We’ve heard a lot about spiritual growth and the Christian life at both the Honor Academy and in American evangelicalism. But what exactly does spiritual growth look like? What are the marks of a mature Christian? What does it mean to “be filled with fullness of God”? Is it an intense discipline to rid ourselves […]
What is Spiritual Growth? Read More »
1) Via Don Miller I don’t believe the aim of the devil is to get us to masturbate, as is taught in so many churches, but rather to get us to project a righteous identity. And The next time you want to impress your friends with your religious devotion, count it as false religion. And
We are continuing our series on common tactics used by cults. If you haven not already, you can read part 1 and part 2. A common practice in cults and other abusive groups is a routine coerced public confession of specific sins. This is one attribute I have never seen or heard about at the
8 Cult Tactics, pt. 3 Read More »
One thing I’ve struggled with for a long time is feeling betrayed by God. Since I was wholeheartedly seeking God and wanting to serve Him, why would he allow me to go into such a spiritually abusive and damaging environment? Have you ever felt that way? This has been a tough one for me. Maybe
The Cult Awareness and Information Library (2021 UPDATE: website is now on Wayback Machine) is an invaluable resource in understanding the emotional and psychological issues we face in recovering from our time at Teen Mania. Even TM supporters or people who may not think of them as a cult might be surprised to find their
Stages in Recovery Read More »
I don’t think we’ve talked very much about the severe disorientation that occurs when you leave such an intense, spiritually abusive group. As you begin to uncover how the group has affected you, a profound sense of confusion and betrayal can overwhelm you. Realizing that things you believed in so strongly may not have been
Pushing Jesus is blog focused on recovery from spiritual abuse. For me, the content is hit or miss, but I really appreciated this post which is reprinted below. (Bold emphasis is mine.)Refer to STEP 6: I made a commitment to turn away from my pride and refused to become just like those who abused me.
Christian Narcissism Read More »
THE WAR Teen Mania had a bit of a crisis half-way through my undergraduate year. 9/11 had occurred, and numbers were down. Parents were hesitant to send their kids overseas on mission trips. Youth groups were backing out of ATF. The Aug. class of 2003 was shaping into an embarrassingly small one. TM wasn’t making
Jamie’s Story: Part 4 Read More »
SEXISM My Intern Advisor was also the Dean of Women. She was on staff for only one year before she and her husband moved on to something else. At our very first focus group, she passed out that dreadful list of rules along the lines of “How to be a Godly Teen Mania Woman”. By
Jamie’s Story: Part 3 Read More »
My biggest liability was that I was physically tired almost all the time. I have had this problem my whole life, but it got a lot worse after I’d been at the HA for a while. My biological clock got so messed up that I would crash in my dorm room after work and classes
Jamie’s Story: Part 2 Read More »
PROLOGUE I came to the Honor Academy with issues. I brought a lot of baggage with me, as does every intern that has had to make their way in this broken world for 17+ years. I don’t think that the leadership at the Honor Academy fully understands this. They say they do, but the infrastructure
Jamie’s Story: Part 1 Read More »
KLTV just ran a story on the ESOAL Oversight Committee. Unfortunately, they did not mention that the majority of the people on this committee already have ties to Teen Mania and its senior leadership, as I discussed here. Jamie Holder, Deputy Superintendent of Lindale Schools, has withdrawn from the committee for personal reasons. UPDATE: There
ESOAL Oversight Committee: Update & News Story Read More »
1) Via the Internet Monk (2021 Update: Blog has since gone down. Link points to Wayback Machine.) I wonder how many Christians believe the center of the Gospel is their own efforts at being “fully surrendered” or obedient? 2) Via Steve McVey: Resting in Abbas Arms Jesus didn’t just come to deliver us from sin. He also
Continuing our series based on the Heresy of Mind Control. All paragraphs below are from chapter 3. Have you seen any of these behaviors at the Honor Academy? #3: The Demand for Purity This is a demand which goes to the extreme of labeling certain thoughts, feelings and actions as “sins” which really are not
8 Cult Techniques, pt. 3 Read More »
My name is Meagan (I went by Megz at the HA). I have been reading this website for quite some time now and I shared a bit of my story on one of my anonymous comments. I’ve been debating on sharing my full story on the website for some time now, but I’m finally ready
If you are new here, it is important to understand how Teen Mania has responded to the many concerns we have raised here on the blog. As you will see in the synopsis below, I have done everything in my power to facilitate constructive dialogue and move towards reconciliation. At every turn, Teen Mania has
Teen Mania and Recovering Alumni: A Synopsis Read More »
(2021 Update: The receipts for everyone has since fallen away. I tried to update links, but the Wayback Machine archived only so many websites.) After the recent ESOAL expose on KLTV, Teen Mania announced that they would assemble “an independent committee of experts that will evaluate every aspect of this retreat.” As announced last week,
Teen Mania’s ESOAL “Oversight” Committee Read More »
Today, we are continuing our series examining the 8 tactics of cults and other authoritarian/abusive groups from book “The Heresy of Mind Control.” (read part 1 here) The second tactic is called “Mystical Manipulation.” The paragraphs below are taken from the book and explain this technique. Have you ever seen this at the Honor Academy?
8 Cult Techniques, pt. 2 Read More »
There is an interesting conversation going on in the forums about Ron Luce’s weekly Character Development class. Does this sound like the heart of a shepherd? Does this reflect Jesus? My year Ron was very angry at us for not having all the scriptures that he wanted for us to have memorized. During class he
Ron Luce: Character Development Class Read More »
How many of you had/have Dave Hasz living in your head? It’s amazing to me how even after leaving the Honor Academy, his influence remains so strong in our lives. For YEARS, I lived with his continual judgment and disapproval in the back of my mind. I was never good enough to meet his standards
Getting Rid of the Dave Hasz in Your Head Read More »
The only time God permits us to disobey earthly leaders is when they require us to do something morally wrong before God. True or False? The Honor Academy teaches this. So, let’s examine it. Let’s pretend for a moment that Dave Hasz tells the interns that they must wear only blue shirts on Mondays. Is
Submission to Authority? Read More »
I knew this day would come. And it’s exactly why I stayed anonymous for so long. Sigh. I preferred to keep these events secret, because they involve people who have recanted their consent to publish the details. But, alas, I feel that Teen Mania has crossed a line and at least a small part of
Teen Mania Smear Campaign Read More »
Teen Mania doesn’t give a rat’s ass that they are hurting interns. I’ve finally realized that. Isn’t that shocking? Isn’t that scandalous? Isn’t it outrageous? It’s absolutely maddening to me and outright unconscionable. It’s one thing to hurt someone by mistake or incompetence. It’s another thing to hear their story and refuse to apologize, make
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised anymore at Teen Mania’s evil deeds, and yet I find myself surprised almost weekly with new stories and revelations. This clip from ATF TV in 1999 is astonishing not only for its strange “Josiah Project” sketch, as discussed yesterday, but also because of Ron’s blatantly aggressive gay bashing. “Hi,
Ron Luce’s Anti-Gospel Teaching Read More »
Many former interns can verify the environment of suspicion and mistrust cast upon any intern that doesn’t fully subscribe to the party line. As I was reflecting upon my experiences there, I noticed an interesting parallel that might help convey this reality. Each spring, the interns must train to run the Tyler 10k. To be
Suspicion & Mistrust Read More »
