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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.

Tag Archives: recovering-grace

Escaping the Religious Noose, Part 1: Legalism

18 July 2011, 08:00

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[Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a four-part series. Click here for Part 2, Part 3, or Part 4] My name is Donna. When I was a child, our family became involved with the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC), which was later renamed the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). In 1986, we […]

An Open Letter from Bill Gothard’s First Generation to Basic Seminar Attendees

16 July 2011, 08:00

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Dear Basic Seminar Attendee, The person who handed you this letter tonight cares about you. They care enough that they took time to bring it to you because they believe in the message and want you to understand before it is too late. This person is someone who grew up in a household influenced by […]

My Childhood in ATI, Part 3

15 July 2011, 08:00

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TRANSFORMATION God really began to do a miracle in our family when I was around 18 years old. Somehow through all of this indoctrination, I began to ask questions. Something about what I was experiencing didn’t line up with what I was seeing and reading in God’s Word. Gothard defined grace as “the desire and […]

My Childhood in ATI, part 2

14 July 2011, 08:00

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The Indianapolis Training Center, 2001

THE EFFECTS Within ATI, Bill Gothard was viewed as a sort of demigod. I remember attending the annual conferences where he was lauded with 10 minute standing ovations. We awaited every word that he said with baited breath, and took it all as gospel truth. We didn’t ask questions, we just accepted it. And that […]

My Childhood in ATI, part 1

13 July 2011, 08:00

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What I share in this story is something that I have never shared with anyone in its entirety except my wife. Some of you will know bits and pieces of this story, and some of you will recognize yourselves in it. I am not going to share names of friends and associates in the ATI […]