Alumni

Excited for Northland & Daniel Patz

I am very excited to have Daniel Patz as the new chairman of the board at Northland. He is the grandson of our founder, pastor, theologian, alumnus, and servant of Christ. Check out the announcement that was made earlier today.

It has been clearly evident that God has appointed him for this time. We have a lot of work to do this summer and there is no one I would rather do it with than Daniel. Pray for Daniel and Molly as they adjust with these new responsibilities, and pray for Northland as we work toward a healthy future.

Also, check out Daniel’s new website where he posted the charge his Uncle Howard read to him when installing him as the chairman of the board.

I would love to connect with you! If you have any questions or would like to connect please use the contact page.

Heading to the Middle East

On Friday Diane and I will be heading to the Middle East. Over the past many months we have prayed for one particular city and for God to ignite a gospel movement there. We have visited before. A dark place. A city where oppression hovers. Workers are few. In such places that have no light we quickly realize that unless God does something supernatural nothing is going to take place. Well, God does answer prayer. Recently, there have been a number of university students coming to Jesus. It seems to have taken so long, yet now we look forward to meeting our new brothers and sisters in Christ. We will be able to see their faces, and join them in prayer for others. It has been a humbling thing to have had such a small part in this—praying from the other side of the world. It has been the only thing we could do. Yet, it has also been one of the most rewarding and joyful experiences we have ever had. All God.

We will also try to meet up with a few Northland alumni in that part of the world before heading back home and to the final weeks of this semester. Thanks for your prayers.

Alumni Contribute Back

It has been a real blessing to have alumni contributing back to Northland by investing in our present student body by way of chapel. Outstanding messages have been brought by Steve Sauers, Donny Varney, Ryan McCammack, Jason Janz, and most recently Daniel Patz. These messages can be listened to on our sermon page.

Daniel has shared a few thoughts on his view of Northland in the video below and in a letter he recently wrote.

I would love to connect with you! If you have any questions or would like to connect please use the contact page.

God Opens Doors

Recently I was in Scottsdale, AZ and as able to spend some time with Josh Neighbors who is a 2002 Northland graduate and now associate / youth pastor at Immanuel Bible Church. For the last several years he has prayed about getting into the large public school that sits adjacent to the church. God has opened that door—not just to have a Bible study but build relationships with teachers and students. Go where the gospel isn’t! This opportunity has also had an impact on his church youth group.

I would love to connect with you! If you have any questions or would like to connect please use the contact page.

The Passing of Dan Morrell

Just last week we learned that Dan Morrell had a tumor on his liver. Today he is with the Lord. It was that fast. The picture above is of Dan, his wife, and his grandkids—taken just the other day.

Dan and his wife, Diane, are professors at Northland and have impacted countless young people through their church and college ministries. Please pray for Diane and the rest of the Morrell family. Diane (my wife) and I were able to speak to both of them Saturday night and were moved by their incredible faith and confidence in the promises of God. Trials reveal a lot about what we really believe. Here is a couple who really was living with an eternal perspective!

The brief story of their journey through this trial is captured on a CaringBridge page. If you are interested I would recommend checking it out and leaving an encouraging note for the family.

Northland Alumni Team Up to Church Plant

In the picture above you’ll see Jon and Lacy Cummins, Josh and Celeste Brown, Joe and Charity Fox, and Lead Elder Rick and Kristin Dobrowolski of Allentown Bible Church. They joined us with a number of other for our alumni for a get-together in Allentown, PA.

This past weekend Cary Smith and I enjoyed connecting with two groups of Northland alumni—one in Northeast Philadelphia and the other in Allentown, PA. Few things have given me greater encouragement than reconnecting with our grads! Teams of our graduates and their families are pulling together to plant churches in Pennsylvania that in turn are planting other churches. And rather than spending years on the road trying to raise support, these couples are stepping right into the work by securing secular jobs and sharing the leadership and responsibility. It seems to be an effective model. Allentown Bible Church is one example of those who are jumping in and engaging the community. They are building relationships in their neighborhoods, community centers, and work places. As time goes on these churches will grow and be able to financially support the pastors and teachers.

I like the team concept. It gives a synergy and accountability to the work as well as an acceleration to reaching people with the gospel. When we say, “go where the gospel isn’t,” we realize there are still places around us where people have not heard. This particular church plant, like many others I am seeing, is going intentionally to these kinds of places. It challenges us in our roles at Northland to continue to not only strengthen our Bible core but to improve the skill sets that will help bi-vocational ministers (discover, develop, deploy concept). This seems to be the model that is working today—teams going to needy and difficult areas who are willing to roll up their sleeves and accept a bi-vocational roll with enthusiasm.

I would love to connect with you! If you have any questions or would like to connect please use the contact page.

Andrew & Vivian Haney at Keystone Bible Church

Once in awhile I will visit a church where I feel like I would like to just stay and become a member! Such was the case at Keystone. Every part of what I saw was refreshing and encouraging. Andrew is an alumnus of Northland and I couldn’t be more thrilled with what I saw. My prayer is that we can be an encouragement to families and churches like these.

Pictured above is Andrew and Vivian Haney with their children at Keystone Bible Church in Odessa, FL.