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Beliefs and Practices

Institute in Basic Life Principles

The Bates family follows the teachings of Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles and their homeschooling program, Advanced Training Institute. It is unknown when they began following IBLP. In 2008, Gil said that they met the Duggars «a long time ago» at a conference and got to know them further at other conferences; it is assumed that these conferences were IBLP. The group lists the following goals on their website:

Michaela, Erin, and Alyssa with a Journey to the Heart group in 2009

Gil Bates joined the IBLP board of directors in 2013. In 2015, Erin Paine said in a comment on one of her Instagram photos that she and her husband «are not affiliated with the ministry or Mr. Gothard in anyway at all, nor do we support.» Lawson commented on the photo as well, saying «I do not support him or his ministry.» It is unclear if Lawson was referring to IBLP or Gothard’s new ministry.

In addition to the ATI conference in Big Sandy, many of the older Bates children have been seen attending other IBLP functions like Journey to the Heart.

Homeschooling

Although both Gil and Kelly attended public schools growing up, they made the decision to homeschool their children so they could create their own curriculum that focused on character and faith. Although Kelly does handle the majority of the homeschooling (with the assistance of the older children), Gil does participate in the character traits training. «It’s a task to homeschool this many at one time, but my wife is very organized,» Gil once said of Kelly’s teaching.

Several Bates children working on homeschooling

When asked about homeschool curriculum, Kelly has listed many different options she’s used «based on learning styles». Choices mentioned include A Beka, Bob Jones, Paces, Switched on Schoolhouse, The Teaching Textbook, Wordsmith, Apologia Science, Precepts of Anatomy and Physiology, Principles Precepts and Theories of Biology, Grammar Key, Easy Grammar, and Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. She has said that her usual go-to is A Beka.

Although the children are homeschooled through high school, many of them have gone on to pursue degrees at Crown College of the Bible. Currently Tori, Trace, Carlin, and Josie all attend Crown College.

Buddy System

Each of the older Bates children is assigned a younger partner who they help with everyday tasks.

Lawson at age 19 buying groceries for the family with his own money

Debt Free Living

After attending a financial freedom seminar (likely the Jim Sammons seminar the Duggars often praise), the Bates family began to make a point to try to live debt free. Despite this, they have often borrowed money from their son Lawson, who makes a significant amount from his lawn mowing business. «We call him the bank financier,» Kelly said of Lawson, «because he is always lending to siblings, or lending to us, or he’s the one that always has money in the account when the rest of us don’t.»