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Everyone is busy distancing themselves and their branch of Christianity from Bill Gothard, but there's all kinds of receipts

The Chain of Command

by Bill Gothard, Jr.

Editor’s Note (Bob Jones): For some time now we have been approached from many sources asking whether we agreed with and endorsed the principles set forth in Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts.

We had had no personal contact with Mr. Gothard, nor had we attended one of his Seminars. On one hand, we had heard many favorable things about his ministry. Others had expressed their concern about certain points in Gothard’s philosophy and emphasis. We had reserved judgment and declined to commit ourselves until we had an opportunity to talk to Mr. Gothard and members of his staff.

A few weeks ago we were approached by a mutual friend who said that Mr. Gothard had expressed a desire to have us meet with him, stating that Mr. Gothard was eager to assure that his ministry was in line with sound Scriptural principles.

The president of the University, the friend who had approached us, and I spent several hours at the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts headquarters. We were impressed with the cleanliness and efficiency we found there. Bill Gothard impressed us as a man who loves the Lord and who desires to do the Lord’s will and who has a strong sense of the importance of Scriptural authority and the necessity of obeying Scriptural injunctions in every aspect of life. His staff were courteous and attractive young men and women–the men with their hair at a reasonable length, the women modestly dressed. We had the opportunity to attend one of the staff prayer meetings and saw a dedicated and devoted group of young people.

The chief point of criticism of the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts seems to center around Mr. Gothard’s teaching on the chain of command or authority. He clarified the position with us and expressed eagerness to make his position more clear and easily understood. I suggested at that time that he write an article for Faith for the Family, setting forth his position. I am delighted to publish it herewith.

An explanation of the basic factors behind the principle of authority taught by the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts. Without doubt, the concept of obedience to authority has prompted more discussion in our age than in any other. There is good reason for this. It strikes at the very core of Satan’s grip on today’s generation. The inability of Christians to conquer secret sins and the resulting practice of every man doing “that which [is] right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25) will always be natural by-products of the failure to understand what is behind the principle of authority.

Obedience to parents –The principle of authority does not teach, as some have supposed, that we are to obey men rather than God. There are in Scripture and there will always be throughout history instances where Christians must suffer for not doing what they are told when what they are told violates the Word of God.

But the tragic reality of our day is that most of those who think they are suffering for Jesus’ sake are actually suffering for their own immature or ungodly attitudes.

I have seen this happen many times. For instance, the parents of one Christian young man rejected Christianity. He became very active in his church and a leader in his youth group. One day he called me to report that his parents had given him an ultimatum: either reject Christianity or move out of their house. He moved out and became something of a hero at church.

He was a little surprised when I asked him if he could arrange a conference between his parents and me. He was even more surprised when his parents eagerly agreed to the conference. When we met I listened for a solid hour as they poured out a documented report of their son’s laziness, ungratefulness, disloyalty, unnecessary indebtedness, unacceptable dating standards, and a host of other faults in character which had nothing to do with suffering for Jesus’ sake.

They further reported that, even though they didn’t accept Christianity, they had been thrilled when their son called them months earlier and asked if he could get back under their authority in every area except denying his faith in Christ. At first they saw such progress that they even suggested he enter full-time Christian work. But then he slipped back into his old ways and excused himself on the basis that he was following the Lord’s leading. It was then that they gave him his ultimatum.

Let’s project this situation three steps further. Suppose that he would get into a Christian school, then get married, and then go into full-time Christian work.

He may get through school without much conflict, since the normal grading system today is based more on academic achievement than on character development. But when he gets married he will have conflicts with his wife, and when he gets into Christian work he will clash with the authority over him as well as with those around him. The very character lessons which he failed to learn from his non-Christian parents will become the same faults in character which will destroy the potential of his marriage and of his Christian work.

But some would still argue that Ephesians 6:1 says, “Obey your parents in the Lord.” To them the phrase “in the Lord” means either that your parents must be Christians or that their counsel must be in harmony with what God has told you. In either case, these interpretations make the teenager the final authority as to what he will or will not do. Such interpretations are neither supported by the Greek nor by the sister verse of Ephesians 6:1, Colossians 3:20–“Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.”

Obedience to authority –The next important question is, “What if someone in authority asks me to do something that I know is contrary to the Word of God?” There are at least six basic questions we must ask ourselves in order to insure that by refusing to do it we will suffer for the Lord’s sake and not for our own sake.

First, have our attitudes been Christ-like toward those in authority? Second, have we conscientiously fulfilled all previous responsibilities assigned to us? Third, have we discerned what our authorities’ basic intentions are? Fourth, have we tried to design a creative alternative which will reach their goal without violating Scripture? Fifth, have we appealed to them in the same spirit as Daniel when he was commanded to eat meat and drink wine (Daniel 1)? Sixth, have we given God time to change their minds?

Only as we wisely respond to these six questions are we ready to discuss the prospects of suffering as presented in such passages as Matthew 10:34-39. Jesus could have forsaken His parents at the age of 12 on the basis of needing to be about His Father’s business. Instead He became subject to His parents until His public ministry began at the age of 30. In so doing, He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52).

Conquering personal sin –On many occasions I have talked with Christians who sincerely wanted to overcome sin but who found that they were powerless to do so. They had prayed, read their Bible, asked God to fill them with the Holy Spirit, dedicated their lives to God, and in many other ways sought deliverance.

The basic reason that many of these Christians were not able to have power over sin was that they had knowingly or unknowingly rejected the authority which God had placed over them. “Rebellion is [like] the sin of witchcraft” (I Samuel 15:23). What is witchcraft and how is rebellion like it? Witchcraft is exposing oneself to the realm and power of Satan’s control. When a Christian rebels against God-ordained authority, it is like getting out from under the “umbrella of God’s protection” and exposing oneself to the destructive powers of Satan (see Proverbs 30:17).

The New Testament writers explain this same situation from the position of grace. Grace is not some static quality which God gives to us. Grace is the dynamic force within us through God’s unmerited favor, which gives us the desire and the power to do God’s will.

God gives grace to the non-Christian to repent of his sin and to be born again by the Spirit of God. “By grace are ye saved” (Ephesians 2:8). He also gives grace to the Christian to gain victory over his sin. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11-12).

It is also possible for a person to resist the grace of God. This not only quenches the work of God’s Spirit but opens the way for Satan to do his destructive work described in Hebrews 12:15: “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”

Paul’s constant prayer for those under his spiritual care was that they would grow in grace. At the same time he stressed the importance of their submitting to proper authority (see Romans 13:1-6 and I Timothy 6:1-6).

The great importance of these two truths is that the second is necessary in order to achieve the first. Both Peter and James emphasize this fact. “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble” (I Peter 5:5). “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:1, 6-7).

The first and clearest act of pride in history was when Lucifer decided that he no longer wanted to be under God’s authority (see Isaiah 14:13). Instead he wanted to have a voice equal to that of the authority over him. It is quite logical, then, to expect that the cause of his downfall will be the very same area in which he will appear as an angel of light to deceive as many others as possible.

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