Who Is Affiliated With Vision Forum?

Here is a list of who is affiliated with Vision Forum and/or Patriarchy:

RC Sproul Jr. (I don’t think his father is, but Jr. definitely is and Jr. was defrocked several years ago too by his Presbytery)
Doug Wilson – Promotes the Multigenerational Faithfulness ideas
Doug Phillips (of course – he’s in charge of VF)
Geoffrey and Victoria Botkin – Very high up in VF
Elizabeth and Anna Sofia Botkin (Geoff and Victoria’s daughters)
Scott Brown – involved with the NCFIC, you can read his blog posts on their website, he was rebuked at Trinity Baptist Church in NC for abuse of spiritual authority in July of 2006
Philip Lancaster – Wrote Family Man, Family Leader which is promoted heavily on VF’s website (and was published by them as well. Also wrote The Loving Art of Spanking.
Jennie Chancey – promotes VF on her blog
Voddie Baucham – speaks at VF events and in their videos
Jasmine Baucham (Voddie’s daughter)
James and Stacy McDonald (used to own Homeschooling Today magazine)
The Duggars (affiliated with both VF and Gothard)
Bill Gothard – there are quite a few overlaps between his followers and VF followers and they get funding from the same people
Ron and Joyce Fuhrman – Worked with Bill Gothard.
Michael Farris – Founded both the HSLDA and Patrick Henry College
Charles Provan – wrote The Bible and Birth Control which is used to validate the Quiverful doctrine by VF – this is Provan’s only connection to VF as far as I know
Gary Bauer – Dominionist
Jonathan Lindvall – teaches that even a child’s thoughts and feelings should be under submission to their father
Nancy Campbell – founder of Above Rubies magazine, has her books published through VF
Peter Bradrick – used to be the executive assistant to Doug Phillips, now is the operations manager for the NCFIC (see below)

Organizations, websites, and blogs – names, NOT links:

Visionary Womanhood – blog
Ladies Against Feminism – blog
National Center for Family Integrated Churches (NCFIC) – organization founded by Doug Phillips to further his ideals of “Biblical Patriarchy” in churches
Constitution Party – political party
HSLDA
Patrick Henry College (given $ by the same people who give Gothard, VF, and HSLDA $)
The Homeschool Leadership Summit (2009)
Hobby Lobby – crafting store which is affiliated with Gothard (TestifyToLove found this out a couple months ago).
Institute for Creation Research – Work together and are very friendly
Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) – Started by Bill Gothard and/or his followers
ATI (Advanced Training Institute) – Started by Bill Gothard and/or his followers

Above Rubies – Promotes VF ideals such as Quiverful and women’s “true” Godly calling being that of staying at home and raising children and being a help-meet to their husbands

Ideas/doctrine:

Multigenerational Faithfulness
Stay at home Daughters – it is a sin for daughters to not be under their father or brother’s headship at all times – no college, no living on their own
Patriocentricity (they call it “Biblical Patriarchy”) – the wife and children exist to glorify God through facilitating the husband/father’s “vision” in whatever way the patriarch wants them to.
Quiverful – the use of any sort of BC to space or limit children is sinful and a sign of a lack of faith
Transfer of Authority – When ownership of a daughter passes from her father to her new husband
Covenental Homeschooling – not educating your own children at home is a sin
Isolating children from the sinful world – part of the reason for homeschooling
Dominionism – the idea that Christians should control secular government through political action

Vision Forum also pays homage to several racist folks who are no longer alive such as Robert Louis Dabney and RJ Rushdoony.

Many homeschooling conferences are affiliated with VF now – I don’t know which ones, but VF and their affiliates were instrumental in banning certain curricula from the big homeschooling conferences. Sonlight is one of the curricula that was banned from several conferences and if you google “Sonlight banned” you’ll find more information about this.

To sum up: VF has their fingers in many pies and their influence is creeping more mainstream all the time, from what I (and others) have noticed. I’ve had several friends get heavily involved in the heresies which VF promotes. It’s so important to be vigilant with this issue! None of us here are any better or smarter than those who have become heavily entrenched in these beliefs. I can tell you that my friends who got involved in this stuff were very smart people, strong believers

I’m sure there are many more people associated with VF than I know of. Be vigilant and aware! I’m not one to throw the “c” word around much, but I do, with completely certainty, believe that Vision Forum is a cult.

VF’s beliefs are extra-Biblical in origin, they call for isolation – especially of girls and young women who often receive sub-high school education as well since their purpose is to grow up and have babies and who aren’t allowed to leave the home until they are married – and people are ostracized when they reject the teachings. Fathers are given all the power and women and children are marginalized which sets up a potentially abusive environment

This list was compiled by Barefoot Betsy from a thread at GCM

See comments for Readers’ addition.

I would also like to add that Day Spring Cards have quotes from Roy Lessin in them so while  they might not be VF, many will want to avoid them.

27 Comments

  1. Free Indeed on December 12, 2018 at 4:20 pm

    Also: Girl Defined, Christian World View Film Festival, Media Talk 101 ministries. Living Water Fellowship in Bulverde, TX. It’s an off shoot of vision forum and the patriarchy movement. We left the movement a year ago and are finally getting healing.

    • Hermana Linda on December 12, 2018 at 5:42 pm

      Thanks for letting us know. I’m thankful that you are now free, glory to God!

  2. Bradley on September 14, 2013 at 10:57 pm

    Thanks for clarifying. I will stand with your alerting others of harmful doctrines. I have had the opportunity to see folks harmed by mean spirited religionist. Such abuses are borderline satanic. Isn’t it hard to comprehend how a reasonably intelligent person could be brought under such bondage? I am not privy to your personal experiences with VF type people but It is probably like any group of people ,good and bad. Having been to several muslim countries, I will attest that those whom have their worldview shaped by media,are beyond blind. Very few would speak boldly and fervently as to what people, especially women,suffer in those dark places. Knowing the work that VF people do to evangelize in these areas and teach these people to value their wives even more than their own life is amazing. You and I both,according to earlier reply,believe the Bible to be God’s word. That is major common ground! Do we not have a wonderful Christ?

    • Hermana Linda on September 16, 2013 at 12:09 pm

      Amen! I’m sure we do not agree on every single doctrine, but we agree that we serve a wonderful Lord and are doing our best to follow His teachings in His
      Word as well as pointing out harmful doctrinal errors and abuses which are carried out in His Name causing His Holy Name to be blasphemed.

  3. Bradley on September 14, 2013 at 12:51 am

    If the “that doctrine ” you are referring to as a false doctrine is patriarchy then you will have to deny more than the KJV as a major contributor to propagating this “error”. You would actually have to leave any reliable text and delve into biblical formats written with specific motives. To deny that patriarchy is biblical and historical is intellectual suicide. Pretending to be an authority as to such matters and pretending that your view is right smacks of pure sophistry. That needs to be repented of. Follow the hollow cold path that feminism has put before you or follow the Christ of scripture. His Word is granite, not to be molded to fit every changing whim of people such as you and I. True liberty is only found when this is accepted.

    • Hermana Linda on September 14, 2013 at 12:55 pm

      The doctrine I refer to in not Patriarchy as it is seen in the Bible. I probably should have said, “doctrines,” because they have many. Some of their doctrines are false and some are not. You yourself said in your last comment that you were alarmed at some of their doctrines. They twist scripture and use it to oppress the innocent and those dependent on them.

  4. Bradley on June 22, 2013 at 11:23 pm

    Having had the opportunity to be around several VF type families in the last couple years I too am alarmed at some of their doctrines. The only problem is that they are the most articulate, educated(as in they know something ) and Christlike folks in the community. After several years working with youth in a church setting, it would be a comedy to compare normal American youth to those coming from the “wicked” patriarchal homes. I was raised to think critically and ask questions such as “is it true”. The truth is that the naysayers of this movement are usually aimless in their beliefs and lifestyles. Their children usually talk with clarity not the mindless babbling I have come to expect from “normal”people. Good luck in your endeavour. You need it.

    • Hermana Linda on June 22, 2013 at 11:58 pm

      You make an interesting point. But the bottom line is that doctrine is a false doctrine and their teachings are harmful. The children may appear to be healthy but it is all a facade. I do not need luck, I only need blessings. My goal is to expose false teachings, to God be the glory.

  5. Jen Epstein on January 30, 2013 at 1:45 pm

    I was the first one to go public with Doug Phillips’ abusive ways and his teachings on patriarchy. I am glad to see that others have their eyes wide open to these very unbiblical practices. I would caution, however, against “guilt by association.” Wouldn’t it be more profitable to speak against each teaching directly, and each offender directly, rather than using the logical fallacy of assuming that just because there is “some” connection that they must necessarily be “affiliated with” Doug Phillips or Vision Forum and their horrific practices?

    Rick James earlier mentioned Peter Kershaw here. I can guarantee you he would be the last person to endorse Doug Phillips and his view of patriarchy. Also, let’s be careful not to currently associate someone with these patriarchy folks who has since changed their views.

    In case someone here has not read my story about Doug Phillips’ ecclesiastical abuse, you may find it at jensgems dot wordpress dot com.

    • Hermana Linda on January 31, 2013 at 1:28 pm

      Thank you for your input. I never added Peter Kershaw to the list as I did not have any proof. The list is populated by people who have shown themselves to be involved by funding or recommending the teachings.

  6. Billy on July 8, 2012 at 4:27 pm

    Maybe check Radiant Purity and Bright Lights (Sarah, Stephen and Grace Mally and their dad). Their web site has a lot related to this sort of thing.

  7. fedoflynn on June 16, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    I know that all of you have a heart of trying to promote grace. I also know that there have been many instances of people misusing Christ’s name and have gone dogmatically overboard both in licentiousness and legalism. But what has been interesting to me as I’ve been reading many of the sites afore mentioned, and their blogs is this: those whom promote the contrasting view to a Patriarch theology or a family centered discipleship ideology, don’t seem to use Bible verses to back their posts. The dichotomy is that when you read the websites supporting such movements, they don’t bark that everyone else is doing it wrong, they simply speak the word of the Bible. It is also interesting that the list above gives theology of several people. Some of those mentioned, I have met, and they do not agree with all of the mentioned notions, only the biblical aspects. If I may humbly suggest that we all begin by reading the New Testament, for what it really is, God’s word, then put it into practice. We are obviously not doing things right in our culture with 87% of teens walking away from the faith. Divorce is as common in Christian households as in secular, churches aren’t meeting the needs of the people in practical or theological ways. Which churches are doing this, which churches don’t have these statistics. In my studies (I have grown up evangelical without any VF thinking), I have seen that the churches that are living out Biblical lives are teeming with young and old men willing to lay down their lives for their families. I have not seen any of the criticisms lived out, only the positives. Children that feel loved and secure by mothers and fathers, where the gospel is breathed out of the core. It is not that I don’t think there are people doing this Biblically wrong, and I’m sorry to those who have been hurt, but don’t “throw the baby out with the bath water.” When you’ve been taught that 2+2 is 5 and you find out 2+2 is 4, don’t throw math out, make your life add correctly.

    • Hermana Linda on June 16, 2012 at 6:38 pm

      I’m not quite sure which posts you are referring to because I do try to mainly link to posts which argue their posts using Biblical arguments. The sites I am arguing against use Bible verses but they twist them into dangerous teachings. I am not saying that every single things these teachers teach is wrong. False teachings are always mixed into good teachings and once we see that someone has twisted scripture into false teachings, it is best to seek good teaching elsewhere. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

    • Billy on July 8, 2012 at 4:31 pm

      I’ve witnessed nothing but authoritarianism and legalism, stemming primarily from Gothard-influenced lives. As one site put it, we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water, but perhaps we can find the baby elsewhere.

    • DoaHF on May 14, 2013 at 8:35 am

      Those who support Patriarchy and quiverfull use bible verses. Yes.
      They also ignore any input from their children, and expect a book written 3,000 years ago (the Old Testament) to an agrarian, isolated people group who lived in small towns to have all and every answer for their lives.

      Modern day opposition based on child rearing knowledge gained from wise adults and people who have spent their lives studying brains and brain function is somehow less relevant to you? Many times general principles from the New Testament like “love thy neighbor” applies to children as far as withholding a beating out of mercy or listening to the child’s side of the story before deciding that you, the adult are 100% right. Why is it more “godly” or “biblical” than making your child write, memorize, and recite bible verse after bible verse for a white lie (after she has been beaten repeatedly with a paddle)?

      If quoting the Bible is really what you look for when determining who has a better grip on what is right…. you are in the wrong place and time.

      • Hermana Linda on May 14, 2013 at 1:12 pm

        Ohhhh kaaaayyy. This blog does not support patriarchy but it does support The Bible as the Word of God and good for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. The problem is that many people misunderstand the Bible. A large part of that is that they believe that the King James Version is inspired (God breathed.) It is not. The scripture is only inspired in the original tongues, as it was given by God. Anything else is a translation, preserved by God but not infallible. One must have a basic understanding of the original text and what it means, as well as the context in order to completely understand some verses and that is why some fall into the error of abusing their children and calling it God’s will.

  8. C.L. Dyck on April 26, 2012 at 11:35 pm

    Oh, bless you, Linda. I saw a tweet of a Doug Wilson post recently and the tone just screamed patriocentric (plus total nonsense hermeneutics of the sort that come out of that school of thought). But I knew he wasn’t Phillips. This post was at the top of Google’s list. Thanks!

    ~Cat

  9. Jessica F on July 14, 2011 at 12:10 am

    http://www.hobbylobby.com/customer_service/contact_us_form.cfm?company=1&addr=1&dept=1

    This is the link to Hobby Lobby’s customer service email. Please copy and paste the form letter or write one of your own to send, asking that the store stop ALL funding of Vision Forum. Thanks!

    • Hermana Linda on July 14, 2011 at 9:01 am

      Thank you for that. But where is the form letter?

  10. Rick James on February 25, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    Another person that should be on that list is Peter Kershaw, himself a “patriarch” with 5 children. His book, “In Caesar’s Grip”, includes a forward by none other than Howard Phillips. He’s also donated money to the Constitution Party, and is good friends with Michael Anthony Peroutka.

    He was also a good friend of the kinist movement, being a co-author of the Little Geneva blog (now Spiritwaterblood.com), under the name “Hammerman”. However, I don’t think he was a kinist -more like Christian Identity along the lines of Ted Weiland.

  11. Miriam on February 23, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    Moneysavingmomdotcom (Crystal Paine) also promotes VF on her website. It gets a huge amount of traffic. I searched “vision forum” on her site.

  12. Treena on February 21, 2011 at 8:47 pm

    Did you type it in to see her blog?? She has a beautiful blog that I follow with many wonderful thoughts on Christianity, motherhood, domestic life. However, she is openly affilicated with Ladies Against Feminisim and is a contributer for Raising Homemakers. She talks a lot about their beliefs which very much line up with the Quiverful movement, no birthcontrol, large families, anti-feminisim etc. etc.

    • Hermana Linda on February 21, 2011 at 9:12 pm

      I did see her blog but was unable to find any direct connection to Vision Forum therein. I did find Raising Homemakers to be promoting VF products. Thank you.

  13. Treena on February 21, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    Another one is awisewomanbuildsherhome

    sorry, you wanted names not links!!

  14. Treena on February 21, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    A few other blogs that are also affilicated Cultivating Home and Raising Homemakers.

    • Hermana Linda on February 21, 2011 at 3:03 pm

      Thank you. However, I am not finding a connection with Cultivating Home. Do you have more info?

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