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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

The GOTHARD Files: 1983 Transcript

26 February 2014, 06:00

Moderator

266

The following conference telephone call took place between approximately 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. (Portland, Oregon, time) on Tuesday, November 1, 1983. Those involved in the discussion were: [former IBYC staffer “Rebecca”], Mr. Larne Gabriel, Mrs. Ruth Gabriel, Reverend Richard Hagenbaugh, Dr. Earl Radmacher, and Dr. Gary Smalley. Dr. Earl Radmacher: …I am Earl Radmacher, and […]

The GOTHARD Files: The Basic Problem

24 February 2014, 06:00

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186

Editor’s Note: Previously, we explored events surrounding the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC) scandal that culminated in 1980 with Bill Gothard’s resignation and quick reinstatement as president of that organization, which would later be renamed the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). You can read the Introduction here, Part One here, Part Two here, and a chronology of the scandal […]

Gothard’s Process: Invite, Idealize, Isolate, Transgress, Rewrite

18 February 2014, 07:00

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75

 

Rachel’s Story

17 February 2014, 06:00

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117

This is my real name, and below is my real story. The Awkward First Meeting It was the final session of the 1992 Knoxville conference, and the choir and orchestra were starting to gather for the big rendition of “It Will Be Worth it All.” I was supposed to be playing flute in the orchestra, […]

Silencing the Lambs: Listening to an Evil Report

15 February 2014, 06:00

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86

See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil. IBLP has a Matthew 18 publication that fits well with each monkey.

Listening to an Evil Report One question often asked of those who have contributed their stories to Recovering Grace is, “If things were so bad, or even illegal, why didn’t you contact the authorities, or at least tell your parents or a lawyer?” Most who grew up in the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) and/or Institute in Basic […]

The GOTHARD Files: The Early Years, 1965–79

11 February 2014, 06:00

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212

This is Part one, of a three-Part series on the history of the Institute in Basic Life Principles. Please click here to read the Introduction. In the space of less than twelve months, from the early months of 1980 until January of 1981, a multi-million dollar ministry suffered a massive public blow that nearly crippled […]

Where Healing Begins

9 January 2014, 06:00

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43

This is where the healing begins This is where the healing starts When you come to where you’re broken within The light meets the dark, the light meets the dark Sparks will fly as grace collides with the dark inside of us So please don’t fight this coming light ~Tenth Avenue North “Healing Begins” I […]

2013 Year in Review

6 January 2014, 06:00

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0

Dear Recovering Grace Reader, We hope and pray that you have had a blessed holiday season. As we move into 2014, we’d like to take this opportunity to share with you how God is continuing to use our website to help others, as well as to look back at our top 10 posts of 2013. […]

Examining “Life Focus”

14 November 2013, 06:00

Rachel

14

A couple of years ago I heard that there was a program for young men in the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) called Life Focus. Apparently Life Focus came into existence right around the time I left ATI. When I heard some of my friends discussing it, I was intrigued and started asking around. While there […]

The Blessings of God

17 October 2013, 06:00

Wendy B

12

Bill Gothard’s courtship literature promises rewards to those who do courtship right and consequences for those who date — rewards and consequences that are not promised in Scripture. I’ll take examples from Gothard’s recent courtship teaching, then share my own experience with courtship and dating. In the article “What Is Courtship?” Gothard lists the Foundational […]