I grew up in Bill Gothard's Advanced Training Institute (ATI)/ Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). It has been classified by many researchers as a cult, an opinion I agree with, having been raised in it since birth. I recently answered some questions on an ask Reddit thread and it blew up with a lot of AMA requests so I thought I'd give it a go.

Many people don't understand the intricacies of ATI and the vast negative impact it has had on numerous people raised in that environment. It has recently been made more recognizable by the popularity of the Duggar family. Basic universal concepts were an absolute devotion to authority, a cultivated deep fear of unknown or divine retribution, quiverfull families (as many offspring as possible), and strict adherence to concepts (trivial and philosophical) invented by Bill Gothard. I was a part of ATI in its prime, attending the yearly conferences held in Knoxville TN, with tens of thousands in attendance.

Every person's experience in ATI was different based on their specific local church/group and home dynamic. The organization Recovering Grace has done pretty well sharing those varied experiences and stories. Their website would be an interesting read for anyone curious for more perspectives.

I was a member of ATI since birth, was completely brainwashed for an embarrassingly long time and then walked away penniless at 21. I wanted to leave much earlier but was kept home against my will due to the religious, financial, verbal, and psychological abuse I experienced daily. I left as an official victim of domestic violence based on the legal definition in my state of residence at the time, and have an official file with a domestic violence shelter. It has been a wild ride rebuilding my life, my self, and my beliefs from zero, but I sure have enjoyed the ride. Ask me anything!