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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.

Author Archives: Moderator

The Right Thing for The Wrong Reason

20 December 2012, 06:00

Moderator

33

Recently, a Christian counselor whom I have been seeing said something that was a revelation to me: “You can read your Bible and be sinning.”  As I let her words sink in, the truth hit me like a ton of bricks. God does not care about external devotion as much as He cares about internal […]

Emmanuel: Our Rescuer Will Come!

17 December 2012, 06:00

Moderator

2

Dear Readers,  As we approach Christmas next week, some might find it hard to view the story told in Scripture through new eyes. We often hear the same story and we can’t get past the surface–it’s just words swimming before our eyes, the same miraculous story that seems not-as-miraculous because we’ve heard it a thousand […]

Peering Underneath the Umbrella: Musings on Gothardism

3 December 2012, 06:00

Moderator

47

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” […]

Can God Speak Past the Umbrella?

29 October 2012, 06:00

Moderator

21

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ” (I Tim. 2:5). That’s a verse that many of us learned early in our lives. It’s a special verse that assures us we don’t need someone other than Jesus to be our go-between with the Father. He is our […]

Transformation

22 October 2012, 06:00

Moderator

13

After ten years in the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) and a number of experiences participating in various programs (Counseling Seminar, Sound Foundations, EXCEL, and a handful of Children’s Institutes), there came a moment when it became crystal clear to me that, within the spiritual and social confines of the Advanced Training Institute, I would never […]

The Ravages of Guilt

8 October 2012, 06:00

Moderator

13

“If you say anything, I will tie up your family, just like I tie you up. Then I will make you sit there and watch as I kill each one of them in front of you. Will I kill you? No! You I will leave alive, so that you can spend every day of your […]

Designed to Be a … Finger?

1 October 2012, 06:00

Moderator

38

“Females who enjoy horseback riding have a problem with rebellion.”      —  Bill Gothard I remember reading years ago that Bill Gothard allowed families to have one small pet dog, but not to give it too much love as it might become an idol. Just reading that made me cringe as I thought, “Boy, […]

Recovering from the Most Subtle of Lies

27 September 2012, 06:00

Moderator

18

Over the last few weeks, I’ve felt compelled to write down my experience with the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) and the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). I think this desire comes from the fact that I want to show that the effects of Gothardism are not always as drastic as one may be led […]

The Raising of a Christian Narcissist

17 September 2012, 06:00

Moderator

50

My family joined the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) in the early ’90s, shortly after attending a Basic Seminar, at the invitation of a family which has in recent history become a household name. I was in my early elementary years at the time. I didn’t really understand why we were making so many abrupt changes […]

Free to Worship!

3 September 2012, 09:30

Moderator

18

Listening to a CD of praise and worship songs as I worked in my kitchen one morning, I found my heart rejoicing in Jesus and my body dancing in joy and worship to Him. The CD I was listening to was an old one that a friend recently gave me with popular worship songs from […]