Another Abusive Cult Leader Exposed - So Much Like LCMS Founder Martin Stephan - And His Clergy Kiss-Ups.WELS and LCMS Follow the Same Pattern Today

Months after allegations emerged that conservative and influential Christian Bill Gothard had been taking advantage of young women working with his nonprofit for decades, news emerges that the ordained minister has resigned as president of the homeschooling and family values organization he founded more than 50 years ago.

A letter sent to supporters via email by the Advanced Training Institute, the offspring of Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles, reveals that he has not only resigned from IBLP, but also from its board of directors and "affiliated entities."

The emailed letter, made public March 6 by Homeschoolers Anonymous, states that Gothard referenced a "desire to follow Matthew 5:23-24 and listen to those who have 'ought [any grievance] against' him." Gothard reportedly plans to "give his full attention to this objective."

The letter was signed by ATI administrative director David Waller and states that the IBLP board will find a replacement for Gothard "in the very near future," while Chris Hogan, president of ATI, will maintain "an active role" in upcoming conferences.

The IBLP's board had previously announced that Gothard was placed on administrative leave while an investigation was ongoing into allegations that he sexually harassed dozens of females working for the organization and failed to report cases of child abuse.

The allegations stem from posts published online by Recovering Grace, an organization "dedicated to helping those affected by the teachings of Gothard, the Institute in Basic Life Principles and the Advanced Training Institute."

"We have had men and women who served in the [Institute in Basic Life Principles] leadership confirm that the allegations are true, although they felt (and often were) powerless to do anything at the time,"states RecoveringGrace.org. "In fact, we have learned that the IBLP Board of Directors has on more than one occasion addressed this behavior with Bill Gothard, but to no lasting avail."

In allegations going back decades, Gothard, 79, and unmarried, is said to have specifically targeted young women and teen girls to perform administrative duties for him at IBLP's headquarters, where he eventually would make unwanted and inappropriate physical contact while also manipulating them emotionally.

Gothard, who says he is "dedicated to helping teenagers and their families make wise decisions" through biblical principles and "concepts of life," has influenced the lives of millions of Christians who have attended his seminars and been exposed to his teachings over the past 53 years, among them the popular Duggar family of the TLC show "19 Kids & Counting."

The Institute in Basic Life Principles, based in Oak Brook, Ill., and founded in 1961, advocates for conservative family values based on Gothard's interpretation of the Bible, while his Advanced Training Institute develops homeschooling curriculum. The IBLP reported on 2012 tax forms that it received nearly $5.5 million in public support and held more than $81.7 million in assets.

***

GJ - Everyone knows that WELS and LCMS leaders make the exposure of such scandals a crime in itself, rewarding those who erase the evidence and forget the facts. They order people to be silent, for fear it will hurt Holy Mother Synod if others ever find out.

Although Stephan's adultery and syphilis are well known, several LCMS honchos went bonkers recently - denying the obvious. Walther was an abusive cult follower who longed to have the same power as Stephan. Walther got what he wanted - plus gold, land, and books - by staging a carefully controlled riot.

Want to read the funniest book ever published by the Missouri Synod?  Study Walther's Pastor Theology and compare it to his actions. The mindless incantation of Walther's name still availeth to prove Synodical Conference bona fides.That by itself is a sign of sickness - right Reclaiming Walther?

Kudu Don Patterson, who called me a fool and a liar, said he would visit a member about a doctrinal concern, but only if the member sat there silent and listened to the abusive rant. The district made Kudu Don the District Pope.

I heard this hilarious defense of Paul Calvin Kelm recently, "He listens to Confessionals."

Jeske is the media hero for LCMS and WELS, but he is no more Lutheran or Christian than a mulberry tree. Does he work with ELCA? So do they? Does he love CG and New Age paganism? So do they. Does he grab the money for hisself? So do they.