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

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

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Heather’s Story

9 July 2014, 06:00

Moderator

The following is a list of all currently published allegations (that we know of) of Bill Gothard’s behavior. Megan’s Story, published April 3, 2014 (external link) Robin’s Story, published March 10, 2014 Rachel’s Story, published February 17, 2014 Ruth’s Story, published February 12, 2014 Charlotte’s Story, published February 5, 2014 Meg’s Story, published January 20, 2014 […]

Dear Mom and Dad

16 June 2014, 06:00

Moderator

Dear Mom and Dad, I do not write this out of vindictiveness or anger; rather, I write it out of an inquiring and puzzled mind. I do not fault you for putting our family into the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) program. You wanted the best for our family, and I believe you sincerely thought you […]

Twelve Characteristics of Fundamentalist Societies that Shelter Sexual Abuse

30 April 2014, 09:00

Moderator

151

How could he have fooled so many people, so thoroughly? How did the abuse go on for so many years, unacknowledged? Whenever a leader at this level is ousted or steps down, questions like these come to mind. In the wake of revelations of sexual harassment and abuse pouring in from survivors of Bill Gothard’s […]

Finding the Words to Say, “No More”

28 April 2014, 05:58

Moderator

103

When I was fourteen years old I was diagnosed with a very rare, very aggressive cancer. To be able to start my treatment, we learned, I would need to go to a hospital in a different city. There we met the oncologist responsible for heading up my treatment protocol. He was my future abuser. At […]

A Long Night’s Journey Through the ATI / IBLP System

24 April 2014, 06:00

Moderator

207

I grew up in Bill Gothard’s Advanced Training Institute of America (ATIA, later renamed ATI) home school program from 1985 through 2005 — twenty years! I worked at five different Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) training centers run by Bill Gothard and his staff, as well as working at IBLP Headquarters in Oak Brook, […]

When Sexual Harassment at IBLP Headquarters Is Acknowledged

17 April 2014, 06:00

Moderator

I attended my first Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) Basic Seminar during my junior year of high school. It was interesting, although I couldn’t believe we were watching a video. My parents had been attending these seminars for years. They accepted Jesus at one in 1976. I did my part at the seminar, paying […]

How Could This Happen Here?

15 April 2014, 08:42

Moderator

101

Recovering Grace will observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month for the remainder of April. In April 2012 and 2013, we published some very difficult stories of sexual abuse in ATI [Advanced Training Institute] families. Some critics objected that these families were extreme outliers within the program, and that ATI and IBLP have never condoned sexual […]

To My Daughter

11 April 2014, 06:00

Moderator

After being in ATI for 10 years and now out for the last 13 years, I am finding the need to say some things to our oldest daughter. She was our “guinea pig,” the one from whom we learned the most and the one upon whom we tried the most. She was with us from start […]

The One Who’s Turned into a Girl Again

8 April 2014, 06:00

Anne

I’ve been struggling the past month. Events on Recovering Grace have unfolded to a place where I have finally been able to feel vindicated that the niggling little feelings that had long rested deep within my soul were justified. Oh, I would never have been able to actually express those feelings, not because I “couldn’t” […]

Robin’s Story

10 March 2014, 06:00

Moderator

195

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 […]