The International Churches Of Christ (Boston Movement)

{{Christianity}}
The '''International Churches of Christ''', once called the '''Boston Movement''' because of its original ties to the Boston Church of Christ,<ref>John W. Kennedy, [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/june/13.23.html "'Boston Movement' Apologizes,"] ''[[Christianity Today]]'', 6/1/2003 (accessed December 24, 2013)</ref> is a body of co-operating<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icocco-op.org/content/view/85/65/ |title=Plan for United Cooperation Summary |author=ICOC Cooperation Service Team Chairmen |date=28 August 2009 |work=icocco-op.org |publisher=International Churches of Christ Co-operation Churches |accessdate=6 May 2012}}</ref> religiously conservative, and racially integrated Christian congregations. A formal break was made from the mainline Churches of Christ in 1993 with the organization of the International Churches of Christ.<ref name="Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: ICOC">Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0-8028-3898-7, ISBN 978-0-8028-3898-8, 854 pages, entry on ''International Churches of Christ''</ref>{{rp|418}} The ICOC holds to the belief that each person is saved by the grace of God if and when they place their faith in Jesus Christ, become a disciple, repent of their sins, and are baptized.<ref name="Columbia CoC: Beliefs">[http://www.columbiachurch.net/beliefs/ ''Beliefs''], Columbia Church of Christ [http://www.columbiachurch.net/ website] (accessed December 24, 2013)</ref>

A network of 637 churches spread across some 155 nations, they consider themselves non-denominational.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080325065212/http://www.nyccoc.net/home/whoweare.htm New York City Church of Christ 'About us'] in the [[Internet Archive]]</ref> The network structure is intended to avoid two extremes: "overly centralized authority" and "disconnected autonomy." The organization of the ICOC has been described as based on cooperation between congregations rather than either "command and control" or "autonomy."<ref>Justin Renton, [http://www.icochotnews.com/?q=node/654 "Autonomy? No way! Glorious co-operation between the ICOC churches,"] ''ICOC HotNews'', 09/08/2010 (accessed 11/16/2013)</ref> The largest congregation, the Los Angeles Church of Christ, has 5951 members. The largest church service was held in 2012 at the AT&T stadium in San Antonio, Texas, during a World Discipleship Summit, with 17,800 in attendance, with representatives from 96 countries.<ref>http://www.icochotnews.com/?q=node/1945</ref><ref>http://disciplestoday.org/commentary/grace-truth/item-5110-2012-wds-a-defining-moment-for-the-international-churches-of-christ</ref>

In 2000, it was described as "[a] fast-growing Christian organization known for aggressive proselytizing to US college students" and as "one of the most controversial religious groups on campus".<ref name="US News and World Report">{{cite web|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/articles/000313/archive_021162.htm | title = A Push Becomes A Shove Colleges get uneasy about proselytizing | publisher = US News and World Report}}</ref>

==Founder resigns==
In 2003, the founder, Kip McKean, resigned, and apologised for [[sin]]s, which included imagining he was right and refusing to listen to advice from his “brothers”. Henry Kriete, who is influential and high in the pecking order, urged for change and received support. According to Kriete the proposed reforms did not address some profound structural weaknesses.<ref>[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/june/13.23.html Most of this article is for subscribers only] [[Christianity Today]] article </ref>

==See also==
*[[Discipling and Shepherding]]

==External links==
*[http://www.spiritwatch.org/icoc.htm The International Churches Of Christ (Boston Movement)], ''Spiritwatch Ministries'' (Fundies policing other fundies. Cute!), undated
*[http://www.apologeticsindex.org/i02.html International Churches of Christ (ICOC)], ''Apologetics Index'', last updated 2005

==References==
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[[Category:Cults]]

Categories: Christianity, Cults