Have you Shiny Happy People? Looking for more info? Start here.

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.

Author Archives: Moderator

Is Jesus a Sinner According to Bill Gothard’s Teachings?

29 September 2014, 06:00

Moderator

135

by Don Veinot on April 3rd, 2014 We often receive questions by mail, phone and email about Bill Gothard’s teaching on authority, which at one time was “Chain of Command” and later renamed “Umbrella of Protection.” Obviously the latter sounds more benign than the former, but they essentially come down to the same thing. Who is the […]

Me and My Red Notebook

23 September 2014, 12:01

Moderator

86

Years ago, right out of college and newly married, I took a position as an associate/youth pastor at a small, very fine church in Houston, Texas. At the time I had not heard of Bill Gothard, but at our senior pastor’s suggestion, that first week in May found my wife and me sitting for half a […]

Four Tools of Spiritual Manipulators

19 September 2014, 11:33

Moderator

68

I grew up in the homeschool subculture of Bill Gothard and his Advanced Training Institute (ATI). I participated in Children’s Institutes, worked at Training Centers stateside and in Russia, and attended Oak Brook College of Law, Young Men’s Conferences, and too many seminars to count. Though I learned much from these experiences and am grateful […]

“Just Get Over It”

16 September 2014, 14:44

Moderator

49

Imagine that you and I are in a horrific car accident. Our car is “T-boned” on the driver’s side. We roll down an embankment and land topside down. Our vehicle is in the ditch, making it hard for other drivers to see that we are in trouble. Finally, a police officer sees the wreck, stops, […]

Breaking Free

4 September 2014, 06:00

Moderator

24

They were raised in a normal America. They had children and then, in reaction to the symptoms of societal misdeeds, they were drawn to an organization (the Institute in Basic Life Principles) that held a checklist of answers to life’s every question. (clothing, hair style, vocabulary, music, activities, toys, pets,education, culture, friendships, dating, marriage, raising children, […]

Christian Karma

28 July 2014, 15:30

Moderator

36

  Merriam-Webster’s dictionary states karma as: The force generated by a person’s actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person’s next existence. Eastern religions teach that once we die, we re-enter the cycle of life in a different form. If someone performs good deeds on […]

We WERE the “Normal Ones”

17 July 2014, 06:00

Moderator

49

I have heard many people talk about how they still want to be involved in ATI (the Advanced Training Institute), but be “normal” families and just “filter out the bad stuff.” I’ve seen some of those responses in the Recovering Grace comments. If that’s your premise, then this post is for you, because that’s my […]

Judging 101

12 July 2014, 06:00

Moderator

22

I sat in the middle seat of the wood-grained station wagon, peering over the blue leather seats ahead of me, trying to get the best view I could out of the front windshield. I was on mission with my family to complete an ATI homeschool assignment for that day: “As a family, drive to a […]

Heather’s Story

9 July 2014, 06:00

Moderator

128

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 […]

When Apologies Make it Worse

8 July 2014, 12:01

Moderator

41

Since Bill Gothard had to resign from leading his Institute in Basic Life Principles amid allegations of inappropriate behavior toward female staffers, he has made few public statements. But in private, he has been far from silent. An article published yesterday by Mother Jones stated: These days, Gothard says, he is busy “contacting people I’ve offended […]