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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: obedience

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

26 August 2013, 06:00

Moderator

29

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 […]

When the Courtship Crashes

2 May 2013, 06:00

LB

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“Lindsey? Do you miss them?”  The swing creaked as I pushed a blonde boy who attended our church.We came from different families, backgrounds, and were far apart in age, but today I’d been drawn to play with him by one thing in common. Our friends were gone. “Yeah.”  “Did you tell them not to come […]

Set Free by Grace

26 April 2013, 06:00

Moderator

22

It was around 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning in June 2011. I was home for the weekend from the eating disorder hospital where I was in treatment. Asleep in bed, I woke up when my phone beeped for a text message. The name on the screen put fear in my heart. Terrified, I opened […]

Success Redefined: God’s Love For Those With Mental Illness

5 November 2012, 06:00

Stephen M

20

One of the pioneers of the protestant reformation, Martin Luther, was no stranger to mental affliction and depression. He once wrote, “The devil beleaguers and storms a heart with doubt. Often he has offered an argument of such weight that I didn’t know whether God exists or not.” He also says, “The content of the depression was always the same; […]

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 […]

Behind Every Good Man…

30 July 2012, 06:00

Moderator

52

The concept of authority is central to Bill Gothard’s teachings. So much so, that I remember performing a coronation ceremony crowning my dad “king” of our family as a Wisdom Booklet project. I was 16 at the time, and struggling with authority being defined as dad’s complete control over every aspect of my life. My […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 5: Identifying the Abusive System

5 July 2012, 06:00

MatthewS

7

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 5: Identifying the Abusive System We continue our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. What are the common characteristics of spiritually abusive systems? This chapter looks at the unhealthy dynamics that commonly dictate how people function […]

A Sorrowful Mother’s Answer

15 September 2011, 06:03

Sally

18

As a response to my son’s article, he was recently asked, “Kylar, where was your mom in all of this?” And so here is my answer… All I can say is that whatever my children were experiencing as far as brain washing and control, I was right there with them. I was 17 when I […]