Katherine was nice enough to share her story about her experiences with Global Expeditions.Trigger Warning: The last bullet point does involve sexual assault. Although I didn’t attend the Honor Academy, I participated in four Global Expeditions (GE) mission trips as a teenager: 2 months in Panama (age 13), 1 month in China (age 15), 1 […]
I am an almost 52 year old woman and I remember as a teenager the rhetoric from watching the Shiny Happy People season 2. We were told that we were warriors for Christ… I heard about Teen Mania (couldn’t afford it) but I still remember the youth conferences at our church. I also remember as
I am honored to post the first user-submitted story as the new RA. If you would like to share your story, feel free to email stories@recoveringalumni.blog.This story does discuss the current political climate, but does so in accordance with our politics policy. I attended at least one BattleCry event in the summer or fall of
Honor Academy interns from 1995-2012 have shared their stories on the blog. No matter the year, the underlying issues seem to be the same: a controlling and fear based environment that leads to condemnation/feelings of worthlessness and an overwhelming neglect of the health and safety of interns.
True Stories…90 & Counting Read More »
Hmm. Where to begin? I guess that my name is Mark. I was very recently at Teen Mania as an intern and also as a Core Advisor. In this story(or rant) I will be, for the first time, recounting some of my experiences at TM. So if my thoughts are scattered, I apologize in advance.
Since I came to Teen Mania as a staff member instead of an intern, my story is a little different than most here. I graduated from Bible College in the early 90’s and struggled with what I was supposed to do with my life. I always had a desire to work in TV and the
Ever since I saw the Mind of Mania broadcast and found this blog, I’ve considered posting, but never did until now. I suppose it is because I am embarrassed to say I ever had anything to do with Teen Mania or even worse, that I recommended it to others. I was horrified by what I
I write because its 2013, and I’m still pretty torn up. I went on a mission trip with GE in 2011. But who knew one month of my life could hurt me so much?! Right when I think I’m over it, I can see and feel everything all over again.Its like time picks at scabs
It’s been 2 years now since I found the blog. I can’t even begin to tell you what a difference it’s made for me. I’ve tried so many times to write my story. It would mean so much to me to have someone read it. I have a folder on my computer dedicated to doing
I attended the Honor Academy a few years ago and I was sexually involved with a male staff member. I honestly don’t remember exactly how the relationship started, I try to block that out and not think about it. I do remember that he would message me late at night, making small talk, I would
I stumbled across your blog a month or 2 ago and have been unable to stop reading it since. I was never an intern, I was asked to be on staff of the internship but declined because I witnessed the burnout and dysfunction that was rampant (even after several different times I heard TM was
Nancy’s Story: I was a Global Expeditions Team Leader & Project Director Read More »
Note from RA: Before the current CA system, each intern “core group” was led by a staff member whose title was “Intern Advisor.” The CA’s reported directly to the IA and each intern had regular meetings with the staff member as well. From my very first one-on-one meeting with Nikki Bradshaw, (my assigned Intern Adviser
While I am not an Honor Academy Alumni, I feel that my experiences as a Global Expeditions missionary in ‘04 and ‘05 have majorly effected the way I see Christianity. I was twelve when I first went on a junior trip to Costa Rica, and having earned the two thousand dollars required to go all
Sophie’s Story: A Global Expeditions Review Read More »
(Moderator’s Note: This story briefly mentions rape.) I was an intern at Teen Mania’s Honor Academy over ten years ago. To this day, I know I have blocked out many of the situations that occurred there. I loved and hated that year and still do. I find it so sad that for each beautiful memory
I have to insert here that my core, brother core, and sister core were wonderful. I love them to pieces and wouldn’t trade them for anything. I wouldn’t trade my time at the HA for anything because of some of the so precious relationships I still have. We loved on each other, had some wonderful
Elizabeth’s Story: Part 2 Read More »
My Honor Academy experience wasn’t nearly as overtly abusive as other people’s was. Sometimes I feel silly for even wanting to write down my story because I didn’t have any of those nutso experiences. I feel like my experiences don’t really matter because the hurts were all “little.” Even now while I’m writing this all
Elizabeth’s Story: Part 1 Read More »
Thank you for this blog. I feel like a lot of the things I felt for years after being involved with Teen Mania in the mid 90’s are now validated. I remember my first Acquire the Fire. It was actually held in our church (it used to be that small!). I was a new Christian
Jessica’s Story: A Global Expeditions Review Read More »
My mom and dad wanted me to wait it out and stay there for the two months (that we already paid for). I got voicemails from friends and family encouraging me to stick it out. I ignored them. I had to. I couldn’t stay. Not after all that had happened that day. Adair’s parents bought
Noelle’s Story: Part 3 Read More »
Friday, August 15, 2008 – I was on a plane to Dallas, Texas. My plane was late during my connection. My mom decided to meet me in Dallas from Jacksonville. She rented a car so that way I could get bedding and storage bins and all that. We got on the road right away –
Noelle’s Story: Part 2 Read More »
In 2007, I heard about the Honor Academy internship from my Mom. I was talking with her about my future one night on the phone. I was telling her how I wasn’t sure what I was going to do after high school. She told me about Honor Academy. A girl from our old church had
Noelle’s Story: Part 1 Read More »
At this same time, I was struggling with my work life. When I first returned to MN after my divorce, I was sleeping on my mom’s couch in her one bedroom apartment. I took up a retail job and actually liked what I was doing. It was for an artsy store, so I at least
Shannon’s Story: Part 6 Read More »
The only classes I excelled in at college were the ones where professors would work with me and my chronic illness. But I continually found myself in positions where adults in authority thought they knew my story and I did not defend myself when I should have. So I continued to go down this path
Shannon’s Story: Part 5 Read More »
This was also the point when Nikki Bradshaw laid hands on me and tried to cast out my rebelliousness and desire to make people like me. I was supposed to keep a 30 day journal of things I was doing to “make people like me.” I never kept it, I guess because I was so
Shannon’s Story: Part 4 Read More »
Shannon first shared her story on the blog over a year ago: Part 1. Part 2. This is an update to her story. Many years ago, I started the Xanga blogring, “No, Teen Mania is not a cult.” I was wrong. Back when I first shared my Teen Mania experience, I was in a daze. It was the
Shannon’s Story: Part 3 Read More »
Ray and Carol Boltz (yes, that Ray Boltz) were huge supporters of Teen Mania in the 1990s. Their four children went on a combined 12 mission trips with Teen Mania, one graduated from the Honor Academy, they regularly hosted the ministry team in their home, and volunteered in Garden Valley and Miami (way back in
Carol’s Story: A Parent’s Perspective Read More »
