Religious Cults

In order to understand a religious cult, one must first start at the definition of a cult. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, a cult is "a system of religious worship or ritual; devoted attachment to a person, principal, etc.; a sect" (Who, 1999, 1). According to this definition, the International Church of Christ (ICOC) is definitely a cult. Founded in 1979 by Kip McKean and thirty "disciples" from his Boston living room, today the ICOC is worldwide in membership and significance, "The International Churches of Christ ended this year [1997] with 329 churches in 140 countries. Over 150,000 people attend Sunday Services worldwide, and 37 of those churches average over 1,000 in Sunday attendance" (History, 1999, 1). The ICOC is founded on the dictates of one man, Kip McKean, whose authority reigns supreme in within the cult. All churches involved in the international network of ICOC churches must adhere to his dictates and ideology.

The ICOC is a Christian faction that is often viewed with disdain by the Catholic mainstream. The religious ideology is founded on the teachings of Jesus in the Bible alone, and his words as put down by the disciples within the pages of its text are the absolute authority of the cult members. Similar to the first century church, the ICOC urges its followers to lead a biblical lifestyle, and its membership includes a water baptism. It actively tries to convert people to it

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ICOC uses a brainwashing tactic used by many religious groups which not only is hypocritical in light of Jesus' teachings because it makes members an "elitist" group but it also serves to separate community instead of integrating it, "In the whole movement the rules are dictates from the top from Kip McKean downward in a pyramid type model. All the churches are to conform to his standards. There is constant training to accept this type of unbiblical format. As we see in many other churches who promote the only true church theology, we find the same abuses passed down to its members. Spiritual elitism is promised in their teachings using scriptures such as building your house on the rock not sand. The rock is interpreted as their church; the other churches are on sand" (Authority, 1999, 1). The ICOC is able to spread through a very simple method as old as the concept of missionaries. They are devoted to bringing or planting their ideology and churches in all nations of the world. As disciples of Christ it is their duty to spread the ideology of the ICOC and they spread their churches by sending out groups of selected disciples to new cities and nations. They form new churches and experience rapid growth as the disciples

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