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
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 »
After the HA, I went home for 2 years. I worked really hard to save money for school, served at my youth group, and took some Jr. college. The second year I was home, I began to have an intense burden for the interns who are placed in Facilities, specifically Custodial, like I was, and
Teen Mania prepare an annual report to give to donors and potential donors in order to persuade them to open their wallets to Teen Mania Ministries. This annual report provides some interesting information, some sketchy information and some outright lies. For the latter, I’d like to direct your attention to the graphic comparing Honor Academy
Teen Mania’s Annual Report or “Let’s Just Make Stuff Up” Read More »
An intern in the current Honor Academy class wrote about her first experience meeting her brother core. Her brother core CA (core advisor) then gave these “words of wisdom:” He asked us not to go to the guys when he were upset or distressed about something…we were to go to one of our sisters in
Opposite Sex Friendships Read More »
I was recently reading through Teen Mania’s “R.I.O.T. Manual,” an evangelism guide published in the mid-90s. Ron Luce states, “This tactics section of your R.I.O.T. Manual is NOT a suggestion list. These aren’t just good ideas to read and forget. These are the steps you take to start your Righteous Invasion of Truth…We’d like you
Taste of Their Own Medicine? Read More »
On Being a Worldchanger: Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you. I Thess. 4:11 On Confrontation: Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are
Verses You Won’t Hear at Teen Mania Read More »
(Moderator’s Note: A Teen Mania alumnus recently posted his story. It’s quite long so I’ve summarized the main points. Everything in italics is a direct quote. Even though the following story is about a mission trip, it is very pertinent to the Honor Academy. Read all the way through and you will see why…This is
A few weeks ago, several alumni and I had the privilege of attending a cult recovery weekend led by internationally recognized cult experts Doug and Wendy Duncan. As former cult members, mental health professionals and Christians, the Duncans are uniquely poised to understand the dynamics of a Bible-based cult and offer assistance in recovery. The
What Mental Health Professionals Are Saying Read More »
