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GodHimself  IsWith  Us

Editor’s  Note:  The  following  letter  was  sent  to  us  by  an  individualwho  wishes  to  remain  anonymous.  For  other  posts  related  to  recentcontroversy  over  changes  in  music  at  Northland  InternationalUniversity,  see  “Should  differences  over  music  philosophy  hindercooperation  between  Christians?”  and  “Thoughts  on  Music  notBeing  a  Controversy  When  It  Really  is.”  We  also  recognize  thatmany  readers  of  this  site  have  no  connections  with  NIU.  If  that’syou,  move  along…

Dear  Northland  Student,

E J O U R N A LE J O U R N A L

C A T E G O R I E SC A T E G O R I E S

Aesthetics

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Church

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R E C E N T   B L O GR E C E N T   B L O GP O S T SP O S T S

An  Open  Letter  to  NorthlandStudents

Irreverent  and  Culpable

I’ll  huff,  and  I’ll  puff,  and  I’llblow  my  imaginaryargument  down!

Thoughts  on  Music  not  Beinga  Controversy  When  ItReally  is

The  Power  and  Place  ofRidicule

R E C E N T   B L O GR E C E N T   B L O GC O MM E N T SC O MM E N T S

Kevin  on  Thoughts  on  Music

An  Open  Letter  toNorthland  Students

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Seriously.  Do  you  really  want  a  Christian  college  that’s  hipand  relevant?  Do  you  want  to  attend  a  school  that  does  notpolice  your  personal  preferences?  Where  worship  is  led  bypraise  bands?  Where  the  only  dress  code  is  “modesty”?

Then  why  are  youin  Dunbar,Wisconsin?!  Don’tyou  realize  thatthere  are  dozens  ofother  colleges  anduniversities  just  likewhat  Northland  istrying  to  become,

yet  with  superior  academic  programs  in  a  far  better  location?

I  mean,  don’t  get  me  wrong.  Northland  has  a  wonderful,caring  faculty  and  administration,  and  all  .  .  .  .  But  there  are  somany  other  schools  where  you  can  earn  your  degree  and  nothave  to  deal  with  40  degree  below  zero  wind  chill,  whiletechnically  living  in  a  clearing  in  the  woods.

Now,  back  in  my  Northland  days  there  were  some  very  uniquethings  about  the  school,  and  I  could  understand  the  decision  toattend  then.  Northland  Baptist  Bible  College,  as  it  was  calledin  those  days,  was  one  of  the  few  Christian  colleges  you  couldattend  where  the  leadership  still  articulated  a  position  forconservatism  in  worship.  They  taught  the  students  the  dangersof  acquiescing  to  the  culture,  and  the  importance  of  shining  asa  sanctified  light  for  Christ,  not  merely  offering  the  world  awatered-­‐‑down  version  of  what  they  already  have.  They  werenot  beholden  to  any  other  school,  but  tenaciously  maintained

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D O N A T ED O N A T E

R E C E N T   T W E E T SR E C E N T   T W E E T S

There  are  plenty  of  people  committing  acts  ofprofanity  and  irreverence  in  the  name  of  God.ow.ly/k0FVQ  2  days  ago

Irreverent  and  Culpable  ow.ly/k0qwY2  days  ago

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not  Being  a  ControversyWhen  It  Really  is

Kevin  on  Thoughts  on  Musicnot  Being  a  ControversyWhen  It  Really  is

Mike  Shrader  on  Thoughtson  Music  not  Being  aControversy  When  It  Reallyis

paul  on  Thoughts  on  Musicnot  Being  a  ControversyWhen  It  Really  is

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Christian  distinctives.  They  taught  “institutional  standards”—a  particular  dress  code,  stricter  disciplinary  measures  thansome  of  the  other  schools,  and  so  forth.  These  were  not“biblical  standards,”  we  were  told,  but  necessary  disciplinesfor  a  college  setting;  for,  as  Dr.  O  used  to  explain  to  us  everysemester,  there  was  a  certain  product  they  wanted.  “We  arenot,”  he  said  in  a  message  on  2  Timothy  2,  “here  to  playChristian  college.  We  are  training  soldiers  for  battle.”  I  confessthat  kind  of  language  sounds  strange  now  in  the  context  of  thepostmodern,  softer  Christianity  in  vogue.

But  come  to  think  of  it,  I  remember  many  of  Dr.  O’s  bi-­‐‑annualchapel  messages.  He  was  very  good  at  helping  us  tounderstand  the  big  picture  of  how  we  were  honoring  God  asan  institution.  At  least  once  a  year,  using  an  overheadprojector,  Dr.  O.  would  draw  the  illustration  of  a  boat  in  thewater.  Then  he  would  explain  how  when  you’re  sitting  in  theboat  you  don’t  realize  that  it’s  moving  until  you  look  up  andrealize  how  far  you’ve  drifted  from  shore.  That  is  why,  hesaid,  our  lives  and  ministries  need  an  “anchor  point”:  to  keepus  from  drifting.  And  the  anchor  point  is  ultimately  the  Wordof  God.  Those  are  great  memories  for  me  and  they  have  helpedto  shape  my  own  life  and  ministry  over  the  years.

But  I  imagine  that  Dr.  O’s  chapel  message  stopped  gettingpreached  somewhere  along  the  way,  because  in  the  last  fewyears  several  of  us  have  looked  up  to  realize  just  how  farNorthland  has  drifted  from  its  position  on  popular  culture.  Butperhaps  you  have  no  issue  with  this.  You  think  it’s  great.  Thereasoned  explanations  of  how  “nothing  has  changed”  makesense  to  you  and,  after  all,  the  relaxed  “standards”  and  kindsof  music  being  offered  as  worship  are  what  you  have  grown

Gospel  hymnsKevin  Bauder  meaningmissional  missionspassion  pastors  physical

pop  culturepreaching  rapRegulative  Principlereverence  service

shared  SolaScriptura  support  theologytradition  tweets  webpulse

up  with  anyway.

So  this  leads  meback  to  my  originalquestion.  Why  areyou  still  in  Dunbar?Why  don’t  youcome  to  one  ofseveral  otherconservativelyorthodox  schoolsthat  take  the  same  position  on  aesthetics—only  with  thefacility  and  personnel  to  provide  a  superior  academicprogram?  There  is  a  great  private  college  near  us.  It’s  small,like  many  private  colleges;  only  about  500  students—but  Iunderstand  that  the  enrollment  at  your  school  has  dwindledfar  below  that  in  recent  years.  The  school  I’m  thinking  of  has  abeautiful,  historic  brick  campus.  Spring  is  here,  and  with  it  thewarm  weather.  (Can  you  imagine  warm  weather  in  April  inDunbar?  Sorry  to  bring  that  up.)  Soon  the  magnolias  will  beblossoming  and  their  fragrance  will  fill  the  campus  air.

You  want  progressive,  relevant  worship?  They  have  amagnificent  chapel  building  with  two  trap  sets  on  stage—I’veseen  them.  And  I’m  sure  they  have  talented  college  studentson  the  worship  team.  They  advertise  several  conferences  eachyear  with  special  guest  artists  leading  the  worship—evenrappers  and  Reggae  artists.  And  they  have  great  chapelspeakers  from  all  over  the  evangelical  world.  Do  you  want  tolearn  in  an  environment  where  everyone  simply  loves  the  Lordand  music  and  personal  standards  are  not  the  first  thing  thatpeople  wonder  about  you?  You  would  probably  love  this

school!

But  maybe  you’d  rather  have  snow  on  the  ground  eight  tonine  months  out  of  the  year;  or  drive  miles  and  miles  tocivilization;  or  have  to  dress  in  bright  orange  to  avoid  beingshot  during  deer  season.  But  what  about  the  fact  that  this  isyour  college  degree  we’re  talking  about?  You  wantaccomplished  faculty?  Why  make  such  a  fuss  about  having  avisiting  professor  from  a  major  school  on  your  campus,  whenyou  could  actually  have  the  opportunity  to  study  under  one?Come  sit  under  and  interact  with  the  authors  of  the  bookswhich  may  only  appear  as  reading  assignments  in  your  syllabi.These  men  and  women  hold  degrees  from  leading  universities.Stellar  academics.  Excellent  accreditation.  And  talk  about“heart”!  I  visited  the  campus  once,  and  was  delighted  todiscover  that  every  time  I  passed  a  group  of  students  Ioverheard  something  about  what  the  Lord  is  teaching  them,how  he  is  working  in  their  lives,  what  they  were  wrestlingwith  in  the  Scriptures,  or  their  plans  for  future  ministry.  Andnot  only  do  they  have  heart,  but  they  also  have  intellect.  And  Idon’t  mean  that  the  school  is  liberal  in  their  theology;  they  areas  conservative  theologically  as  your  own  school.  Do  you  wantto  study  missions?  Their  missions  program  is  one  of  the  best.Their  graduates  received  exceptional  training  and  serve  allover  the  world.  And  all  of  this  on  a  campus  where  no  one,  tomy  knowledge,  gives  progressive  worship  styles  a  secondthought.

If  this  school  would  not  be  your  choice,  there  are  dozens  ofothers  as  well.  I  just  wanted  you  to  realize  that  there  are  manyother  choices  for  you,  now  that  your  college  is  trying  tobecome  like  all  the  rest.  Or,  perhaps  somewhere  there  is

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another  school  still  struggling  to  maintain  Christianuniqueness  in  all  areas.  But  you  may  have  to  look  very  hard  tofind  one.

A  sincere  and  concerned  brother  in  Christ

Related  Posts:Should  differences  over  music  philosophy  hindercooperation  between  Christians?

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