Why I believe Mr. Gothard and the Institute in Basic Life Principles have cult-like characteristics.

D. Thomas Owsley

 

It must be made clear that I do not believe Mr. Gothard nor his Institute is a cult. Strictly speaking, a cult deviates from essential and historic Christian orthodoxy. However, there are points at which I believe Mr. Gothard and his Institute are heretical. I do maintain that he and the Institute exhibit cult-like traits, which is a cause for alarm.

 

I am indebted to Mr. Matt Slick, M.Div. of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry for outlining the basic traits of a modern cult.[1] It is this material which I have found helpful in making the following comparison. While there are apparent similarities to me, it was interesting to discover that I was not alone in making such an assessment.[2]

 

The question I have for those who adhere to Mr. Gothard’s teachings and his Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) is:  What can you get from him and the Institute that you cannot get from a biblically solid, evangelical, orthodox church whose pastor and elders are concerned with Truth and Truth applied?

 

Unorthodox, esoteric, with a devotion to a                           Adherents and enthusiasts of the Institute are devoted

person, object, or set of new ideas.                                       followers of Mr. Gothard and his new ideas.

                                                                                                Much of what he teaches are labeled as “keys,”

                                                                                                                                “secrets,” etc. indicating that this is something new

                                                                                                                                which until Mr. Gothard had discovered them would

                                                                                                                                still be hidden. He continues to reveal new teachings

                                                                                                                                previously unknown.

 

                                                                                                                                IBLP has maintained a policy of secrecy over the

years about its materials. One had to have attended

a seminar in order to obtain written material. The

reason was under the pretext that someone might

misinterpret or corrupt the information. “You had to

be there to understand,”  is the oft given reason.

 

                                                                                                                                It has been said by several IBLP students that

                                                                                                                                “Mr. Gothard has wonderful teachings. You’ve

                                                                                                                                got to come to this seminar - it’s life-changing!

                                                                                                                                There’s nothing like it anywhere!”

 

Often isolationist.                                                             This is frequently observed among Gothard/Institute

                                                                                                                                enthusiasts. They are quite comfortable and relaxed

                                                                                                                                around others involved in the Institute, but often

                                                                                                                                withdrawn, or deliberately segregated even from

                                                                                                                                others within their own church. The claim is that they

                                                                                                                                wish to remain “pure.”

 

 

Many cults have non-verifiable belief systems.             More frequent than not, Mr. Gothard gives

“proof” of his teachings. He uses testimonials, and medical or scientific research, but he does not give the source, at least not in a manner which can be verified.

His doctrine of the rhema, that God speaks personally

to each individual through the logos-Word, is quite

subjective. It is quite the challenge to argue against

someone who claims to have received an inspired word from God.

 

The leader is often charismatic who is very

special because he or she has:

(a)  received special revelation from God                             Though I know of no place where Gothard states

                                                                                                                                he receives special revelation from God, he implies

                                                                                                                                it by presenting “new” teachings, or by receiving

                                                                                                                        rhemas (inspired teachings from God) about a truth or

                                                                                                situation, which at times becomes a new principle or

topic for a seminar.

 

(b)  claims to be appointed by God for a mission                  I have been told by followers of Gothard that God has

                                                                                                                                appointed him for this special mission. This is the

                                                                                                                                reason why he is celibate: to devote all his life to the

                                                                                                                                work of IBLP.

 

( c) claims to have special abilities                                        Aside from implying that God has given him ability to

                                                                                                                                receive new insights, teachings, or principles about

life, I am not aware that he claims any other such

abilities.

 

 

The leader is often above reproach and is not to                 There is a shade of this with Mr. Gothard. While he

be denied or contradicted.                                                     has given a public invitation for people to correct him,

there is little if any evidence that he has changed his

methods,  teachings,  or principles. Further, his

longstanding refusal to meet with Dr. R. B. Allen,

Th.D. about his hermeneutics or interpretations of

Scripture give the appearance that he is beyond

correction.

 

It is quite interesting that a frequent response given

by Mr. Gothard to his critics is that he has been

misunderstood or misquoted.

 

Along this line, followers of Mr. Gothard and the

Institute accept his teachings as superior, over and

against the teachings of the local pastor and elders.

On several occasions I have witnessed people who

adhere to the IBLP  refuse to accept doctrinal correction from their pastor, elders, or Bible teachers because it runs contrary to Mr. Gothard’s principles.

In terms of priorities, IBLP followers will attend an IBLP function rather than a local church event if given the option.   Also, there is a tendency by followers of the Institute to flee the local church if the church does not teach, conform, or promote things in keeping with IBLP. The net effect is that Mr. Gothard is their spiritual leader and “pastor”.  Not a few churches have endured such conflict.

 

This leads to a fundamental problem with Mr. Gothard and the IBLP: while they claim to uphold

the local church, in reality they usurp the role and

authority of the local church. As a parachurch organization Gothard and the IBLP are not under the oversight of a God-ordained, established church, hence biblical leaders. In other words, he has no biblically sanctioned accountability for his ministry. This is unbiblical, and  effectively contradicts his teaching on the chain of authority. 

 

 

The ethics of a cult:

(a)  typically seek to do good works                                      There is a strong emphasis upon performance and

                                                                                                                                doing good things as defined by Mr. Gothard and the

                                                                                                                                IBLP. The stress on developing and exhibiting good

                                                                                                                                character is commendable to a degree. It is commonly

                                                                                                                                a stress without the recognition for the work of Christ

                                                                                                                                and the need of the Holy Spirit. This is why many

                                                                                                                                non-Christian organizations, schools, prisons, and

                                                                                                                                even religions are using IBLP materials. 

 

                                                                                                                                Such an incredible stress to perform has kept many

                                                                                                                                believers in a constant doubt about their salvation.

                                                                                                                                They lack the true joy and peace of true assurance

                                                                                                                                of the work of Christ in the lives.

 

(b) Usually moral and possess a good standard             The families I know who are involved in

                                                                                                                                the IBLP’s teachings are very hard workers. They

present themselves as clean, wholesome, upstanding citizens. While there is nothing wrong with that in and of itself,  the pressure to perform and always do right as defined  by the Institute appears to be tremendous. His emphasis upon obtaining good character is all encompassing  and the core of his teaching.

 

(c ) The Bible is often used or additional                              Mr. Gothard uses Scripture, but uses it to prove his

      “scriptures” are penned. When the Bible                      principles. His method of exegeting the Bible has been

        is used, it is distorted with private                                              a point of criticism and concern by many evangelical

        interpretations.                                                                                      Bible scholars over the years. He frequently

makes passages say things they don’t say, or takes

Scripture verses out of context to support his  principles.  While Mr. Gothard does not write new “scriptures,” he does exegete nature (animals),  and interpret so-called scientific or medical studies from which he derives spiritual principles.[3]

(d)  Many cults recruit Jesus as one of their                        Mr. Gothard, does not, to my knowledge, do this.

      own and redefine him accordingly.                                 


[1] Mr. Slick’s webpage on the Internet is located at www.carm.org. 

[2] Mr. G. Richard Fisher has written A Study in Evolving Fadism: The Cultic Leanings of Bill Gothard’s Teachings in the quarterly Journal of Personal Freedom Outreach, St. Louis, Missouri, April-June, 1996, pp. 5-11. Others have also written along the same theme.

[3] Mr. Ron Henzel of R.E.S.T. Ministries has written a two-part excellent article entitled Bill Gothard’s Evangelical Talmud. The website can be visited at www.geocities.com on the internet.