Essential Steps to Baptism into the ICC
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To be "open" or curious about ICC dogmas one must "hear" the Word,as ICC sees it as a first step to become a "disciple." The instance at which you are "met" or approached by a member or when you are first exposed to ICC dogma is when you are said to "hear." | |
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To accept ICC teachings, it is not enough to just simply"believe," you are fully expected and commanded to behave to act accordingly. To "believe" in the ICC is to be willing to reflect,regret, and rejoice in the thought that Jesus is "continually dying",as the ICC teaches, for your "sin". | |
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To change once and for all is to repent, however, ICC repentance is a repeat conditioned response to designated "sin" usually. in accordance with group behavior and thought. An one-time change for the better, yet ICC continual emphasis on change has members in constant state of reform- thus rebaptism,reconstructions,--all part of behavior modification to keep person inconstant state of flux. | |
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To "confess" is to reveal to ICC member every detail of personal inadequacies/ secrets/ desires/ emotions as a means of being approved by group, thus by "God." "Confessions" are elicited out of members/ new recruits and are never kept confidential. | |
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Once recruit has gone through all standard studies, he/she is"baptized" (fully immersed into a body of water) into the ICC. The person having "met" new member is accredited for "saving" the new member. | |
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To "obey," submit to elders in the ICC, is to "obey God." |
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Concept that a man and a woman cannot enjoy one another's company without having lustful thoughts. All "dates" are structured with more than one couple. |
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Comprised of 4-5 men and 4-5 women, these subgroups hold preplanned group by indoctrination sessions each week. | |
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Designated for teens in the ICC | |
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Women usually separate from men into this- women preach to women and teach one another, may not preach to men. | |
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Men separate from women-men preach to men. | |
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For highly concentrated minorities in a particular area, ICC appeals to these groups with their own ministry. Most of these ministerial appointments have questionable agendas, i.e.,. the HIV Ministry. | |
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The individual groups comprised of several Bible Talks | |
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Comprised of two-three neighboring ICC ministries | |
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Regional divisions of ICC church plantings. Typically about 200--500 people. | |
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A division of a Zone. Usu. about 50--200 people. | |
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Also "planting"-the nearest major city for which group is usually named, "The (city name) Church of Christ." | |
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The ICC views itself as the "Kingdom of God." This term used to set up distinction between ICC and outside world-"we/they" mentality. |
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How much a typical "Lead Evangelist" makes in the ICC. | |
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How much each UC Berkeley "Campus Advance"/ICC member was told to give for the SMC (Special Misions Comtribution) in March 1996. | |
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Roughly how much of contribution goes to poor/charitable purposes. | |
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How much of contribution used for renting facilities. | |
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How much contribution used for evangelist pay and evangelist's expenses. | |
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How much the SMC multiplier was in 1993 for SFCC. Note: to calculate the SMC dollar amount, disciples multiply the SMC multiplier by their normal weekly contribution. The SMC is given in addition to the normal 10% of gross tithing that members contribute to the sect. | |
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How much SMC multiplier was in 1996 for SMC. | |
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Year by which Kip McKean predicts he will have evangelisized the world in his generation. |
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10-15% gross income collected during mid-week service-check preferred. No postdated or rain checks. | |
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One to two times a year, all-out push for members to contribute 15.3 to 22 times regular contribution--Sometimes leaders designate how much members should give based not on current income, but income potential. | |
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A small optional contribution, taken on Sundays to appease"visitors" from traditional Churches of Christ. |
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ICC teaches that grace of God apparent only when having been "met"and when having attained approval of leaders for only reason- works-based salvation deny the power of God's grace. | |
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All events are implied as mandatory. | |
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Although members have the appearance of sincerity or genuineness,they are not necessarily trustworthy. | |
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ICC teaches that Jesus is deceptive, thus a liar. Christianity teaches that Jesus shows us the truth that sets us free. | |
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Love of God is unconditional, yet ICC teaches He cuts off and rejects those who do not conform to ICC standards. |
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From blitzkrieg (German, lit. lightning-war), A strident, all-out, unexpected attack adapted to describe the random unsolicited mass "sharing your faith" method on campuses, in malls, other places where crowds are frequent. | |
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A "Conversion Calendar" is a well-hidden chart kept by some members to determine the course of an unsuspecting recruit's indoctrination process. Using such a chart, members are able to keep track of when they "met" the person, how long that person has"studied the Bible," which days to "fast" for an expedient conversion, and on which day the member envisions "baptism" will occur. | |
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To aggressively pursue someone as a means of recruiting them."Following-up" with someone may include showing up at their home to walk them places, joining them unexpectedly for dinner, calling them up late Saturday nights to remind them of "Sunday Service" the following day, etc. | |
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Fruit |
A newly "baptized disciple" is considered a "fruit" in that he/she is a result of someone else's recruiting efforts. "Bearing fruit"or recruiting members is often emphasized as a "disciple's" way of maintaining one's "salvation". |
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Those having joined the ICC are trained to accredit their"relationship with God" to having been "met" by a "disciple. Only those who are "met" by a "disciple," the ICC teaches, can eventually be "saved". | |
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Members, usually. "Bible Talk Leaders and Co-Leaders" are often asked during leadership meetings to make "predictions" or to foresee the potential "baptisms" within their "Bible Talks". | |
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To form a relationship with someone outside of the ICC under the guise of getting them eventually join the ICC. "Reaching out"includes inviting people to "Game or Campus Nights," play video games, Super Bowl parties, barbecues, volleyball games, other fun and seemingly innocuous activities. | |
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Inviting people to services, even if "sharing" (speaking of beliefs) about Christ and the Cross, ultimate goal is to get people to services. "Sharing your faith" is a requirement for being a "true disciple". "Disciples" who do not "share their faith" frequently(several times a day) and with results (new recruits) run the risk of being "disfellowshipped" (kicked out of the movement). | |
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"Stats lists" are controversial ledgers the leadership maintain to keep track of the following: number of prospective and recent conversions, monetary pledges members are forced to make for weekly contributions and "Special Missions Contributions," and people's"sins"/personal profiles. |
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Non-members who participate in ICC events are termed "visitors".Tallies are during most events to determine the number of "visitors"for the sole purpose of pinpointing the "spirituality" of the members. | |
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The most subordinate position in the ICC hierarchy--the individual member who is required to recruit new members, attend all group functions, contribute at least 10% of his/her gross income, and report all "sins" to his/her "discipler" on a daily basis. | |
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Those appointed as overseers over other members. They are responsible for being in contact with them on a daily basis, finding out what "sins"/personal problems they are having, and reporting"sins"/personal problems to the Bible Talk Leader (co-leader if female). "They are the direct link the new member has with the organization, and are the conduit for funneling all information about the member directly up the chain of command. | |
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Under the direct supervision of the House Church Leader, the Bible Talk Leader reports all statistical and financial data on a weekly basis to the higher echelon. This data includes: the number of"studies" being conducted, the number of prospective "visitors" that week, and the number of anticipated "baptisms", and the amount of money each person contributes in proportion with what they are capable of contributing. In addition, the Bible Talk leader (male)conducts the weekly "Bible Talks". | |
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Under the supervision of the Zone Leader, the House Church Leader(male, co-leader for female) reports all financial and personal information pertaining to their "house church" to their leaders on a daily basis. | |
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Actual paid employment within the ICC begins with the Zone Leader (male, co-leader is female) who is under the supervision of the Sector Evangelist. On a weekly basis, he reports all of the financial contributions of the Zone to the Sector Evangelists. He is responsible for the weekly meetings, local preaching, and recruitment efforts of the group. All House Church leaders report to their Zone Leader. | |
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Within each Boston Movement "planting," the man in charge is the Lead Evangelist. All Sector Evangelists, elders, and other staff members report to him. Weekly, the Lead Evangelist receive instructions from the World Sector Leaders. Kip McKean's teachings are channeled to the members through the vessel of the Lead Evangelist,who is not responsible for any doctrinal decision-making. | |
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Women's Roles in the Hierarchy
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The female counterpart to any male dominated role in the ICC is usually. connoted with a "co-" (i.e. "Bible Talk Co-leader"). The prefix"co-," although implying teamwork with no delegation for authority,is used only when referring to women's roles in the ICC. ICC women are not allowed to lead in the same capacity as men. | |
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A "wife" in the ICC is the female counterpart of a man and woman forced/coerced or trained into marriage by the ICC. Although the ICC denies that they are involved in the arrangement of marriages, the facts remains that ICC leaders consistently: prevent couples who are mutually attracted to one another from forming relationships and recommend prospective "interests" for members based on one's"spirituality" or group approval. | |
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While men are appointed "evangelists", the highest position in the ICC a woman can aspire to is that of a "women's counselor". A woman in this position gives "advice" or instructions, usually. without psychological or theological credentials from official institutions,to the women beneath them. |
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See "hardened". | |
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ICC members call former ICC members "fall-aways". Verbalization,the process of making nouns out of verbs, is common in the ICC (i.e., from he "fell away" to he is a "fall-away", from she "struggles" to"she is struggling") so that a greater emphasis is placed on the person rather than the act itself. | |
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Those with feelings are often seen as "being too emotional"."Disciples," although having the appearance of tenderness,are trained to be automatons in every aspect: from building friendships, to forming relationships, to following the leaders.Personal feelings are invalidated altogether--you make friends with people you can't stand, you date people you don't like, and you follow advice with which your conscience doesn't agree. | |
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Those who leave are often accused of being "hurtful" to members.When all else fails, a final plea to remain in the ICC so as not to damage the emotional or "spiritual" state of other members is often issued. | |
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See "impure". | |
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ICC members who do not "seek advice" or get permission from their"discipler" before carrying out most personal decisions are seen as"independent. | |
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Those who leave the ICC or refuse to join are often named after this betrayer of Christ. | |
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When the ICC is opposed or questioned in any form, members are trained to view this opposition as "persecution". ICC "persecution"includes media representations in the form of newspaper articles,news and television coverage, and literature about the ICC written outside of the group--also called "spiritual pornography"."Persecution" can also come from family, friends, and co-workers of ICC members. | |
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Members who question ICC teachings or practices are often deemed"rebellious" by their leaders. | |
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A harsh "discipling", to publicly or privately humiliate usually. resorting to the embarrassment of past sins to make a point. | |
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Those who leave the ICC was accused of throwing away their"salvation" and turning their back on "God". The ICC equates itself with God and its members believe that only through affiliation with the ICC are they to be "saved". | |
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The ICC accuses its opponents (mostly former members) of "slander"as a part of their scripted language. Accusations on behalf of former members, however, are not slander, but validated through their own personal experiences with the group. Adversely, the ICC has no qualms about slandering, or making up false accusations about its critics,going through great lengths to invalidate them. | |
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Associated with non-ICC-like behavior . See "worldly". Also,"unfaithfulness" (unwillingness to adhere to ICC doctrines and practices and mistrust in "discipleship" usually. brought on by reasonable doubts in the system) | |
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Those who do not agree with ICC teachings are often seen as"ungrateful" especially when referring to "discipling". Members who do not respond positively to verbal abuse from leaders are labeled as "ungrateful". | |
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Those who continue to behave in manner that is contradictory to ICC behavioral codes are said to be "unrepentant" or that have "an unrepentant heart". |
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This popular ICC chant is used to "fire-up" crowds in services.The tune of this song is very similar to rousers or "charge calls"used during professional sporting events. | |
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This war song is sung sometimes as a reminder to ICC members that they are "fighting a spiritual battle". | |
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This popular ICC song emphasizes a couple concepts: the law of the"Lord", and an invitation for "visitors" to join and worship "our God". The emphases of the song are on legalism and "salvation"through affiliation with the ICC. | |
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This popular song is one in which leaders imply submission to their teachings for the prize of "God's" or their approval. It is most popular at infrequent gatherings such as beach-side bonfire "Devotionals" or once- a-month "All-Congregational Services". | |
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This is a beautiful song sung frequently in the ICC, however, the emphasis of the song is on two widely hyperbolized concepts in the ICC--TO DIE (or give up one's life) and LOST HUMANITY (the rest of the world according to the ICC). | |
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This macho ICC song about "baptism" speaks of a pre-ICC "lost"state and how members were "saved" through "baptism". As the song implies, only after they were "baptized" could these men "dream" or have visions for God. That members are "saved" through "baptism" is an ICC teaching that is vague and inconsistent, often contradicting with their very own teachings. | |
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This repetitive song instills a sense of a works-based "salvation"in those who sing it. The lyrics suggest that members are "bringing souls to Jesus". Additionally, this song of "perseverance" speaks of"persecution". | |
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Yet another beautiful song, "Sanctuary" implies a purity from Christ, when the ICC teaches that purity is attained not through Christ, but through human effort to modify one's behavior and thoughts. | |
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This deceptive song is sung to newly "baptized" recruits. It implies that the love of the people singing it, most whose names the new recruit may not even know, is unconditional when this love is, in fact, conditional upon the recruit's cohesion with the group. |