International Christian Church

International Christian Church

Globes that the ICC gives to missionaries.
Classification Christian, Restorationist, Christian Fundamentalism
Orientation Bible, Restorationist, Discipleship
Associations MERCYworldwide, UpSideDown21, Discipleship Media, International College of Christian Ministries
Region 21 nations[1]
Founder Kip McKean & Elena McKean
Origin 2006[2]
Portland, Oregon
Separated from International Churches of Christ
Members less than 3000

The International Christian Church (ICC) is a conservative fundamentalist Christian denomination. One of their foundational beliefs is that they are required to evangelize the whole world in one generation.[3] Beginning in 2006 with 800 members as a split from the International Churches of Christ (ICOC), nine years later the ICC claim a worldwide membership of approximately 3000.[4]

History

The International Christian Church, which refers to itself as the "Sold-out" Movement because members are completely "sold-out" to a life of discipleship, was formed in 2006 by Kip McKean[4] after his dismissal from the International Churches of Christ (ICOC). This early stage was called the "Portland Movement" in the same way that McKean's earlier associations were called the "Crossroads Movement" (after the Crossroads Church of Christ, Gainesville, Florida) and the "Boston Movement" (later the ICOC). McKean sent out a mission team to begin a new congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2006 and then led a team to Los Angeles in 2007 to start the City of Angels International Christian Church.

In August 2008, the Portland International Christian Church, the founding church of the ICC, made the decision to break ties with McKean and the ICC.[5] The church chose to realign itself with the ICOC family of churches.[6] Four other churches, initially listed with the Portland Movement, followed Portland's lead and disassociated themselves from the International Christian Churches.[4]

One of the biggest challenges for the ICC is keeping the people they baptize actively involved afterwards. As one of the ICC Evangelists wrote:

“ Look at the fall away rate around the movement. It is close to 80% now. Even in LA there’s a near 90% fall away rate. (369 people were baptized in and 337 people fell away in LA in 2015)" [7] ”

The International Christian Church is currently banned from the campus of Boston's Northeastern University.[8]

Beliefs and practices

Each new member must study the Bible, agree that they are currently lost and separated from God as a consequence of their previous sins, agree to submit their life to Jesus and the authority of the church, make God and the church their first priority in their life, confess and repent of their sins, and be baptized (fully immersed) in water for the forgiveness of those sins.

The general practice of the church is to publish a weekly "Good News email" which discusses the people joining the church. Websites themed "Why I left the ICC" have sprung up to provide another perspective of all the people leaving the church. The International Churches of Christ disfellowshipped McKean due to similar complaints of unbiblical leadership practices.[9]

The ICC emphasizes that Jesus' church in the Bible was persecuted, and therefore, members should not be concerned when outsiders refer to the ICC as a cult or with other emotionally-charged terminology. In fact, the ICC teaches that having detractors is great evidence that they are effectively imitating the teachings and practices of the church of the first century. Victor Gonzalez, having been a part of the ICC since its inception, disagrees. He was dismissed from the church for disagreeing with some church practices. He describes having been "physically manhandled" by top leaders when he attended the ICC's annual leadership conference.[10] The ICC leadership say that he was not happy because he was not chosen to be a World Sector Leader.[11]

“ Most disciples "expect" persecution from "the world." The false charges against God's new SoldOut Movement include being labeled a "cult," and our members derided as "brainwashed" and "mind-controlled." - Kip McKean, March 8, 2014[12] ”

Each member is expected to give 10% of their income to the church. Additionally there are three "Special Contributions" during the year which each member is expected to give 25x his normal weekly contribution.[13]

Relationship with other Churches

According to Michael Taliaferro, leaders of the ICC misrepresent the beliefs of the ICOC and also paint a misleading picture, often calling it "dead and dying", despite the ICOC growing by over 15 000 members in the last few years.[14] Both the ICC and ICOC have criticized "mainline" churches of Christ, though in recent years, since McKean's dismissal, the ICOC has been less focused on, and consequently less critical of the mainline churches.

McKean has repeatedly admitted that he has struggled with bitterness in his heart towards some of the leaders of the ICOC, which comes out in his speaking and descriptions of the ICOC.

“ I do believe that for most "remnant veteran disciples," acedia [bitterness] is our "sin of choice" as our "hope" of a glorious church that would reach all nations was "deferred" by our sins!" - Kip McKean, June 16th, 2014 ”

[15] McKean also states that "most ICOC churches changed their names to align with the CoC", whereas only 5 of the 650 churches actually did so.[16] Additionally the ICC has classes at the annual leadership Jubilee, where members are trained and instructed how to reach out to and "harvest" people away from their "former fellowship".[17] They try to boost their growth by "drawing disciples away" from their current ICOC congregations. This is consistent with what the scriptures teach in Acts 20:30[18]

The church justifies its tactics to recruit from existing churches of disciples by using "remnant theology". This is an Old Testament concept describing Israelites who had not fallen into idolatry and abandoned their faith. This theology is applied to New Testament disciples who are in churches not under McKean's leadership. This same "Remnant Theology" has been used by many groups to make the group feel unique and justify exclusivism. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, has put a lot of emphasis on the remnant theme.[19] McKean has used the term at least since 1996 when he was first consolidating leadership of the then-autonomous "Crossroads" churches under the leadership of himself and the elders of the Boston Church of Christ. He now refers to the disciples who have left ICOC churches to join the ICC as the remnant. McKean accuses the ICOC of reverting to "mainline" doctrines which he considers unbiblical, such as congregational autonomy.

Further tenets of the church:

The full outline of basic beliefs are available for study in the church's published doctrinal guide, called "First Principles."[20]

Meetings and ministries

The ICC has several main meetings: Sunday worship, the World Missions Jubilee, and the Global Leadership Conference (GLC), as well as the Spanish-language Latin ministry (Ministerio Latino).

Sunday worship services are held every week with singing, prayer, communion, contribution for ministry expenses, contribution for benevolence, sermon, announcements, and fellowship. Once or more times a year there is another contribution, the "Special Contribution," which is typically a multiple of 15-21 times the regular weekly contribution. This "Special Contribution" is taken up to fund missions and additional ministry expenses. Great emphasis is placed on each member reaching his or her goals of regular and sacrificial financial giving.

The International College of Christian Ministry (ICCM) is the internal "university" of the ICC. Credits are gained through hours spent leading Bible Talks amongst other study courses, so it is not accredited, but the ICCM can award symbolic Bachelor, Masters and Doctorate Degrees in the ICC's Ministry. Though these degrees would not be recognized anywhere else.[21]

The Global Leadership Conference (GLC) is an annual conference for members in leadership roles or those who aspire to leadership within the church.[22]

The World Missions Jubilee is a semi-annual conference of all of the congregations from around the world and all members are strongly encouraged to attend. Heavy fundraising usually takes place leading up to this conference to help pay for the many conference expenses as well as ministry compensation and expenses.

Ministerio Latino is Spanish for "Latin ministry" and are Spanish-speaking groups within some ICC churches.[23]

Associations

The ICC runs and helps fund several organizations that organize charitable work, publishing, religious education and the dissemination of church news.

MERCY Worldwide

Founded in 2008 and based on HOPE Worldwide, Maximizing Efforts for Relief Care and Youth (MERCY), is the benevolent arm of the church and organizes charitable events. Currently Nick & Denise Bordieri serve as Executive Director[24] and Executive Vice President.[25] Some of the events run by MERCY include: an international toy drive[26] and a blood drive across the US in partnership with the Red Cross.[27] MERCY Worldwide recently acquired the Workforce Developer Network of Chicago, a network of over 35 agencies throughout Chicago that works to find jobs for people with mental disabilities.[28]

Discipleship Media

Discipleship Media (DM) is the nascent publishing arm of the ICC and currently publishes "First Principles" church booklets written by church founder Kip McKean.

Good News Network

The Good News Network (GNN) is the film-making arm of the ICC, and has produced the short film, Eyes Wide Open and Respect.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Crown of Thorns Project Update". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  2. ↑ kip-mckean.com – Get Your Answers Here!
  3. ↑ http://www.icochotnews.com/?q=node/96
  4. 1 2 3 Roger Lamb and the Disciples Today Editorial Advisory Board. "Kip McKean Starts The International Christian Churches". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Portland Breaks with McKean. Extends the Hand of Fellowship to the ICOC". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Portland Becoming a Popular Destination". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  7. ↑ http://www.icochotnews.com/?q=node/96
  8. ↑ http://www.northeastern.edu/spirituallife/Pdf/csds_brochure_final.pdf
  9. ↑ Brothers from the ICOC (November 4, 2005). "Brothers' Statement to Kip McKean 4 November 2005". Disciples Today. Retrieved May 6, 2012..
  10. ↑ "City Of Angels International Christian Church (ICC) Blog". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Kipmckean.com - Get Your Answers Here!". Kip McKean. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  12. ↑ http://www.caicc.net/2014/03/08/tear-down-this-wall-by-kip-mckean/ Kip McKean, CAICC.net website, March 8, 2014
  13. ↑ http://www.caicc.net/we-are-family/
  14. ↑ "HotNews Response to Raul Moreno ICC Editorial". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  15. ↑ "City of Angels International Christian Church » A Member of the SoldOut Discipling Movement » ACEDIA – THE FORGOTTEN SIN". City of Angels International Christian Church. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  16. ↑ "WORLDWIDE: ICOC PLANTS 98 NEW CHURCHES SINCE 2003". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  17. ↑ Raul Moreno, "Bringing in the Remnant", 2013 Global Leadership Conference
  18. ↑ "Acts 20:30". Bible Gateway. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Beliefs". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  20. ↑ http://www.caicc.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/FirstPrinciples_Eng.pdf
  21. ↑ "City Of Angels International Christian Church (ICC) Blog". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Report: 2012 Global Leadership Conference – Chosen". Washington DC International Christian Church. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  23. ↑ "City Of Angels International Christian Church (ICC) Blog". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Nick Bordieri". MERCYWORLDWIDE. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Denise Bordieri – Contact - MERCYWORLDWIDE". MERCYWORLDWIDE. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  26. ↑ "TOY DRIVE". MERCYWORLDWIDE. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  27. ↑ "BLOOD DRIVE". MERCYWORLDWIDE. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Workforce Developer Network Finds Jobs for 101 People with Disabilities, Gets Acquired by MERCYWORLDWIDE". MERCYWORLDWIDE. Retrieved January 15, 2015.

External links

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