefore they are (in Christ).
If you don’t believe me, tell them you disagree with them on music and watch the reaction. If you think that it’s acceptable to use some CCM of any type, they will tell you that you are in error. That’s why they felt it was so important to continually document how the school was falling into error - so that they would not send their children there, lest they become “un-separated” and “compromise with the world”. They withheld their students, they withheld their money, and they withheld their blessings. Then when the school couldn’t make it, they rushed in to reclaim the thing that they helped destroy “for the sake of Christ.” Go back and re-read the blogs that documented it, or go peruse the old NIU threads. People objected and were rational about it until music was brought into the fray. Then everyone lost their collective minds (and I include myself in this group as well).
I doubt very highly that the kind of Christianity that wants to run NIU will be able to keep it open very long, if they can raise that last 400+K they need to pay off the debts, and I’m 99% confident that the people who are going to support it are going to come from the SOTL and Hammond type spheres, because that’s where the money and the allies that the cultural conservatives need are going to be at, and in delivering Northland to that kind of fundamentalism, they have completely cut the heart and soul of what made Northland special out. It will become just another hyper-fundamentalist school that will eventually run out of money and die. And that’s a terribly sad thing for me to write, but it’s the truth.
"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
to remember there has been at best a tension at worst out right animosity between the Southern Baptist Convention since the demise of the Triennial Convention. in the mid 1800s. This condition was\is a two way street.
[Don Johnson]Ron Bean wrote:
Was there any of that Luke 9 Spirit when the SBC was interested?
You mean when local churches were being coerced to join the SBC?
Hoping to shed more light than heat..
[Joel Tetreau]Fine sentiments, Joel, and I certainly agree.This is aimed at no one in particular. I know we all know this. A quick reminder. It seems like near the end of Luke 9 Jesus says something like, “don’t stop them…..they aren’t against us”…. (implication - “they are with us in connection to God…..gospel…..kingdom…..etc……even though they are not part of our group”). So even though you or I might not agree with everything connected to one group or another, if they preach the gospel, love Christ, love God’s Word, are committed to discipleship, NT Christianity, etc……even if they have an emphasis (or music, polity, etc….) that might not be totally consistent with “our group” ….. how is it bad the group is doing what they are doing? We have to remember who the real enemy is. That helps you remember who our brothers are and who qualifies to be viewed as “friend” and “co-labor.” This is why I plead for brothers to remember fellowship / separation with other brothers is rarely 100% or 0%. Frankly I’m rejoicing over Northland and Project 14. If God has raised up p-14…. and the campus of Northland connects with p14…..and this can be used to further missions…..even if I would be limited with this group (and I don’t know how close or apart my approach is compared to these brothers….)…..I rejoice in how God will use it. For those who will say…..there is a limited amount of resources out there for God’s work……haven’t understood the Bible. God’s resources for God-ordained ministry has no limit….even for cessationists :)). A quick thought..or two…..Straight Ahead! jt
Nonetheless, there are those of us who would prefer not to see the errors of SOTL and Hammon perpetuated to another generation—for all the good that has happened under those ministries. Now I can rejoice under the good God can and will likely do under this particular alliance without rejoicing at the alliance itself. And I maintain that, had many of my fellow-alumni taken a closer look, they might have chosen to place their time/money/enthusiasm/etc. somewhere else.
Years ago, I was rejected by a fundamentalist mission board solely on the grounds that I did not hold to a pretrib rapture. They had every right to that decision, and I believe it was the right one for them. They had a particular eschatological vision they wished to perpetuate and I did not hold it. The organization was not obligated to support me simply because we held to the same gospel, and I hope they rejoiced over any fruit God brought about in my subsequent ministry regardless of whether I was working with them or no (I went ahead by myself anyway).
Likewise, I and others reserve the right to express my reservations about this most recent state of affairs. I have serious reservations about the future of Northland and Project 14, but I do hope that I am wrong.
[Don Johnson]Ron Bean wrote:
Was there any of that Luke 9 Spirit when the SBC was interested?
You mean when local churches were being coerced to join the SBC?
Odd…I don’t remember anyone being concerned for those local churches when some bloggers were saying that they can no longer recommend the school to prospective students. Where was the concern for those churches (and the families of the employees that NIU had to let go as a result), then?
"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
Check this link with key information and especially the Endorsements and Business Plan!
JimD
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