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Articles about how Bill Gothard mishandles the Bible to support his legalistic viewpoint.

Personal testimonies of finding true freedom through God's matchless grace.

Living and thriving through the grace of God.

Stories and accounts of the destruction caused by the teachings of Bill Gothard.

Category Archives: When the Umbrella Breaks: Sexual Abuse in ATI

Robin’s Story

10 March 2014, 06:00

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197

I had a smattering of random dots on a field of a thousand points. Reading the testimony of “Meg” a few weeks ago allowed me to connect some of those dots for the first time in 21 years. Her story struck a cold pang in my heart when it dawned on me that she was […]

Rachel’s Story

17 February 2014, 06:00

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117

This is my real name, and below is my real story. The Awkward First Meeting It was the final session of the 1992 Knoxville conference, and the choir and orchestra were starting to gather for the big rendition of “It Will Be Worth it All.” I was supposed to be playing flute in the orchestra, […]

Charlotte’s Story

5 February 2014, 06:00

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605

It is hard for me to bare my soul. I was raised to put my best face forward and act like all is well. I am a preacher’s daughter, the youngest of seven children. In the world I grew up in, the pastor and his family always had to be perfect. I have been told […]

Two Witnesses for Charlotte

5 February 2014, 06:00

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146

Editor’s note: Recovering Grace has posted a personal narrative from a former Advanced Training Institute (ATI) student and Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) Headquarters staffer. While Bill Gothard’s former secretary “Meg” was a well-known ATI student and IBLP staff member years ago, and was recognized and contacted by many when she added her photo […]

Sacred Grooming, Part Six: A Secretary’s Account of Life With Bill Gothard

31 January 2014, 06:00

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406

[Editor’s Note: The young woman referred to only as “she” and “her” in the following account is the author herself, “Meg,” but she has written it in the third person. The author was twenty-one years old during the events in this post. The following is a true story. Click here for Part One of Meg’s […]

Sacred Grooming, Part Five: A Secretary’s Account of Life With Bill Gothard

29 January 2014, 06:00

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[Editor’s Note: The young woman referred to only as “she” and “her” in the following account is the author herself, “Meg,” but she has written it in the third person. The author was twenty-one years old during the events in this post. The following is a true story. Click here for Part One of Meg’s […]

Sacred Grooming, Part Four: A Secretary’s Account of Life With Bill Gothard

27 January 2014, 06:00

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121

The Staff Center at IBLP Headquarters, photographed by the author

[Editor’s Note: The young woman referred to only as “she” and “her” in the following account is the author herself, “Meg,” but she has written it in the third person. The author was twenty years old during the events in this post. The following is a true story. Click here for Part One of Meg’s […]

Sacred Grooming, Part Three: A Secretary’s Account of Life With Bill Gothard

24 January 2014, 06:00

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109

[Editor’s Note: The young woman referred to only as “she” and “her” in the following account is the author herself, “Meg,” but she has written it in the third person. The author was twenty years old during the events in this post. The following is a true story. Click here for Part One of Meg’s […]

Sacred Grooming, Part Two: A Secretary’s Account of Life With Bill Gothard

22 January 2014, 06:00

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[Editor’s Note: The young woman referred to only as “she” and “her” in the following account is the author herself, “Meg,” but she has written it in the third person. The author was twenty years old during the events in this post. The following is a true story. Click here for Part One of Meg’s […]

Sacred Grooming, Part One: A Secretary’s Account of Life With Bill Gothard

20 January 2014, 06:00

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73

   [Editor’s Note: The young woman referred to only as “she” and “her” in the following account is Meg herself, but she has written it in the third person. The author was twenty years old at the beginning of the events. The following is a true story.] A Beginning The snowy streets of suburban Chicago […]