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

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Living and thriving through the grace of God.

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

Tag Archives: freedom

The Dreaded “B” Word

12 August 2013, 06:00

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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 […]

A Culture of Addicts—The Problem with Living for Eternity

5 August 2013, 07:00

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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

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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

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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 […]

The Pressure of Perfection

4 July 2013, 06:00

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“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

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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 […]

When The Church Prefers Perpetrators

17 June 2013, 06:00

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Occasionally Recovering Grace likes to offer other articles and resources that our readers may find helpful in their road to recovery. The following linked article is very thought provoking and one that everyone should read and ponder. After all, Jesus came to care for the broken and needy, not protect the proud and haughty. “The […]

Remember Your Brethren in Bonds

13 June 2013, 06:00

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In 2 Timothy 3:12, it is written, “Yea, and all who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” I don’t remember much persecution, at least not the kind that the Bible talks about. Sure we were ultra conservative and occasionally got some strange looks from people who had no idea what we were talking […]

Christian Women Should Not Eat Chocolate

10 June 2013, 09:54

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Occasionally Recovering Grace likes to offer other articles and resources that our readers may find helpful in their road to recovery. One such humorous, but thought-provoking article was written by former ATI student, Dulce Chale, and hosted on a Home Education blog. This article provides great “food” for thought on the issue of modesty: “Christian […]

The Grace Relationship

3 June 2013, 06:00

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The parables of Jesus are so well-known that we often forget their message. Take, for example, the story of the prodigal son. The primary application is the welcome the father gives to wayward son when he is ready to return home. We rejoice to see the forgiving love of the father. But there is another […]