Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 51
and more a matter of ―law.‖ In a long open letter, the branch says: ―Effective immediately,
we are ending the practice of a discipleship tree, or one-over-another discipling [sic] ...
and also the practice of assigning discipleship partners.‖
The letter also says that the branch will not continue to press members to give more
money in order to meet extended financial goals and that it will try to rely more on the
elders rather than on ―one-man leadership‖ of congregations. As to the strict dating rules
for unmarried members: ―We reject and refute these types of rules which are an attempt
to ‗legislate‘ morality and wisdom. ..The bible should be the only thing that governs how
we conduct ourselves in dating. From www.southflchurch.0rg /apology.htm, Internet,
posted 3/9/03)
The Los Angeles Church of Christ sent out a similar letter dated 2/28/03 and posted on
www.upcyberdown.org/GV/LA/ 2003/02/24/LA–Apology_Letter.htm
Kip McKean‘s resignation as leader of a church with hundreds of congregations around the
world came when his daughter, a Harvard student, spurned the ICOC, saying that she‘d
―had enough.‖ He had preached that if a child left the church, there must be something
wrong in the family, and that parents of an apostate ought to retire from the ministry.
Former members tell how followers who failed to give 10 percent of their income, or who did
not recruit enough new members, were publicly humiliated, and those who questioned
authority were shunned or thrown out. ―All major decisions would have to be run through
your discipler,‖ said a former leader. ―Vacations, going home ...If you are spending too
much time with old friends, that would be frowned upon, unless you are recruiting them. All
your free time is accounted for. Dating has to be pretty much approved. You can only date
people in the group.‖ (Farah Stockman, Boston Globe, Internet, 5/17/03)
Reform Doubted
Critics of the International Churches of Christ (ICOC, sometimes known as the Boston
Movement) doubt that the resignation of leader Kip McKean, who cited his own arrogance
and family problems for the move, means that the group will abandon ―troubling‖ practices,
including an extreme form of Christian ―discipling‖ that many say is abusive. McKean‘s
resignation letter does not say his teachings are wrong, but that he did not live them
himself, says Don Veinot, Jr., president of Midwest Christian Outreach, a Chicago
apologetics ministry.
A few years ago McKean‘s daughter said she wanted to leave the ICOC, which has been
banned from numerous college campuses, because ―I thought that the only place I could
find true freedom would be outside the church.‖ McKean said in his resignation letter that he
had created an atmosphere in which people ―were afraid to speak up‖ and that he caused
―others to stumble‖ by focusing ―more on numeric goals than on pleasing God.‖
An ICOC spokesman said that changes do not concern ―doctrinal issues‖ but rather ―growth
issues, and emphasize teamwork and consensus, thus reducing dependence on one
individual.‖ He added that ICOC churches would become more autonomous thanks to a
―maturing of the movement.‖ (Timothy R. Callahan, Christianity Today, March 2003, p. 26,
Internet posting 6/26/03)
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Proselytizing Conviction Upheld
The conviction of 26-year-old road worker and Jehovah’s Witness Murat Mudarisov for
inciting religious hatred has been upheld by an Uzbekistan appeals court. Prosecutors said
that Mudarisov had a pamphlet that argued the superiority of the Bible over the Quran. He
received a three-year suspended sentence in November for ―stirring up religious hatred,‖
and more a matter of ―law.‖ In a long open letter, the branch says: ―Effective immediately,
we are ending the practice of a discipleship tree, or one-over-another discipling [sic] ...
and also the practice of assigning discipleship partners.‖
The letter also says that the branch will not continue to press members to give more
money in order to meet extended financial goals and that it will try to rely more on the
elders rather than on ―one-man leadership‖ of congregations. As to the strict dating rules
for unmarried members: ―We reject and refute these types of rules which are an attempt
to ‗legislate‘ morality and wisdom. ..The bible should be the only thing that governs how
we conduct ourselves in dating. From www.southflchurch.0rg /apology.htm, Internet,
posted 3/9/03)
The Los Angeles Church of Christ sent out a similar letter dated 2/28/03 and posted on
www.upcyberdown.org/GV/LA/ 2003/02/24/LA–Apology_Letter.htm
Kip McKean‘s resignation as leader of a church with hundreds of congregations around the
world came when his daughter, a Harvard student, spurned the ICOC, saying that she‘d
―had enough.‖ He had preached that if a child left the church, there must be something
wrong in the family, and that parents of an apostate ought to retire from the ministry.
Former members tell how followers who failed to give 10 percent of their income, or who did
not recruit enough new members, were publicly humiliated, and those who questioned
authority were shunned or thrown out. ―All major decisions would have to be run through
your discipler,‖ said a former leader. ―Vacations, going home ...If you are spending too
much time with old friends, that would be frowned upon, unless you are recruiting them. All
your free time is accounted for. Dating has to be pretty much approved. You can only date
people in the group.‖ (Farah Stockman, Boston Globe, Internet, 5/17/03)
Reform Doubted
Critics of the International Churches of Christ (ICOC, sometimes known as the Boston
Movement) doubt that the resignation of leader Kip McKean, who cited his own arrogance
and family problems for the move, means that the group will abandon ―troubling‖ practices,
including an extreme form of Christian ―discipling‖ that many say is abusive. McKean‘s
resignation letter does not say his teachings are wrong, but that he did not live them
himself, says Don Veinot, Jr., president of Midwest Christian Outreach, a Chicago
apologetics ministry.
A few years ago McKean‘s daughter said she wanted to leave the ICOC, which has been
banned from numerous college campuses, because ―I thought that the only place I could
find true freedom would be outside the church.‖ McKean said in his resignation letter that he
had created an atmosphere in which people ―were afraid to speak up‖ and that he caused
―others to stumble‖ by focusing ―more on numeric goals than on pleasing God.‖
An ICOC spokesman said that changes do not concern ―doctrinal issues‖ but rather ―growth
issues, and emphasize teamwork and consensus, thus reducing dependence on one
individual.‖ He added that ICOC churches would become more autonomous thanks to a
―maturing of the movement.‖ (Timothy R. Callahan, Christianity Today, March 2003, p. 26,
Internet posting 6/26/03)
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Proselytizing Conviction Upheld
The conviction of 26-year-old road worker and Jehovah’s Witness Murat Mudarisov for
inciting religious hatred has been upheld by an Uzbekistan appeals court. Prosecutors said
that Mudarisov had a pamphlet that argued the superiority of the Bible over the Quran. He
received a three-year suspended sentence in November for ―stirring up religious hatred,‖
