In recent days, I’ve been reading a bit about Gothardism on various websites, and it has brought back a lot of memories. Growing up, my family never went hardcore into the ATI (Advanced Training Institute) program, and we would still be considered on the outer fringes by the inner circle members. We were actually very “worldly” from a Gothard point of view: We wore pants and watched TV (although our family standards were much more conservative than most people I knew). In later years, my sister and I listened to Christian rock, despite knowing about the demonic powers being summoned through the witchcraft-beat! (GASP) Not only that, we also occasionally listened to worship songs written in a minor key! Somehow, we escaped the curse of depression.
On the plus side though, we attended every seminar (both Basic and Advanced) every year from the time I was twelve (this was before the children’s seminars, which my brother attended). We led their Basic Seminar Follow-up course and the Financial Freedom seminars. We were home-schooled (of course). We played all their board games. We memorized the 49 character qualities, and could quote The Pineapple Story and Character Sketches (all volumes). We spoke the code. We did Wisdom Searches in the mornings. And, looking back, I realize how deeply entrenched my parents were, and understand things like why my mom continued to get pregnant, even after a staggering number of miscarriages and being told she needed a hysterectomy.
If you just casually attended the Basic Seminar, you probably found it quite easy to take the good and spit out the bones. It starts off Monday night with a pleasant introduction to the whole thing, and a teaching on self-acceptance. Bill Gothard takes you through the “Ten Unchangeables” and explains that God is using all the things that we cannot change about ourselves to paint a beautiful masterpiece in our lives. Bill is a good speaker, and is brimming over with amazing examples of all the people who have been helped through his teaching of the “non-optional principles.” Even now, there are a lot of things that I would probably agree with, at least to an extent. But knowing more about the core makes me nervous.
The next night’s teaching on authority sneaks up on you. He outlines a vertical chain of authority (God, father/husband directly under God, wife below, children lower still) and explains the consequences of getting out from under the umbrella of (patriarchal) authority. (Women have no authority, except what their husband delegates to them over the children.) He gives a long litany of stories of those who went against the wishes of their husbands/fathers and suffered terribly, contrasted with tales of those who submitted, against culture and common sense, and were rewarded beyond their dreams. Those who rebel and eventually return are gravely compared to cracked diamonds–only worth a fraction of the value they could have had if they had been submissive all along.
In a sense, all of his teachings come back to the idea that if you align yourself underneath the umbrella, perfectly submissive to all of Gothard’s principles, then you will be safe. If you dare to go out from under the umbrella by not conforming perfectly with a joyful countenance and light in your eyes, then any number of hailstorms will pound you to a bloody pulp.
The fatal flaw of Gothard's teachings is that he denies the power of Christ. It is all about Man.
It sounds a bit fanatical (and it is), but when you are there it is much more palatable. His quiet humor, lovely chalk talks and assortment of hooks are appealing. By the time you get through the teaching on how to conquer anger by yielding rights (Thursday), you are probably ready to overlook some of the more extreme parts of his teachings on moral purity (Friday) and any discomfort from the teachings on authority begins to blur and fade as he leads you through the examples of success through meditation on Scripture (Saturday).
It is nicely packaged, and full of guarantees. If you follow the principles, you will be blessed with success. Suffering is the result of rebelling, even unknowingly, against any of the principles, but all can be made right (with a smaller diamond, of course) by simply following his steps. I bought nearly all of it, until sliding out from under the umbrella in my relationship with my husband Carlos. Once I was married, I stopped attending the seminars. Even so, it is only recently that I have been able to put together my disagreements with the underlying Gothard doctrines.
One of these is the extreme patriarchy taught. Nearly everyone I knew growing up believed that the father was the head of the house. What many people don’t recognize is the difference in degrees when it comes to the application. Many of the families that I know who believe that the wife should submit to her husband actually practice something much closer to mutual submission. While I believe that they are very sincere, it winds up that through temperament or conscious design, the wife has the respect of her husband and freedom to participate in many decisions, and even the ability to come to some on her own. Although there may be a theoretical agreement that the husband has the final say, in reality, decisions are reached together.
Gothard’s view of authority is far more extreme. The wife must submit entirely to her husband, regardless of the rightness of his choices. She is allowed to appeal if he wishes her to sin. Of course, the definition of “sin” is incredibly and inexplicably narrow in this context, especially compared to the hyper-sinfulization [My own word…I am quite pleased with it!] of those not in the position of authority! If her appeal is denied, she may choose to suffer for doing right, but must continue to honor her husband, and look happy to the rest of the world, since any discontent in her countenance is a public shaming of her head. In addition to this, he teaches very strongly that the one under authority is the one responsible for change: In other words, if the husband does something wrong, it is all your fault. If you were only more submissive, more this, more that, you would please him and he wouldn’t do that. You can patch the leaks in your umbrella by just trying harder to submit. It is the perfect recipe for abuse.
Whatever God is speaking, he will speak to your husband/father. It doesn’t really matter what the topic is: A daughter’s future spouse, your callings and responsibilities, how you should spend your time, how you should raise your children. Any decision is between the father/husband and God, and the father/husband will let you know when he is ready to. Your responsibility is to cheerfully go along with it. Even if your father is not a believer (which is somehow also your fault, of course), you still have to rely on him to be the go-between between you and God.
There are all kinds of other, minor things that have become twisted and elevated into doctrine, some that I agree with aside from the theological status conveyed upon them, others very weird indeed. But to put it all into a nutshell, the fatal flaw of Gothard’s teachings is that he denies the power of Christ. It is all about Man (and here, the male gender is most definitely implied). Even grace becomes redefined as MAN’s desire and MAN’s ability to do God’s will. “Grace” rests squarely on our efforts. (“Would you make a vow to do XYZ? And if you really mean it, would you raise your hand as an outward demonstration…”) The work of the Cross becomes an afterthought, and all that matters is our ability to conform to the checklist. Instead of works flowing out of faith in God, the works flow out of faith in the works themselves to provide carrots or avoid the stick. If you can keep your façade together, and especially if you can make your man look good, then you will reap all kinds of goodies. If your life isn’t perfect, well, that is your fault for not following the steps precisely.
The concept of mercy is ignored. The power of Christ’s sacrifice is a mere footnote to our own efforts and accomplishments. This is incredibly dangerous, especially because it is the kind of mindset that corrupts every thing it touches. Every relationship, every accomplishment, every action becomes tested by whether or not it follows Bill’s principles. When you hear of someone going through a difficult situation, rather than responding in compassion, you wonder which principles they violated to reap that problem. Or, if you know them at all, you have probably already figured out which principles were violated. Because of the unrelenting emphasis on appearances, you condition yourself to pretend all the time, until you have spun it all in your mind to the point that you aren’t really sure what the truth is anymore. You yield your rights to others (“Jesus, then Others, then You–what a wonderful way to spell JOY!“) and may never even realize that you also yielded many healthy, necessary boundaries.
I felt a bit smarter back before my diamond was cracked, back when I was centered under my umbrella of protection. I could give you all the answers to any situation so that you could apply the principles and understand where you went wrong (You were cursed because you let a Cabbage Patch doll into your home; because you went away from home to college; because you didn’t joyfully submit, etc.).
Now I find that grace isn’t about me; it is about the amazing love that God lavishes on us. It isn’t all about my efforts or shortcomings. It is about His mercy and patience in helping me grow. Instead of seeing all relationships in a vertical line of top-to-bottom hierarchy, I am seeing them as a circle of love and service. This makes all the difference! Instead of shaming myself and others, I am learning to joyfully proclaim that His banner over me is love. Instead of desperately trying to patch leaks in my umbrella, I am enjoying the glorious sunshine of freedom and grace.
Dulce Chale is the happy wife of a wonderful husband and a homeschooling mom to four much-loved kidlets. She reads constantly, loves to travel, blogs at Dulce de leche and drinks copious amounts of iced coffee. Each new day is full of joy and fresh adventures as she is learning to walk in God’s amazing grace.
July 31, 2024
Wow! This hits the nail on the head...excellent article!
Wonderfully written. Very nice touch at the end comparing Gothard's umbrella to God's banner of love.
Your recognition of the man-centeredness of this teaching and the underlying denial of the power of Christ's death and resurrection is very true. Sadly, people often don't see this because they think all those Bible verses mean that ATI is actually biblical.
It's incredibly ironic how something so suffused with Scripture could be so off-base! The idea that the "underlings" are responsible for the behavior of their leader is one. This idea of suffering is another: "Suffering is the result of rebelling, even unknowingly, against any of the principles." Christ tells His followers that we will suffer; any assumption that someone must have sinned if they're suffering goes directly against Scripture.
Wow couldn't agree with you more. I'd forgotten that twist. It was all such a long Tim ago.
I love to travel too, btw. And blog. Do you have recommended sources? I know ATI is hard to pin down because you have to be at the conference to get the books. I think my parents have thrown most away.
I grew up with ATI, but it wasn't so extreme. Sure we when to everything and did everything, but being ATI wasn't who we were. This is a credit to my parents. They didn't idolize Gothard or demand obedience, they were always pointing us back to God and His Word. It wasn't about going to church or going to seminars, wearing blue and white, doing all the right things. We never did agree with the IBLP music teaching, just some of it. We didn't wear skirts all the time, nor did we always wear the latest trend, the focus was keeping our hearts focused on honoring Christ.
I watched my friends' parents religiously follow everything ATI said and force their kids to comply. Eventually the family was either torn apart by kids rebelling and parents giving up, or sometimes the parents themselves would jump ship and quit Christianity entirely. They all missed the point. ATI wasn't supposed to be a religion, just a program to offer assistance in your EXISTING walk with Christ. So many people tried to make ATI their god and it failed miserably. Then they blame Bill Gothard. It's pathetic. Gothard was never our family's god, so ATI never ruined our family, only served as one of many programs that have encouraged us over the years. If it missed the mark on something, we disregarded it. We already had a large family before we even joined (hey, my parents love kids) and half of us are grown and pursuing ministry, careers, and raising our own families. Some when to college, some didn't. Some held hands when they were engaged, some didn't. And so forth. It's about personal conviction and following the Holy Spirit. And honestly, Bill Gothard would agree.
I'm deeply concerned for some of the people I meet on this site. They're angry at parents who missed the point and grateful that they're now in a church where grace is cheap and anything goes, no rules, it's all love and mercy. But is that what Christianity is? According to Jesus, it demands everything! If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. That's what it comes down to. And that's what every person who gets on this website needs to measure themselves by. Yes, measure your life—it's in the Bible. It's something great preachers and Christians have taught for centuries. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
My family wasn't an extreme ATI family, but the twisting of Scripture and false doctrine that BG taught damaged me spiritually. I'm not bitter. I'm clinging to Christ. But I do find it necessary to work through the lies, confront them and replace them with truth (something this site has helped with tremendously). I've rejected the legalism and have not embraced licentiousness. I'm striving to walk in the Spirit as the Bible tells us to. (Do you really know the churches that those of us from this website go to? I don't go to a church that preaches what you are claiming.)
And, just for the record, it's perfectly Biblical to warn others of false teachings. It's loving to do so.
"It's about personal conviction and following the Holy Spirit. And honestly, Bill Gothard would agree."
Hmmmmmm.....I live near a TC. I was on campus one day picking up a friend and there was a young man standing at the curb. My friend, who was working at the TC at the time, explained that the boy was being sent home because he was a 7th Day Adventist and wouldn't work on Saturday. So much for giving people room for their own convictions.
"It's about personal conviction and following the Holy Spirit. And honest, Bill Gothard would agree."
Most people who have spent time working with and for IBLP would probably beg to differ with your perspective - because there was little tolerance for standards or convictions that did not align with Bill Gothard's standards and convictions. . . Even those who still would agree and support BG I think could agree with this.
For example, I've personally seen IBLP staff go through people's possessions in their private rooms or look through their mail to make sure there wasn't "contraband" like contemporary christian music or other rock music on the premises. If they found something "illicit" they seized the item and shamed the person. I've personally seen BG rip someone apart for not having a proper "courtship spirit" because he was having a friendly chat with some girls (in the open - where everyone could see that nothing inappropriate was going on). I've had friends and know of people sent home in shame from training centers because they did something innocent like going to a movie or something else that didn't comport with IBLP's legalistic "standards."
Someone wearing clothes that didn't match IBLP's strict guidelines? Not allowed. Facial hair? Unless you were from a conservative mennonite community that required a beard, forget about it. A woman with short hair: rebellious. Guy with longer hair (or God forbid he had an earring): identifying with "sodomy."
And then BG tried to change the definition of legalism so he could say he wasn't a legalist.
Telling BG or IBLP leadership that you simply had "different conviction" just didn't fly. You conformed or were sent packing in shame.
I am sincerely grateful you weren't harmed by Gothard's teachings or IBLP. I feel however, you make the fundamental error of generalizing your experience to everyone who may have come through the program.
Families seem to make the largest difference between experiences, as does individual personality and years of full time work within the Institute.
Oh, Grateful... Grace could never be cheap. No, no. On the contrary, it is priceless. Free, yes. Cheap, no.
I think that, if you got to know some of us, you would realize that much of this so-called anger, is actually severe puzzlement, a feeling of betrayal, and an overwhelming longing for a true relationship with our parents.
As for the rules... You are right to say that our lives are not defined by rules... But I think you'd be surprised to learn that most of us seek to live Biblically moral lives.
Stick around, read some more, if you wish... Don't believe everything you've heard about us ;)
Wonderful article. I have noticed the same thing in many of the teachings of the family integrated church. For people who claim to be all about God's grace, their system is incredibly humanist.
I would also like to point out that extreme patriarchy puts a terrible burden on the husband as well as the wife. I mean, if the husband and/or father steps out of line once, his entire family will supposedly suffer. I'm sure a lot of godly and well-meaning men are dragged down with the fear that must come from this teaching.
That is a very interesting idea Dreamer. I honestly hadn't thought about the pressure that fathers live under in the patriarchy system. You are so right. If any of us kids were struggling with a sin, obviously there was a "hole" in our umbrella. Our fathers bore the guilt, scrutiny and examination of their every move. The last time I read Job, Satan had to get permission from God to touch any part of Job's life. And Job hadn't even "sinned".
An "Umbrella of protection" and such are really nothing more than a burden of guilt to keep followers "in-line" to a man-made rule.
there is the other side of this where adult children sit in silence knowing that IBLP teachings are wrong and let their fathers dictate to them and submit to false doctrine then they are complicit in whatever sin or heresy that is practiced.
With respect I have to say the pressure to submit (obey) is enormous however it is still sin
You forget that a child (no matter of age) was not considered an adult until marriage. I came home from HQ and told my parents of the lies, unethical behavior and illegal employee practices certain that they would finally understand that ATI wasn't what it was cracked up to be. They didn't listen to me. I was sexually harassed, but they were sure BG "would never"...nothing I said mattered to my parents. I refused to remain at HQ because I couldn't live with myself by continuing to sell a merit-less program. It did nothing to convince them.
Yes, I was an adult. I was treated as a child. Looking back, I *should* have pressed my case further in being treated like an adult but I had been in the program since I was six and when my parents threatened to "pray God would take your life" at BG's direction, I honestly believed them. My parents have since apologized for that heinous act, but it came 20 years too late to make a difference.
And since we were not allowed outside influences in order to actually learn the truth about God's Grace, recognizing the teachings as false was/is extremely difficult. My husband and I got married and GOT OUT. But it was not because we "knew" it was wrong but rather because we "felt" it was wrong. It took several years of being away from the pressure and influence for us to recognize the errors in the teachings.
I actually didn't "know" the teachings were wrong. I had been taught from a young age that we were right and everyone else was wrong, and I continued to believe this, well into adulthood. Knowing that perhaps I *could* leave, but instead choosing to stay and do the "right thing before God". I do wish I had left much sooner.
The thing about such a system, it's abusive. The psychological chains are placed on you at a young age, and you grow up with them. And like the Children's Institute story of the boa constrictor, the bonds become larger, tighter, and more oppressive, the longer you wear them. So that:
By the time you reach adulthood, you have already lost all sense of self and of autonomy. You are as weak as the blind Sampson, and getting out becomes extremely difficult.
"hannah" what do you mean by leave? Were you being forced to stay somewhere?
Leaving home is specifically what I'm referring to, and leaving behind all the control and the teachings, as would be required along with leaving home. Since I could not survive without a job, and it was wrong for a woman to work. Or to do anything without her parent's permission, which I certainly didn't have for leaving home or holding a job. Had I done anything that smacked of too much independence, I would have been kicked out. Even something as simple as standing up for myself in conversation, since I was supposed to be submitted and never disagree except to make godly appeals (which incidentally, were never considered godly enough, and might even be construed as rebellion, another good reason to kick you out. I couldn't win.)
So, I toe the line in every aspect, or I am kicked out with no money, no resources, no job skills, no place to go. Remember, we've already cut all "wrong friends" out of our lives, so at this point I know almost no one who is not either current or former ATI. The few exceptions that I am in contact with are "likeminded" according to my family, and wouldn't help me to get out, if I asked. I have no job skills, because I wasn't allowed to go to college. I have no money because I haven't been allowed to have a job. I have been kept in a childish state, dependent on my parents for almost everything.
Unless you have been there, I don't suppose you can understand the power of brainwashing and isolation to cut you off from any hope or help, and to make you feel powerless in your person to fight back.
I was not forced to stay. I was systematically destroyed as a person and weakened to my very core, to the point that leaving became impossible without outside intervention.
Thanks for this...clearly written and beautifully said. :)
ECB, your parents threatened to pray to God to take your life? Wow! But I guess in a way that doesn't surprise me, in fact, now that you've mentioned it, it rings a bell. I don't remember my parents using that threat on us, but it does sound familiar.
Yes! I remember Mr. Gothard praising a parent that prayed that if his chid was going to grow up rebellious that God would take the child's life.
Yes, something was said at some of the seminars that kicked off some sort of fad of parents threatening their kids with God killing them. I think it was sort of a "scared straight" notion. I remember my dad praying that if my younger brother would not straighten up then the Lord had my dad's permission to end my brother's life. At that time, I don't think my brother was in his teens yet. The main problem was that he was gaining a reputation for lying and it was driving my dad crazy. I still remember the shock of realizing I had just heard one of my parents use a spiritual method of threatening one of their kids' lives. Thankfully that fad mostly came and went from our house. I've known others to take it more seriously.
Parents joke around about "I brought you into this world, I'll take you out" but that's a joke. This idea about God taking a child's life was not a joke, it was "deadly" serious.
Yes, IBLP tried to make as much mileage as they could of this concept. I think you are right, Matthew--it was the threat that produced a "scared straight" result as opposed to anything else.
It was spiritual intimination. Look, when God struck Annanias and Saphira dead, that was Peter speaking by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. If Gothard's gospel was the good news of redemption, I might consider that he could have the power of the Holy Spirit. Since his message departs so far from the gospel, I'm not worried. My opinion is that his chain of command is broken.
Remember the drinking dirt mixed in water? The wife charged with unfaithfulness was to drink it and it would not affect her if she was not guilty. That was the same concept--no guilt, no worries--it won't hurt you! Well, Gothard was taking something given to the Levitical priesthood as a specific command of God to them AS IF it were a universal formula! I find no Scriptural evidence that it is provided as such to us. Hey, why not go to the witch at Endor? That's a biblical example too..and if you are running short on results or seem to not be hearing from God anymore, not to worry...Saul got a response! :-)
Yes. They did. They continued to use it after I was married on my younger siblings. Like I said though, they have since apologized. There's a lot more that has not been apologized for that I feel was wrong, but I viewed it as a small step in the right direction.
ECB, my parents were the same way about believeing that I could have been treated so badly at HQ. Gothard was too good and wise a man to do (or allow) anything "bad" to happen. It makes me sick that they still whole hearted follow his teachings.
Exactly!!! Coming from having to wear skirts into my early 20's due to the brainwashing that I knew nothing of what God wanted for me (only my dad did), you nailed it right on!
So glad that I finally left that umbrella at age 23 and traded it for allowing myself to realize that God wanted a personal relationship with ME!
I chose who I was going to marry and I am so glad I didn't leave that vitally important decision to anyone else! What a catastrophe that would have been!!! Instead I have the most awesome guy ever! Who helps me laugh about the ridiculousness that is "Mr. Gothard's teachings" and has taught me the value in being me! :)
Ah yes, that second night does sneak up on you ;)
Could someone please tell me how "giving God permission" to take your child's life" if they're going to end up rebellious lines up with anything we know of God? That is exactly what happened - I remember it in the 80's. Can you imagine? The gospel is exactly the opposite- God understands our shortcomings and made a way through Christ, and loves us enough to bring us into fellowship with Him, knowing that we can't follow the law. The sad thing is that it sounded so noble when he said it. A child knowing that his father prayed that would not see God as anything but a punishing God.
I do remember my parents praying this, right in front of their children, as a way to try to coerce good behavior. Scary, that I once thought this was normal and acceptable...
ATI must be stopped. I lost (and finally, through the grace and mercy alone of Christ) I regained my salvation. Due to direct influences of "Gothardism", I stepped away from Christ, knowing what I was giving up, and still letting go, just to get away from ATI.
Bill Gothard would most likely never agree that you should listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Instead, he insists that we are placed under some human authority or another through which God mediates. Unfortunately for him, the Holy Spirit has already spoken through the Scripture that there is one (exclusive) mediator between God and man--Jesus Christ. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us and He instructed us concerning heeding His voice.
Gothard simply does not believe that we are capable of listening and obeying God's voice directly. I'm not sure how it is possible for him to hear God's voice, but that may be a diversion here.
I was in the system for over 20 years and I've been in enough personal situations with him to know his thinking and counsel on the voice of God--"the voice of your authority is the voice of God to you." Yet, this teaching subverts the Scriptural authority of the Holy Spirit. I'm not concerned here with the humanistic argument of objective vs. subjective perception of the voice of God. I am speaking of Gothard's ACTUAL TEACHINGS. The Holy Spirit quickens and instructs each believer as He wills. Fortunately, neither Gothard nor I are privy to God's ways or thoughts, and neither of us are indispensible to His plans.
I agree totaly with this quote from the article: "The fatal flaw of Gothard’s teachings is that he denies the power of Christ. It is all about Man."
Gothard would disagree with that statement in argument because it makes him look bad in light of Scripture, but the sad fact is that this is exactly true. "If only..." is one of Gothard's favorite bywords and everything after each decision point in your life hangs on it. He gives no room for Scriptural repentence, forgiveness, and grace, instead his views are much more akin to karma and reincarnation where you will have to repeat that lession again and again in cycles (each with terrible consequences) until you "pass the test" by your own power and only then you receive power of the Holy Spirit. There is no such pattern taught in the Scriptures. This, my friends, is heresy and based only on anecdotal evidence from Gothard's own life. I do not consider that "evidence" to be authoritative to the church.
CONCERNING THE GOSPEL: The reason most Christians find Gothardites to be confusing is that the IBLP gospel is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Once we get the "good news" right--God's plan to redeem sinful men revealed to the world, we are back on the right track. The gospel is NOT "us getting to heaven" or "us having success!" The good news is that GOD DESIRES to BUY US BACK and HE HAS PROVISIONED IT! Redemption! It's ALL about REDEMPTION and GOD'S GRACE--PEACE GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN! Attempting to "BUY HEAVEN" via compliance of ordinances and regulations is merely judaizing!
Redemption is the grace of God freely shed abroad! The free gift of God's grace of redemption is available to all--freely! The gospel of Jesus Christ is NOT to be found in "Advanced" seminars or "elite" programs! Jesus still calls--wisdom calling the simple: "Come to me all that are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest!" Even children can understand the respond by the provision of God!
A recent example of Gothard's support for Judaizing is a talk that he gave at a recent wedding where Gothard himself said prefacing his words that he was speaking about charges of legalism and pharisaism, "Without the pharisees, we would not have salvation today!" That, my friends, is not only poor logic but it places God ways and abilities subject to our thoughts. I'm sorry folks, the Scripture tells me that God's ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts remain higher than mine. Let me just state the OBVIOUS here--"Jesus authored the plan of salvation--not the Pharisees!" Jesus only used them as pawns and while he offered them salvation, they continually rejected Him! Imagine these as EXAMPLES TO FOLLOW?!?! We DO NOT follow their examples of white-washed graves always resisting the Holy Spirit and rejecting the cornerstone of God's plan! There is NO DEFENSE for such a ludicrous and foolish statement in light of Holy Scripture!
Amen!
Preach it, brother!
Well said!
[...] My parents went to one of the first ATI conferences in Australia and came back excited and eager to embrace this new form of home-schooling. That was when things began to change. Life was suddenly filled to the brim with conferences and Wisdom Booklets and other ATI families. Before I knew it, most of the church families at my dad’s church had also adopted the curriculum, and we lived, breathed, and slept Bill Gothard’s belief system. [...]
[...] this was exactly the outcome ATI was designed to create, and from the outside I was a complete success. However, in my heart all was not well. I began to [...]
[...] Peering Underneath the Umbrella: Musing on Gothardism [...]
[...] that two years later I attended my first Basic Seminar and sat under one whole night of teaching about responsibility and maintaining a clear conscience. Because my parents were avid supporters of [...]
[...] “Peering Underneath the Umbrella: Musings on Gothardism” [...]
Well explained! :)
Attended the Basic Seminar for years and had the church leadership attend, never expecting that when the gross immorality (including abortions) hit the ministry that my husband (the Pastor) would use the teaching on "submission" to silence me while he continued his sin. Many were defiled yet the congregation supported him because I had moved out from his "authority". Ultimately, the church was destroyed as many men succumbed to his teaching; youth fell into deep immorality and the majority of marriages were dissolved. This ministry and the teaching must be exposed! It is deadly and led to the mental breakdown and ultimate death of my husband.
[…] Gothard’s teaching connects this idea with the “patriarchal” notion that fathers maintain spiritual authority over their wives and […]
[…] Institute’s teachings on authority structures and the “umbrella of authority,” topics on which many words have been spilled over the past fifty years. The former ATI students who have shared their stories with Recovering […]
I have found so much wisdom and freedom in the articles on this site. I never realized how deep into Gothardism my family really was, and it was more for control over the family than it was for serving God. God is still using this site for those wounded by this cult...a recent and awful family situation has me re examining the way we were brought up and how I've had to learn that all these Gothard things are twisted just so.
It was only in the past 5 years where I truly realized that there is one mediator between God and man...and it wasn't my father. And with that complete realization a needless burden of guilt fell off my shoulders. I had "rebelled" at the age of 23 and married a good man, but it was without my father's blessing. Hence I was going to be a rebellious wife and all the curses or whatever was used as scare tactics. I've been happily married for nearly 20 years, praise the Lord!
Anyway, I point others to this site any chance I get, especially those brought up Gothard. God's Word heals and I'm so thankful for that healing and restoration and guidance.
Hi Emily and thank you for sharing. Although new articles are rarely posted anymore, I agree that this site remains a wonderful healing tool for those wounded by this cult.
Very glad to hear that, despite being brought up with Gothardism, you broke away from the teaching, married the love of your life and are happily married. Controlling people with fear is a very powerful tool and it took a lot of courage for you to break away from this false teaching.
Good bless you.
Emily,Thank you so much for being honest and thank you for your desire for exposing what lay beneath the Bright Gothard "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil".When no sorrow comes from the realization of its fruit,no repentance,the only and I mean only consequence is that you will take your life's checkbook and you will pay down thru the succeeding years the amount exacted upon you.Not from God whose heart must be breaking but from this demanding darkness,death and bondage.Why there's no questioning is that the voices within have grown silent.
My family became strict followers of Gothards teachings. I was severely abused. I married into worse and barely escaped with my life. I lost my baby due to the violence but my children survived. The teachings on extreme submission to male authority created an incubation for horrific abuse in our home. Now I'm trying to sort out the lies and break free from the beliefs I was brainwashed with. By breaking cycles my family deems me rebelliouss. My mother said that by seeing a counselor despite being an adult, I am not submitting and honour her so she says under Jewish law I should be stoned. My family has rejected me. But I am a cycle breaker. I've learned that God is a God of grace and I can have a deep loving relationship with him. No more fear..