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 to the event and rebranded it as the PEARL.
Even though Teen Mania has admitted multiple times that the PEARL is basically the same as ESOAL, many people still falsely believe that ESOAL and ESOAL style activities have been removed from the Honor Academy.
If the PEARL was significantly different from ESOAL, Teen Mania would not be able to make the following remarks on its website and facebook pages:
“Current and past Interns have consistently rated PEARL as the most influential Life Transforming Event of the year!”
“Testimonies from past years of ESOAL (which is now PEARL) will be shared today at Teen Mania Chapel!”
From Heath Stoner’s Director’s blog: “My wife went through this Life TransÂformÂing Event back in 2008.”
As noted in this recent post, David Hasz specifically says that PEARL will be similar to ESOAL events from 2006 onward.
While I’m thankful that some minor changes are being made, especially the removal of the military atmosphere (I thought Jon Hasz told the KLTV reporter that “we don’t think of ourselves as a bootcamp“), a now unlimited access to food (though will they be allowed to keep it down?) and the supposed elimination of “fear factor” style challenges – I still have grave concerns about the overall event.
Firstly, how can leadership that (at the very least) made repeated grave errors in judgment be trusted in their handling of vulnerable young people? If someone felt it proper to simulate being buried alive in a coffin, to push you to the point of hypothermia and to terrorize you with cockroaches – all in the name of Jesus! – how can you trust their judgment in the future? Teen Mania leadership has done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to earn the trust of parents and interns with regards to the safety of ESOAL/PEARL.
Secondly, the theology behind ESOAL/PEARL is nowhere to be found in Scripture! Is Teen Mania still using the PEARL to teach the “burial and resurrection” theology? Or have they abandoned it? This issue is conspicuously absent from all of their marketing fanfare.
Because of the oath that all interns are required to make:
“I will never speak ill of Teen Mania Ministries or allow Teen Mania to be portrayed in a negative light.”
It is unlikely that we will hear the truth about exactly what transpires at the PEARL for some time. However, since the PEARL is based on ESOAL 2006-ESOAL 2010, I will leave you with some videos from that time frame.
In 2011, will Dave Hasz and the rest of the facilitators stand back and watch as an intern has a panic attack?
I forgot to upload the video of the facilitator offering medical advice to a young woman complaining about ankle pain by saying, “Tell your ankle to be healed.” So instead, I’ll give you this one, which is more subtle but basically the same thing.
RELATED:
Sydney’s Story
ESOAL Training 2009 (including comments on fear factor style activities)
A Marine’s Point of View