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March 28, 2024, 05:14:43 pm *
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Author Topic: HSLT- Past experiences?  (Read 5695 times)
deadprophet
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« on: August 14, 2018, 12:17:04 pm »

New to these forums. Found these forums after doing a curious google search on Mark Darling, who we were taught to revere. Look at him now.... Spent my entire youth involved in the GCM movement with a church in Indiana that was involved heavily in the GCM movement but wasnt popular enough because it wasnt megachurch status.
Is there anyone here that attended High School Leadership Training (HSLT) in Myrtle Beach or Denver? This would have been the time period between 1998-2003 Looking back on this time now, there were highly inappropriate discussions taking place in the smaller group settings with the youth. Mark Darling was always a key speaker at these. 
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Linda
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« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2018, 12:40:42 pm »

Could you elaborate on the highly inappropriate discussions, please? We paid a lot of money to send our children to these. What types of conversations and teaching took place? This is sickening and maddening.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2018, 01:38:29 pm by Linda » Logged

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deadprophet
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« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2018, 01:54:34 pm »

This being a week long event, there were groups of 5-6 of us that would be lodged in condo style houses. I am going to leave out the name of
the counselor assigned to us, but we would go around the room talking about what we thought about when we masturbated and the feelings it gave us.
The teens in the group that confessed to masturbating were made to discuss this openly and completely uncensored to the rest of us.
There were a couple guys in our group who had obviously never even experienced that before, and so you had entirely new thoughts and topics
being discussed with virgin ears including men who were doubting their sexuality.
One night, after trying to convert as many people as we could with the "street blitz" in Loveland, Mark Darling asked for all the men (I say men but
we were all 12-16 years of age) to meet in the auditorium. We were asked to raise our hands if we weren't virgins. Those that raised their
hands were asked to describe their sexual experiences and then shamed for it. Back then I assumed that since all these men were in positions
of power and authority that this was part of becoming more spiritual. Now as a parent, I say how dare you talk to my child like this.
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Linda
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« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2018, 03:06:45 pm »

That is absolutely disgusting.

I am so sorry for all who experienced this and am angry at the “leaders” who allowed this to happen. I pray all will be exposed.

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GodisFaithful
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« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2018, 06:57:25 pm »

This goes right along with what Suzanne said happened to her, Mark Darling asking her extremely inappropriate questions of a sexual nature. And other women came forward saying the same thing.

And Mark Darling is going to go on to mentor men? He has disqualified himself.

Did he think he could get away with this sick stuff??  At least some of the truth is finally coming out, but meanwhile, many young people were harmed.
« Last Edit: August 15, 2018, 07:24:56 am by GodisFaithful » Logged
deadprophet
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« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2018, 09:55:11 am »

HSLT was also a breeding ground for the up and coming predator. Not all the kids who attended the camp were from strong Christian homes. Often times
parents would send their reject kids to this camp. It was very easy for a 16-17 year old male with sexual experience and desires to groom a girl of 12-13 years
of age at this event. I know because it happened to a family member who fell for the bad boy of the group.  Even though there was curfew, it was broken constantly.
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Linda
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« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2018, 10:04:01 am »

This is awful.

How prevalent was this, do you think?

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deadprophet
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« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2018, 01:11:59 pm »

Well lets see.... You spend the entire week getting broken down emotionally and being told that you've been sinning, so your
self esteem is pretty low in general. The multi hour concert events everyday where you can go up on stage and bare it all
are bound to get the emotions going. The intimate prayer sessions, the street witnessing, you name it, all of these are designed
to make you not think for yourself.
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AgathaL'Orange
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« Reply #8 on: August 15, 2018, 05:07:47 pm »

Absolutely unacceptable.  We were HSLT youth leaders and I never would have stood for this. We were actually told that we asked our kids to be too involved in the word and Biblical discussions.  We were to tone it down.

All we were doing was setting aside 15-20 minutes of quiet time for kids to have time with their devotional.  Just a set time of quiet in the house for this purpose.  But that was "too much."  I wonder perhaps they thought we should be discussing sex more.  Eyeroll.
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Lost Creature
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« Reply #9 on: November 03, 2018, 07:05:42 am »

I remember HSLT...I don't remember these things, but I do remember HSLT...

I don't remember much of what any of the speakers said (so, if they did say any of this, maybe I wasn't paying attention...), but I do remember being uncomfortable with the street/beach evangelism. I do remember it being a very emotionally liberating time in my life, as the friends I went with were some of the closest friends I have ever had. More than half of them are no longer going to my church (though, most are going to other churches), but we still remember that time.

The 2 years I went to HSLT meant a lot to me...not only did I get to finally truly come to grips with whether I believed God really cared about me, but I experienced this journey alongside close friends...and with that said, I admit that I have a more nostalgically romantic view of this time in my life...

If I were to travel back in time as my adult self, I would probably see things that I didn't see before and see things that I don't think are right.
But right now, I want to keep hearing stories from former and current GCX members...I want to know what really happened...not just what I saw...
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