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

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Bill Gothard’s Tornado That Didn’t Happen

29 August 2012, 06:00

Moderator

164

May 2, 2008, marked a major milestone in my life. It was the end of my first year of college, and I had long planned a 50-mile bike ride to celebrate. That morning, however, tornado sirens started wailing and I was obliged to seek shelter. I didn’t think much of those tornado sirens until weeks […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 10: “You Can Trust Me”

23 August 2012, 10:00

MatthewS

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 10: “You Can Trust Me” We continue our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. Chapter ten continues the consideration about leaders in spiritually abusive systems with a discussion about trust. In Matthew 23, Jesus raises two […]

I Kid You Not!

20 August 2012, 06:00

RyanR

Shortly after I joined the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) staff in 1992, I went on a two-week ministry trip to Moscow, Russia, that was preceded by a very long car ride from Oak Brook, Illinois, to JFK airport. Somewhere between this car trip and returning from Russia, I learned a very important rule […]

Life Focus: Isolation Instead of Relationship

11 August 2012, 06:00

Moderator

As a teenager I was sent to an Advanced Training Institute (ATI) young men’s program called Life Focus. Life Focus was not explicitly advertised as a program for the troubled youth or “rebels” of ATI, but, functionally, that is what it was. The young men in Life Focus were regarded as and spoken to as […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 9: “Because I’m the Pastor, That’s Why!”

9 August 2012, 06:00

MatthewS

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 9: “Because I’m the Pastor, That’s Why!” We continue our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. The previous chapter concluded part 1 of the book, which focused on the victims. Part 2 (chapters 9-16) looks at […]

As the Pendulum Swings

6 August 2012, 06:00

Carolynn

When I look back at my parents’ decision to join the Advanced Training Institute (ATI), I think I can understand many of the reasons behind their choice. They first encountered Bill Gothard and the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) when their friends attended the Basic Seminar in the 1970s. A few years later, my […]

Why I Reject IBLP

4 August 2012, 06:00

Ileata

On IBLP’s website, under “What we do” it says, “The Institute in Basic Life Principles was established for the purpose of introducing people to the Lord Jesus Christ, and is dedicated to giving clear instruction and training on how to find success by following God’s principles found in Scripture.” The underlined part of this purpose […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 8: Revictimizing Victims, cont’d

2 August 2012, 07:22

MatthewS

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 8: Revictimizing Victims We continue our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. It is a devastating re-abuse of victims when a code of silence over the wounds they have experienced is enforced by a misuse of […]

ATI’s Mindset Can Damage Your Career

1 August 2012, 06:00

WendyA

When my family joined the Advanced Training Institute (ATI), I had just graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in English. I was working as the secretary for a local Christian talk radio station and was trying to figure out what to do with my life. Fact is, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted […]

Behind Every Good Man…

30 July 2012, 06:00

Moderator

The concept of authority is central to Bill Gothard’s teachings. So much so, that I remember performing a coronation ceremony crowning my dad “king” of our family as a Wisdom Booklet project. I was 16 at the time, and struggling with authority being defined as dad’s complete control over every aspect of my life. My […]