Bob Jones University Embraces Franklin Graham's Ecumenical Movement: Have You Finally Seen Enough?

Prior to the arrival of Steve Pettit it could arguably be said that Bob Jones University (BJU) had retained much of its fundamental and separatist legacy. In a single statement Dr. Beale captures what has become of BJU since the arrival of Steve Pettit. He wrote,

After being the premier Fundamentalist academic institution for eighty seven years, BJU elected Dr. Steve Pettit in 2014, as the president who steered the University out of separatist Fundamentalism into the inclusive, Broad Evangelical Movement. (Christian Fundamentalism in America, p. 179, 530).

In the past two years we have documented how Steve Pettit and the board have accelerated a strategy of doctrinal compromise and inclusivism with non-separatist evangelicals. Last week we saw a new and quite possibly most disturbing event in memory.

BJU has formally joined the Rev. Franklin Graham in cooperative ministry. Steve Pettit orchestrated a joint ministry with Graham's Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child (OCC). You can familiarize yourself with OCC here.

BJU announced it had raised $23,200 on behalf of Graham's OCC. Photos were posted by Pettit of students packing Christmas boxes for Graham's OCC.

With this event any pretense that BJU remains a fundamental separatist school is stripped away. BJU has gone beyond embracing an "inclusive broad evangelical movement," and has openly embraced ecumenical compromise.

Some might ask, "Who doesn’t want children to have gifts at Christmas and the gospel shared with them as well?" This is the reasoning we have heard from some, but does that justify becoming involved with ecumenism?

Evangelist Dr. Bob Jones, Sr founder of BJU answered that question in his lifetime saying, "It is never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do right." If that adage still appears in the halls and classrooms of the university it should be removed. Clearly it no longer carries any weight with Pettit and the administration. 

Franklin Graham has continued to follow in his father's ecumenical footsteps.  Here are examples.1

• In 1998, Franklin Graham conducted a crusade in Adelaide, Australia. Joining Graham were Archbishop Leonard Faulkner of the diocese of Adelaide. Forty-nine Roman Catholic churches were actively involved in the crusade.
• In a 1999 Franklin Graham said his father's decision to cultivate broad ecumenical participation in his crusades, including cooperation with the Roman Catholic church, was "the best thing he ever did." He went on to say, 'If Billy Graham is willing to work with everybody, then maybe we should too' " (The Indianapolis Star, June 3, 1999).
• In April 2000, the vice-chairman of the Franklin Graham Festival in Lubbock, Texas was Paul Key, evangelism director for the Catholic Diocese of Lubbock. Key is the author of a book titled 95 Reasons for Becoming or Remaining a Roman Catholic, which has been touted as a Catholic answer to Martin Luther's 95 Theses.
• In June 2002, Franklin Graham conducted a "festival" in Cincinnati, Ohio in which five Roman Catholic parishes of that city participated. In preparation for the crusade, those parishes conducted week-long training programs to prepare Catholic counselors to deal with those who came forward in response to Graham's invitations.
• In 2004, Roman Catholics participated in a "festival" conducted by Franklin Graham in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• In 2005, Roman Catholics participated in another Franklin Graham "festival" in Corpus Christi, Texas.
• In an April 2, 2005 interview with Katie Couric on NBC's Today show, Franklin Graham praised the late Pope John Paul II, and said they preached the same gospel.
• In 2005, Franklin Graham attended the enthronement of Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. (His father was too ill to attend.) Franklin's preacher sister, Anne Graham Lotz, represented the Graham family and organization at Pope John Paul II's funeral.

Franklin Graham is promoting a 4-City God Loves You Tour for 2022. Promotional materials include this statement, "We are profoundly grateful for the thousands of churches of various denominations across the U.K. that have stood alongside us and continued praying for the tour.” Under the web page "About the God Loves You Tour" we read, "Franklin is continuing the life long work of his father Billy Graham.... Just like his father, Franklin is working with local churches...." 

Those examples dispel any notion that Franklin Graham has distanced himself from the ecumenical spirit of his father. Steve Pettit raised money for OCC knowing Franklin is as much an ecumenical as his father, Billy Graham, ever was.

Franklin Graham gives Christian recognition to apostates, the "enemies of the cross of Christ," (Phil. 3:18). His ecumenical compromise is forbidden by God's Word (2 Cor. 6:14; 2 John 9-11).2  BJU’s cooperative ministry with Franklin Graham is a tacit endorsement of ecumenicalism.

Could the $23,200 have been distributed to fundamentalist missionaries on foreign fields to provide toys and the biblical plan of salvation to children and their families? Of course it could and the option was readily available. Instead funds that were raised have gone to a man and ministry that works in cooperation with the Roman Catholic church. Steve Pettit could have chosen the Gospel Fellowship Association (GFA), which was founded by Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. to accomplish the very same goals.3 A check could have been given to the GFA office that sits across the street from the BJU campus. Students could have packed boxes for GFA missionaries to distribute to lost children on foreign fields where they serve. Yet Pettit raised $23,200 from the BJU faithful and handed it over to an ecumenical organization. 

To once again quote Dr. Beale, “...Dr. Steve Pettit... [has] steered the University out of separatist Fundamentalism into the inclusive, Broad Evangelical Movement,” (p. 179). Having joined hands with Franklin Graham an objective observer has to conclude that Pettit's vision is to transform a separatist fundamentalist institution into an ecumenical big tent ministry.

Cooperating with Franklin Graham was an act of sinful disobedience to the Word of God. It is an egregious example of ecumenical encroachment at BJU that was heartily endorsed by Steve Pettit. With the pattern in view it is reasonable to question, "How long before Franklin Graham will be standing on the platform at BJU to address the student body?"

Have You Finally Seen Enough?

"Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not," (Proverbs 29:24.)

In one of our recent articles we said, "This is Not Your Father's BJU." In just seven years Steve Pettit has erased virtually everything that for 87 years identified BJU as a separatist fundamentalist university.

I'm asking the alumni. I'm asking BJU's board of directors and trustees. I'm asking any of you who invested your lives, family and treasure. I am asking pastors and Christian leaders. I'm asking every friend of BJU who has to date remained silent these seven years.

• Have you finally seen enough to awaken, to raise your voices in protest over the ruination of BJU'S legacy? 
• Have you finally seen enough to raise the alarm, call for the dismissal of Steve Pettit? 
• Have you finally seen enough to resign from BJU's board? 
• Have you finally seen enough to cease from sending students to and/or financially supporting BJU? 

Pastor Travis Smith published an article that speaks to the silence. 

Some reading this devotional might be among the well-meaning believers who have served on boards or senior staff. You have “tacitly partnered” with leaders who were plotting a subtle departure from the course and principles of your institution’s past. You listened in silence as the founding fiber of that institution’s past, and its legacy were “cursed” and besmirched. ("I'd Rather 'Sing Like a Canary in a Coal Mine,' Than be a Silent Judas")

Read Pastor Smith's brief article. Meditate on Proverbs 29:24. Then, in light of what is happening to your beloved BJU, ask yourself, Have I finally seen enough? 

Yours faithfully,


LM

Footnotes
1) Way of Life & Teaching the Word

2) When Al Mohler signed the Manhattan Declaration Kevin Bauder wrote to give Mohler cover for it. See the Occasional Inconsistency article.

3) Gospel Fellowship Association
 
Related Reading

Roman Catholicism Isn't the Only Thing Come to BJU

Over a mere two weeks BJU gave its Bible Conference offering to an ecumenical organization headed by a new evangelical, and rented the university for a Roman Catholic to take the platform. 

If BJU Ever Changes...I Pray The Lord Closes Its Doors

BJU Compromised Spiritual Sanctification for Secular Pragmatism

BJU Lurches Further Into Evangelicalsim

BJU Moves Closer to Pseudo-Fundamentalism

Save the Storks board chair is Herb McCarthy. For 16 years Herb McCarthy was VP of Crusades for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Save the Storks is ecumenical3 in its associations.

Has Hope for BJU to Reverse Course Been Dashed?

In recent years Bob Jones University (BJU) has put into effect changes in policy, speakers and alignments. These have raised serious concerns and questions among alumni and friends of the university. In one of our previous articles This is Not Your Father’s BJU1 we saw that the university has drifted far from its separatist heritage. While briefly mentioned in that article we will review here in greater detail the implications of BJU hosting Dr. Billy Kim and his Korean Children's Choir.2

Dr. Kim w/ Billy Graham

While hosting the children’s choir posed no particular problem, welcoming on campus Dr. Kim most definitely did. Dr. Billy Kim, a BJU graduate, spoke at Billy Graham’s funeral, and was the translator for Graham’s Korean campaign in 1973. Dr. Kim was president of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) 2000-2005. During Kim’s tenure as BWA president, in June 2004 the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) voted to pull out of the BWA.

“The SBC study committee noted in recent years the BWA’s increasingly anti-American stances, tolerance of liberal theology and disregard for its own procedures in accepting the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as a member in 2003.”  (Baptist Press: SBC Severs Ties with BWA as Theological Concerns Remain. June 15, 2004)

 

“The Southern Baptist Convention voted yesterday to pull out of the Baptist World Alliance, accusing the worldwide organization of a drift toward liberalism that included growing tolerance of homosexuality, support for women in the clergy and ‘anti-American’ pronouncements.” (Washington Post: Wednesday, June 16, 2004; Page A02.)

We can’t remember a time when the SBC practiced authentic biblical separation.  So, when the SBC decides to split from another Baptist organization that is saying something. This begs the question- Why would BJU host the BWA’s former president when the SBC saw enough to separate from the BWA under Kim’s leadership?

The optics of hosting Dr. Kim, a new evangelical, was terrible.

We understand the invitation to Dr. Kim was extended by Dr. Bob Jones, III. In his own words he explained the rationale for invitation. Dr. Jones, whom we love and appreciate, had left the president’s office several years prior. Then and current BJU president, Steve Pettit would have done well to disallow Kim’s appearance on campus.

We are documenting numerous disconcerting occurrences at the university. For example:

• Featuring the men’s music group Cantus for their Artist Series. Cantus is partly compromised of practicing homosexuals, which was known to the university when the invitation was extended (Jan. 2015).
• A modernized casual dress code that strays from modesty for Christian young women (Sept. 2018).
• Hosting evangelicals Ken Ham (twice) and Tim Tebow.
• Sam Horn and Steve Pettit in cooperative ministry with Southern Baptists and Presbyterians.
• Retaining Southern Baptist (SBC) ministers on faculty. (Lonnie Polson & Jeffrey Stegall)
• Inviting to campus for special meetings Dr. Andy Naselli from The Gospel Coalition and John Piper’s seminary (Nov. 2019).
• Dr. Pettit forming BJGrass, a bluegrass performance group compromised of himself and BJU students. The vocals present a country western style, with vocal scooping and sliding. This takes BJU into the realm of popular culture.
• Directing its Bible Conference offering to Save the Storks, a secular pro-life organization headed by new evangelical Herb McCarthy (Feb. 2020).
• BJU brings Cary Schmidt to its Bible Conference, (Feb. 2020) on staff at Lancaster Baptist Church with Paul Chappell, and further contemporary and pragmatic than West Coast and Chappell. (Ht: What is Truth blog)
• Dr. John Street- featured speaker at the CORE conference. A Southern Baptist, adjunct professor at Southern Baptist Theological and Chair of Biblical Counseling at John MacArthur’s Master’s University & Seminary (March 2020).
• Steve Pettit crossing the country to participate in John MacArthur’s Shepherd’s Conference and meets with John MacArthur (March 2020).

The Pattern is Self-Evident

Steve Pettit and Sam Horn have BJU on a pathway much like that which ultimately ruined Northland Baptist Bible College. The first indication that Northland had changed was Sam Horn’s role in bringing non-separatist Rick Holland from John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church and Master’s University to speak in Northland’s chapel. Rick Holland at the time was John MacArthur’s executive pastor and founder of the Resolved Conference.3 Since Sam Horn’s arrival at BJU the university has seen many so-called “conservative” evangelicals on its campus.

Doran left, Dever center, Bauder 2nd right


Early Sign of the Coming Compromise
Nearly ten years ago I began discussing and documenting examples of Drs. Kevin Bauder and Dave Doran spear-heading a movement to practice and encourage men in their sphere of influence to set aside the principles of biblical separation for a type of “separation in academic contexts.”4 This legitimized entering into fellowship and cooperative ministry with the so-called “conservative” evangelicals.

2001 Graham Crusade

I suggested then that their efforts could eventually bridge the gap from Fundamentalism toward new evangelicalism through the “conservative” evangelicals. At the time we had already seen John Piper and Al Mohler embracing new-evangelicalism. Examples such as: Dr. Billy Graham, Rick Warren, the Mormon Church and signing the Manhattan Declaration.

Have Hopes Been Dashed
One pastor wrote, “It saddens me greatly that [Steve] Pettit is bringing down my alma mater.”  He followed with, “I doubt there is an alumnus, who graduated during [or prior to] the Bob Jones III era, which would be unwilling to acknowledge the university, has and is violating the very separatist principles we were taught as students.”

BJU’s changes in policy, speakers and alignment compromises are eerily similar to those that brought down Pillsbury Baptist Bible College, Tennessee Temple, Clearwater Christian College, Calvary Baptist Seminary (Lansdale, PA) and the former Northland Baptist Bible College.

Good men pray for and have met with BJU President Steve Pettit encouraging him to reverse the current direction of the university. Their appeals, while given a hearing, have not produced any positive moves to reclaim its separatist heritage. What more does one need to see to be convinced that BJU has changed? The situation there appears to have become unrecoverable. Hopes for the school returning to its foundational principles have essentially been dashed.

Steve Pettit and Sam Horn have pushed BJU far off its historical moorings to come alongside compromising, non-separatist evangelicalism.


Lou Martuneac

Related Reading:

NIU Closes: Continuation of the Pattern of Demise

What Does NIU, Pillsbury & Tennessee Temple Have In Common? 

Footnotes:

1) This is Not Your Father’s BJU

2) Billy Kim and The Korean Children’s Choir

3) NIU Presents Rick Holland to its Student Body

In April 2010 Matt Olson, Sam Horn, Les Ollila and Doug McLachlan traveled to the Grace Community Church (GCC) to meet with John MacArthur, Phil Johnson and Rick Holland. After a day of discussions the NIU men came away finding no reason not to have and increase fellowship with them. Inviting GCC’s executive pastor, Rick Holland, to speak in chapel confirms a new alliance for NIU with evangelicalism.

4) Under the guise of a so-called, Second Definition for Separation in Academic Contexts, we have seen scores of younger men encouraged to neuter, water down or sidestep the doctrine of biblical separation for the sake of cooperation with compromising evangelicals. Kevin Bauder, Dave Doran, et., al. have by their own example encouraged the next generation to cooperate with evangelicals, and thereby put them on the road toward new evangelicalism.

Al Mohler Signs TMD, Part 3: Tolerance & Compromise Will, in Its Wake, Leave Casualties

“In recent years Roman Catholics and evangelicals have made common cause in the political arena, uniting forces in struggles over the abortion issue, homosexuality, etc. These joint efforts have brought together leaders from both sides who had never worked together previously. Personal friendships have been formed, and, as a result, serious doctrinal differences have begun to be down-played. Since there is agreement on some social issues, and since these issues are so important in the life of America today, many leaders on both sides are willing to minimize doctrinal conflicts on the plea that we need to cooperate in ‘saving America’.”1

Dear Guests of IDOTG:

The previous two articles in this on-going series dealt with The Manhattan Declaration (TMD) and in particular SBTS president Dr. Al Mohler having affixed his name as an original signatory. The series began with, Al Mohler Signs The Manhattan Declaration: Is This a Clear Case for “Gospel-Driven Separation?” I included this comment,

With Mohler being counted among the star personalities of the so called conservative evangelicals, whom Reformed Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) men have been eager to formalize fellowship with, his signing TMD must surely be problematic. Mohler’s signing The Manhattan Declaration to essentially hold hands with the Roman Catholic Church for social justice irrefutably “compromise(s) the faith by granting Christian recognition and fellowship to those who have denied essential doctrines of the faith.”2

I followed the first article with an expose on the historic pattern of Al Mohler moving in the direction of the ecumenical mindset in Al Mohler Signs TMD: Was This a First Time Foray Toward Ecumenism? From that article I documented that,

“Al Mohler endorsed, promoted and served as crusade chairman for the last half century’s high priest of ecumenical evangelism, the Rev. Billy Graham. Ecumenical evangelism may not be Mohler’s personal practice, but through his chairmanship of the crusade he did at the very minimum lend tacit support for and endorsement of Graham’s ecumenical evangelism.”

Commentary from both sides of the debate on TMD has continued at various Christian blogs. I have read many of them and left personal comments at a few. Yesterday, I left a comment at one blog under an article titled, R. C. Sproul Chimes in on the Manhattan Declaration. In the discussion thread I enjoyed a helpful discussion with another gentleman.

Earlier this week I was not particularly motivated to contribute any new articles toward the on-going controversy, but overnight I became motivated once more. For the balance of this article I am going to revise and significantly expand upon the comment I left under the blog article I referenced above.

In The Manhattan Declaration: Why Didn’t You Sign IT, RC; Sproul wrote,

“Without question, biblical truth must be proclaimed and the gospel preached prophetically to our nation. But how could I sign something that confuses the gospel and obscures the very definition of who is and who is not a Christian? I have made this point again and again since the days of ECT. Though the framers of the Manhattan Declaration declaim any connection to ECT, it appears to me that the Manhattan Declaration is inescapably linked to that initiative, which I have strenuously resisted. More than that, this new document practically assumes the victory of ECT in using the term ‘the gospel’ in reference to that which Roman Catholics are said to ‘proclaim’ (Phil. 1:27).”3 (bold added)

I appreciate that excerpt from Sproul. He is correct in stating that TMD by virtue of its ecumenical nature “confuses the gospel” and that is a very serious matter. It has been my opinion that the Manhattan Declaration is a thinly veiled first cousin of Evangelicals & Catholics Together (E&CT). TMD was crafted to in part revitalize the raw ecumenism of E&CT under more subtle terms.

The Manhattan Declaration is a Trojan horse for full-blown ecumenism.

No man who believes in the biblical mandates for separation from denominations that propagate a false gospel, such as the Roman Catholic Church, should have signed on to TMD. Sproul followed his prior statement above with this commentary toward the men who did sign the TMD.

“I think my friends were misled and that they made a mistake, and I want to carefully assert that I have spoken with some of them personally about their error and have expressed my hope that they will remove their signatures from this document. Nevertheless, I remain in fellowship with them at this time and believe they are men of integrity who affirm the biblical gospel and the biblical doctrines articulated in the Protestant Reformation.”4

Men should obey the biblical mandates to “admonish” (2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15) brethren who did sign on to the TMD, which Sproul did. I am grateful for a few others who have. If TMD signers like Al Mohler refuse correction then believers have one option if they are going to obey the Scriptures, “withdraw” from him (them). Clearly Mohler, J. I. Packer, J. Ligon Duncan, et. al. will not “remove their signatures from this document.” Sproul is unwilling to make the necessary application of the biblical mandates that are irrefutably warranted. In his series on Gospel-Driven Separation Dr. Dave Doran wrote,

“For the sake of the clarity of the gospel, believers and churches must separate from those who compromise the faith by granting Christian recognition and fellowship to those who have denied essential doctrines of the faith (Rom 16:17 ; Phil 3:17-19 ; cf. 2 Thess 3:6-15 )… We cannot extend Christian fellowship to those who deny fundamental doctrines of the Faith. We cannot ignore the disobedience of those who do so. We cannot blur the line between the church and the world.”5

There are men in Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) circles who publicly affirm their fidelity to the biblical principles of Gospel-Driven Separation, including from brethren (2 Thess. 3:6-15; Rom 16:17). Like Sproul, however, they will tolerate a pattern of disconcerting actions of men like Mohler for the sake of fellowship with them.

Where does the Christian’s FIRST LOYALTY belong; to the Word of God or to his friends and their fellowships?

The direction and object of that loyalty is becoming increasingly muddled in this present day.

One can only imagine the outcry from IFB men who profess fidelity to biblical separatism if a Fundamentalist college president had signed the Manhattan Declaration, accepted the Charismatic sign-gifts as active for the church today or served in an official capacity for a Billy Graham crusade. We are witnessing a consistent pattern among some of our Reformed IFB men to tolerate, give benefit of the doubt and/or excuse things in the ministries of the “conservative” evangelicals that they (IFB men) would never allow for, tolerate or excuse in their own ministry or in a fellow IFB’s ministry.

I appreciate a clear stand for a balanced biblical separatism, which is a hallmark of Fundamentalism. The problem, however, is that when circumstances warrant, such as the signing of TMD, some men are highly reluctant to openly “admonish” and/or will not “withdraw” from the evangelicals who do these things.

Reformed IFB men have been and will in greater numbers continue attending the evangelical sponsored conferences. They will happily sit under the preaching/teaching ministries of Al Mohler, John Piper and C. J. Mahaney. IMO the glue that holds that desire for fellowship together, in spite of the obvious reasons to avoid certain conservative evangelicals, is their “mutual affinity for Calvinism.”6 They want the fellowship around Calvinism and will tolerate the obvious problems among the conservative evangelical Calvinists to have that fellowship.

There has been a steady increase of interest among Reformed IFB men with the evangelicals such as Mark Dever, Al Mohler, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, C. J. Mahaney, John MacArthur, et. al. Men in IFB circles have disagreed over Calvinism yet have shared fellowship in most cases. I cannot, however, recall a time when our separatist IFB brethren have been so willing to embrace evangelicals who demonstrate such obvious compromise.

The growing contemporary convergence of fundamentalists with evangelicals is a powerful force right now. Regrettably, it is growing into a force that is beginning to cause compromises that will eventually leave many without anchor, discernment or purity. This compromise will, in its wake, leave casualties.7

LM

Please continue to the attached discussion thread for additional commentary.

Addendum: With every step of compromise then next step becomes easier. See- Your First Step Won’t Be Your Last

1) Dr. Ernest Pickering: Holding Hands with the Pope: The Current Ecumenical Evangelical Craze This excerpt, which was in response to Chuck Colson’s Evangelicals and Catholics Together (E&CT), is just as applicable to The Manhattan Declaration as it was in 1994 to E&CT.

2) Dr. Dave Doran: Starting at the Right Spot, Part 1 from his Gospel-Driven Separation series.

3) The Manhattan Declaration: Why Didn’t You Sign It, RC?

4) Ibid.

5) Dr. Dave Doran: Starting at the Right Spot, Part 1.

6) While this may not be a universal sentiment it is wide spread and has been confirmed to me personally by men who are among those in that movement toward conservative evangelicalism.

7) Revised content from personal e-mail correspondence.

Please continue in this series with: Are We Recognizing the “New” New Evangelicalism?