Gothard headquarters downsizing, moving to Big Sandy

[HereticHick]

Mods, please merge if someone has already posted about this.

 

Staddon Family blog announces that IBLP is downsizing & moving from Chicago to Big Sandy.

 

staddonfamily.com/2015/09/14/texas-ho/

 

The decision has been made. Last week it was officially announced that IBLP will be relocating its headquarters from Chicago to Big Sandy, Texas. The trends over the last 15 years have shown that the ministry has more properties than it currently needs, and after much prayer and consideration it was decided that it would be a financially strategic move to consolidate with the ALERT campus down in Texas. While not unexpected, the move will still be quite a change for all of us.

...

God miraculously provided the Oak Brook property for the Institute back in 1969, and since then groups and delegations from all over the world have come seeking practical instruction on how to apply Scriptural principles to every aspect of life. While this brings a chapter of IBLP’s history to a close, the vision of introducing people to Jesus Christ and providing families, churches, businesses, and nations with Biblical training on how to find true success in life remains unchanged. The Lord has worked mightily in the past and we are excited about what He has for the future. We are all one body in Christ (1 Cor. 12), and as each member looks to the Head and follows His leading we know He has great things in store for each one.

[PurpleCats]

Just what Texas needs - an influx of ultra right wing religious nut jobs.

[nolongerIFBx]

Guess Michael and Brandon have to move again.

[slickcat79]

I hope this means that they're losing influence, losing members and feeling unwelcome in Chicagoland :pray:

But yeah, looks like it might be moving time for Pris & Pecan, plus Robert & Kendalyn.

[Sweet Fellowship]

Pecan and Pris will have to move too.

[HereticHick]

I guess we now know why Gil Bates & a few Bateseseses went to Chicago last week-- he's on the IBLP Board.

So, as the Gothard empire downsizes & moves to Big Sandy-- which IBLP employees will lose their jobs?

The Pecan Thief?

Kendalyn's husband?

Brandon Keilen? (last in, first out??)

Assorted Staddons?

Am I correct in guessing that housing prices are probably cheaper in Big Sandy Texas than in Oak Brook Illinois?

[nokidsmom]

We know that business has declined for IBLP over the last few years so it's not that surprising to me. Maintaining that campus can't come cheap, it's expensive real estate.

It should be interesting if the Pecans, Staddons and Keilens move to the new location.

[quiversR4hunting]

Can't wait to see the price and pictures on the real estate websites of these buildings. :gleefully wringing of hands/:

[quiversR4hunting]

I guess we now know why Gil Bates & a few Bateseseses went to Chicago last week-- he's on the IBLP Board.

So, as the Gothard empire downsizes & moves to Big Sandy-- which IBLP employees will lose their jobs?

The Pecan Thief?

Kendalyn's husband?

Brandon Keilen? (last in, first out??)

Assorted Staddons?

Am I correct in guessing that housing prices are probably cheaper in Big Sandy Texas than in Oak Brook Illinois?

In general, Texas has a lower cost of living than greater Chicago and a lot of places in the great Lakes states.

[Cleopatra7]

I hope this means that they're losing influence, losing members and feeling unwelcome in Chicagoland :pray:

But yeah, looks like it might be moving time for Pris & Pecan, plus Robert & Kendalyn.

Real estate in Chicago is probably very expensive and the Gothard empire has been severely contracting in the last ten years; the Talking Points Memo article on Gothard that has been making the rounds says that, "the ministry took in $1,186,809 in seminar fees, and $2,838,726 in home school tuition. By 2013, seminar fees had dropped to $79,777, and home school tuition to $740,496." Hopefully, within the next couple of years, Gothardism will be another failed Christian fad, like the equally abusive "shepherding movement."

[HereticHick]

I blame Joshua "Sin in the Camp" Duggar. :lol:

PS The Paines (Chad's family in OK) mentioned recently that their daughter Abby had returned from working at IBLP --I wonder if she is the first round of IBLP refugees now being sent home.

[nokidsmom]

From the blog entry:

"The trends over the last 15 years have shown that the ministry has more properties than it currently needs"

This. Things have been declining for quite some time now.

[artdecades]

I guess we now know why Gil Bates & a few Bateseseses went to Chicago last week-- he's on the IBLP Board.

So, as the Gothard empire downsizes & moves to Big Sandy-- which IBLP employees will lose their jobs?

The Pecan Thief?

Kendalyn's husband?

Brandon Keilen? (last in, first out??)

Assorted Staddons?

Am I correct in guessing that housing prices are probably cheaper in Big Sandy Texas than in Oak Brook Illinois?

Brandon is high profile now that he married a reality TV star. They wouldn't want to cut him when they could get all the free publicity of mentioning him on reality tv. Now Pecan is a tricky one. He has been a loyal Gothardite, but will his association with his skeezy brother in law hurt his career?

ETA: IBLP always struck me as Scientology like with their vast amounts of properties and shadowy associated organizations. I guess they don't have the Scientology bank account to keep it up.

[Cleopatra7]

I blame Joshua "Sin in the Camp" Duggar. :lol:

PS The Paines (Chad's family in OK) mentioned recently that their daughter Abby had returned from working at IBLP --I wonder if she is the first round of IBLP refugees now being sent home.

At least this ATI/IBLP restructuring shows that not too many people bought into the Duggars' "ministry," which was something I always worried about. The Duggars have been in the national media for almost ten years and during that period, ATI has shrunk to practically nothing.

[doggie]

Just what Texas needs - an influx of ultra right wing religious nut jobs.

it is like peeing in the ocean.

[princessmahina]

I am so happy to see this.

Anyone taking bets on how long it will take for the IBLP empire to completely crumble? Ten years?

[Mary C Doates]

Wonder if they're selling off the Journey to the Heart property as well.

[nokidsmom]

At least this ATI/IBLP restructuring shows that not too many people bought into the Duggars' "ministry," which was something I always worried about. The Duggars have been in the national media for almost ten years and during that period, ATI has shrunk to practically nothing.

I noticed the same thing. ATI/IBLP was shrinking even as their biggest "spokesfamily" rose to fame. Shows how many fans were enamored of the family without knowing, caring about or buying into their beliefs.

I am sure Gil has made sure that his son in law remains.

[Dandruff]

This decision must have been in the works for a long time, so I'd bet the Staddons, Wallers, and Keilens are set to move. Don't know that they'd need to fire people since so many of the staff are so-called volunteers. It'll be interesting to see whether the HQ campus and other properties are actually going to be sold or rented out.

I noticed that Gothard's name wasn't mentioned once in the Staddon announcement. Not a surprise.

Since their focus on evangelizing hasn't changed (and why would it?), maybe they'll be starting more small offices in the US and abroad to try to build some new roots. Pure speculation, of course.

[HereticHick]

During Brandon & Michaella's prolonged (by fundy standards) courtship, Kelly posted a number of vague things about Brandon needing to save up before he got engaged, and things such as "I think they will live in Chicago" and "I think he will work at a ministry in Chicago." Her evasiveness all makes sense now!!

[FundieWatcher]

I'd like to them being downsized to being run out of a prison cell, but this is a start.

[Crocoduck]

Oak Brook is a desirable Chicago suburb. McDonalds' world headquarters is there, among many other good employers. According to Wikipedia, the median home value is $837,000. Knowing nothing about their building, it's a safe bet that it's worth a good amount of $$$$$$. I hope their bank account gets hacked.

[quiversR4hunting]

Wonder if they're selling off the Journey to the Heart property as well.

The JTTH property appears to be beautiful. I checked it out on google earth & I looked at the pictures on their website. A buyer for that would need deep pockets because it isn't like it's just outside a large city to draw convention goers or retreaters to the area. It's 3 hours from Green Bay which only has about 100,000 people; Milwaukee is another 2 hours south of Green Bay. Duluth, MN is also about 3 hours away from it. None of the cities in the UP are close enough or big enough to keep it running either. Don't get me wrong, I hear the porcupine mt in the UP and Lake of the clouds (near Ontonagon) are beautiful but how many people tour that every year?

[HereticHick]

The JTTH property is the Northwoods Conference Center in Michigan: northwoodsconference.com/ which can be rented out for conferences, reunions, etc. So they may want to hold on to that if they able to rent it out enough to make a profit.

[quiversR4hunting]

Oak Brook is a desirable Chicago suburb. McDonalds' world headquarters is there, among many other good employers. According to Wikipedia, the median home value is $837,000. Knowing nothing about their building, it's a safe bet that it's worth a good amount of $$$$$$. I hope their bank account gets hacked.

On the other hand Big Sandy only has about 1200 residents (I feel bad for them) and the estimated median house or condo value in 2013 was $88,785 and for all of Texas the median value is $132,000. According to Zillow there are 39 houses for sale in the big sandy TX area with at least 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Prices from $15,000 (auction home) to a 5000 sq ft home on 16 acres is also on the auction block for a minimum of $699,000.

I agree with you, Crocoduck, Oak Brook is desirable and the organization will get a lot of money for the property.

So does old man Gothard finally want to leave winter behind and live out his golden years in Texas? (A lot of people from the great lake states move to AZ, TX or FL when they retire.)