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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: rules

Stolen Treasures

11 March 2013, 05:00

Moderator

143

A recent article on Recovering Grace, entitled “Moving On,” prompted me to think about the reason it is so difficult to move forward after being victimized by legalism. As I have worked with those hurt by legalism over the years, I have often heard stories about what happened five, ten, maybe thirty years ago. These […]

Toxic People: Narcissists in Ministry

7 March 2013, 06:00

Moderator

26

The most read Hope Blog posts in the last four years have been the the series addressing toxic people and how to deal with those in your life who are unrepentant human destruction machines. These posts have received tens of thousands of hits over the last few years as those searching have come across the […]

Me, the Pharisee

11 February 2013, 06:00

JoannaV

21

One of the things I respect my parents for is their constant search for truth. If I could convince my dad that he was wrong, he would apologize and correct our family’s future accordingly. This was a blessing and a curse. It meant that others could do the same. My dad had attended a Basic […]

Dear Mr. Gothard: One Student’s Letter

24 January 2013, 06:00

Moderator

73

Dear Mr. Gothard, I’m a former ATI student. I’m writing to you to explain why I no longer support IBLP/ATI, and why I’m involved with sites like Recovering Grace. You invited us to approach you “if” we have been offended. (You used wording, by the way, that you taught us we couldn’t use if we really wanted […]

Spiritual Abuse?

17 January 2013, 06:00

Eric Pazdziora

42

Do you think it is possible to be abused spiritually? What does that look like? Can we learn the signs? How can we tell if others have been spiritually abused? How does a person heal when things like prayer, scripture, and music, which many find comforting, have been used to wield damaging blows? When pulling […]

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 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 […]

I Kid You Not!

20 August 2012, 06:00

RyanR

27

Shortly after  I joined the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) staff in 1992, I went on a two-week ministry trip to Moscow, Russia, that was preceded by a very long car ride from Oak Brook, Illinois, to JFK airport.  Somewhere between this car trip and returning from Russia, I learned a very important rule […]

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 […]