Institute in Basic Life Principles

Institute in Basic Life Principles

Abbreviation	IBLP
Founded	1961
Founder	Bill Gothard
Type	501(c)3 non-profit religious
Location	Big Sandy, Texas, U.S.
Area served	U.S., 12 countries
Website	iblp.org

The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) is a nondenominational Christian fundamentalist 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 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. 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.

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.

In 1976, the Institute published its first book titled Character Sketches which later became the first in a series of books meant to provide instruction on the character of God. 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). IBLP is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organization.

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.

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, false allegations of sexual misconduct) associated with Bill Gothard, the then president of the organization. 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". 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. There have never been any proven allegations against Bill Gothard for sexual misconduct or criminal activity of any kind.

Programs and teachings

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 they will be protected from Satan and his destructive activity in their life. This is taught in the context of the father being a Godly man who treats his family with love and respect and follows Biblical principles himself. The umbrella concept is meant to speak to fathers about being Godly men who protect and provide for their families, wives to support them in doing this, and children to be obedient to their parents while still living in their home.

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 the leaders in the home, whereas women are to support their husbands and nurture their families.

Women are raised to learn how to become good wives and mothers, and to raise children according to Biblical principles. Both men and women are encouraged to seek the advice and counsel of their parents when choosing a spouse. Neither are required to marry anyone against their will or desire.

Courtship is encouraged rather than modern dating. Courtship includes involving the parents in the relationship by being transparent and not being completely alone without a chaperone until engagement.

The consumption of media, such as television, movies, some music, and the social media, is discouraged due to concern about immoral content or content that doesn't align with their religious beliefs, though non-contemporary Christian music is accepted. All music which features syncopation such as rock, heavy metal, jazz, and pop is discouraged. Substances that have mentally impairing properties such as alcohol, drugs, psychedelics, etc. are also discouraged.

Women are encouraged 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 clothing is discouraged, as it is thought to bring attention to the body. They are to be modest and well groomed to show respect for themselves and others.

Children are typically homeschooled and their educational materials are supplemented with curriculum published by IBLP, but it isn't a requirement. Sexual education is not part of IBLP teachings other than the biology of sex. The practice of not teaching modern sexual education such as use of condoms, sexual gratification, homosexuality, transgender ideology and other sexual behavior that is not Biblical has been criticized by adults who have since left the IBLP. Some who no longer participate in IBLP blame the organization for their own personal relationship problems.

The Bible is encouraged to be read daily, and everyone is expected to spend time meditating on its messages. Children are taught to obey God's Word and their parents, and that violation of this leads to bad consequences.

According to Chicago Magazine "Real-world consequences at IBLP included scolding, intense counseling, demotions, and even being kicked out altogether." Though IBLP has encouraged counseling for rebellious behavior in it's participants, the other claims in the Chicago Magazine article of abusive responses are not part of IBLP teachings.

It is also not possible to be "kicked out" of IBLP because there is no membership that can be revoked. ATI, or the Advanced Training Institute, is the homeschool program and families that did not want to adhere to the standards they agreed to when they applied could be removed from the homeschool program for violations.

IBLP, at one time, endorsed the teachings of Michael and Debi Pearl on physical discipline which have come under scrutiny over the last several years for their methods. When it came to light that some of the teachings of the Pearls were overly harsh and therefore not in line with other IBLP teachings, the endorsement of those materials was removed along with the books and materials from their ministry.

Teaching on Marriage

IBLP's curriculum focuses heavily on the roles and responsibilities of men and women within a marriage covenant. A husband's leadership authority over his family is God-given, and he is required to be kind, patient, loving, respectful and unselfish in his dealings with his wife and children. He is also to be humble and ready to listen. Men are responsible to protect and provide for their families.

The wife is expected to respect her husband and his position, encourage and support him, keep the home and nurture her children. 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". A married couple should not seek financial independence from one another. 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".

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. 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.

The Advanced Seminar built upon the teachings in the Basic Seminar and was also set up for free attendance for life once a participant paid the initial fee. Other seminars offered included 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. and was originally composed of 54 pamphlets called "wisdom booklets", and was based on the Sermon on the Mount. 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. Of the original 54 booklets, 15 are now available for purchase by the general public from IBLP's online store.

ALERT

The Air Land Emergency Rescue Team (ALERT) is a training program for young men. It consists of two components (one does not have to be involved in both to complete the program):

• ALERT Cadet, 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, 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). In his very first pamphlet, Gothard 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 unless necessary to diagnose a current condition.

Sometime subsequent to 2002, IBLP discontinued MTIA and it is no longer shown on their website, nor are the "Basic Care Bulletins" offered for sale.

Leadership

Tim Levendusky, President (2014-Present)

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.

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. 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.

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

Notable prior leaders

James R. Leininger was a member of the organization's advisory board. Sam Johnson was a member of the organization's board of directors.

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 the founder and developer of IBLP up until his resignation from the organization in 2014. He has not had any involvement with the organization since then.

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, 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.

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 although this has been shown to be untrue. 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". But when these allegations were investigated by an outside source, many of these claims have come into question. It came to light that there was no authoritarian control from the IBLP organization over families who participated in it, no isolation of members, no severe punishments inflicted by IBLP, and no demand for absolute or blind loyalty to the organization whatsoever.

It has been established the IBLP by definition is not a cult. It is an organization that promotes Biblical principles for success in life as interpreted by it's founder and leadership.

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. 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 resign from the board, which he did. But in truth, Bill Gothard requested to resign from the board once and his request was denied. The second time he requested to resign, his resignation was accepted. There has been a struggle that started later to regain his position and control of IBLP and it's properties which is still ongoing.

In 2014, Gothard resigned as President of IBLP after reports that he had sexually harassed multiple women and failed to report allegations of child abuse in the organization which he believed would damage the organization if he remained although he denied any sexual misconduct or criminal activity. An investigation into the allegations by the IBLP board concluded he did not act "criminally" in any way including sexually, but did act "inappropriately" by not avoiding the appearance of evil, and notified him that he would not be returning to the organization in any capacity. The board was concerned that it would appear to condone sexual harassment in the age of "me too" and therefore did not want Gothard to return to his position.

On October 20, 2015, a civil lawsuit based on repressed memories 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." "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." 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.

It has now been disclosed that every count in the lawsuit was based on repressed memories The claims made by the women involved have been disputed due to their lack of evidence, the fact that repressed memories have been shown to be false, and in many cases testimony of family members, friends and personal correspondence several of the women sent to Gothard that shows a completely different picture than the one described by their complaints.

In the media

Amazon Prime Video debuted the limited series Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets in June 2023 which has been shown to be full of inaccuracies, false claims and misrepresentations of the Duggar family, IBLP and Bill Gothard. It has been claimed that the program was an attempt to use propaganda to disparage Christians and homeschoolers by using scandals in the Duggar family and IBLP. The series centers on the Duggar family's connections with the organization.

External links

• Official website