Finding Hope and Healing | Recovering Grace

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

Personal testimonies of finding true freedom through God's matchless grace.

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Stories and accounts of the destruction caused by the teachings of Bill Gothard.

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Through the Tainted Window

14 April 2015, 06:00

Moderator

Through a cold and tainted window Of reflections from my past I watched silent from a distance At a life that I once had The movement of the players Well rehearsed and finely tuned Not one line misspoken Not a person missed a queue I touched the darkened window As if my soul […]

Resurrection Rhythms

4 April 2015, 11:26

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As Easter approaches with its commercialization of eggs and bunnies, the irony of new life is not lost upon those whose thoughts turn towards the events of Holy Week. In the first century a new faith came on the scene of the pagan Greco Roman world that literally turned that culture on its head. Its […]

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

31 March 2015, 06:00

Moderator

Ever since our pastor announced that Bill Gothard stepped down, I feel like I have been in a state of shock. I have always been famous for saying, “Ignorance is not bliss.” Now I know just how right I was. I have to reconcile myself to the fact that I was living in ignorance, and […]

Christmas Thoughts – Part 2

25 December 2014, 11:16

Moderator

Continued from Christmas Thoughts – Part 1: John continues his excitement after remarking that John the Baptist was a witness of Jesus. He states: Once again John stretches the mind of those with ears to hear and eyes to see. Notice his expression: “…from his (Jesus) fullness we have all received, grace upon grace…” In […]

Christmas Thoughts – Part 1

23 December 2014, 09:00

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Most articles about Christmas begin with one of the Birth Narratives (Matthew 1-2 or Luke 2) or a combination thereof. That is of course a perfectly valid way to tell the Christmas story, in fact some might argue that it is the only ‘proper’ way to do so, something like the old TV series Dragnet, […]

Giving Thanks

27 November 2014, 10:32

MatthewS

Thanksgiving and distress—these two experiences make an odd couple. If you are in distress, giving thanks might seem like adding soap bubbles instead of milk to a pumpkin spice latte: frothy, unhelpful, and leaves a bad taste. On the other hand, if you are in the mood to give thanks, being reminded of distress may […]

Grace Overflowing

26 June 2014, 12:00

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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 […]

Narcissistic Apologies

7 May 2014, 06:00

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I recently read yet another statement by a well-known Christian leader confessing sin and asking for forgiveness. It was one of those apologies that leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. I would say that it was a narcissistic apology. The difference between the narcissistic apology and a real apology is the center. […]

Twelve Characteristics of Fundamentalist Societies that Shelter Sexual Abuse

30 April 2014, 09:00

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163

How could he have fooled so many people, so thoroughly? How did the abuse go on for so many years, unacknowledged? Whenever a leader at this level is ousted or steps down, questions like these come to mind. In the wake of revelations of sexual harassment and abuse pouring in from survivors of Bill Gothard’s […]

Readings on Acknowledging and Healing from Sexual Abuse

29 April 2014, 06:00

Moderator

Below are some links to readings that members of our community have found helpful on their paths to healing from physical and sexual abuse, especially abuse suffered at the hands of family members, authority figures, and other trusted individuals. In A Theology of Sexual Abuse: A Reflection on Creation and Devastation, Dr. Andrew Schmutzer describes […]