Our mission

1961

The Institute in Basic Life Principles was first incorporated in 1961 under the name Campus Teams. Founder Bill Gothard focused on helping teenagers and their parents make wise choices. Campus Teams’ scope of ministry included sharing basic Scriptural principles with inner-city gangs in Chicago, church youth groups, high school Bible clubs, youth camps, and families in crisis.

1964

Wheaton College, from which Bill Gothard earned a B.A. in Bible and an M.A. in Christian Education, invited him to teach a two-week class based on his years of working with teenagers. The course was given the name “Basic Youth Conflicts.” Enrolled in that class were forty-six students, including youth pastors, college students, and graduate school professors.

1965

The first Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar, under the sponsorship of Campus Teams, was conducted in the Chicago area in 1965 for 120 students. The Seminar focused on tracing conflicts in key relationships to the violation of basic principles found in Scripture and presenting practical steps of action to achieve success and fulfillment in life. In subsequent years, through word-of-mouth recommendation alone (no advertising), attendance soon climbed to between 10,000 and approximately 20,000 youths and adults per Seminar. Alumni were the majority of the attendees, and they were welcomed to attend any future Seminars with no additional registration fee.

1973

As the Basic Youth Conflicts seminar ministry expanded to cities across the United States and Canada, Campus Teams held a National Advanced Seminar on the campus of UCLA. Attending that Seminar were more than 3,500 pastors who were enrolled in the Basic Church Ministry Program. This event became the forerunner of the Pastors’ and Christian Leaders’ Seminar (often referred to as All-Day Ministers’ Seminar or ADMS) which taught, encouraged, and supported more than 30,000 pastors during its history.

1974

As the scope of ministry expanded, the name Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC) was adopted in 1974.

To date, more than 2.5 million people around the world have attended IBYC’s Basic Seminar which taught many of the factors needed to develop and maintain healthy, growing relationships with God, family members, and friends.

1976

Character Sketches, Volume I, was released. The first book in a beloved multivolume set, Character Sketches shows how the very nature and character of God is seen all throughout His created universe.

1978

Missionary Otto Koning released The Pineapple Story, his firsthand account of how God used a pineapple garden to teach him the unexpected results of conquering anger. His storybook and audio series soon became best-selling classics that are loved by both children and adults.

1984

During the early years of the modern homeschooling movement, Christian parents were asking for a home-education curriculum that centered learning around God’s Word. As a result, the Advanced Training Institute of America (ATIA) was launched in 1984. 102 families participated in the pilot program; they were followed by thousands of homeschooling families from all Christian denominations who participated over the years. The curriculum focused on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6, and 7) and emphasized meditating on those passages of Scripture and relating analogies from every area of life to that truth. The specific areas covered included linguistics, language arts, history, science, law, and medicine. Practical application of Scripture in everyday lives was encouraged.

1986

The Financial Freedom Seminar was presented by realtor and business owner Jim Sammons in Del City, Oklahoma. The 16-hour video seminar developed from that presentation has helped thousands of people avoid and solve financial problems by understanding what the Bible teaches about money.

1989

With a continuing surge of growth and outreach beyond the arena of parent-teen conflicts, a new name was needed again. In 1989, the IBYC Board of Directors changed the ministry’s name to what it is presently: Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

1990

Training conferences for homeschooling families enrolled in the Advanced Training Institute (ATIA) transitioned from Indiana University to a new location—the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. More than 10,000 people attended the annual weeklong conferences. Activities during the conferences included inspirational and educational sessions for parents taught by pastors and teachers, character-building programs for children and young adults, a student choir and orchestra, and an expo of apprenticeship opportunities.

1990

New Zealand was the first country outside the U.S. to begin hosting Basic Seminars in 1990. Ten years later, the Ministry of Education requested help with a rapidly growing problem—youth who have been suspended from school and lack direction in life. After working with troubled youth and families, most of the ministry today centers on encouraging home education and strengthening families. This is done through regular meetings and an annual conference where speakers and children’s programs minister to those attending.

1991

The first Aeroflot Russian airliner ever to land at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport was arranged by the Russian government in 1991. The purpose was to fly volunteers and employees of IBLP to Russia to work with the country’s students, orphans, and pensioner teachers. The global scope of the Great Commission has continued to propel IBLP in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all peoples through ministries and public services, both in the United States and internationally.

1993

In 1993, IBLP began a ministry in Australia, and has continued to support families in the areas of discipleship, home education and Christian ministry. This is done through Family Days and annual conferences, as well as materials and online outreaches.

1995

The country of Taiwan established an IBLP office in Taipei. The office’s establishment was in conjunction with a growing number of Seminars presented throughout the nation and other Chinese speaking countries.

2000

In March of 2000, a 2,200-acre campus in Big Sandy, Texas, was obtained to accommodate the International ALERT Academy. This former college campus would also eventually serve to house other IBLP ministries and offices.

2003

Regional Family Conferences were established, welcoming families from around the world to come and fellowship around the Word of God. With sessions for adults, tracks for young people, and programs for children, everyone was encouraged to live life fully surrendered to the Lord. Family Conferences continue today with inspiring messages from various speakers and opportunities for folks to connect with other families.

2007

The Journey to the Heart retreat was designed to give young people, and now parents, an opportunity to discover the love of God in a way they may have never experienced before. Journey teams spend a week seeking the Lord individually and in small groups. The Journeys take place in the peaceful midst of God’s creation—either in the majestic Northwoods of Michigan or in the scenic woods of East Texas.

2014

After the resignation of Bill Gothard as IBLP president in March of 2014, the Board of Directors instituted a leadership transition dedicated to reviewing the past, evaluating the present, and planning for the future. To help in this transition, the Board of Directors chose Dr. Tim Levendusky to oversee the operations of the Institute as president.

2020s+

Biblical discipleship for personal and spiritual growth is continued today through family conferences, student programs, online messages, printed materials, and more. IBLP’s Board of Directors, employees, and volunteers desire to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all peoples, teaching those who believe to walk in harmony with Christ’s commands and apply His ways in everyday decisions.