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

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

Tag Archives: authority

Our Response to Bill Gothard’s Statement

22 April 2014, 10:30

Moderator

359

Bill Gothard released a long-awaited public statement last Thursday evening, April 17, 2014, regarding his resignation from the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). We at Recovering Grace have spent several days processing this statement and considering our response. We see several positive aspects to this letter. Gothard generally acknowledges that the Christian life is […]

When Sexual Harassment at IBLP Headquarters Is Acknowledged

17 April 2014, 06:00

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I attended my first Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) Basic Seminar during my junior year of high school. It was interesting, although I couldn’t believe we were watching a video. My parents had been attending these seminars for years. They accepted Jesus at one in 1976. I did my part at the seminar, paying […]

The One Who’s Turned into a Girl Again

8 April 2014, 06:00

Anne

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I’ve been struggling the past month. Events on Recovering Grace have unfolded to a place where I have finally been able to feel vindicated that the niggling little feelings that had long rested deep within my soul were justified. Oh, I would never have been able to actually express those feelings, not because I “couldn’t” […]

On Feeling Betrayed, Validated, and Brave

3 April 2014, 06:00

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ATI Counseling Seminar photographed in Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, GAATI Counseling Seminar photographed in Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, GA

And since your history of silence Won’t do you any good,  Did you think it would? Let your words be anything but empty   Why don’t you tell them the truth?   Say what you want to say And let the words fall out Honestly  I want to see you be brave   Show me […]

Was It All Wrong?

27 March 2014, 06:00

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261

Okay, now we have left the legalist church/organization/teacher. Now what? Where do we stand? Do we throw out everything we learned? How do we sort out all of this? Does it all just need to go? I have been getting a lot of these questions lately. Doug Phillips and Vision Forum are gone. Bill Gothard […]

LA Committee Questions to IBYC

20 March 2014, 06:00

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Rebuffed Are the Peacemakers

18 March 2014, 06:00

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Gothard’s Biblical Inoculation

14 March 2014, 06:00

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a set of syringes

Question: How do you ensure that your children don’t catch a deadly disease? Simple…inoculate them. In the 1700s, it was discovered that dipping a needle into the pus of a smallpox blister and then inserting that same needle into a healthy person prevented them from getting the disease. The infected dose was large enough for […]

Realization, Fear, and Action without Acquiescence: Joy Wood’s Story

13 March 2014, 06:00

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Joy and her daughters, c. 1980

Editor’s Note: Joy Wood, an IBYC staff wife from 1974–1980, tells in today’s post of her and her husband’s time with the Institute, and of their resignation when asked to promote “lies of omission” after the 1980 scandal broke. This narrative, combined with Joy’s reflections composed shortly after her family left IBYC, records a journey […]

Defrauding: What does it mean?

27 February 2014, 06:00

Moderator

159

In February 1976, Bill Gothard confessed to the poorly-defined offense of “having ‘defrauded’ staff secretaries.” In a July 1980 meeting of the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC) board, it was confirmed that Bill Gothard was responsible for the “physical and emotional defrauding of several of his personal secretaries.” In February 1981, Bill once again […]