International Churches of Christ
The International Churches of Christ (ICOC) are a group of Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement Christian churches.
The history of the International Churches of Christ begins in 1979, when Kip McKean led 30 disciples into what became known as the Boston Church of Christ. Despite this recent origin, the International Churches of Christ are tied to the Barton Stone-Alexander Campbell Restoration Movement, as well as being affected by non-Restorationist influences.
A chief influence on the development of the ICOC was the "Crossroads Movement", growing out of the campus ministry of the 14th Street Church of Christ (later Crossroads Church of Christ) at the University of Florida. Campus minister Chuck Lucas created a very successful style or method of ministry and evangelism. The church established a school of ministry to teach its unique discipling methods. Kip McKean and other "Boston Movement" leaders were trained at the Crossroads school. Though the Crossroads Church of Christ repudiated the "Boston Movement" in the late 1980s, its foundational role cannot be overlooked. McKean and others developed and expanded their methods based on those started by Lucas.
The Lexington Church of Christ, outside of Boston, Massachusetts, was considering closing its doors when they decided to call Kip McKean as minister in 1979. Within a couple of years, the church grew from about 30 to over 300. In 1981, McKean and the church began to fulfill a "vision" of organizing churches in key world metropolitan centers. By the early 1990s, almost 150 churches had been organized.
While the doctrines of the ICOC are rooted in the Restoration Movement, these churches have also accepted and adapted certain beliefs and practices foreign to the majority of the Churches of Christ. These include: a somewhat hierarchical form of church polity; discipling "methods" with roots in The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman; and a certain amount of authority of the "leader" or "discipler" over the disciple. The ICOC, or Boston Movement, inherited the exclusivism of its parent body, and not only separates from the majority of Christendom, but the Churches of Christ as well. In this they are a true church movement (recognizing only themselves as the true church). The movement has also added to the requirements for baptism - an individual must be a disciple prior to baptism.
Though still widely known as the "Boston Movement", the official name is International Churches of Christ, which was adopted in 1993. The official web site indicates the church had grown to 135,039 members in 434 congregations by January of 2003.
In November 2001, the top leaders of the movement, Kip and Elena Mckean, announced that they were stepping down from leading the Los Angeles Church of Christ take a sabbatical for unspecified amount of time in order to focus on "marriage and family issues." In November 2002, the McKeans announced their resignations from their roles as World Mission Evangelist, Women's Ministry Leader and Leader of the World Sector Leaders.
In February 2003, Henry Kriete, a leader in the London Church of Christ, wrote an open letter titled "Honest to God" to the leadership of the ICOC criticizing many of its practices. Henry Kriete called for the leaders of the ICOC to renounce, abandon and repent of its systemic abusive practices, financial capriciousness, attitudes and abberrational teachings.
The denomination has received much criticism from anti-cult activists and former members. Several common complaints have focused on: a) the enforcement, overtly and/or covertly, of an extensive set of extra-Biblical behavioral norms created by the founders governing such issues as dating, financial management, marriage, contribution requirements, and weekly "activity" routines, b) a longstanding claim of open financial records ("the books are always open") that was rapidly withdrawn by the highest level leaders after the aforementioned whistle-blower released his devastating letter in early 2003, and c) the prioritization of the "Great Commission" (personal evangelism) as the fulfillment of the "greatest commandments" (according to Jesus, loving God with all one's heart and loving neighbors as one's self).
Many ex-members insist this organization is a damaging cult, while loyal members deny the assertion and defend the organization, its founders, and leaders vigorously.
It should be noted that since the period of time in late 2002/early 2003, many of the International Churches of Christ have gone in different directions. Some have chosen to stay with the "old ways," whereas some have thrown off and done away with the old practices. Results of either course of action vary from church to church; some thrive/despair under the old ways, while some thrive/despair having chosen to utilize "new wineskins."
