The Jericho Plan

[TidesofTruth]

If they want to collect they better hurry.  Indiana has a 6 year statute of limitation on un-acted on debt.

 

[Tennessean]

Ok....I have a lot to say about this...but I will try to keep it short.

1. The first year of Jericho the Jericho students were herded into the dining hall and had a contract placed in front of them and told to sign it.  They did NOT have an opportunity to read it thoroughly or have their parents read it or have an attorney read it.  They trusted their "authority" and signed a document they did not understand because they were forced  to do so.  That is illegal.  Don't get all technical with the word "forced".  If you were there during that time, you know it was forced.  Not physically...no one held their hand down...but it was forced nonetheless.  Now, how they handled the contract after that first year, I do not know. 

2. The college breached the contract in several ways.  Not the least of which is that the program changed regularly.  They were not offered a new contract when things changed.  Another example:  after watching the program failing, JS got up in chapel and threw a temper tantrum and told the students that they could leave and not repay the program.  If they weren't serious, he wanted them out. Surely someone, somewhere has a recording of that chapel "sermon".

Our son went all the way through the Jericho program to graduation...and, yes, the bill was paid in full by my son...including all the things they added on that we not in the contract.  I could tell you stories.  Remember, they were making up the Jericho Plan as they went along.  A lot of things changed from the first year to the last.

I know several people who got that letter...and some are pretty big names.  When one pastor called JS personally, his friend, about the fact that the Jericho program hurt their son, he was told that there was nothing wrong with the program....they (the college) were sent flawed material.  Yes, those are the exact words that were used.  "Flawed material". 

The Jericho Plan was a disaster from the very beginning.  I know.  We were there for the implementation.  The staff had no idea what they were doing and they were making the "plan" up as they went along. The didn't have enough staff to handle the regulations of the program and the students had WAAAAAAY too much time on their hands.  They weren't allowed to get jobs back in the beginning and they weren't allowed to even SPEAK to the opposite sex for the first six weeks.  These are the same kids that were told that they shouldn't date in high school and should wait til college to do it.  Then....when they got to college, they weren't allowed to date then either!  What a psychotic place.  Not at all...in any way, shape, or form...the same college we went to in the early 80's.

Can you post a copy of the contract.

 

[cast.sheep]

No.  Our son was in the first class of Jericho students... 2008.  That class never received a contract until they were herded into the dining hall, presented with it, told to sign on the dotted line, and then turned it in.  I never got to read it before he signed it and he never received a copy.  He was 18.  They felt no need to involve parents because the student was legally an adult.  My spouse saw a contract sometime later, but has no copy.

 

[PR6771]

I still don't see the tie in with a Biblical supernatural battle. Maybe it should have been named the Fantastic Four plan, although that would be a little too Marvel comics-ish for HAC.

If I remember correctly, the time to develop a walk with God and the ability to get good grades for the first two years was supposed to be a 'first victory' in their lives/ministry/college, paralleling the first victory of the Israelites in the Promised Land. The year before, the tour groups sang a lot of Jericho songs, not so much once it was in place...

 

[patriotic]

A few thoughts and experiences of a family member who was a "Jeri": (random order)

1.  A Bible college seldom makes one spiritual unless one has already developed personal character of rising early and reading Bible, etc.

2, Family member did more hours of "volunteer" physical labor on the JP than I ever did on Work Scolarship, Most weeks she cleaned between 35 and 40 hours a week,  She paid almost $2,000 up front, and paid back what they said she owed > $8,000 after transferring after first year. No credit was given for holding down a full time job doing the job of a janitor. (And she still got straight A's,  did not need dorm suoe to get her up as she was/is an adult, and still graduated Summa Cum Laude on time after transferring .)

3) Her supervisor and other JP leaders were quite snotty, but of course that's just opinion.

4) Perhaps, had JS worked and paid his entire way, he would have developed a little more personal character that would have served him better when he reached his mid-50s. I'm not saying it's wrong for parents to help pay tuition or that everyone should have to work,  My parents and a brother once or twice helped pay my tuition. I did pay them back within a few years of graduating, as they sacrificed for me when they sent it.

 

[Dr. Whosoever]

Long time lurker... Just created an account to put in my 2 cents:

I was a student at HAC when the Jericho plan began and was there for a few years after. I have a sibling who joined the Jericho plan, and the hypocrisy in the plan and the way it was carried out destroyed both his and quite a few of his friends desire to have anything to do with IFB. (Not putting all the blame on the Plan! They had their own issues.)

I was at the chapel service when Schaap announced if you wanted out of the Jericho system, get out now and he'd let you go. (Bad paraphrase due to less than stellar memory.) Everyone I talked to after that message saw it as Schaap releasing those who wanted to leave from their contract. (There had previously been ranting sermons about students leaving and defaulting and being pursued for what they owed the Jericho Plan.) This sermon gave quite a few students the courage to leave without them or their parents being financially responsible for that debacle.

If someone forgives a debt, doesn't that mean it isn't owed anymore? I basically feel that Schaap's sermon  was releasing students from HAC and their Plan debt.

Was Schaap's word saying they were released legal?
Was the original contract legal?

 

[qwerty]

https://web.archive.org/web/20101031224114/http://hylesanderson.edu/the-jericho-plan/

The links for testimonial and brochure work.

Perhaps I do not understand, but it looks like the date of this advertisement was October 31, 2010.  The first year of the Jericho Plan started in the fall of 2008. 

When JS first shared his dream called The Jericho Plan with the staff, it did sound somewhat feasible.  He based the whole plan on his own experience at Pillsbury.  His parents paid for his first two years so he didn't have to work and had time to study and spend time with God.  He claimed it was the foundation of his future success.  He wanted other students to have that same opportunity.  It all sounded good.  None of the details were even remotely figured out when the plan went into full motion.  The first year was...well...chaotic.  Because so many students were pushed there...they went not because they wanted to but because that was the only option presented to them... there weren't a whole lot who had a sincere desire to study or spend time with God.  Like typical freshmen, they were more interested in dating, sports, etc.  The staff was stretched to the limit.  It was impossible to enforce all of the rules of the program, especially seeings it was a work in progress and rules were changed nearly every day. 

And, yes, their entire day was regulated.  Their dorm supe would wake them up to read their Bibles.  lol.....  Most went back to sleep after dorm supe left.  You just can't regulate spirituality.

That is the date of the archive of the website.  There are earlier archives: https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://hylesanderson.edu/the-jericho-plan

There were a couple flaws with the plan that were VERY apparent to myself and others on staff at the time.  The first being; according to Schaap's story, his parents paid for the first couple years of his tuition....under the Jerico plan, no one would be paying the first two years.  Second, what about the students paying full price because they had to work their butts off, loose time with their families, and have little sleep while others will get a 4 year education for nearly 50% off.  It would have made more sense to just lower the tuition fro everyone rather that get bogged down in this mess.

I do understand about having a schedule, I do not see anything "cultic" about it.  I saw the schedule, there was plenty of free time for students to do what they want, this was just to help prevent a lot of idle time and schedule time for studies (Bible and class).  I think the plan was poorly designed, thought out, and implemented.  Fiscally it was a nightmare that the college is just getting out from under, as well as the Macbook mess.  It makes sense who was not for it, since their financial genius was quietly moved to another department.

Anyone there would have known what shape the college was in financially.  We had great budgets, good salaries (compared to the past), full chapel and classes.  The plan opened the floodgates to many young, immature Christians who lacked personal discipline to stick to a schedule,.  They were still desiring the "sincere milk of the word", and the college was trying to stuff a prime rib down their gullet.

Allowing students to attend a school without having to pay seemed to really attract some strange ducks...anyone remember Rice Holdout? 

 

[Walt]

I do understand about having a schedule, I do not see anything "cultic" about it.  I saw the schedule, there was plenty of free time for students to do what they want, this was just to help prevent a lot of idle time and schedule time for studies (Bible and class).

Maybe you can help me out -- what is the difference between having "plenty of free time" and trying to "prevent a lot of idle time"??

 

[qwerty]

I do understand about having a schedule, I do not see anything "cultic" about it.  I saw the schedule, there was plenty of free time for students to do what they want, this was just to help prevent a lot of idle time and schedule time for studies (Bible and class).

Maybe you can help me out -- what is the difference between having "plenty of free time" and trying to "prevent a lot of idle time"??

Let's say you have six hours.....they would schedule a 90-120 minutes for Bible and class study and give you four for going to Hooters or what have you.... That is less than the original six.

 

[kaba]

My son attended a Southern Baptist University. PArt of the tuition was an Ipad-if you stayed four years the Ipad was yours, if you left early you paid $200 and it was yours. Good plan I thought.

Bible College should consist of classes, ministry, work and free time. But that wasnt HAC! In the early 80's the WHOLE weekend was bus ministry. I think if it had been balanced it would have been a whole lot better!

 

[4everfsu]

My son attended a Southern Baptist University. PArt of the tuition was an Ipad-if you stayed four years the Ipad was yours, if you left early you paid $200 and it was yours. Good plan I thought.

Bible College should consist of classes, ministry, work and free time. But that wasnt HAC! In the early 80's the WHOLE weekend was bus ministry. I think if it had been balanced it would have been a whole lot better!

Sounds like the church got some cheap labor for the weekend.

 

[kaba]

Sure was!!

 

[BALAAM]

My son attended a Southern Baptist University. PArt of the tuition was an Ipad-if you stayed four years the Ipad was yours, if you left early you paid $200 and it was yours. Good plan I thought.

Bible College should consist of classes, ministry, work and free time. But that wasnt HAC! In the early 80's the WHOLE weekend was bus ministry. I think if it had been balanced it would have been a whole lot better!

When I was there they ridiculed the word balanced! I heard it used in sermons several times and always in a negative way.

 

[kaba]

I think the Jericho Plan, was a "plan" to save a drowning college. Maybe the staff and faculty just need to start serving the Lord and things might turn around!

 

[Tennessean]

https://web.archive.org/web/20101031224114/http://hylesanderson.edu/the-jericho-plan/

The links for testimonial and brochure work.

Perhaps I do not understand, but it looks like the date of this advertisement was October 31, 2010.  The first year of the Jericho Plan started in the fall of 2008. 

When JS first shared his dream called The Jericho Plan with the staff, it did sound somewhat feasible.  He based the whole plan on his own experience at Pillsbury.  His parents paid for his first two years so he didn't have to work and had time to study and spend time with God.  He claimed it was the foundation of his future success.  He wanted other students to have that same opportunity.  It all sounded good.  None of the details were even remotely figured out when the plan went into full motion.  The first year was...well...chaotic.  Because so many students were pushed there...they went not because they wanted to but because that was the only option presented to them... there weren't a whole lot who had a sincere desire to study or spend time with God.  Like typical freshmen, they were more interested in dating, sports, etc.  The staff was stretched to the limit.  It was impossible to enforce all of the rules of the program, especially seeings it was a work in progress and rules were changed nearly every day. 

And, yes, their entire day was regulated.  Their dorm supe would wake them up to read their Bibles.  lol.....  Most went back to sleep after dorm supe left.  You just can't regulate spirituality.

That is the date of the archive of the website.  There are earlier archives: https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://hylesanderson.edu/the-jericho-plan

There were a couple flaws with the plan that were VERY apparent to myself and others on staff at the time.  The first being; according to Schaap's story, his parents paid for the first couple years of his tuition....under the Jerico plan, no one would be paying the first two years.  Second, what about the students paying full price because they had to work their butts off, loose time with their families, and have little sleep while others will get a 4 year education for nearly 50% off.  It would have made more sense to just lower the tuition fro everyone rather that get bogged down in this mess.

I do understand about having a schedule, I do not see anything "cultic" about it.  I saw the schedule, there was plenty of free time for students to do what they want, this was just to help prevent a lot of idle time and schedule time for studies (Bible and class).  I think the plan was poorly designed, thought out, and implemented.  Fiscally it was a nightmare that the college is just getting out from under, as well as the Macbook mess.  It makes sense who was not for it, since their financial genius was quietly moved to another department.

Anyone there would have known what shape the college was in financially.  We had great budgets, good salaries (compared to the past), full chapel and classes.  The plan opened the floodgates to many young, immature Christians who lacked personal discipline to stick to a schedule,.  They were still desiring the "sincere milk of the word", and the college was trying to stuff a prime rib down their gullet.

Allowing students to attend a school without having to pay seemed to really attract some strange ducks...anyone remember Rice Holdout?

An idea like this doesn't seem to ever work. Back in the mid 1980's Dr. Jerry Falwell had a similar idea at Liberty. Hundreds of pastors were sent 2 scholarships that they could give to anyone in their church. The idea was that these pastors would send their best, brightest and most spiritual young people to be "Young Champions."

But the pastors didn't cooperate. They used these free scholarships to Liberty to try to straighten out the bad eggs in their youth groups. So Liberty got hundreds of very bad apples. A guy I went to high school with got one. I could have had the other if I had wanted it. My brother was on staff at the time and said that 10 years later they still referred to that time as the scholarship years. It is a great theory, but doesn't seem to work.

 

[Tennessean]

Here's a bill I just got in the mail about a month ago. I think I may still have a copy of my Jericho Plan brochure on hand somewhere. I'll dig around for it. I also have a copy of my contract somewhere.

Please post the contract if you can. It would be interesting to see the wording.

 

[RAIDER]

Here's a bill I just got in the mail about a month ago. I think I may still have a copy of my Jericho Plan brochure on hand somewhere. I'll dig around for it. I also have a copy of my contract somewhere.

Now this is the first hand reporting for which we are looking!

 

[Tennessean]

Here's a bill I just got in the mail about a month ago. I think I may still have a copy of my Jericho Plan brochure on hand somewhere. I'll dig around for it. I also have a copy of my contract somewhere.

Please post the contract if you can. It would be interesting to see the wording.

Looking over this bill some thoughts come to mind. Assuming it is a legitimate bill, it is a legal document. That is a judge would hold it as legal and binding and hold the student to payment.

But what makes this interesting is the chapel sermon Jack Schaap preached. If he said that if you want out, get up and leave now would that be also legally binding? And if this student took this bill before a judge and his lawyer would argue that the former chancellor forgave this debt, would the former Chancellor be summoned to testify? Wouldn't you like to watch that lawyer/witness exchange?

Or do the Christian thing, honor your word and pay it.

 

[kaba]

So was that over $17,000 for one year of HAC? And now you have to pay for demerits? I would have gone broke!!

 

[Binaca Chugger]

WOW!  Fined for not turning in activity reports!