Thanks for the comment.

No doubt, you are absolutely right. I take no joy in that.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Interesting comment, Don.

You are the grandson of Harold Patz? Is that correct?

You are quite wrong in your understanding of historic fundamentalism. You are wrong in way too many ways for me to take the time to go over here. I would suggest you read George Marsden’s Fundamentalism and American Culture to get a better picture. What you are describing is classic New Evangelicalism as espoused by Billy Graham et al. They were the ones who changed in the 50s and 60s, not the fundamentalists.

Maybe you’ll get the apology you seek. It doesn’t really matter. What I’d like to get out of Northland is a little honesty. The philosophy has clearly changed. It has changed in such a way that Northland is operating contrary to its own founding documents. My hope is that they show a little integrity, be honest about how they have changed, make it clear where they now stand, and act in harmony with it.

Unfortunately, I don’t expect that to happen. There are still a few fundamentalists who might send some tuition payments their way as long as they remain ambiguous.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

http://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/2013/03/dr-matt-olson-i-apologize-to-you-for.html?showComment=1364817492697

Matt Olson is following many of Northland’s alumni into historic fundamentalism. That’s right, into historic fundamentalism. Today’s modern “fundamentalism” is a mere shell of what thriving, healthy fundamentalism looked like in the early 1900s. Then, men and women from many denominations banded together around the fundamentals of the faith. Denominational distinctives, though important in each denomination, were not barriers to fellowship and unity. This is the direction Matt Olson is going. Northland is removing the unbiblical “separation” barriers that it had erected between itself and other Bible-believing denominations such as the Baptist General Conference, Conservative Baptist Convention, Evangelical Free Church of America, etc.

This movement out of the fringe and back into historic, fundamentalist Christianity is a breath of fresh air. I know, because as the grandson of the founder of Northland, I took this step in the early 80s. Sure, Northland’s leadership at the time called me names, such as “new evangelical.” But I knew that I was actually walking down the path of historic fundamentalism. More importantly, I knew I was obeying God and no longer calling “unclean” what God had called “clean.” It wasn’t that hard of a step because the Patz family was never in the camp that Harold Patz led Northland into. BJU style fundamentalism was not our history as a family! And separating from Billy Graham was unheard of.

So things are changing now, but for the good. Northland is returning to the Patz family roots. Harold Patz has watched his children and their spouses live devout lives for Christ in the denominations mentioned above. And Harold Patz, Les Ollila, and Matt Olson have seen the light. When your own kids are serving Christ faithfully in denominations once renounced, it creates dissonance. Thankfully, God has used this dissonance to wake up the leadership at Northland. Now, perhaps, Northland can become the school that God intended it to be. One that is in line with the founder and his family. One that reflects the glory of God and the unity of the saints. May God be praised.

Blessings,

Don Sailer

Well, there are some ramifications of a continuing pattern of these types of decisions. One-off incidents don’t make a trend. However, this one is pretty serious. It speaks to integrity for sure. Unfortunately I can envision several possible outcomes. None of them are really all that happy. However, I don’t want to speculate on what might happen.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Don:

Well done with the article at P&D. (Give us a link here and I will from my blog) I am grateful for the FBFI through its blog for having addressed this issue in a timely manner. One thought on the article: Wouldn’t NIU’s close association with the SGM Charismatic church, essentially render it no longer a fundamentalist Baptist ministry?

Lou Martuneac

I read your article at PD and found it struck the right tone and stated the issue fairly.

Already some at SI are trying to make this a personal matter, nothing more. Yet they carefully omit any concerns about Matt’s departure from the letter and spirit of NIU’s doctrinal statement, a statement that clearly spells out the school’s position on its associations with the charismatics.

Why isn’t this an issue of integrity? If Matt now feels constrained by the school’s doctrinal positions, fine. But he should at least say so. It’s uncharitable, to say the least, for him to force people to surmise about his current convictions through his new-found associations. If he can no longer uphold his school’s convictions, then he should say so and step down–or change the school’s position.

I don’t know the NIU Board Members. But I’m sure they’re people of integrity, or else they wouldn’t be there. Personally, I hope they find that Matt’s remarks were made without his recognizing their broader context and implications and the position from which he speaks. I’m sure he has enthusiasm for his grads, but some of them carry baggage. And he would be wise to recognize that, and the board would be wise to remind Matt of it.

tjp

FYI, I have posted a re-worked version of this article at Proclaim & Defend. More details, less sarcasm. Perhaps I should try less sarcasm from now on. One of my friends says its good discipline!

I contacted Matt yesterday and sent him a copy of the new article. He promised to get back to me on it, but I hope that he will make a public response. I think this particular move is a pretty serious matter.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Tracy/Brian:

“Tracy brings up good questions, where is the board of NIU on this?”

IMO, we may know more with the next NIU board meeting. Any board member who has serious concerns with what has transpired won’t stay on much longer. I suspect most will stay on and NIU will, over the next 5+/- years, wither away. It will go the way of Pillsbury minus an attempt to recover what was thrown away.

LM