In the mid-1960’s, a young man was living a life of rebellion against his parents and the Lord, in Chicago, if I am remembering the story correctly. At some point, he connected with young minister called Bill Gothard. This lad was the son of missionaries in Bolivia. His heart had become sick of the life that separated him from his family and the Lord he’d turned his back on. Bill Gothard had just recently begun a ministry among the teens on the streets of Chicago – beginning to share the message of God’s love for these hurting teens. His teaching was to gave them direction and skills / guidelines for making choices that would bring healing and stability into their often shattered lives, after they turned their lives over to the Lord. Bill Gothard would later organize his teaching into a syllabus and begin to give seminars called “Basic Youth Conflicts”
In dealing with the young man from Bolivia, Bill recommended that he return to Bolivia and be reconciled with his father and submit to him.. As part of that reconciliation that young man became a student at Tambo. He had a fine intellect and I was honored to know him. He had a questing mind and wanted to understand the doctrines of the Christian faith. I hope that he did find the peace and assurance in the Lord he was seeking.
As a result of that meeting in Chicago, Bill Gothard came to Tambo and gave the High School students that foundational teaching that we would later take to several generations of men and women in America. Yes, I have heard that later Satan came in to try and destroy that ministry. My prayer is that it did not destroy the man, and for me, I know it did not dim the truth that I felt Mr. Gothard seeded into my own life.
His teaching deeply affected and influenced my own life, and walk with the Lord. A major teaching he shared was that of honoring our parents. He taught us they had been given their authority over their children by God. I know many people bulked at this teaching, including my own parents. Bill Gothard taught that even though sometimes parents were wrong, we must respect them. This was especially true in big issues, he taught, in choice of who we would marry. I believe Mr. Gothard was correct in this, that in our submission to our parents’ guidance, even to listen if they felt we were making wrong choice, that God would accomplish a greater good in our lives. That if our parents were wrong and this was God’s partner for us, He would work the details out. And, in that work, bring great good to all, perhaps even winning of the hearts of parents to Christ who didn’t believe.
Bill Gothard also spoke of being a rather poor student in high school. He studied hard but without the reward of good grades. After a life changing encounter with the Lord he started to memorize whole passages of Scripture. One of the things he began to notice was his grades started to go up. He was not studying more, but he told us he believed that in memorization of the Word of God, his mind was sharpened. Shortly after he left I began to memorize Matthew 5,6 & 7 and then went on to memorize the Book of James. I chose these a passages because of my own struggle to understand them. During that period of intense memorization, my grade did in fact go from B’s up to A’s and even some A+.
At that time in my life I was pretty much a loner at Tambo with no real friends. It was easy to spend the time alone, up on the hillside behind the dorms. Another favorite spot was up among the rocks above the River, just below the Pista. Even now, when I remember, my heart leaps for joy.
But, suddenly I found myself with more friends, girls who seemed to enjoy being with me and I began to take more pleasure in this new socializing experience and less time in memorization. That became my loss. I am not saying those friendships were wrong. I loved those friends, but I could have been friends and carried on memorizing the Word, but I allowed that discipline to drop out of my life. I did find out however, that memorizing the Word did sharpen my mind and strengthen my spirit. I wish I had remained diligent, and was more diligent today in ‘hiding the Word of God in my heart”
Another thing that Mr Gothard spoke of that really affected me was the dangers of reading horoscopes, checking out our star signs and reading the newspapers with their ‘predications’ for our sign, playing games like the Ouija board or other things like dangling a ring on a string over our wrist to determine number of children we would have and other silly games kids play in this vain. He spoke very strongly about it leading us to seek esoteric knowledge outside of Christ, and more, being molding in our thoughts and character by what those prediction and star signs ascribed to us.
I don’t remember Mr. Gothard making this connection, but I’ve come to believe it is also an entry into our lives of some of Satan’s nastier traps.
I for one continue to praise the Lord that one man listened to the Lord, and was willing to take the time to go to a Missionary school in the heart of Bolivia and teach a handful of students what the Lord was laying on his heart.
Servants/ Slaves of God.
6 years ago
1 comment:
I was delighted to read the June 10th article on your site entitled, Spiritual Ground Taken. It brought back so many wonderful memories of my visit to Tambo.
In retrospect, that was one of the major events that led to the development of the Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar and now to the ministry that is reaching nations around the world.
When Larry Goring first invited me to come down to the school, I reluctantly agreed but dreaded the series of vaccinations I would have to get for the trip.
It was then that God reminded me that when I dedicated my life to Him at twelve, I agreed to be a missionary if He cleared up my eyesight. Within a week, my sight was fully restored.
But then there was a matter of funds, which I used as an excuse. This set off a chain of incredible events in which God provided the money. A neighbor called up to see if I wanted to buy his car. When I said that I did not have the money, he called back later and said, “Just come and get the car.”
The following Sunday morning, the youth director at my church asked me if I knew where he could buy a car, so I sold it to him.
After God provided all the money for the trip, someone told me of their urgent financial need, so I gave them the money. This did not stop God, because He provided the same amount all over again through a new series of remarkable events. A suburban highschool asked me to print a student directory for them. The profits from this paid for the trip.
The next challenge was whether I had an effectiveness message. After speaking to a church youth group, one of the fellows asked for private counseling. He poured out his problems. When I learned that he had come from Tambo, I prayed, “Lord, if you allow me to help him with his problems, I know that you have given me a message for the entire student body.”
I shall never forget that Thursday evening when several students spontaneously stood and asked forgiveness of teachers and fellow students. That began a moving of God’s spirit that lasted till early the next morning.
The reunion that we had several years ago at the Oak Brook IL, Headquarters with about ninety former students and family members was a thrilling time of fellowship and confirmation that God did indeed do a deep and lasting work during those days at Tambo.
Because of all this Tambo has a very special place in my heart. It is my prayer that each one of you is growing in the Lord and in the rich treasures of His Word.
Through Christ Our Lord,
Bill Gothard
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