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

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Category Archives: Featured Article

Rhemas: Hidden Wisdom in Scripture?

22 July 2014, 09:25

DavidM

17

  A common critique of Mr. Gothard is how he handles interpretation of Scripture. One major aspect of his interpretational methods can be found in his teachings on rhemas. But do his teachings on rhemas even have a sound basis in Scripture? For your enjoyment I offer the following quiz. 1. T/F: All words in […]

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 […]

The Unfair Bonus

14 July 2014, 06:00

MatthewS

17

Jesus must have enjoyed short stories. He used parables frequently. One of those stories appears in Matthew 20:1-16. It arrested my attention recently and I wondered how someone would tell the story in today’s world. Perhaps something like this: The strangest bonus Jim ever received was for a large project he worked on for six […]

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 […]

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 […]

Circumcision, Blue Jeans, & Cabbage Patch Kids: The Danger of Bill Gothard’s “Jesus+” Theology

3 July 2014, 11:28

Kevin

15

Denim

The Apostle Paul always seemed to know his audience. In writing to the Galatians, he challenged the way in which they were over-selling the law and under-selling the Gospel — a move that paved the way for rampant legalism. Meanwhile in Corinth, Paul was faced with the other end of the spectrum, an under-appreciation for […]

Citing Scripture: Butchery or Surgery?

30 June 2014, 06:00

Moderator

22

by Bernard Ramm Old Bill Shakespeare put his scalpel on a raw nerve when he wrote: “In religion, what damned error, but some sober brow will bless it, and approve it with a text, hiding the grossness with fair ornament” (Merchant of Venice, Act III, Scene 2). My study Bible has 1512 pages. Some place in […]

Grace Overflowing

26 June 2014, 12:00

Moderator

68

Our sin, even that which continues in the Christian life, reveals the grace of God. Paul says, in Romans 5, that the grace of God overflows in greater measure than any sin. What that means, put simply, is that you can never “out-sin” God’s grace. Some people don’t like that. Or maybe I should say […]

Foils We Are

23 June 2014, 06:00

Jay Rowland

23

God understands the tendency for one in authority to fail. —Bill Gothard (What I Teach) The Bible is full of stories about God gifting individuals with particular qualities needed to lead and serve His people; yet, in his foreknowledge, God has already made plans to work through a leader’s failure. Those who repent experience his […]

Our Response to the IBLP Board Statement

20 June 2014, 12:00

Moderator

160

Dear Recovering Grace Reader, The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) board of directors released a statement on Tuesday (June 17, 2014) entitled A Time of Transition. This appears to be their official response to the allegations of sexual harassment and abuse that have been reported on our site, and it also addressed our assertion that Bill […]