The Church of Jesus and The Apostles Today?

Kip McKean and the builders of the International Christian Church claim that the ICC is the reappearance in modern times of Jesus' Church.

God's One True Church!

YHWH's Sovereign Movement! Of Sold-Out Disciples!

(Aside: Ever think about the term, "Sold-Out"? And the fact that it refers to money? And materialism?)

They claim that the Faithful, Baptized members of the ICC are (almost without exception) the Only True Christians and Saved People in the Whole Wide World.

Let's see... These are pretty dramatic claims. Do you think they will hold up to scrutiny?

One, money. In Jesus' church, there was not a constant drumbeat for the members to give more and more and more money. In fact, many leaders in the early church took no salary, and those who did received the same meager amount that was given to widows in the church to live on. That's not much!

No $650,000 condos or $300,000 annual salaries like in Kip's churches in more recent times. Here's a blog post I wrote a couple months ago talking more in depth about how Kip's church treats the topic of money differently than Jesus' church did. And here's a bit more on the topic of money in Kip's churches. And there will be more still, later.

Two,
I don't see a constant pressure on members to convert new people all the time. New people were drawn into the church by the warmth and joy of the disciples, not by cold contacts and follow-up. Kip-style discipling ministries are always about pressure. I don't think that Jesus or the apostles operated that way.

Three, there were no planned mission teams. The church grew organically. The Holy Spirit did not tell Peter or any other apostle to send leaders out to new areas as the same Holy Spirit allegedly instructs Kip today.

Four, I don't think that the apostles bullied around members or non-members of the church the way that Kip and his agents have done on multiple occasions.

Five, I don't think that the disciples in the first-century church experienced burn-out like almost everyone in the ICC and ICOC does.

Six, I think that Jesus and the apostles were incredibly more dedicated to their cause, and many times more willing to suffer for Jesus' teachings than even the leaders in Kip's church. You know why the American leaders in the ICOC came back from overseas missions? They didn't want their kids to be teenagers abroad. I'm talking about the World Sector Leaders of the Kip-era ICOC. The "go anywhere, do anything" schpiel is little more than that, just a schpiel. Can you imagine getting crucified upside-down like Peter? The ICOC leaders can't. In fact, they can't even imagine taking a salary in line with what average members earn!

Seven, I think that Jesus and the apostles were much more spiritually-minded than either Kip or any of the leaders working with him.

Eight, I think that the church of Jesus and the apostles would vomit blood at the level of materialism displayed in today's ICC, from Kip on down.

Nine, Jesus' church was neither a formula nor a business. Kip's church is both a formula AND a business.

Ten, Jesus was inspiring because he was not worldly. His actions were on another plane. Kip, Kip's mentality, Kip's church, is worldly. "Do not handle. Do not taste. Do not touch."

After Jesus and the apostles died, I don't think there has ever been a church like the one they set up. Will there ever be one? I don't know, but it doesn't look hopeful, not at this rate.

Who is the closest?

Maybe David Bercot? The Mennonites? I don't know. But certainly NOT Kip McKean or any of his super-apostles.