#Van Geldren

[wutbju]

In 1989, the Sword of the Lord gushes about a special meeting at Wayne Van Geldren’s church Marquette Manor Baptist Church, featuring Bill Gothard and Gordon and Jean Greer.

But . . . it’s not a network.

[wutbju]

So Andy Naselli received his 2002 B.A. in Bible not from BJU but from his home church's school: Baptist College of Ministry, of Van Geldren fame in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Naselli was in the first class at Van Geldren's unaccredited Bible College. He started in 1998 with 11 other people. Clearly this experience made a deep impression on Naselli, motivating his future academic study. There's no surprise there really --that's how most scholarship works. But there's a little glimpse in his dissertation from Bob Jones University on page 30 where he references Wayne Van Geldren's son, John R:

John R. Van Gelderen argues that Keswick’s first generation “was dominated by solid, biblical teaching” and that its theology “is as historic as the New Testament” and “is simply New Testa­ment truth.”[1]

That document he's citing was published during Naselli's tenure at BCM. And that experience would be a continual goad for Naselli. Clearly.

[1] “Which Keswick? and The Timeless Truth of Sanctification by Faith,” Preach the Word: The Official Periodical of Preach the Word Ministries, Inc., July-Sept. 2001, 3-9. Cf. “Keswick—A Good Word or a Bad One?” Revival: For Those with a Heart for Revival, May-Aug. 2006, 14-6.

[wutbju]

In 2013, Andy Naselli moved to John Piper's seminary to teach as an Assistant Professor. He announced it in January (Sharper Iron amplified it) and stated at the end:

Piper is a modern-day Charles Spurgeon and one of my favorite preachers. He exalts God by carefully and passionately explaining and applying the text of Scripture.

Think of it--Naselli moved from Van Geldren to Minnick to Carson to Piper. Notice the pattern?

This would not turn out well.

[wutbju]

In 1980, Bill Gothard was going through a bit of an “upset,” as he would see it, among his employees.

People with a soul, however, would call it accusations of sexual assault and financial impropriety. But why quibble, right?

Gothard called out to BJU for help in resolving the staff conflicts. Their conclusion?

[Bob Wood and Rev. Van Geldren] met with the directors and staff that afternoon and rebuked them for challenging Bill’s authority. 

Quelle surprise.

From Bill Veinot's A Matter of Basic Principles. 59.