PEARL is based on ESOAL 2006-2010. This testimony comes from ESOAL 2007: (2021 update: links have since broke) Since ESOAL ended, I have been having problems with my legs. I was cut up a lot during ESOAL. Well now I have these scabs and cuts that aren’t healing to well. I have been cleaning them […]
Another ESOAL Testimony Read More »
I know I shouldn’t be surprised by the way Teen Mania continues to lie and mislead the public about its activities. Now that the vow of silence has been broken, they are scared to death that the truth about the Honor Academy, and specifically ESOAL/PEARL will come to light, so they are waging an all
Teen Mania’s Lies and Propaganda Read More »
Perusing the Honor Academy Facebook page last week, I came across this exchange between the HA and a potential intern. Potential Intern: what r corporate test outs. Honor Academy: Corporate test outs can apply to a few things. Everyone does corporate as part of learning how to discipline your mind, body, and Spirit. There are
Heart Problems? No Problem! Read More »
The Honor Academy facebook page claims that the PEARL is: PEARL is JUST as (challenging as ESOAL) if not MORE challenging. We shall see! Posted by Honor Academy on 9/14/11 at 10:46am 12 comments: Eric says: September 14, 2011 11:29 AM And we’ll be right here, seeing. Jan2010 says: September 15, 2011 3:11 AM Live
This week the Honor Academy interns will start the event known as the PEARL (physical, emotional and relational learning). In past years, this even was known as ESOAL (emotionally stretching opportunity of a lifetime). Because of a spate of bad press and many damning ESOAL videos being posted to YouTube, Teen Mania made minor changes
PEARL 2011 (Formerly ESOAL) Read More »
Often when things aren’t going well for new interns or kids on summer mission trips, they call home in tears. Unable to really articulate what is going on, most parents just think its homesickness or something trivial and encourage their child to stay. Parents assume that their children are with trustworthy people who will take
Dear Parents: Please Listen to Your Kids Read More »
I came across this quote in the book “Recovering from Churches That Abuse”, Tragically, like other victims of abuse, she sometimes feels that she deserved the abuse, that she was a bad person, that she didn’t measure up, that she could never make it on her own in life. Do you ever feel like you
You Didn’t Deserve It Read More »
Before David Hasz joined Teen Mania, he taught high school. This email is from one of his former students. I wanted to thank you for your blog. I found it just a few days ago and I have been reading it a little bit each day since. I have to admit that I was reluctant
Blake’s Story: David Hasz was my High School Teacher Read More »
Even though it’s been 8 years since I completed my internship I am still struggling to make sense of my year in Garden Valley. Before applying for the Honor Academy I knew very little about Teen Mania Ministries, in fact my no one from my church group had ever attended an Acquire the Fire or
Why do we keep going back to the people who hurt us? Why does a hurt and exploited intern return for a 2nd year? Why does a dismissed intern return for another shot at graduating? Sometimes, the answer is “Stockholm Syndrome.” The term was coined when hostages in a Stockholm bank robbery bonded so deeply
On Why So Many Interns Love the Honor Academy Read More »
What do you call a place where… – You can go live in an isolated location with a group of people that think, talk and believe just like you – You are given a strong sense of belonging and a new “family” (core) – You develop a strong sense of us vs. them and think
What Do You Call It? Read More »
This story was sent to me by a very recent intern. Since Dave Hasz says that the PEARL LTE will be based off the ESOAL LTE of the last 3-4 years, I think it is worthwhile to examine eyewitness accounts from that time period. If you have a story to share, please email me at
ESOAL/PEARL LTE: 2009 Read More »
Today, Dave Hasz announced “big” changes to ESOAL. It will now be called the PEARL LTE, the Physical, Emotional and Relational Learning Event. Lest you assume that this means substantial changes to ESOAL, please note he says they will “retire with honor the name ESOAL.” So, first off they are giving honor to ESOAL. FULL
Honor Academy Announces ESOAL 2.0 Read More »
Were you financially dismissed? Do you know someone who was? I’d like to talk to interns that were kicked out of the Honor Academy for inability to give their required donation. Contact me at recoveringalumni at recoveringalumni dot blog 3 comments: Anonymous says: August 18, 2011 2:19 PM I knew a guy once that was
Were You Financially Dismissed? Read More »
I never went to the Honor Academy. I prayed and God quickly killed the idea in my mind because he already knew I dealt so much with a guilty conscience and HA would only make that worse. (Actually that feeling was finally helped when I read To Kill a Mockingbird and in the story Scout
ORU, birthplace of Teen Mania in so many ways, announced a new written Amnesty and Restoration policy for students who have violated the Honor Code. Clarence Boyd, dean of spiritual formation, explained that fear of the consequences of confession used to prevent students from ever seeking help with their private struggles. “The perception was that
ORU Offers Amnesty Read More »
Lately, these three words have been stirring in my soul. Truth Learning and recognizing the truth isn’t always welcome news. It messes up our lives and our plans. Discovering that we’ve built our life on untruths (I have to perform for God to love and accept me, I will never be good enough unless I’m
3 Words That Stir My Soul Read More »
Eliza recently sent me this email. She plans to add on to her story at some point, but for now, here is part 1: I’ve gone back and forth on whether or not I should share some of my experiences that I’ve had at the Honor Academy. But honestly, after reading a lot of the
Eliza’s Story, pt 1 Read More »
1) Jeromy J – You Bring God Pleasure, Not Disgust. (2021 update: blog has gone down. Link goes to Wayback Machine) 2) Rachel Held Evans on Grace: The ultimate denial of grace, then, is not to misunderstand it theologically, but to withhold it. 3) Brene Brown on Choosing Worthiness – A Protest Against Perfection (2021 update:
Friday: Links I Like Read More »
The World Awareness LTE is a weekend of simulated persecution. In the past, staff and graduate interns would roleplay as an anti-Christian government while interns would attempt to escape or hide from them throughout the weekend. If caught, interns were sent to jail and interrogated about their faith, forced to do physical activities and in
Conspiracies, Persecutions and Catastrophes, Oh My! Read More »
In February, we discussed a short clip from Teen Mania’s chapel service where interns were told that every single one of them is called to foreign missions. It wasn’t until recently that I took the time to listen to this entire message by Teen Mania’s head of Global Expeditions, Emmie Harper: While it is certainly
Teen Mania Wants You to be a Martyr (Preferably in the Middle East) Read More »
I’ll be on blog vacation for the rest of the month. New posts will resume on August 1st. In the meantime, feel free to check the archives! 5 comments: Katydid says: July 11, 2011 5:44 AM Have an awesome blog vacay!! You deserve it! Shannon Kish says: July 11, 2011 10:23 AM NOOOOOOOO. I can’t
I have been reading this blog and commenting for over a year now. Until now I didn’t feel it necessary to really share my experience because I wasn’t nearly as hurt as many people have sadly been. I would describe my Honor Academy year as a “good” year. Not terrible, not exceptional. What made it
When I was at the Honor Academy, I went through a very spiritually dry time. No matter how much I prayed, or studied or did all the right things, I couldn’t seem to feel God’s presence or hear His voice. The longer this went on, the more desperate I got. Everyone – and I mean
Spiritual Abuse in Action Read More »
Perhaps one of the greatest things we need to unlearn after our time at Teen Mania is our destructive attitudes towards ourselves. This practice of devaluing every intern is so commonplace at the Honor Academy that we internalize the self-criticism and it actually becomes part of our inner Christian life. Being hard on yourself is
Self-Abuse or Self-Compassion? Read More »
