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

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Fellow Fundamentalists Denounced Gothard’s “Chain of Command” (1974)

26 August 2013, 06:00

Moderator

In the November 1974 issue of “The Projector,” a newsletter for Christian Fundamentalists, editor Dr. Dayton Hobbs challenged Bill Gothard’s “Chain of Command.” You can read the entire issue here: http://www.theprojector.org/projectors/nov1974.pdf As with most issues of “The Projector,” much attention is given to separation from non-fundamentalist influences. (Dr. Hobbs did not foresee how severely Gothard […]

The Dreaded “B” Word

12 August 2013, 06:00

Moderator

During the healing process of leaving ATI (or any other legalistic group) and discovering Jesus Christ and His gospel, there is often a very painful transition for individuals as they must face all the lies they believed, lies which are often coupled with a long history of injustices and abuse. I like to compare this […]

The Trouble with Bubbles

8 August 2013, 06:00

“Have you ever seen a bubble? They’re simple things to see. And if they’re not in trouble, they’re round as they can be. But if you try to change their shape to make them tall or make them flat, there soon won’t be a bubble where the troubled bubble’s at. It really doesn’t matter if […]

A Culture of Addicts—The Problem with Living for Eternity

5 August 2013, 07:00

Moderator

Dictionary.com defines an “addict” as: 1. a person who is addicted to an activity, habit, or substance* Growing up in the Advanced Training Institute (ATI), a quasi-cult, I was constantly bombarded with ideology promoting service, self-sacrifice, organizationalism, and a general detachment from the real world. As someone who was born with many talents and abilities, […]

Experiencing Freedom

1 August 2013, 06:00

Moderator

I remember the day I was saved. It was after church on a rainy night, by my little bed, just before being tucked in. That was the day I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me. I wasn’t a horrible sinner, being not quite five, but I knew that I did and […]

A True Shepherd’s Heart

11 July 2013, 06:00

Moderator

My family joined the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) when I was 13 years old. My dad was a pastor and my parents had been familiar with the Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP), the Basic Seminar, and the Advanced Seminar for many years, so when their homeschooling friends told them about ATI and its “new […]

Finding the Real Me

8 July 2013, 06:00

Moderator

Why do I feel so lost? I realized recently that I’m seeking something. It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what. But I think I know now. I’m searching for me. For the real me. It’s hard to put it into words. I mean, my life looks so good on the outside. I changed […]

The Pressure of Perfection

4 July 2013, 06:00

Moderator

“If you would just do it right!” This was the oft-repeated mantra in my family. It usually happened when something went wrong and my dad was angered by it: simple things like a broken dish, a dirty room, or sibling squabble, or more complex things like a broken window or childhood injury. If we had […]

Not My Doctor

1 July 2013, 06:00

Moderator

I forced a twisted, pained smile and begged an excuse for a hasty retreat. It took every inch of strength within my small frame to control the overwhelming urge to run away. Fear tightened my throat as intimidation, unworthiness, and hate I couldn’t explain turned somersaults in my stomach. Suddenly I hated myself for letting […]

The Tree of Knowledge

27 June 2013, 06:00

JoannaV

The principles of IBLP [the Institute in Basic Life Principles] teach parents that they are responsible to make sure their children make good choices. This places a lot of pressure on the parents to control their children. But I have begun to ask, “Does God control us? Does he force us to make good choices?” […]