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The authors respond that "there is nothing in Luke 2:41-52 that even remotely implies that Jesus was struggling with the issues Gothard mentions here. He reads these ideas into the passage, giving unwary readers the impression that they are in the text itself."

Though the authors offer stinging criticism of Gothard, they also write about his painful experience while a student at Wheaton College who devoted 35 hours a week to youth ministry:

According to Bill Gothard, one day some of his fellow youth workers confronted him, saying they detected 'spiritual pride' in him, perhaps due to his success in youth ministry. He said he became convicted that this was true and confessed it to one of his fellow workers. That person dealt harshly with him, and advised him to confess the sin to several others, including the head of the missionary society for which Gothard worked. Gothard's boss fired him shortly after he made this confession.

Many people have been discouraged right out of the ministry by incidents such as this. But despite this negative experience, Gothard pressed on.

MCO also offers qualified praise in "An Evening With Bill Gothard," an article on the ministry's website that describes a face-to-face meeting at Gothard's headquarters in December 1997. In that essay, Don Veinot and Ron Henzel write that they affirm Gothard's efforts to be biblical; his "strong moral emphasis and striving for high moral ideals, which takes sin seriously"; and his "trying to appropriate the Bible for practical guidance for life."

A Matter of Basic Principles deserves a hearing. What the reader discovers is sad news for the body of Christ. Those unfamiliar with Gothard may find the reading tedious. Those who have experienced abusive spiritual authority in any context will be more inclined to find this book refreshing for its thoroughness.

Rich Poll edits the online apologetics review Apologia Report (apologia.org).

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Also available on our site today:

CT Classic: Gothard Staffers Ask Hard Questions | After public controversy in the early-80s, employees pushed for reforms at the Institute.

A Matter of Basic Principles is available at Amazon.com.

The websites for the Institute in Basic Life Principles and Midwest Christian Outreach have more information on each organization. You can also learn about Bill Gothard's life and ministry at his official website.

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March 2003, Vol. 47, No. 3