The Crossroads Era (1967-1979)
Year ICC Event/Publication Related Events/Publications
1967 Chuck Lucas hired at the 14th St./Crossroads Church of Christ (Gainsville, FL), and begins a college ministry.
1972 Thomas "Kip" McKean converted at Gainsville: baptized as a freshman at the University of Florida at Gainsville; Kip was a Methodist.
1977 Kip McKean and Roger Lamb lose financial support from the Memorial Church of Christ.
Kip McKean and Roger Lamb fired by the elders of the Memorial Church of Christ for rampant spiritual abuse.

 

The Boston Era (1979-1987)
1979 Kip McKean asked to be lead evangelist for dying Lexington Church of Christ. Kip recalls that he preached to the 30 "would-be" disciples in the living room of Pat and Bob Gemple.
1981 The Lexington Church of Christ 'expands' to Boston, and has services at the former Boston Garden, and renames itself to the Boston Church of Christ.
Introduced the "key" or "pillar" church plan for evangelizing the world by "planting" churches in key metropolitan areas around the globe.
Midwest Evangelism Seminar - Kip McKean sermon entitled Pharisees: Blind Unbelief.
1982 Boston plants Chicago (the Fuquas) and London Churches of Christ (Arthurs).
Boston sponsors the first "World Missions Seminar".
1983 Boston plants New York City; the leaders were Steve and Lisa Johnson. Boston's attendance is around 1,000. The group is officially referred to as the "Boston Movement". The Boston Church of Christ is also known now as "Boston" or "the Boston Church".
1984 Bairds and Gempels begin to serve as elders and elder's wives for Boston Church.
1985 Crossroads fires Chuck Lucas.
Toronto planted. Boston reaches 1,500 attendance.
The fledgling Boston Movement boasts 5 churches in 3 nations.
~1985 Mainline Churches of Christ and Boston Movement critical of each other; growing problems and accusations. Boston accuses the Mainline Churches of spiritual deadness/lukewarmness; the Mainline Churches are uncomfortable with Boston's methods and reports of abuse.
1986 Dr. Jerry Jones, Th.D., leaves the Boston Movement, furthering the criticism of the Boston Movement.
First Special Missions Contribution taken up, over $1 million collected at Boston World Missions Seminar
LOVE offering begins in London for the poor and needy.
Church growth by plantings and reconstructions:

  1. Johannesburg, South Africa planted
  2. Paris, France planted (Frank and Erica Kim)
  3. Stockholm, Sweden planted
  4. Kingston, Jamaica reconstructed

 Yeakley reluctantly publishes The Discipling Dilemma, after his concerns regarding unhealthy hierarchical discipling were repeatedly ignored. Yeakley also discusses The Hierarchy of Discipling Churches in the Gospel Advocate, noting a hierarchy in the Boston Movement (vs. autonomy).
1986-1988 Boston Church of Christ demands reconstructions of all Mainline Churches of Christ. (The first reconstruction is Kingston, Jamaica.) Boston church's first Special Missions Contribution nets more than $1 million.

 

International Churches of Christ, pre-Henry Kriete era (1987-2003)
1987 At the Boston Women's Retreat, Kip McKean starts preaching "disciples' baptism," based on a fallacious interpretation of Matt. 28:18-20. The sermon can be found here.
Churches planted:
  • Bombay, India
  • Mexico City
  • Hong Kong (Greens)
    		•
    Churches Reconstructed:
  • San Francisco, California
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • San Diego
    		•  The former dean of Boston University's chapel, Robert Watts Thornburg, and the dean of students, Ronald L. Carter, warn Dr. Al Baird about the manipulative tactis of the members of the Boston Church of Christ.
    The benevolent arm of the church, later named HOPE was founded; worldwide LOVE offering begins; Boston Church of Christ exceeds 3,000 in attendance; Boston church abandons church of Christ-style autonomy. Howard Norton, editor of The Christian Chronicle, writes "Second Thoughts on Boston," an editorial that states Boston Movement "robs people of their freedom in Christ."
    1988 Crossroad Movement disassociates itself from the Boston Movement. Some of the Mainline Churches of Christ start making statements about the Boston Movement. Jerry Jones writes What Does The Boston Movement Teach? (Vol. 1 linked here) Ron Gholston, a house church leader, expresses concern in a letter to Boston elders Al Baird and Bob Gempel, pointing out "Anti-biblical" teachings and practices regarding church authority. Ron is then disfellowshipped. The Boston Globe writes "The Boston Church".
    Churches:
  • Munich, Germany planted by Randy and Kay McKean
  • Cairo, Egypt planted
  • Tokyo, Japan reconstructed by Kims and Gurganuses
    		•  The Boston Globe writes an article, "Allegations of Cult Tactics Don't Halt Church's Rise" on the Boston Church of Christ's growth. Another article, "Come, All Ye Faithful" is written on controversy around the Boston Church of Christ.
    World Sector Leaders chosen from couples Kip and Elena have trained. Boston church banned from campus of Boston University after resident assistants overhear members pressuring students to attend meetings. Crossroads church disassociates itself from Boston Movement.
    Release of “Songs of the Kingdom,” 1st edition.
    1989 World Sector Administrators chosen, Cecil Wooten appointed leader of WSAs.
    Boston plants 7 churches:
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Washington, DC
  • Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Manila, Phillippines
  • Bangkok, Thailand
    		•
    Kip McKean presents the Boston World Seminar titled, "They Hated the Dreamer", which is the last Boston Missions Seminar. Boston Garden attendance: 12,000. Seth Gordon for MIT writes
    1. "BCC recruitment tactics subject of controversy",
    2. "Disciples; doctrine-Obey, bear fruit, be happy",
    3. "BCC tactics raise questions about "mind control"",
    4. and "Leaving the flock- deprogrammers, after-effects and the BCC",

      5. four articles investigating the Boston Church of Christ.
    1990 Kip McKean moves to LA, re-establishing power-base there. LA Church membership at 154. Sue Condon writes up her diary, The Emperor's New Clothes. San Francisco Examiner writes One who got away: Cult recruiting flourishing quietly on college campuses.
    MIT experiences problems with the Boston Church of Christ's zealous members, published in their school newspaper, The Tech: WILG acts on complaints about BCC.
    1991 Kip McKean appoints Bob & Pat Gempel to lead HOPE Worldwide as their World Sector Leader charge. The Bauers; Akshars leave the Boston Movement/International Churches of Christ.
    Church plantings:
  • Moscow, Russia planted from LA (100th church planting). Mission team of 17 is sent off from Los Angeles led by Kip & Elena McKean and Andy & Tammy Fleming.
  • First church planted mainland China: RD1 (Red Dragon One).
    		•  Lincoln, MA: The Lincoln Journal publishes an article, Lincoln women experience church's relentless pursuit . The Minnesota Daily runs an article Group's Mind Control Failed to Work.
    1992 Kip McKean writes Revolution through Restoration. Officially termed "The International Churches of Christ," by Church growth authority John Vaughan.
    World Missions Leadership Conference held in Boston. Time Magazine "Keepers of the Flock". Text based version can be found here.
    First fifth generation church planting: Boston to London to Sydney to Auckland to Fiji; Moscow Church baptizes 850 in first year.
    1992-3 Another reconstruction.
    1993 Blackwells chosen to be WSL for Middle East; Bairds chosen to lead new Law and Media World Sector. Two stories by the Minnesota Daily: Minneapolis/St Paul Church of Christ examined, and New Cult 2 Story (Minneapolis).
    Milan, Italy mission team disfellowshipped for disobedience.
    World Missions Leadership Conference – LA; Discipleship Publications International begins; Foundation stone for Village of HOPE leprosy colony laid in India; first immunization campaign – New York City; first "Kingdom Teachers" appointed; women baptizing women. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Report on the International Churches of Christ - the Boston Movement - Canada's fastest growing church. The text can be read here.
    1993-1994 ICC leaders disavow any such thing as a "sinlist". Al Baird gives two interviews, the first with BBC Newslight (149kB WAV) and the second with ABC's 20/20 and CBS' Inside Edition (800kB WAV). Jen Chambers has made the video clips available. Various television programs run shows on the ICC, discussing the issue of sinlists. One such sinlist can be found here. Jen has put the rest of the video clips on ICOCInvestigation.com:
    1994 Defection of the Indianapolis Church of Christ (in HTML) or in PDF.
  • Ed Powers transcript, Congregational Meeting 2/27/94

    • Specifically, Ed Powers had these four conclusions:

    1. Policy and Doctrine should not be legislated from Los Angeles.
    2. The ICC are not the only ones saved.
    3. Giving should not be under compulsion.
    4. The Legalistic system is robbing Christians of joy (ie statistics, special contribution goals)
  • Ed Powers Leader's Meeting 3/1/94
  • Ed Powers transcript, Congregational Meeting 3/6/94
  • Ed Powers, lead evangelist for the Indianapolis Church of Christ writes Unity or Uniformity.
    		•
    Backlash to Indianapolis meetings:
  • Marty Fuqua and Doug Arthur address the church.
  • Kip Mckean transcript the Marking of Ed Powers 3/17/94
    		•
    Kip McKean writes Revolution through Restoration 2. alt.religion.christian.boston-church UseNet group launches to discuss Boston Church of Christ/Boston Movement/International Churches of Christ issues.
    Russell Paden writes Master's thesis for the University of Kansas: "From the Churches of Christ to the Boston Movement: A Comparative Study".
    Geographic Sector Leaders appointed; Olivia McKean (Kip and Elena's daughter) baptized: second generation of disciples; KNN (Kingdom News Network) is established; LA STORY - LA Church Bulletin began. Church Growth Today names LA Church the fastest growing church in North America.
    Evangelization Proclamation is released. A six-year plan to plant a true church of disciples in all 170 nations with a city of over 100,000. Read Kip McKean's lesson about this document. Mainline Church of Christ omits ICOC from its Church of Christ Directory.
    First World Missions Leadership Conference held outside of US in Manila, Philippines. Kip's Keynote Address. The Grand Rapids Press (Grand Rapids, MI) writes the article "Looking For God".
    1995 Shift in the ICC at the Johannesburg (South Africa) -- a "shepherding crisis" announced by Al Baird. Shift in methodology to break up couples who had negative/critical spouses. Woman and Home publishes article "Shrouded in Secrecy: Could cults be a threat to your family?"
    International Sunday attendance exceeded 100,000. Wichita Eagle (Wichita, KS) writes article, Former Members Raise Concerns About Church's Tactics, Church's Policies Disillusion Couple, and Discipling, Recruiting at Heart of Ministry.
    Churches planted in all 50 states -- final 3: Fargo, ND; Sioux Falls, SD; Burlington, VT. Seventeen Magazine publishes "I got caught up in a cult".
    Church Growth Today names LA Church the fastest growing church in North America (2nd year in a row).
    Nelson Mandela receives first HOPE Unity Award.
    HOPE worldwide registered with USAID.
    Baghdad, Iraq; Moroccco; Turkey plantings; 200th church planted: Pakistan.
    LA Church breaks 10,000 Sunday attendance.
    November 13, 1995 Transcript--WBTV Charlotte, South Carolina runs Ministry or Mind Control?
    1995-6 REVEAL begins as website to give critical information on the ICC.
    1996 ICOC website introduced (was www.icoc.org, now defunct). Christianity Today publishes an article, "Cult Watchers Adopt Guidelines"
    Sydney Australia - Oceania Conference, with keynote address. Landmark case, Kendall vs. Kendall at the Middlesex Court (Cambridge, MA). ICC member was denied the ability to teach about his church to his kids since it was deemed harmful.
    HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere), the ICC's charity arm:
  • 1st HOPE Health Corps Conference – Los Angeles
  • HOPE Unity Award presented to Mother Teresa
  • King Sihanouk Hospital – Center of HOPE opens in Cambodia
  • Geographic HOPE Leaders appointed
    		•
    First native third-world Elders appointed in New Delhi, India
    Nationals lead most churches in Russia, India, Africa, Central & South America, China, Japan and Europe. Jewish Bulletin of Northern California article: Teens learn dangers of cults at ALSJCC study session.
    100th nation planted: Syria; Jerusalem, Israel planting. Manchester Evening News (UK) Article -- Cult link with the victims of distress.
    1997 Nairobi (Kenya) Church of Christ has significant problems and many leave. Follow-up stories written by Lucas Mboya, Francis Mbugua, and Joseph Owade, as well as a press release. A few news articles were run: Mutiny in the Church, The Church in Crisis, and Evangelist Richard Alawaye Removed.
    HOPE news:
  • HOPE Unity Award presented to Jimmy & Rosalyn Carter
  • 1st HOPE worldwide orphanage opens in New Delhi
  • HOPE for Kids Center opened in Hong Kong for Chinese immigrant
  • HOPE worldwide sponsors largest blood drives in Brazil and Mexico
    		•
    ICC news:
  • Tokyo Church becomes the largest church in the past 300 years of Japanese history.
  • World Missions Leadership Conference – Jerusalem.
  • 1st Kingdom Campus Conference (ICMC) – Paris.
  • ICOC website launched as part of KNN.
    		•  Manchester Evening News (UK) article: "Cult turned my girl against me".
    ICC planting: 300th church planted: Armenia; Churches planted in every former Soviet Republic. Time Magazine article: Cult Control
    World Sectors financially sectorized. Christianity Today publishes an article, "Church Growth: Cost of Discipleship?"
    San Diego Source article: The Price We Pay - A Closer Look
    The Daily Californian article: Experts Combat Destructive Influence of Cults
    The Daily Cardinal (Madison, WI) article: Controversial church gives first service, along with the Badger Herald article Church group recruits in Madison
    Times Educational Supplement article: 'Coffee, a chat and I was caught'
    The Mirror (UK) article: Pals.. at a price
    The Knoxville News (Tennessee)/November 8, 1997 article: Reaching out? or Breaking down?
    Landmark case, Kendall vs. Kendall continues: non-ICC member wins sole custody instead of joint-custody with ICC member ex-spouse.
    Atlanta Journal and Constitution/December 27, 1997 article: Boston Movement: Church or cult?
    1997-1998 The ICC's response: The Vancouver Sun, 2 January 1998 article: Church denies coming between woman, family The Vancouver Sun/December 27, 1997 article: Daughter in Sect, Family in Tears
    1998 LA Church has worship service at Rose Bowl with over 10,000 in attendance. 50th state goal lost with the failure of the Fargo, ND church.
    Emergency Missions Leadership Meeting – recommitment to prayer & evangelism. New York Magazine's article: Beauty Worship: A controversial church preaches to models.
    Phil & Donna Lamb resign as World Sector Leaders for family and health reasons. Peter & Laura García-Bengochea are appointed WSLs for Central & South America Boston Phoenix article: True believers.
    HOPE News:
  • HOPE for Children places 200th adoption.
  • 2nd HOPE worldwide orphanage opens in Indonesia.
  • HOPE worldwide, along with the ICOC, provides financial, medical and emotional assistance to victims of Hurricane Mitch.
    		•  Christian Chronicle (Mainline Churches of Christ) article: Picketers protest discipling church practices.
    Health Corps Conference – Hong Kong, China. Everyweek article: Soldiers of the Cross.
    Discipleship Publishing International (DPI, the ICC's publishing arm): 1 millionth volume and Kingdom Kids Curriculum. MSNBC article: Some call a local church "cult-like".
    KNN receives first Telly Award for Excellence in first short dramatic film “The Call To Fish”. British Columbia (BC, Canada) Christian News article: "Toxic Christianity," or God's modern-day movement?
    Disciples sent to 8 Middle East countries. Ventura County Star article (see bottom for ICC mention): The power of persuasion.
    The University Record, newspaper for Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland: Cult Friction, Part I and Part II.
    MIT's newspaper, The Tech publishes Some Advice on Cults: Before Joining a Cult, Be Sure to Ask the Right Questions.
    The Evening Standard (London), 31 July 1998 publishes An Underground menace.
    New York Magazine publishes Beauty Worship: A controversial church preaches to models.
    From the ICC's February 1998 "The Great Awakening" Conference in Sydney, Australia: John Luis of the ICC presents The Great Awakening and The History of Restoration.
    1999-2001 Period of decline in membership numbers in the ICC. Douglas Jacoby notes this in his study Statistics and Church Growth in 2000.
    1999 ICOC attendance nears 200,000. Isaiah Pickett, (former) Elder Chicago Church of Christ - Transcript of Marking
    ICOCInvestigation.com is hosting the FoxFiles investigative report into the ICC (January 21, 1999).
    HOPE news:
  • 175 HOPE worldwide programs in 70 nations.
  • Jordan’s late king Hussein & Queen Noor named recipients of HOPE Unity Award.
  • HOPE for Kids reaches Summit goals: – 3 million children reached; – 1.2 million volunteer hours; – 250,000 volunteer events in 107 cities with 100 corporate partners.
    		•
    Andy and Tammy Fleming appointed World Sector Leaders for Administration. Hong Kong South China Morning Post article: What in God's name is going on?
    Boston-Los Angeles-Moscow – 25 churches in all 15 nations of the former Soviet Union and Mongolia (17 disciples to nearly 10,000).
    ICOC attendance nears 200,000: 20,481 attend LA Church service in one weekend; 18,000 people attend Lagos, Nigeria service; 10,000 attend recent service in Hong Kong, China.
    2,300 attend 10th Anniversary Service in Tokyo, Japan – the “Mount Everest of mission work".
    1st International Youth Ministries Conference “Revolution X” – LA.
    South China Morning Post publishes Cult branches spread worldwide.
    Philadelphia (PA) City Paper publishes The Love Bombers: The devout crusaders of the International Churches of Christ have made inroads on some local campuses, but they've been banned on others. Is the ICC a cult?
    The Cambridge (MA) Chronicle publishes Alleged cult renting public schools.
    New York Journal News (May 8, 1999) publishes Judge orders Purchase College to OK church service, and related, The Journal News (Apr 17, 1999) publishes Judge: Church may stay at Purchase, leader must go.
    Denver Westword, June 17-23, 1999 (Denver, CO) publishes They Were Saved and (June 17, 1999) Too Much Church: A Green Mountain high school student finds out there's the Church of Christ and then there's the Denver Church of Christ.
    InReview Online (Nashville, TN) runs The Fear Of God: Critics Call Thriving Nashville Church a Cult.
    2000 The ICC announced the completion of its Evangelization Proclamation -- a "Six Year Plan" to plant at least one church in every nation with a city of 100,000 population by the year 2000.
    Dallas Morning News publishes International Church of Christ celebrates despite criticism.
    Fulton County Daily Report (Atlanta, GA) publishes U.S. Court Rejects Church Employee Suit in TV 'Cult' Story. (A church employee tried to sue a reporter when the reporter did an undercover story on the ICC's tactics on new recruits.)
    Charisma magazine, a Charismatic Christian magazine, runs an article on the ICC
    The Creative Loafing in Charlotte publishes Strings Attached: Former members of The Charlotte Church say the group is a cult that preys on the young and lonely.
    New York City Beat publishes New York congregation grows from 18 to 6000.
    New York Daily News Online publishes A Church of Christ or Cult of Cash: Critics slam group as manipulative.
    USNews article on campus' wariness of religious proseletyzation from the ICC.
    2001
    The ICC's founder, Kip McKean, along with his wife Elena McKean, announced they would take a sabbatical from leadership to work on unspecified marriage and family problems. Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA bans the ICC.
    A sister of a member of the San Diego Church of Christ publishes I was astounded at the group's control.
    NBC San Diego article Trapped by faith?
    Channel 2 news of Atlanta runs "Church or Cult?" Part 1 and Part 2.
    2002 Jon Brodkin, for The (Boston) Metro West Daily News reports on Lisa Guild's experience in Experience raises questions of 'cult'.
    2003 Christianity Today publishes an article, "Boston Movement founder quits"

     

    Post-Henry Kriete Letter (2003-Present)
    2003 Henry Kriete, Evangelist in the London, England Church of Christ, writes a significant letter, Honest to God, acknowledging the ICC's critics have been right all along and that the church needs much reform. Christianity Today notes this with a follow-up article, Boston Movement Apologizes. (A little inaccurate reporting, however.)
    RightCyberUp also has an article commentating on how the Kriete Letter rocks the ICC.
    Farah Stockman writing for the Boston Globe writes A Christian community falters - Loss of leader, governing body hurts group formed in Boston.
    Rick Ross comments in What led to the decline of the International Church of Christ? , following Farah Stockman's article.
    Kip McKean is made Lead Evangelist for the Portland, Oregon Church of Christ. (Although the following story was written in 2006, it chronicles the story from the Portland Church of Christ's point of view:) How Kip McKean became the lead evangelist for the Portland Church of Christ.
    Kip McKean writes Revolution through Restoration 3. The Christian Chronicle publishes Outside United States, will ICOC merge with us?
    ABC13 Eyewitness News on Oct. 8, 2003 runs story: Church volunteer accused of sexually assaulting five-year-old boy
    The University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Canada) runs article: UW's fight against a harmful faith
    2004 January 2004: Kip McKean interviews with the Christian Chronicle. Three Factions noted as developing in the ICC.
    The Register-Guard -- Evangelical church's plans for Eugene raise concerns article published regarding Eugene, Oregon Church of Christ.
    Abilene Christian College holds talks with the ICC.
    2005 Kip condemns autonomy and the effects of the Henry Kriete Letter in The Portland Story Henry Kriete continues to stand behind what he wrote in "Honest to God" in this letter to Steve Staten.
    The LA Church of Christ writes A Call For Unity and Revival The Chicago Tribune publishes Church lets go of old ways .
    The Pelhams sue the church for $93,000: The Nashville Church forces members to donate, suit says .
    Ohio State University's The Lantern publishes Faculty battle high-pressure cults with new brochure.
    The University of Southern California's newspaper The Daily Trojan publishes Web site aims to warn others about cults.
    Excerpted from California State University, Los Angeles' newspaper University Times, Cults continue to recruit nationwide.
    2006 ICC releases The Unity Proposal and Q&A to the "Unity Proposal" (this was circulated to leaders on February 20th, 2006 as a draft). An additional document, "Questions and Answers" to the Unity Proposal, was also released.
    The Portland Church of Christ campus minister has started Adullam Underground, in hopes of reviving Kip's dream of strong campus ministry. Penn State University's newspaper, The Collegian, publishes Speaker warns students of cults actively recruiting on campuses.