The Most Important People

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

“Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

(Matthew 5:13-16)

Dr. Rick Flanders

The multiplication of discouraging political and cultural events in recent months has discouraged many Christians in regard to our influence in the world.  Can Bible-believers have any effect on the spiraling decline of morals around them?  Are the followers of Jesus Christ destined to be an ever-weakening, ever-diminishing minority in an ever-worsening world?  The truth is that the followers of Christ, although always a minority, have never been incapable of influencing their world, even in dark times.  We are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World.

Of course, these are things Jesus said about His followers in His first sermon recorded at length in the Bible.  The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5 through 7, was an address to a multitude of His disciples given by the Lord from the side of a mountain (Matthew 5:1-2).  It amounts to the foundational introduction to the teaching He gave His disciples over the years of His earthly ministry, as recorded in the book of Matthew.  Matthew centers on this teaching, and ends with Jesus commanding the apostles to teach others “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).  In the book of Matthew we find the things He commanded His disciples to observe, and the basis of them all is in the Sermon on the Mount.

Near the beginning of the Sermon, Jesus taught His disciples (see who they were in Matthew 4:12 through 5:1) that they would be the most important people in the world (Matthew 5:13-16).  They would be different from the rest of the world, and would be persecuted by the world, but they would have more influence than any group of people on the earth!  And so the disciples of Jesus are today: we are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World.  Among other things, this concept tells us that our influence can retard the decay of human society (as the Salt) and overcome the deepening chaos of human thinking (as the Light).  We will not convert our culture into the Kingdom of God, except in the lives of individuals we are able to win to Christ, but disciples of Jesus, at their best, can always make a difference.  Remember that in the first century they were accused of having “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).  Our potential influence for good also means that a precipitous dive into evil in the culture of a once-Christian nation would to a large degree be the fault of the Christians who had failed to live up to New Testament discipleship.  Simply stated, the place Christ’s followers in the world can be understood in four sentences.

1.     Disciples of Jesus are the most important people in the world.

According to Matthew 5:13, disciples of Christ are the Salt of the Earth, holding back the natural decay of human society. If there is any preservative in society it is in the influence of dedicated Christians. According to Matthew 5:14-16, they are the Light of the World, representing the righteousness of their heavenly Father.  If there is any light in the world today, it emanates from the lives of true disciples of Christ.  Because we are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World, we must not lose our savor, nor hide our light.  We must forsake all and follow Jesus (Matthew 4:19-20; 10:37-38).  We must be willing to confess Him before men, regardless of the cost (Matthew 10:29-32).

2.     Their importance is in their difference from the world.

This is what Jesus was saying to would-be disciples in the Sermon on the Mount.  Read chapters 5 through 7 again, and see how He emphasized the importance of our difference.  We are to be characterized by

a.     Different values (5:2-16).  We regard much different things as “blessed.”  Our concept of the good life is almost opposite of the world’s.

b.     Different standards (5:17-48).  Our view of righteousness is much higher than that of even religious people in the world.  It is heart-righteousness.  It is mercy over justice.  It is God’s view of righteousness.

c.     Different service (6:1-18).  Our service to God will be sincere and real, rather than hypocritical and put-on.  Much of it will be “secret service.”

d.     Different focus (6:19-34).  We are to focus on heaven rather than earth.  We seek heavenly riches and trust our Father to meet our earthly needs.  Our eye is on the Kingdom of God.

e.     Different results (chapter 7).

To shun being different is to give up on being a disciple.  We will march to the beat of a different Drummer, and this is what makes us Salt and Light.

The savor of salt is what makes it different from its surroundings.  Light is valuable because of its contrast to the darkness.  Conformity to the world robs Christianity of its earthly value.  Without our “savour,” we Christians are “good for nothing” when it comes to our influence on the world.  “Good-for-nothing” is a pretty hard criticism to level at worldly Christians, but it is exactly what Jesus called them!

3.     Christians who conform will pay a price.

Let us notice again what Jesus said about professed followers who refuse to be different.

“…if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is henceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

Christians who conform to the world (remember the warning of Romans 12:1-2) are basically worthless, according to these words, and good only to be cast out and trodden under foot.  The casting out and trampling in this sentence underscore the idea of worthlessness, but they may mean more.  The prophets used the image of being trodden under foot in connection with the earthly judgment of a sinful nation.

“…it shall be trodden down.”  (Isaiah 5:5)

“…a nation meted out and trodden under foot…”  (Isaiah 18:2 and 7)

“The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet.”  (Isaiah 28:3)

[Read these passages in Isaiah in their context, and also look up Jeremiah 12:10, Lamentations 1:15, Ezekiel 34:19, and Daniel 8:13]

Might Jesus have used this image as a warning to His followers that if we lose our savor and hide our light we will suffer ourselves in the judgment that comes on our nation for its sins?  When the disaster comes, will compromising Christians also “be trodden under foot of men” because they failed to stand for God and hold back the advancement of evil in their nation?  Certainly His language indicates warning as well as rebuke.  May Christians heed this warning!

In my country, the United States of America, the moral and cultural disintegration that occurred in the twentieth century and continues at an astonishing pace today clearly paralleled the trend in the churches to conform to the world.  First, the churches refused to purge themselves of the heretics who were bringing anti-Christian teachings to the pulpit.  Then most American churches embraced these teachings and teachers, and forsook the pure gospel of Christ.  Then the evangelicals who refused to embrace such ideas gave up their hard line against error and began accepting what was not Biblical as nevertheless Christian.  Then even doctrinally orthodox Christians and churches forsook their stand for holy living.  It wasn’t long before many if not most evangelical and even fundamentalist churches had embraced the world’s values, standards, methods of service, focus, and sadly began to reap the consequences of worldly living in the lives of their members.  In this time period, the churches lost their authority and their influence in a once-Christian nation where a century before the most powerful force in any community was the church of Jesus Christ.  Now self-styled conservatives among the professed disciples of Jesus are justifying nearly any compromise with the ways and sins of the world.  Is it not reasonable that those who have extracted the saltiness from the salt and hidden their light under a bushel can expect to suffer the trampling under foot that will destroy their nation for its sins?

It is not time for the followers of Christ to find ways to adjust to the new facts of life in the world by departing farther from the ways of God.   It is time to go back to New Testament Christianity, to following the beat of the Divine Drummer, to surrender to Christ in all-out discipleship and dedication.  The difference in us can still make a big difference in the world around us.

4.     Disciples of Jesus need help in fulfilling discipleship.

What we could call “the Gospel history” tells us a very important story and teaches us a vital lesson about Christian discipleship.  For three and a half years, twelve of the disciples of Jesus spent countless hours with Him learning the demands and commands of discipleship.   These specially-trained men became the apostles.  But after all this training in self-denial, faith, mercy, commitment, love, service, true doctrine, humility, and the Kingdom of God, how well did they do at living the discipleship they had learned?  What grade would we assign to them after this course of study?  Of course, they did very poorly.  The night of Christ’s arrest, they all forsook Him and fled.  It could be said that they all failed the final exam, some more grievously than others.  The fact is that training in discipleship, even by the Master Himself, was not adequate to make the disciples succeed.  They needed help, and so do we.

The story tells us that help came in the Person of the Holy Spirit!  The night before Jesus died He told His disciples that He was going away.  Receiving this news troubled them, but He comforted them by explaining that His departure would usher in the New Testament age, which would be that most wonderful era for the people of God in the history of the fallen world (read His words in John 13 through 17).  One of the great blessings of the New Testament age was the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.  Jesus had told them in the upper room,

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

(John 14:15-17)

God would replace the physical presence of the Lord Jesus in their daily lives with “another Comforter” Who would never go away.  He is the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit (note verse 26).  The word Comforter means Helper, and He came to help us fulfill the demands and commands of Christian discipleship.  We are to live the life and serve the Lord in conscious dependence on Him.  In the great revivals, the Christians learned this lesson, and lived in the power of the Spirit.  In the book of Acts, we see the disciples of Jesus, filled with the Spirit, witnessing with power and boldness and wisdom and faith, and seeing great results.  The key to true discipleship is the Holy Spirit.  We cannot be true disciples of Christ without relying on the Holy Spirit!

We can be the Salt and the Light the world needs today if we will commit ourselves to the high expectations of Christ Himself, and pray for the power of the Spirit to fulfill them.  The situation is desperate, and nobody can doubt it.  Men around us are lost in darkness and ruining their lives.  What’s worse is that they have little awareness of their plight.  The great need today is in the compromised, worldly, selfish, and powerless lives of those who say they are following Jesus.  But our need can be met if we will seek the Lord until we find Him, and look to Him for the ability to live up to our calling.  Our times call for Christians to be Christians, in every Biblical sense of the term!


Dr. Rick Flanders
Revival Ministries

The ACCC: Resolution on the Danger of Neo-fundamentalism

The American Council of Christian Churches (ACCC) has issued a resolution, a sober warning about the spread of a “neo-fundamentalism.” The resolution identifies Dr. Kevin Bauder and Bauder’s chapter in the Four Views of the Spectrum of Evangelicalism as a force behind the decline of biblical separatist fundamentalism.

The neo-fundamentalist call to the convergence of fundamentalists and evangelicals rang loud and clear from the Zondervan publication Four Views on the Spectrum of Evangelicalism, a book promoted by the managers of the Sharper Iron website. Sadly, the tone expressed by the book in its presentation of fundamentalism was reminiscent of Falwell’s production a generation ago. As in The Fundamentalist Phenomenon, the book used the term hyper-fundamentalist to highlight a long list of supposed ills within fundamentalism, including loyalty to fundamentalist leaders and organizations, the willingness to make associations a consideration relevant to separation, and anti-intellectualism.

The neo-fundamentalist tolerance for men who neglect or repudiate separatist convictions has spread to the campuses of former citadels of fundamentalism, like Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary in Lansdale, PA and Northland International University in Dunbar, WI. While it is true that fundamentalists are flawed servants of the Lord, the temptations of disloyalty, pragmatically overlooking associational compromise, and the pride of intellectualism are great dangers to the people of God in this evil day.

From IDOTG I have been warning readers of the dangers that lie ahead because of the revisionist history, blurring the lines of biblical distinction and formal cooperative efforts that Kevin Bauder (Dave Doran, Tim Jordan and Matt Olson) have been forging with non-separatist, compromising so-called “conservative” evangelicals. The pattern has been to tolerate, allow for, ignore and/or excuse doctrinal aberrations, cultural relativism (worldliness) and ecumenical compromise of the evangelicals. Instead, Kevin Bauder (Doran, Jordan, Olson) has eagerly heaped “lavish praise” upon them for the sake of fellowship and cooperative efforts with them. I welcome the ACCC’s resolute warning and encourage a wide reading of it.

For the ACCC’s complete resolution see, Resolution on the Danger of Neo-Fundamentalism

LM

Related Reading:
Kevin Bauder: A Call for His Removal from the Platform of the 2009 FBFI Annual Fellowship

Let’s Get “CRYSTAL” Clear on This: Responding to Kevin Bauder’s “Cannonball” Cogitations

Kevin Bauder, It Won't Fly With Those of Us Who Know...

Muddying the Clearwaters

Kevin Bauder: Discussing Al Mohler's “Occasional Inconsistency?”

A Critical Review of Kevin Bauder’s Open Letter to Lance Ketchum

Kevin Bauder: Show Us the “Great Many Points” Where You “Challenged Their Views”

BAD DOCTRINE LEADS TO HERESY

The past few weeks have produced some serious frustration for me. I continue to be grieved over the number of younger men who have become prey to doctrinal error. In the main they appear to be enamored with the arrogance of scholarship and intellectualism. Much of this wind of doctrine has come from the misguided influence of the Reformed theology. The basic problem however is the hermeneutic they have adopted. While they would call it biblical it is nothing more than the old allegorical system that has done so much harm to foundational theology. The façade for this farce is the use of the original languages. While language is first in the hermeneutical process it produces false conclusions when it ignores the whole of biblical interpretation that God has given to us.

Most of us would condemn the use of proof texting. This is what the average doctrinal error and cults are made of.

The intellectual however has turned proof texting into an art form.

Instead of using a single text or a few texts to prove a point, that does not exist in any of them, the pseudo-scholar uses page after page of proof texts before assigning a meaning that doesn’t exist in any of them. This process ignores the whole teaching on a subject and as a result produces error. It is built on bad habits of interpretation such as making an exception the rule and causing similarities to be equals. The product is philosophical theology rather than a theology that is biblical.

AN EXAMPLE

Several examples will suffice to illustrate the error of inserting human presuppositions into the text. The Body of Christ, the church is made up of those redeemed individuals from Pentecost to the Rapture. This is the bride of Christ it is not the same as the wife of God discussed by the prophets. Even the slightest attempt to weld national Israel with the church is subject to suspicion and will identify an errant hermeneutic. I am fully aware of the proof texts used to destroy the clear separation of the two. This includes the bifurcating the special ministry to the church, by the Holy Spirit that began at Pentecost.

The church, the body of Christ, is a whole it is a solid unit. Members are a part of this body but they are not the whole. The body of Christ, the heavenly church, is not complete; it has never met and will not meet until the catching away of the church prior to the tribulation period. Members in a local church may be part of the body of Christ but they are not equal to the whole. For that reason the local church, with its many unsaved members is not equal to the body of Christ.

When the heavenly church, the body of Christ is caught away the bridegroom will “present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27; Rev. 19:8). The teaching is elementary, unless one deliberately complicates it. At this point not one member of the body or the whole has any flaw or blemish in any way. Our salvation and everything that the bride inherently is, eternally, depends on the finished work of Christ. Our works or service has nothing to do with our eternal state or status. To reject this is to attack the veracity of the finished work of Christ.

When Christ returns at the Second Coming, prior to the Millennium, His bride, the body of Christ will return with Him. This complete body “shall reign on earth” (Rev. 5:10) “with” Him. This unity of the bride with the bridegroom is without exception. No member of this glorious church will be absent for any reason from this eternal relationship or status.   

AN OLD ERROR

One cannot assume that scholars are always right. Actually we can assume that they are often wrong. This is true of and old error proposed by some scholars. I speak here of what is called “The doctrine of eternal rewards.” At the heart of this error is the idea that some members of the body of Christ will not share in the millennial reign with Christ and that some will not share in the heavenly city, the eternal state. This state of limbo or purgatory is blamed on the unprofitable servant texts in Matthew and is simply a long list of proof texts that ignore the clear teaching of scripture on the body of Christ. This odd teaching arises from an errant hermeneutic sprinkled with the dust of proper use of the language.

It may not be as deliberate as it looks but is an effort to “complicate to confuse.”

Our task in bible interpretation is to “simply to clarify.” We also need to begin with the things that we most assuredly know. The clear teaching of the church as bride of Christ and as the one body of Christ in union makes such humanly devised presuppositions impossible. The bible was not written for scholars to toy with. It is written to us as the average believer. While we are grateful for honest and faithful grammarians and well qualified scholars but God has given the average believer a way to know when the experts are not telling the truth. That is what the one biblical hermeneutic is all about. If those who have divided the body into pieces, as to state and status, would have just asked questions of the text their answers would have stood the test of the whole. The reader always needs to ask these who, where, when, why questions before attempting to assign personal meaning to the text. If one does not know who the text in question was written too, how could you expect the bible to answer?

The one biblical hermeneutic is the correct system of interpretation. It is mathematical in that if we use the system of interpreting and the rules that apply to language everyone will come to the same answer every time. The variances in conclusions therefore rise from ignoring the system or violating the rules so that all errors actually rise from and errant system or a breaking of the rules of interpretation.

ONE ERROR LEADS TO ANOTHER

An additional problem in this area of theology is a faulty view of the Judgment Seat of Christ. The texts are very clear on this event. It is our human invention that creates the misunderstanding.

The Bema has nothing to do with salvation. We are at the Bema as a result of our salvation through the work of Christ. This judgment is about the service of sons.

All sons are equal at this point. The only question here is what rewards are given to whom. This is a positive time and the highlight of it all is that Christ not servants are honored in that all crowns are ultimately cast before the Lord (Rev. 4:10). The center of this scene is Christ and the main issue is the awarding of crowns.

Teaching on this subject is often overwhelmed with the negative. It is true that all service done in the flesh with be burned. It is true that some members of the body of Christ will not receive rewards. That would be sad but that is not the purpose of the Bema. The main purpose is positive, it is rewards. I do not mean to set aside disobedience or un-confessed sin but that is not the focus, it is a by-product. This is another reason why the whole hermeneutic must be used in viewing scripture.

In addition to the micro/macro context, the historical setting of the text always helps answer little questions. The Holy Spirit used the Bema seat because the actual historical event confirms the positive view. The Bema was a raised platform where the judge sat. One of these is still standing in the old city of Corinth. When a race or sporting event was over the Bema was used by the judge to honor the winner, often with a crown of olive leaves. That was the sole purpose of the judge. While it is true the non-winners were not mentioned the judge did not lecture, condemn or exile those who failed to win the event.

When the Judgment Seat of Christ is concluded every member of the bride will stand included and equal “In Christ.” That is because their state and status eternally was settled by the sacrifice of Christ not the works of the believers. This is all so simple and points out why bad doctrine leads ultimately to heresy.

Shepherd's Staff is prepared by Clay Nuttall, D. Min

A communication service of Shepherd's Basic Care, for those committed to the authority and sufficiency of the Bible.  Shepherd's Basic Care is a ministry of information and encouragement to pastors, missionaries, and churches.  Write for information using the e-mail address,

For related reading see, The Dangers of Reformed Theology by Ps. George Zeller

Of Sin, Because They Believe Not

At the Revival Focus blog an excellent and concise refutation of the Lordship Salvation interpretation of the gospel has been published.  Lordship Salvation corrupts the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3) and frustrates grace (Gal. 2:21). Brother James Hollandworth exposes and answers one of the most egregious errors of Lordship Salvation.

And when he (Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  Of sin, because they believe not on me; John 16:8-9

James Hollandsworth

The way in which the Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers of sin is by shining a light on their unbelief. Lost men do not believe on Jesus Christ, in the sense that they do not depend on him for salvation. That is their great sin.... Lost man may not realize the full extent of his sin, but the Holy Spirit convinces him that he is guilty of rejecting Jesus as Savior when a believer declares the gospel to him.... Going forward, that new believer is then equipped to repent of individual sins, as the Holy Spirit reveals them through the Word, working toward the goal of making Christ Lord of his life.

For Brother Hollandsworth's complete article I invite you to continue to, Of Sin, Because They Believe Not

LM

Related Reading:

Lordship’s (Out of Order) Salvation

Impossible Decision- John 16:7-11

A Summary of Lordship Salvation From a Single Page of John MacArthur’s TGATJ.

The Danger of Teaching That Regeneration Precedes Faith

Q&A Session with Dr. Les Ollila

Here is Dr. Ollila sharing his decision on what has caused him to step away from a ministry that he was a part of for 30 years. While many diverse opinions will be formed, it is well for all to remember to encourage a person when they are going in the right direction. The spirit of the prodigal’s father is the Spirit of our God and needs to be our spirit as well.
 

A Special Hufhand Report: Les Ollila, The Crossroads in Ministry Conference

The “Crossroads in Ministry” Conference met at the Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, IN this morning (June 17) to hear Dr. Les Ollila expound the truth of God’s Word and answer some question concerning his roll in the demise of Northland Baptist Bible College.  After the conference was over, I asked Dr. Marc Monte if he would collaborate with me to put out this special Hufhand Report, which he consented to do.  So this Report represents our impressions of the meeting.

From our understanding, Dr. Chuck Phelps and Dr. Rick Arrowood put this Conference together to clear the air concerning Dr. O’s fundamental credentials and explain his role in what happened at Northland.  Most of us knew that this meeting would have no bearing on what was going to happen next at Northland, but we did believe that Dr. Les Ollila would tell us about his roll in what happened at the school, but sadly that never came out.

By and large, the meeting didn’t live up to its billing, unless “Crossroads to Ministry,” was a “promotional” to transition Dr. O from Northland to his next ministry.  We certainly didn’t come away with any more information than what we already knew, and from that perspective, we were sadly disappointed; not with a Dr. Ollila’s preaching, because his preaching was right on target.  His message on his own personal legacy using the backdrop of Ephraim was excellent.  He spoke of Ephraim coming from a background of comfort, which ultimately led to compromise, cowardice, and carnality. Using Hosea’s prophecy, he spoke of how he had turned back in the day of battle and became a “cake half-baked.” It was an excellent message.

Then came his second message, which was on “Avoiding Pragmatism.”  This was likewise an excellent message but it would have been better received had it been preached by one of the two coordinators of the meeting.   What was obviously clear to us, was the fact that “Dr. O was preaching to himself” as it related to his experience over the last three years at Northland.  Pragmatism is what has destroyed Northland Baptist Bible College and frankly, it’s difficult for us to understand how Dr. O went along with what was going on and supported everything Dr. Olson was doing.  Both Dr. Monte and I remembered the fundamentalism of days gone by that would never have allowed Northland to slip away without a fight.  It seemed that everyone studiously maintained their stature as “gentlemen,” while the school slipped away, a victim of calculated silence.

In the question and answer time, most of us were disappointed that we didn’t have an opportunity to ask Dr. O some questions. This made the question and answer time appear somewhat synthetic and contrived.  Dr. Phelps was only able to ask a few of the really hard questions, and they appeared to be sanitized to the point that Dr. O’s answers were less than forthright.  The first question that was asked, “Are you still on Staff at Northland?”  The answer was brief, “NO!”  But the follow-up question never came.  “When did you sever your relationship with Northland and why did it take so long to do it?”  That was never asked.  Several more “one answer” questions were asked like, “Are you a Fundamentalist?”  Dr. O answered, “Yes,” and then went on to clarify his position on CCM and CCM style of worship and a couple other fundamental issues.

The answer to Dr. Phelps question concerning Dr. O’s meeting with Dr. John MacArthur and Rick Holland back in [April] 2010, was put on the same level as going to the Hyles Pastor’s School or some other religious event.  In his answer, he heaped praise on Dr. MacArthur as being a godly leader, despite the fact that Dr. MacArthur preaches a “Lordship Salvation” gospel and despite the fact that his church polity is Elder Rule.

He likewise heaped praise on Dr. Olson for his leadership despite the fact that Dr. Olson is the reason that NIU is where it is today.  What surprised us the most was that Dr. O had no regrets about anything he did.   While we commend Dr. O for his clear-cut, passionate sermons, the time for passion was when the downgrade of the school became obvious. Today was a little like fighting the battle after it had already been lost.   We were glad for the personal clarification of Dr. O’s personal position on certain fundamental issues, but posturing for the future cannot reclaim the school.  There were many lessons we could have learned from the demise of Northland, but sadly, we learned precious few of them today.

Dr. O made much of humor in answering his questions, which is a good way to direct people’s minds away from the real issue.  He also made much about being under authority, as if to say that his culpability in helping to destroy NIU as a strong, fundamental Baptist school was simply “being submissive to authority.”

Loyalty to leadership can be commendable, but culpability in compromise is not.

He pleaded ignorance on knowing what was going on and believed that he was being used and even acknowledged himself as being a simpleton on occasion, (which we know he isn’t) but not once did Dr. O apologize or show any remorse for his silence over the last three years as Chancellor, while Dr. Olson methodically changed the philosophy, as well as the direction of the school from being a strong, fundamental, Baptist Bible College to a weak, generic, New Evangelical school.  To that end, we went away disappointed.  

Nevertheless, we both wish Dr. O good success in his future ministry of “Building Leaders” for tomorrow’s churches.   Personally, we believe that Dr. Ollila has time to repair the breach he has put in his own ministerial life.  Just because he’s made some serious mistakes, doesn’t mean that he’s out of the game.  He has something to contribute, if we let him do it.  He can still have a measurable impact on fundamentalism if we let him.  You Pastors have to decide that.  Like Fox News says, “We report, you decide.”

Dr. Lawrence Hufhand and Dr. Marc Monte

(Reprinted with permission)

For the complete video/audio recording please go to Q&A with Dr. Les Ollila

Live Stream from Conference With Dr. Les Ollila Today!

A live stream option has just been added for the conference with Dr. Les Ollila.  Go to Crossroads in Ministry and click on the Live Stream button.

For an opinion piece on the Q&A session with Les Ollila see, A Special Hufhand Report by Drs. Larry Hufhand and Marc Monte.


LM

Matt Olson Resigns: What Bearing Does This Have on the Q&A With Les Ollila?

A live stream option has just been added for the conference with Dr. Les Ollila.  Go to Crossroads in Ministry and click on the Live Stream button.

By now many of you have learned that Dr. Matt Olson has resigned the NIU presidency with immediate effect. Yesterday, I sent a bulk email to many of my readers about the announcement. Since then I have read a number of reactions to and speculations about the roller coaster of Matt Olson and NIU these past few weeks. The only things we know for sure are that Matt Olson was let go, he was retrieved and then he resigned.

As for the impact on NIU of this latest twist in its leadership: I believe it hastens the day that NIU will cease to exist. These events mean more uncertainty, more upheaval and that is going to cause parents and their young people, prospective and returning who may have considered NIU, to look elsewhere for their education.

One recent Bible college graduate, whom I have know since his elementary school days, summed up what I think many of us feel. He wrote, “Northland is a mess of an organization as it appears from any outsiders vantage point.”

Others began to ask and speculate about what impact the Olson resignation has on the June 17 Crossroads in Ministry conference with Dr. Les Ollila. In my opinion, the Olson resignation puts more pressure on or freedom for Les Ollila to be transparent in the Q&A session at the conference.

In a previous article on Les Ollila and the Crossroads conference, which I am reposting in part below, another question for Doctor Ollila was recently submitted. 

“Dr. Ollila: Is there anything you would like to say en masse to any alumni who have contacted you over the past four years with their concerns? Some received strong responses from you that nothing was wrong and we did not have the right to question leadership. We realize you can't respond to every alumnus individually. Would you take a moment to say something - anything - to those of us whose concerns did actually turn out to be accurate?”

Dr. Les Ollila remains the only question mark left from the former Northland Baptist Bible College. He did not participate in the 2013 graduation. Les was not on the platform. Les stood in the back and left before the graduation formally ended. Les Ollila is no longer part of the institution. Les was one of four men (Matt Olson, Sam Horn and Doug MacLachlan) who went to California to meet with John MacArthur, Phil Johnson and Rick Holland.  That event, in April 2010, was the first ominous signal that something was changing at NIU.  Dr. Ollila was on campus as chancellor personally observing NIU’s transformation under Matt Olson to non-separatist evangelicalism, an embrace of charismatic theology, and the infusion of CCM/Rock genre on campus.

To date the only public document on NIU from Les Ollila dates back to December 2010. Is Northland Changing? A Chancellor’s Perspective from Dr. Les Ollila. In that letter Dr. Ollila bolstered Matt Olson’s position that “NIU is unchanged,”2 and he strongly supported what Matt was doing at the time.

In the previous article I opened the thread to give readers an opportunity to submit questions, that if you were at the Q&A with Dr. Ollila you would personally like to ask him.  (See, footnote #1 below) You may submit more of your questions here.  Your submission must be in the form of a question and avoid making a personal statement.  Submit your question for Dr. Ollila and I will publish it at my earliest convenience.

Kind regards,

LM

Footnotes:

1) What Do We Know About the Northland Camp Ministry & Dr. Les Ollila?

2) An Open Letter from Dr. Matt Olson of Northland International University, Nov. 24, 2010

Archival Series: Our Children Learn Not Only What We Teach Them, but by What We Tolerate

On June 17th at the Crossroads in Ministry Conference,  Dr. Les Ollila will be giving two messages and stand for a Q&A session. As the date approaches I bring to you from November 2010 this article. In the 2+ years since this article first appeared Dr. Ollila went on to tolerate a great deal more in radical changes at NIU. We trust that a great many answers from him will be forthcoming at next week’s conference.

In its history Northland International University (NIU), the former Northland Baptist Bible College, has not been in a situation requiring a strong call to separate. In the early days Northland was a refreshing voice because of it’s good conservative stands, refreshing Northwood’s feel, friendly campus, servant’s heart, with a love for revival and the Lord Jesus Christ. Students were being discipled with a demerits system in place and properly emphasized for correction and growth. There are many fine pastors and Christian workers serving the Lord today because of Northland’s ministry to them.

“Our children learn not only what we teach them, but by what we tolerate.”

According to NIU alumni Dr. Les Ollila (NIU Chancellor) said that over and over to the student body. With decisions made in recent weeks at Northland a new kind of teaching and tolerance has come to the campus.

In 2005, because of Rick Holland’s inclusion as a speaker, Dr. Ollila pulled out of the God-Focused conference. Some believe that NIU president Matt Olson insisted Ollila withdraw. Just five years later, however, Dr. Ollila along with Matt Olson, Sam Horn and Doug McLachlan reach out to and traveled across the country to meet with John MacArthur, Rick Holland and Phil Johnson.* Then Ollila/Olson/NIU have this same man (Rick Holland) speak in chapel to impressionable young people. (see NIU Presents... article below)

What changed between 2005 and 2010? It wasn’t Rick Holland. He is today what he was in 2005: an advocate for Lordship Salvation1 and the founder of the Resolved Conference, which merges preaching with the world’s CCM/rock culture and extreme Charismatic style worship.2 NIU embracing MacArthur, Johnson and putting Rick Holland in its chapel pulpit confirms they are willing to teach Lordship Salvation, teach/tolerate a neutered form of biblical separatism, tolerate and allow for the worldly culture of events such as the Resolved Conference.**

Regrettably, in just five years, Les Ollila has changed. NIU is being transformed by its president, Matt Olson, and administration decisions. With and because of their change the historical trajectory of NIU has been radically altered.

With the changes at NIU many share concerns over ministry, direction and leanings of NIU. There is a declining interest in maintaining fellowship by many former alums, good Christian leaders and lay workers. Many who have some relationship with NIU are contacting the administration to express their concerns. Others will quietly pull away and encourage their young people to look elsewhere for a Christian college. Now unfortunately, because NIU’s administration wants it both ways their friendship base will have to change just to maintain status quo not to mention growth.

Many alumni view what Northland is doing today as completely contrary to what was taught not long ago. Students were told that they will become in the future based on two things: the friends you have and the books you read. Is it any wonder they have done what they have? If you live long enough, you will have to change your friends or change your doctrine. NIU is changing its friends for new ones in Evangelicalism. Certain doctrines, separatism in particular, is not far from being compromised for the sake of their new friends.

Why do men who claim a heritage and commitment to separatist Fundamentalism take the initiative to reach out to evangelicals who openly repudiate biblical separation in principle and in application? Is it possible that these alleged fundamental separatists want to retain the label they are comfortable with, but have lost the will to contend, to wage the battle for fidelity to the God-given mandates? Is it possible they will redefine the principles and application of separation to accommodate the need to tolerate, allow for and excuse aberrant doctrine and ecumenism for the sake of fellowship with evangelicals?

Have self-described fundamental separatists decided to move toward a safe, non-confrontational middle ground at the expense of fidelity to the Word of God on separation to be accepted and respected by evangelicals?

So called “conservative” evangelicals have not and show no inclination of moving toward a Fundamentalist’s commitment to biblical separation. Someone is moving, someone is changing, and it isn’t the evangelicals.

With recent revelations we are learning a great deal about Northland’s new trajectory. NIU will try to placate alumni and donors while it moves further away from its historic stand. Matt Olson’s recent open letter to Friends in Ministry was just such an attempt that in the opinion of many was an abject failure. If Northland maintains this new direction and discussions among concerned persons are any indication of a national response, I fear Northland’s best days are behind it and the worst is yet to come.

Northland’s new trajectory has a historic parallel. The devastating effects of introducing Evangelicalism’s philosophy and practices into a biblical Fundamentalist setting are no more stark than the demise of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College.3


LM

*For the Q&A Session with Dr. Ollila I opened the thread of What Do We Know About...Dr. Les Ollila? for questions you might like to ask him.  The following question was submitted by Pastor Brian Ernsberger and I believe would be an appropriate opening question.

“Dr. Ollila: Why did you go along with the trip to John MacArthur’s ministry in April of 2010 when you uninvited yourself to a conference in 2005 that also had Rick Holland in to speak? What changed in those five years that you accepted to go and what was your take on Rick Holland as a result of that April 2010 trip coming to NIU in Oct. 2010?”

**In less than three years, with the formation of NIU's Redeemed CCM/Rock band, Matt Olson fully transformed the school into a place for Resolved conference type music and worship. For complete details and a video trailer see, The Real “Unchanged” NIU Comes Forward. You might also read, NIU Plunging Headlong Into Liberal Entertainment Ministry.

For previous articles in this series see-

NIU’s Convergence With Evangelicalism: What Does It Mean for Impressionable Students?

NIU Presents Executive Pastor of Grace Community Church to It’s Student Body

1) An Example of Lordship Salvation’s Man-Centered Message

2) The Merger of Calvinism With Worldliness, by Dr. Peter Masters

3) Discussion Over the Closing of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College

“Although Pillsbury struggled for a number of years to recover itself from the devastating effects of hob-nobbing with Evangelicalism, it never really dealt with (in any real tangible way) its ruined reputation. Although it was repeatedly brought before them by many friends of the college, they never really did what was necessary to regain the trust of the pastors and parents who send students.”

Birth is the Beginning of Death

I have often said that in the creation of any local church or institution are the seeds of its own destruction. A careful look at the history of any one of these will confirm this. The wise mind will be able to see those seeds long before they come to fruition. Human organizations and documents are always flawed since only God could create, or write, a perfect one. The Bible is a perfect document for those who have a high view of scripture. The Body of Christ, the Heavenly Church, is viewed as “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish”. (Eph. 5:27) No one could honestly say that about any local church or institution. When Adam sinned, he died spiritually and also began to die physically, just as God said he would. Some institutions die a slow death; others race full speed to their destruction.

The problem is that people are blinded by loyalty and thus are unable to be objective about their own church or institution. They will foolishly say that their organization is the same as it has always been, with no movement away from its foundation. Some loyalists know better, but are quick to use “turn-speak” in an attempt to hide a move to the left. Others are just plain ignorant or apathetic, and some are too fearful to ask the right questions.

A WINDOW TO DEATH

We are now into graduation season. I am astounded when I read the list of schools that some of our graduates are headed for this fall. Do parents have no idea of what an institution believes? Are they without knowledge, or don’t they care? It could be because of any one of these reasons, but why would mothers and fathers send their young minds to a place where their intellectual, spiritual, and moral being would be under attack every day? There is no doubt that many adults have no idea of what is being taught. On the other hand, it also appears that the average parent would not even know what questions to ask in order to find out the truth behind all the promotional glitz of a certain school.

In our circles, the new theologies are “headed for the cliff” at breakneck speed. So-called “Christian” schools have embraced a number of these erroneous doctrines. Many of the “winds of doctrine” are cleverly based on intellectualism; after all, the scholars must be right. This, however, is only one of the problems. To assume that a popular, well known communicator who is widely published couldn’t possibly be wrong is a disaster. The truth is that many in this category have buried followers in an allegorical theology that leaves Bible truth far behind. Young men caught in the power of pride have no way to question the viability of the false teaching that currently covers the theological landscape.

HOW ABOUT THE LEADERS?

It is heartbreaking to realize that parents do not know how to protect their children from this creeping culture of doctrinal doom. Where are the pastors on this issue? In Acts 20, it is made clear that the pastor/shepherd/elder/bishop/overseer has a responsibility to protect the sheep while “grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock”. (Acts 20:29) Do they not know the dangers that lie in wait for these young hearts and minds? Are they afraid to speak up about the spiritual, moral, and intellectual traps? Over fifty-three years of ministry, my interaction with various institutions has been quite involved. Watching schools drift, or race, away from a solid foundation is painful; but seeing that many dear friends still support and send students to those schools is absolutely heart-wrenching. These are not people we hate. They are dear friends, but why are they so blind? The answer often given is foolish philosophy. Is it just a difference of opinion or another point of view? That would certainly cover a whole lot of disobedience and ignorance.

What can be done when leaders do not know the scripture or are willing to sit idly by while others corrupt those we love? The problem here isn’t just a lack of knowledge of scripture and theology; it is a lack of interest. What I do know is that every error that is being carefully injected into churches and institutions comes from the same root problem - the fact that many, if not most, of our friends have never been taught the one biblical hermeneutic and so have missed the heart of a theology that is biblical.

IS THERE ANY WAY TO SEE IT COMING?

No leader ever suddenly steps into the pulpit or college chapel and announces that he no longer believes in the virgin birth.

Such a move to error is a slow process, and the path is usually camouflaged.

The move to wrong views about sign gifts, the timing of the Rapture, the New Covenant, and the merging of Israel and the Church is a subtle one. Those who have a motive tend to simply pick at things. They make small adjustments in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the church, salvation, etc.; and only the careful observer will realize what is happening. Only courageous believers will be willing to point out those errors publicly, and they should be prepared for the vicious attacks they will receive for doing such a thing.

Those who are leaning left always complain about the “whistle blowers” on the right; however, they never miss an opportunity to brand them as “anti-intellectual, baggy pants know-nothings from the back waters”. Despite their protests, there is something that gives them away: they hide behind culture and methods, claiming they have changed their methods, but not their message. Sorry, that just won’t fly. Parents and pastors need to be aware that hard turns to the left on cultural issues are always accompanied by questions about a shift, slow or rapid, in their theology.

THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL ISSUE

Those who have a high view of scripture and who are sensitive to small steps to the left are left to wonder why others choose to wander. We have long-time friends in ministry who appear to be numb about these shifts. It puzzles us why they remain in support of institutions which are communicating theological instability. Why do they send their children there? Why do they remain on boards? The only answer is ignorance or apathy. That is not an attack on their person; it is an expression of grief for them.

Let me sound a warning: If you have read this and are beginning to wonder if your church or institution is in view, don’t write me. If you have to question whether or not any of this applies to your loyalties, you already have your answer. You should be asking these questions of those who are taking your money and your youngsters. If you don’t know what to ask, seek help from those who do. Begin with the culture smoke screen. People who hide error are good at smoke and mirrors, and please don’t ask why I do not state any names. Others will do that for you; my task is to deal with ideas.

Shepherd’s Staff is prepared by Clay Nuttall, D. Min

SHEPHERD’S STAFF – May, 2013

A communication service of Shepherd’s Basic Care, for those committed to the authority and sufficiency of the Bible. Shepherd’s Basic Care is a ministry of information and encouragement to pastors, missionaries, and churches.