What You Might Want To Know About The International Churches of Christ Movement

Michael D. Langone, Ph.D.

An AFF research survey in 1995 inquired into the personal experiences and observations of 40 former members of the International Churches of Christ (ICC), one of today’s most controversial new groups.  The following list is representative of allegations that have been made against the ICC.  The number to the left is the percentage of ex-members reporting that they had personal experience related to the item in question.  We present this information to help you make a more informed decision about any possible involvement with this group.

• 100%—Members are to imitate their discipler and other leaders.

• 95%—Members are told that people who are not members are “worldly,” “enemies of God,” and influenced by Satan.

• 95%—You must confess your sins to your discipler.

• 93%—You must trust the group and its leaders over your own thoughts and opinions.

• 90%—Leaving the group equals leaving God.

• 90%—You must seek advice from your discipler on all decisions.

• 88%—To question, criticize, distrust or disobey group leaders is to do the same to God.

• 88%—You must subordinate your will, behavior, needs and desires to the leadership in order to please God.

• 85%—Members are told that they should sell personal items in order to give money to special contributions.

• 73%—To go home to be with family or to spend time with non-member friends can cause Satan to get a foothold.

• 73%—Members are strongly encouraged to move out of their present living situation and in with group members.

• 70%—Your own inner thoughts and opinions are influenced by Satan.

• 70%—New recruits are not informed before baptism of the rules against dating non-members.

• 70%—New recruits are not told that they are discussed openly in leaders’ meetings and that several are assigned to be their “friends” in order to encourage the recruit to become a member.

• 70%—New recruits are not informed that the goal of the individual Bible study is to get you baptized.

• 68%—New recruits are not informed that they must have a discipler after baptism.

• 65%—College members experienced falling grades.

• 33%—The group often goes under a name other that the International Churches of Christ on campus.