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

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

Tag Archives: legalism

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

31 March 2015, 06:00

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Ever since our pastor announced that Bill Gothard stepped down, I feel like I have been in a state of shock. I have always been famous for saying, “Ignorance is not bliss.” Now I know just how right I was. I have to reconcile myself to the fact that I was living in ignorance, and […]

An Open Letter to ATI Parents

12 January 2015, 16:58

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You wanted us to grow up strong and mature and capable and effective Christians, above all else. Thank you. You wanted us to love Jesus more than the world, you wanted to protect us from the failures your experienced at our age. Thank you. You wanted the absolute best for us and were willing to […]

IBYC Board Minutes 1977-1980

4 January 2015, 08:23

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For readers interested in the corporate governance of the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC, now IBLP, Institute in Basic Life Principles) during the period leading up to and through the Scandal of 1980, the minutes from Board of Directors meetings are attached.  Some names have been redacted, including those of victims caught up in the […]

The Package: Bill Gothard and His Children

1 January 2015, 00:00

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    Bill Gothard and His Children: The Unauthorized Short Biography   Image of envelope copyright: kchung / 123RF Stock Photo

The Package: Bill Gothard’s Knowledge of Sin

29 December 2014, 00:00

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Suggested viewing from IBYC management for the publication staff, photographed on the sidewalk outside HQ. 1980

    Detailed Knowledge Summary Bill Gothard has denied publicly — for 34 years — that he ever had any knowledge of any details of immorality before April of 1980 (the first time that Tony asked to meet Bill privately with a report of what was being discovered). Gothard has made this denial to the […]

IBYC According to Bryen – 1975

27 December 2014, 00:00

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In hindsight, David R. Bryen’s thesis is remarkably accurate on many counts.  Published in 1975 and titled “An Evaluation of the Theological, Hermeneutical and Psychological Assumptions of the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts,” this 126-page document was an unprecedented analysis of Gothard’s teachings. Why was Bryen so well aware of the dangers of Bill Gothard’s teachings […]

The Package: History of Attempts to Confront Bill Gothard

12 December 2014, 08:00

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  Click here to view the original outline of the tabbed and indexed materials included in the package, titled “Request by Bill Gothard for Truth and Reconciliation, 2013-2014.” The charges levelled against Bill Gothard in “the package,” along with supporting evidence, testimonies, and documentation, have been presented to Bill Gothard at least four times: 1. […]

IBYC Scandal in the News — 1980-1982

10 December 2014, 08:00

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  1. Brief news clip in Eternity regarding IBYC resignations (July-August 1980) 2. The Bill Gothard Tragedy (Plains Baptist Challenger, August 1980) 3. ‘Sexual misconduct’ rocks Chicago-based ministry (The Dallas Morning News, 8/2/80) 4. Bill Gothard Steps Down During Institute Shakeup (Christianity Today, 8/8/80) 5. Evangelicals Feel Strain as Churches Adjust to Marriage Failures (Los […]

The Package: The All Sufficiency of Jesus Christ

8 December 2014, 10:00

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  The Preeminence of, the Exclusive Claims by, and the All Sufficiency of Jesus Christ A Call to Bill Gothard to Return to the Teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles Doctrine of Grace Alone through Faith Alone in the Promise and Provisions of God Alone.    Image copyright: kchung / 123RF Stock Photo

Confident Statements Do Not a Solid Argument Make

6 November 2014, 09:00

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A former Advanced Training Institute (ATI) student and Life Focus veteran has tackled both the form and the substance of the IBLP booklet What the Bible Has to Say About “Contemporary Christian” Music: Ten Scriptural Reasons Why the “Rock Beat” is Evil in Any Form at his blog, Throwing Out The Bath Water. “Is there a […]