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

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Tag Archives: fear

Parents in a Potemkin Village: Six Weeks in the Moscow Training Center

14 January 2013, 06:00

Diana Hall

62

A panoramic view of the Moscow Training Center assembled from four snapshots taken in Fall 1995

We entered the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) homeschool program when I was fifteen, and not much about my life changed. Our family attended functions here and there and added the Wisdom Booklets to our home school curriculum, but the more unique ATI teachings did not have much effect on us. Before we joined ATI we […]

Dear Grace: Overbearing Parents

10 January 2013, 06:00

Moderator

208

Dear Grace, I am 26 years old with a good head on my shoulders, and am currently in a courtship with a 29-year-old man who has a solid career, is in church leadership, and loves the Lord and me. I’ve always been obedient to my parents and done whatever they’ve told me in the area […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse: Concluding Thoughts

13 December 2012, 06:35

MatthewS

16

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Concluding Thoughts We conclude our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. We come to the end of this road together. This has been rewarding for me, and I hope it has been for others as well. All […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 19: Recovering Right Focus (Part 1)

15 November 2012, 05:00

MatthewS

2

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 19: Recovering Right Focus We continue our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. This chapter is about our focus. Spiritual abuse tends to leave people self-focused. They become preoccupied with doing things right and keeping those […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 18: Renewing the Mind

7 November 2012, 06:00

MatthewS

1

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 18: Renewing the Mind We continue our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. Even after we leave an abusive system, we are likely to continue to struggle with damaging habits of thought. “God’s stance toward us […]

Can God Speak Past the Umbrella?

29 October 2012, 06:00

Moderator

21

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ” (I Tim. 2:5). That’s a verse that many of us learned early in our lives. It’s a special verse that assures us we don’t need someone other than Jesus to be our go-between with the Father. He is our […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 17: How to Escape a Spiritual Trap

25 October 2012, 06:00

MatthewS

7

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 17: How to Escape a Spiritual Trap We continue our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. What makes a good trap? A trap has to be easy to get into and hard to get out of, […]

The Ravages of Guilt

8 October 2012, 06:00

Moderator

13

“If you say anything, I will tie up your family, just like I tie you up. Then I will make you sit there and watch as I kill each one of them in front of you. Will I kill you? No! You I will leave alive, so that you can spend every day of your […]

The Raising of a Christian Narcissist

17 September 2012, 06:00

Moderator

50

My family joined the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) in the early ’90s, shortly after attending a Basic Seminar, at the invitation of a family which has in recent history become a household name. I was in my early elementary years at the time. I didn’t really understand why we were making so many abrupt changes […]

As the Pendulum Swings

6 August 2012, 06:00

Carolynn

19

When I look back at my parents’ decision to join the Advanced Training Institute (ATI), I think I can understand many of the reasons behind their choice. They first encountered Bill Gothard and the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) when their friends attended the Basic Seminar in the 1970s. A few years later, my […]