A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard and the Christian Life [Paperback]

Don Veinot (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 25, 2003

This is a must read for all thinking believers who wish to protect their church.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Bill's teaching on legalism, law, and grace deserves a careful examination -- Dr. Samuel J. Schultz, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

Bill's teaching on legalism, law, and grace deserves a careful examination. -- Dr. Samuel J. Schultz, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

Hopefully this book will help many believers be more sensitive to false teachings -- Bibliotheca Sacra - Roy Zuck – Author and professor at Dallas Theological Seminary

These three researchers from Midwest Christian Outreach ... have done a powerful job both in accuracy and fairness. -- Jon Trott, Senior Editor, Cornerstone magazine

This is a must read for all thinking believers who wish to protect their churches -- Dr. Jay Adams, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA

This is a must read for all thinking believers who wish to protect their churches. -- Dr. Jay Adams, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA

Those who have experienced abusive spiritual authority ... will be more inclined to find this book refreshing for its thoroughness -- Christianity Today magazine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Don Veinot is co-founder (along with his wife and co-author, Joy) and President of Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc., a national apologetics ministry and mission to new religious movements based in Lombard, IL. He, along with his wife of 31 years, Joy, has been involved in discernment ministry as missionaries to New Religious Movements since 1987. They are frequent guests on various radio and television broadcasts. They are staff researchers and writers for the Midwest Outreach Journal as well as articles in the CRI Journal, PFO Quarterly Journal, Campus Life Magazine and other periodicals. Don was ordained to the ministry by West Suburban Community Church of Lombard, IL, at the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, Israel in March of 1997.

Ron Henzel is completing his Master's degree in Biblical Studies at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL and is Senior Researcher for Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc. He and his wife, Wendy, belonged to a spiritually abusive group (with an evangelical statement of faith) in the Wheaton area for 5 1/2 years. They are the proud parents of their adopted son, Benjamin. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Midwest Christian Outreach (August 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974252808
• ISBN-13: 978-0974252803
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #521,882 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

149 of 162 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truth That Sets Free, January 3, 2005

By 

Firm2020 (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard and the Christian Life (Paperback)

With deep regret we feel the need to encourage the reading of this book. We are "insiders" who understand and have experienced life under Bill first hand (for 10 years) and have been under his teachings for 15 more. I have worked for him at his headquarters in Oakbrook, IL. With great sincerity and respect we accepted his material as "gospel truth" and applied it to our lives. It would not be fair to omit that we experienced many benefits for making the scriptures the center of our lives, as his followers are encouraged to do. However, the more I became involved with him first hand, the more I began to realize that the ministry, as it appears on the outside, is not at all what it is on the inside. Great inconsistencies surfaced almost immediately after "signing on". With highest regard for Mr. Gothard we over and over again (almost foolishly, looking back at it) gave him the benefit of the doubt; and this to our hurt (almost losing all our savings, our home, our relationships with our children and our health) as so many others have.

Bill Gothard's organization has many devoted and sincere followers who accept him at face value. He is one of the best salesmen I have ever met...his apparent success, testimonies and achievements are carefully promoted (usually by himself). But what is sadly lacking is the absence of genuine love, Christ's kind of love that "seeks not its own", but the welfare of those it serves. He carefully maintains the image of a super-Christian and keeps himself on this pedestal by pushing away any who get too close and would dare to question him or provide any kind of healthy accountability. He is an authoritarian tyrant whose treatment of others is nothing less than oppressive, heartless and cruel. What's so confusing and keeps people coming back is that he can be quite charming and kind at times. When Jesus walked on earth, the greatest problem He had, was with the religious leadership of His day; for although they had an outward display of religious zeal, Jesus pointed out that a heart for God (which should be demonstrated by love for others) was sadly lacking in their lives. This error was so serious that Christ considered them His enemies - they later confirmed their "enemy" status by openly turning on Him and putting him to death.

Great pains were taken in the writing of this book to be fair and accurate. Much room and allowance was given for normal human frailties. But as we have witnessed, the half has not been told. Having now been away from this organization for some time, I am amazed as to how blinded I have been. If it had not been for the pleas, prayers and fastings of my closest friend I don't think I would have realized my mistake before it was tragic. Sadly, most that leave are not as fortunate as I have been, but leave used, destitute, and disillusioned. This book very clearly explains the irony as to how this could continue to happen over and over again.

The final chapter of Bill Gothard's life has not been written and if things continue as they are, it will be one of great heartache, sadness and loss for many, especially for those who propagate his authoritarian hypocrisy in families and churches across the land. The pages of this book would save many from great error if they would but prayerfully consider the restorative spirit in which it was written.

101 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just the facts, ma'am!, September 19, 2002

By 

G. Passantino (Costa Mesa, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard & the Christian Life (Paperback)

Having spent nearly 30 years in Christian ministry and writing, I know that sometimes biblical deficiencies and spiritual ignorance that are propagated publicly need thoughtful, well-reasoned, documented examination and critique. There are few who do it well. The authors of this book are in that class. From cover to cover the reader will find evidence, logical analysis, first-hand interviews, balanced presentations, and kind corrective. Should I ever be a party to the doctrinal errors and hurtful practices such as those documented in Bill Gothard's ministry, I pray that I will be corrected and admonished as gently, patiently, accurately, and lovingly as has Bill Gothard in this book. Venoit, Venoit, and Henzel have demonstrated the best in biblical and doctrinal discernment.

I usually am reticent about books -- especially in the Christian market -- that claim to be critical evaluations of a particular ministry, teaching, or leader. They are usually full of emotive language, sectarian bias, and would best be reserved for use as a journaling exercise for a Christian who needs therapy because he/she has been hurt in the name of Christ. This book does not belong in that category. However, a number of the negative editorial reviews posted here (nearly always anonymously) demonstrate the worst in discernment. The supporters of Bill Gothard who wrote these reviews demonstrate the very deficiencies noted by the authors.

If you have been impacted by Bill Gothard and his ministries -- positively or negatively -- you owe it to the scriptures (1 Thess. 5:21-22, Acts 17:11, for example) to check it out by reading A Matter of Basic Principles.

89 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazingly Helpful Book, July 30, 2003

By 

Jeffrey Hollis (Valencia, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard & the Christian Life (Paperback)

I should probably say right up front that I'm nearing completion of my master's degree in Christian Apologetics. My emphasis has been on the study of cults, toxic groups, and borderline ministries. In particular, I've had a lot of exposure to, as well as personal experience with, the "ministry" of Bill Gothard.

I should probably also share another observation: I have never met anyone who was not a Gothardite that thought that Bill Gothard was a responsible minister, faithful teacher, or solid Christian. It has been my experience that the only people who think highly of him are his own followers, who tend to be fanatically loyal. Futher, it has also been my personal experience that Gothardites mimic Gothard in responding to criticism: they attack, slander, and defame anyone who goes after their beloved leader, Bill Gothard. These personal attacks are often accompanied by lip service to concepts like "Christian unity" and "forgiveness." It's ugly to watch, but I've seen it, in person, many times. This ugly behavior is not unique to Gothard and his followers, however. It's a classic symptom of those involved in many similar fringe groups.

I was not surprised, therefore, when I saw a few reviews on this site in which Don Veinot was attacked and slandered, Gothard praised, and Gothard's utterly bizarre book on prayer was recommended. I expected this exact type of thing, I'm sorry to say.

Having read both Gothard's and Veinot's writings, I must heartily recommend Veinot's book. It is among the most gentle, fair, and patient displays of genuine Christian character I've ever seen. Don Veinot and his co-authors bend over backwards to avoid calling the IBLP (Gothard's organization) a cult, even though it has all the markings of one. They document, in vivid terms, their attempts to discuss Gothard's teachings with him, and his un-Christlike response to these attempts. They further document some of his teachings, which range from the strange to the extremely harmful. (Truthfully, they only scratch the surface here. Gothard's teachings are so bizarre as to be almost beyond description. Gothard attributes Noah's flood, for example, to the fact that people in his time had begun "dating," instead of engaging in "courtship" or arranged marriages. I'm not kidding. I have Gothard's booklet right in front of me as I write this. He claims that God brought the Flood on the world because people were going on dates with one another.) Veinot continuously attempts to hold Gothard accountable with grace, charity, and with a constant eye to the possiblity that Gothard might repent and see the light. Thus far, Gothard has shown no signs of doing anything like this, but the patience of Veinot and his co-authors continues. This book is a modern textbook example of the way church discipline in situations like this should be carried out.

I would highly recommend this book to those trying to escape Gothardism, or who are dealing with friends, relatives, or churchgoers who are involved with the IBLP. I also think this book would be helpful to those who are struggling with leaving any toxic or fringe group, not just Gothard's. The principles are, in my opinion, universal.

It would also not surprise me one bit if another reviewer (a Gothardite) were to read what I've written, and slander the heck out of me for writing it.