Area served US, 12 countries Website www.iblp.org Founder Bill Gothard Number of employees 200 | Volunteers 1,000 Headquarters Illinois, United States Founded 1961 | |
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Type 501(c)3 non-profit religious Location Oak Brook, Illinois, US Slogan Giving the World a "New" Approach to Life! Motto Giving the World a "New" Approach to Life! Similar Family Research Council, Home School Legal Def, Oak Brook College of Law and, Louisiana Baptist University, Wheaton College Profiles | ||
The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) is a non-denominational, Christian organization in Oak Brook, Illinois that serves as an umbrella organization for several ministries. IBLP was established by Bill Gothard for the purpose of resolving youth and family conflicts. IBLP's stated purpose is to provide instruction on how to find success in life by following biblical principles. It is a non-profit tax-exempt religious or charitable organization as defined by the IRS.
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History
Gothard founded Campus Teams in 1961, which derived from his master’s thesis at Wheaton Graduate School on a potential youth program which may have benefits in decreasing the number of wayward youth. The organization changed its name to Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC) in 1974, and adopted its current name in 1989 (to reflect its expansion beyond traditional teenage issues). IBLP started promoting Basic Youth Conflicts seminars in areas around the United States and other nations, which according to its own history, during the 1970s had attendances of up to 20,000 persons.
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." Bill Gothard, who was accused of knowing about the affairs but did not take action, resigned. He then returned as organization head three weeks later.
IBLP's programs have keys services, which include seminars for ministry, community outreach, troubled youth mentoring, and an international ministry. They all deal with education and contributing to the community. According to the IBLP, many of the ministry's workers have received (and continue to receive) Presidential medals for their work in helping the community in various ways.
In 2006, it was reported to earn $63 million annually.
By 2009 to 2012 the Institute in Basic Life Principles began a steady decline, losing money, assets, and greatly decreasing the number of annual seminars it conducted, while allegations of sexual misconduct became more public.
In 2014, Bill 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. Gothard allegedly selected young women for administrative positions within the organization, then manipulated and harassed them while in his employment, several of whose stories were featured on the website of Recovering Grace, a website and Christian ministry that functions as a support group for former students and members of IBLP. An investigation into the allegations by the IBLP concluded he "acted inappropriately," but "not criminally."
On October 25, 2015 a civil lawsuit alleging a sex-abuse cover-up involving several minors was filed in DuPage County, Illinois against IBLP and its board of directors. The lawsuit 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." Five more women have since added their complaints to the lawsuit.