The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) is a nondenominational Christianfundamentalist organization that serves as an umbrella organization for several ministries established by American Christian minister Bill Gothard in 1961. The stated purpose of the organization[2] is to provide instruction on how to find success in life by following biblical principles. This involves programs that include seminars for ministry, community outreach, troubled youth mentoring, and an international ministry.[3][4] Since its inception in 1961, the organization has grown rapidly, both in the United States and internationally, but lessened in popularity due to recent controversy.
History
IBLP was originally organized in 1961 under the name Campus Teams. The organization changed its name to Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC) in 1974 (consistent with the title of its founder's seminar) and adopted its current name in 1989 (to reflect its expansion beyond the seminars). From its inception until around 2015, IBLP was headquartered in the Chicago area, after which, according to Chicago Magazine, it relocated its headquarters to a facility east of the small East Texas town of Big Sandy.[4]
IBLP started promoting Basic Youth Conflicts seminars in areas around the United States and other nations, which according to its own history, saw attendances of up to 20,000 individuals during the 1970s.[5]
In 1976, the Institute published their first book titled Character Sketches which later became the first in a series of books meant to provide instruction on the character of God.[4] The Institute continued to publish books and pamphlets and in 2006, In These Times reported the IBLP earned US$63 million (equivalent to about $95 million in 2023).[6] IBLP does not post its financial information on its website and its IRS Form 990 information is not public. However, the Institute's official websites states that they are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations and are audited annually[7]
In 2008 the rise to celebrity status of one group of IBLP followers, the Duggar family, through the TLC series 17 Kids and Counting and it's subsequent shows, brought a new wave of interest in the organization and its teachings.[8]
From 2009 to 2012, the Institute in Basic Life Principles began a steady decline, losing money, assets, and greatly reducing the number of annual seminars it conducted, as the public became increasingly aware of controversy (more specifically, allegations of sexual misconduct) associated with Bill Gothard, the then president of the organization.[9] The controversy led to Gothard resigning in 2014. Though they didn't admit to anything more than "a violation of trust", IBLP's Board of Directors accepted his resignation and, after their own investigation, concluded that Gothard had "acted in an inappropriate manner" and therefore was "not permitted to serve in any counseling, leadership, or Board role within the IBLP ministry".[10] Since that time, Gothard has not been involved in IBLP in any manner, and the organization's website only mentions him in its historical section.
One of the core teachings of IBLP is this idea of umbrellas of authority. God is the largest umbrella, the father is directly under that, followed by his wife, and finally their children. The idea is that if each person stays under their umbrella then nothing bad can happen to them and that if something bad does happen to you, then it is because you moved out from under your umbrella[11]
In addition to adherence to the Bible and their idea of Christian ideals, the IBLP considers men, in particular the patriarch of a family, to be superior, whereas women are expected to be more submissive to the head of the house, whether that be their father or husband. This includes in the home, school, workplace, and marriage. Women are raised to learn how to become good wives and mothers, and to raise children according to IBLP principles. A woman's husband is chosen by a woman's father, and couples are matched after a complex courtship overseen by both sets of parents. Women are discouraged from flirting or encouraging affection from men their age because of this system. Women are also discouraged from seeking higher education as their role is in the home.[4]
The consumption of media, such as television, movies, most music, and the internet, is limited due to concern about immoral content or content that doesn't align with their religious beliefs, though non-contemporary Christian music is accepted. Similarly, some toys aren't permitted for the same reasons. All music which features syncopation such as rock, heavy metal, jazz, and pop are highly discouraged. Substances that have mentally impairing properties such as alcohol, drugs, psychedelics, etc. are not permitted..[4]
Women are expected to wear dresses or skirts that are knee-length at a minimum, and wear loose fitting, opaque shirts and blouses and the presence of text printed onto dresses is not allowed, as it is thought to bring attention to the body. Men are expected to wear dark suits and white shirts, as blue jeans are seen as ungodly. Men are also expected to be circumcised, as being uncircumcised is seen as being un-pure.[4]
Children are typically homeschooled and are taught using the homeschool curriculum published by IBLP, but it isn't a requirement.[12]Sexual education is not part of IBLP teachings, leading some children and teens to not understand what sexual assault is, and the practice of not teaching sexual education has been criticized by adults who have since left the IBLP and struggle with relationships.
The Bible is read daily, and everyone is expected to spend time meditating on its messages. Children are taught to obey God's message and the rules of their fathers, and that violation of this leads to bad consequences, such as contracting a cold or other sickness. According to Chicago Magazine "Real-world consequences at IBLP included scolding, intense counseling, demotions, and even being kicked out altogether."[13]
IBLP's curriculum focuses heavily on the roles and responsibilities of men and women within a marriage covenant. A husband's authority over his wife is God-given, as is his wife's non-negotiable duty to submit to him; she must respect his position regardless of his "deficiencies".[15][12][16] Within marriage, IBLP teaches that God "grants spouses full access to each other's bodies for sexual gratification" and warns against "resistance or indifference to a husband's need for physical intimacy".[17] Wives and children are occasionally referenced as "goods" belonging to the husband, which may be subjected to torment by Satan himself should the husband remove the home's spiritual protection by harboring unconfessed sins.[18] A married woman should not seek financial independence, take "matters into her own hands", resist her husband's physical affection, or ask for outside counsel without her husband's permission.[19][20] Inwardly, married women are admonished to nurture a meek and quiet spirit, while outwardly maintaining beauty, remaining "well-groomed", and striving to dress to "please their husbands".[17]
Seminars
The Basic Seminar is the organization's introductory program, and in 2020 the organization reported that more than 2.5 million people had taken the Basic Seminar.[21] Originally, once a person attended a Basic Seminar, they could attend it free of charge for life in the following years. The Basic Seminar was endorsed by Mike Huckabee.[21]
The Advanced Seminar built upon the teachings in the Basic Seminar; unlike the Basic Seminar, it was not free of charge after first attendance. Other seminars offered include one on Anger Resolution, and the "Financial Freedom Seminar" (taught by Jim Sammons, a Fort Worth-based businessman), which mainly taught that families should stay debt-free, avoiding all forms of debt including college debt and mortgages. All materials are available for purchase through IBLP's online store; the organization no longer hosts in-person seminars.
Advanced Training Institute
The Advanced Training Institute (ATI) is the IBLP's homeschool curriculum; it began operations in 1984.[4] and was originally composed of 54 pamphlets called "wisdom booklets", and was based on the Sermon on the Mount.[21] In order to enroll in ATI, a family had to have attended both the Basic and Advanced Seminars and meet other requirements (ATI curriculum was, at the time, not available to the general public for use by other homeschool families). According to their website, ATI ceased to be an "enrollment program" in 2021.[22] Of the original 54 booklets, 15 are now available for purchase by the general public from IBLP's online store.[23]
ALERT
The Air Land Emergency Rescue Team (ALERT) is a training program for young men.[4] It consists of two components (one does not have to be involved in both to complete the program):
ALERT Cadet,[24] a program for nuclear family fathers and sons (though boys with no father can participate through other relatives or family friends) structured similarly to Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts (there is no similar structured program within IBLP for young ladies similar to Girl Scouts)
International ALERT Academy,[25] a program for young men structured similar to military boot camp, consisting of Basic Training, Intermediate Training, and Advanced Training, during which the young man can choose from several disciplines such as Aviation, Construction, or Emergency Medical Technician, and receive training in that area.
Former Programs
IBLP previously provided "medical advice" through the Medical Training Institute of America (MTIA). MTIA issued numerous pamphlets, called "Basic Care Bulletins" (similar to ATI's Wisdom Booklets) which were heavy on spiritual advice but virtually non-existent on actual medical advice. In his very first pamphlet, Gothard actually suggested that a patient be allowed to speak with former patients of their doctor having similar conditions (even though such would likely violate HIPAA) and suggested that doctors use prior x-rays ("to avoid unnecessary rads", even though the physical condition likely changed in the interim).
One of the more interesting aspects of MTIA was Gothard's heavy emphasis on the issue of "constipation", leading Don Veniot (leader of Midwest Christian Outreach) to ask "[w]ill God's judgment be thwarted by a regular helping of shredded wheat every morning?"[26]
Sometime subsequent to 2002 (when Veniot's book was published), IBLP discontinued MTIA and it is no longer shown on their website, nor are the "Basic Care Bulletins" offered for sale.
Tim Levendusky became the interim president of the Institute in Basic Life Principles after the resignation of Bill Gothard and was appointed to the position of president by the Board of Directors that same year. He graduated from Slippery Rock University and went on to teach physical education at Southern Methodist University. He attended his first IBLP seminar in 1985 and has since volunteered both locally and abroad for the Institute, and currently lives in Big Sandy, Texas with his wife Angie and son Josiah[29].
Gil Bates, Board Member
Gil Bates has been on the Board of Directors for many years and owns a tree service business in Tennessee where he lives with his wife Kelly and their 19 children. He and his family started in the television show Bringing Up Bates which aired from 2015-2021 which aired for a total of 143 episodes[30]. In addition to his work with IBLP and his business, he is also the pastor at Bible Baptist Church in East Tennessee.
David York, Board Member
David York has been on the Board of Directors for many years and attended his first IBLP event in 1969 in Chicago and helped launch the Advanced Training Unit along with other members of the organization. He attended the University of Michigan, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Trinity Divinity School in order to become a pastor in Wisconsin where he still lives with his wife Brenda and his many children and grandchildren[31].
John Bechtle, Board Member
John Bechtle is on the Board of Directors at IBLP and has spent two decades as the Director of Telos Institute International, a learning program meant for homeschool families with college-age children. He has a Ph.D in Ministry from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary and has written books and hosted seminars for IBLP. He is a pastor at his local church and churches in Japan and Austria[32]
Though not a member of the Board, Mike Huckabee has been actively involved and has openly supported IBLP, as has Rick Perry.
Bill Gothard was also a key member in the founding and development of IBLP up until around ten years ago. Without his contributions, the organization would not be where it is today.
Facilities
IBLP once maintained a number of facilities around the United States. However, as of August 2023, the only United States facilities shown are the organization's headquarters in Texas, a retreat center on 3,000 acres near Watersmeet, Michigan,[4] and a post office box in Conway, Arkansas for its prison ministry. IBLP also lists several locations (some of which are mailing facilities only) in various countries worldwide.[33]
Their former headquarters was a 223-acre compound in Hinsdale, the hometown of Gothard (though it would prominently feature its "Box One, Oak Brook, Illinois" mailing address on its promotional materials). At its peak the Hinsdale headquarters had 200 to 300 staffers. Staffers were housed in nearby buildings owned by the organization. In the 1980s and 1990s IBLP repeatedly proposed expansions of their presence in Hinsdale with office buildings, dozens of houses, and a hotel but was unable to do so due to community opposition.
In 2000 David Green, President of Hobby Lobby, purchased the former Texas campus of Ambassador College located east of Big Sandy, Texas, and subsequently leased the facility to IBLP. The facility would initially house the ALERT program due to its size and location away from heavily populated areas. However, after Gothard's resignation in 2014, due in large part to declining financial support resulting from the numerous scandals surrounding IBLP, the organization would relocate its headquarters and the majority of its remaining operations to the Texas facility, and no longer has any operations in the Chicago area.
Allegations and investigations
A number of former adherents of IBLP programs have described the organization and/or associated circles as a cult.[4][34][35] Don Veinot, president of Midwest Christian Outreach, says that the charismatic leader, authoritarian control, isolation of members, severe punishments, and demand for absolute and blind loyalty add up to IBLP being "cult-like".[4]
In the 1980s, the organization faced "a major sex scandal" when Gothard's brother, Steve Gothard, resigned as administrative director after having affairs with several secretaries of the institute.[36] According to accounts reported by Midwest Christian Outreach founders Ron and Joy Veinot (in their book A Matter of Basic Principles), the board recommended that Bill (who also admitted to sexual misconduct) resign from the board, which he did, only to take advantage of an ensuing power struggle to regain his position and control of IBLP, thereafter filling board positions with people absolutely loyal to him.
In 2014, Gothard resigned as President of IBLP after reports that he had once again sexually harassed multiple women and failed to report allegations of child abuse in the organization. Gothard allegedly selected young women for administrative positions within the organization, then manipulated and harassed them while in his employment.[37] Several of those accounts were featured on the website of Recovering Grace, a website and Christian ministry that functions as a support group for former students and members of IBLP. An investigation into the allegations by the IBLP board concluded he did not act "criminally" but did act "inappropriately", and (notwithstanding their loyalty to Gothard) notified him that he was permanently disqualified from returning to the organization in any capacity.[38][39]
On October 20, 2015, a civil lawsuit alleging a sex-abuse cover-up involving several minors was filed in DuPage County, Illinois against IBLP and its board of directors. Gretchen Wilkinson et al. vs. Institute in Basic Life Principles and William W. Gothard Jr. was brought on behalf of five female plaintiffs in order to "seek redress and damages for personal injuries based on the negligent and willful and wanton acts and omissions of the defendants with regard to sexual abuse and sexual harassment and similar allegations of malfeasance suffered by the plaintiffs."[40] "Besides monetary damages, they have asked a DuPage County judge to bar IBLP leaders from alleged plans to liquidate resources estimated at more than $100 million while they close the institute's headquarters near Oak Brook and relocate to Texas, the lawsuit states."[41] Five additional accusers joined the suit in January 2016, and even more in February 2016, bringing the grand total of complainants to sixteen women and two men. The case was voluntarily dismissed on February 26, 2018, due to statute of limitations.
^Bringing Up Bates (Reality-TV), Gil Bates, Kelly Jo Bates, Katie Bates, Figure 8 Films, January 1, 2015, retrieved December 11, 2024{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^Recovering Grace later reported that, similar to his actions in the 1980s, he made an attempt to regain control of IBLP by appearing unannounced (and uninvited) at the Big Sandy headquarters; in a somewhat ironic twist (given his teachings on "obeying authority"), at the request of the new leadership local law enforcement ordered him to leave the premises. Since that incident there have been no credible reports of his attempting to return to IBLP, and reportedly he has quietly retired from full-time ministry.
