Orlando International Christian Church

God’s Sold-Out Movement

Melanie — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:54:35 +0000

The Biblical Differences Between The International Churches of Christ And The International Christian Churches

“And this is my prayer… that you may discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.” Philippians 1:9-10

Truth is of God and confusion is of Satan. (John 8:31-32, 43-44) Sadly, we live in a time when thousands of sincere disciples in scores of countries around the world are unsure about those of us who celebrated – during the month of October 2011 – the Fifth Anniversary of God’s new movement – officially named the International Christian Churches. Indeed, the present Biblical differences between the International Churches of Christ (ICOC) and the congregations of the International Christian Churches (ICC) – the SoldOut Discipling Movement – are so profound that at stake is the hope of salvation for this very lost world. My heartfelt prayer for disciples everywhere is “that you may discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.”

We Welcome Jerry Espinal to the Kingdom! Brothers celebrating after Jerry's Baptism!

The ICOC has its roots in the Mainline Churches of Christ through a campus ministry movement begun in 1967 in Gainesville, Florida and known as the Crossroads Movement, but also called by detractors the “Total Commitment Movement.” Through the 70’s, the congregations of the Crossroads Movement were partially composed of “totally committed,” and thus zealous, newly baptized college students; however, the majority in their adult memberships were lukewarm. Well documented at the time was that the “average” Mainline Church of Christ had a Sunday attendance of 150 and just eight baptisms a year. Even recently, The Christian Chronicle – The International Newspaper For The Churches Of Christ (February 2012) – acknowledges, “Since 2003, [Mainline] Churches of Christ have lost more than 102,000 adherents – more people than the number that attended this year’s Super Bowl. Their 2012 Directory also counts 708 fewer Churches of Christ than it did nine years ago.” The number of Mainline Churches of Christ congregations, as well as their overall membership, continues to dramatically shrink just as in the 70’s.

At the end of the 70’s, God put it on Elena’s & my heart to build a congregation entirely composed of only “totally committed Christians” – at that time not found anywhere in the world. (Of note, the term “disciple” did not become the primary nomenclature for ourselves until the second year of the Boston Movement in 1980, after I initiated the First Principles Study Series which included the “Discipleship Study” with the equation: Saved = Christian = Disciple.)

In 1979, after fasting, prayer and counsel, Elena and I believed it was the will of God to accept the leadership role in the Lexington Church of Christ – a dying congregation where only two individuals had been baptized in the previous three years. So with this vision of a “totally committed church membership,” on Friday evening, June 1, 1979, the “thirty would-be disciples” gathered in “the Gempels’ living room” where the Spirit began the “Boston Movement!” (The Lexington Church was renamed the Boston Church of Christ when we moved our services to downtown Boston in 1982.)

Unprecedented growth occurred in the first year, as 103 were baptized. In the second year, God blessed us with 200 baptisms, in the third year 252 baptisms, and in the fourth year 368 baptisms – more than daily additions! By 1988, this multiplication of disciples – and the addition of hundreds of remnant disciples from the Crossroads Movement and from the Mainline Churches of Christ – allowed us to baptize over 1,000 that year in Boston! Incredibly, by the end of our ninth year, the Boston Movement churches were planted throughout the United States, as well as in 15 different nations. Most notably in 1988, a central leadership was formed, which was called the “World Sector Leaders,” because of the charge I gave to each of these “Evangelist and Women’s Ministry Leader Couples” to evangelize “their” sector of the world – which collectively covered the entire globe.

By 1994, the Boston Movement Churches were in 53 nations and adopted the name International Churches of Christ. Church historian John Vaughn made a distinction between the “Mainline Churches of Christ” and the Boston Movement which he named the “International Churches of Christ.” The prime reason for this distinction was that the Mainline Churches of Christ existed primarily in the “Bible-belt” of America, whereas the Boston Movement churches had an almost equal number of congregations in and outside of the United States. As well in 1994, I penned – and every World Sector Leader signed – the Evangelization Proclamation, in which was inscribed the goal to plant a discipling church in every nation of the world with a city with a population of at least 100,000 by the year 2000. Through God’s power this came to pass in just six years, as the ICOC spread to 171 nations of the world’s 195 nations by the end of 2000!

Then only a few months later, the most tragic years in Elena’s and my lives began. Ron Harding – the historian of the SoldOut Movement – records this on KipMcKean.com, A History Of The Spread Of Christianity In Modern Times: At the beginning of 2001 as a college student in Boston, the oldest of the McKeans’ children began to question her faith. Though everyone who falls away must take full responsibility for this decision, it must be noted that this young woman was unjustly and heavily criticized – largely because of the high profile of her parents – and feeling unloved by many in the congregation contributed to her no longer attending church. (Luke 17:1-2) This single event caused uncertainty in the McKeans’ leadership among many of the World Sector Leaders, as well as among the Kingdom Elders and Kingdom Teachers. In September of 2001, the World Sector Leaders “forced” the McKeans to go on sabbatical – though later, some deeply regretted this decision.

The sisters baptizing Sendy into Christ!

Unbiblically applied to Kip were the qualifications of an elder, not an evangelist. The reasoning was that to “oversee” a church, one had to “manage his own family [well or] how can he take care of God’s church.” (1 Timothy 3:4-5) Also cited incorrectly was Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and… he will not turn from it.” Left out from this quote is the phrase, “when he is old.” Disregarding what is obviously implied in the phrase “when he is old,” is that during their younger years children may not be faithful to God, but will return to the kingdom because of their good training when they are “old.”(This has now been seen in the SoldOut Movement and the ICOC over and over again.) Even sadder is the lack of grace by almost all of the World Sector Leaders, Kingdom Elders and Kingdom Teachers. In the Scriptures, some of God’s and Israel’s greatest leaders had unfaithful children – Aaron, Samuel, and even the Old Testament’s “man after God’s own heart,” David – yet they continued to victoriously lead “all Israel.”

…Clearly in retrospect at this juncture, [just one year later] a “domino effect” of “God’s ironic justice” was beginning to occur: as the World Sector Leaders had drawn back from the McKeans, so now most of the World Sector Leaders were being likewise undermined with no mercy by those under their leadership for similar issues: marriage dynamic, children’s behavior, and leadership style.

This created a leadership vacuum. It was at this point that the Kingdom Elders and Kingdom Teachers chose to elevate themselves. Of note, these two groups were composed entirely of people with their roots in the Mainline Church of Christ. They were fueled by their feelings of under-appreciation and entitlement. Very sadly, their bitter “Absalomic spirit” and common denominational roots bonded the Kingdom Elders and Kingdom Teachers. Like Absalom, they initiated a very calculated campaign to “steal the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6)… They heightened the issue of “unbelieving children disqualifying men from leadership” through a series of articles appearing on the Los Angeles ICOC website, [which they later recanted]. Here, they also introduced their “Mainline doctrines” of “consensus leadership” and [autonomy].

After our sabbatical began, Elena & I never made another decision for the ICOC. In retrospect, God was disciplining me through these hardships for my arrogance and lack of concern for the weak. (Hebrews 12:7-11) Yet, personally devastating to us were the false accusations by those we once held as dear brothers and friends, who “used” our weakened state and now voiceless position to undermine our influence through character assassination.

As Ron Harding in his “eye-witness history” reveals, an “Absalomic group” arose – composed of a few of the World Sector Leaders, the Kingdom Teachers and the Kingdom Elders – who meticulously guided the rest of the ICOC leaders to return to a Mainline Church of Christ theology. This was officially executed at the November 2002 Long Beach Unity Meeting. The Central Leadership of the World Sector Leaders was dissolved and called “unbiblical.” Embraced was a church government of local autonomy, where the elders “ruled over” the evangelists – a complete reversal of the early Boston Movement teachings. “The dream” for the evangelization of the nations in a generation was renounced and called by one of their foremost teachers, “A good idea, but impossible.”

With the advent of the “Kriete Letter” in February 2003, discipling in most congregations was eliminated or called “optional.” Viciously negative open forums ripped up once thriving congregations and several thousands walked away or fell away. At this horrific moment in 2003, all would agree that “the ICOC as we knew it ceased to exist.” From my perspective, a plague of bitterness descended on several in the membership as they simply mirrored their leaders’ bitter response to their leaders.

In July 2003, broken-hearted and devastated by the Satanic destruction of our life-long labors for the Lord, the Spirit carried Elena & me to Portland, Oregon. After much prayer and soul-searching, all we could do was to begin again because we believed in “the dream” and that making disciples through “discipling” was God’s only way to accomplish it. The Portland Church – through the healing process of repentance and forgiveness – began to grow bringing hope to many. (Luke 5:31-32) In fact, during our three years in Portland, God moved in disciples’ hearts to move to Portland from 25 different states in America to once again be in a discipling church. A miracle was unfolding – God was beginning“to gather” His remnant from the “farthest horizon.” (Nehemiah 1:8-9) With these additions and the scores of baptisms, the Portland Church grew to almost 500 disciples and became the fastest growing congregation in what was left of the ICOC. In fact, several church leaders from as far away as Santiago, Chile – Raul & Lynda Moreno – sought discipling from us.

Worship in song during our Outdoor Service!

Seeing “no remedy” (2 Chronicles 36:16) for the decaying and dying ICOC fellowship, at the 2005 Portland World Missions Jubilee, I felt compelled by the Spirit to call out a remnant from what was left of ICOC churches, as well as from those that walked away or fell away. In response, courageous disciples such as Chris & Sonja Chloupek in Phoenix began small groups of sold-out disciples who broke away from lukewarm ICOC churches. Often, for these heroic stands, they were disfellowshipped. (John 12:42-43) We called these valiant new churches: “remnant groups.”

Nick & Denise Bordieri and Tony & Therese Untalan graciously received the McKeans during their first days in Portland in 2003. Now, both live in LA and serve as Shepherding Couples for the City of Angels Church and the movement! The Bordieris also lead the benevolent arm of the Sold-Out Movement – MERCYworldwide!

Our stand for the honor of God resulted in several letters against Elena & my convictions. Two of these letters were particularly harmful to the faith of many remaining in the ICOC. The first was signed by 65 ICOC church leaders, and the second – after a campaign for more signatures – was signed by 85 ICOC elders and evangelists, who opposed this radical calling and labeled every member in the Portland Church as “divisive.” Implied by the gathering of so many signatures was the question, “Can 85 brothers be wrong and one man be right?” As with Caleb’s and Joshua’s “minority report,” as well as with Elijah’s challenge to the 450 prophets of Baal, often in the Scriptures only “the few” are on the narrow path. (Matthew 7:13-14)

Between these two letters, the Portland leadership penned our response – Our Concern For All The Churches. Yet, a little less than a year later in September 2006, everything came to head when Kyle & Joan Bartholomew, asked Elena & me to disciple them and their congregation in Hilo, Hawaii. Evangelists and elders of what was left of the ICOC traveled hundreds of miles to publically oppose my preaching and teaching during a three day workshop on discipling for the little Hilo, Hawaii Church. So after praying for two weeks about this final rejection of the truth, by October 2006, it was clear to me and to the remnant who moved to Portland that the Spirit had begun a revival movement out of the ICOC similar to the Boston Movement coming out of the Mainline Churches of Christ over 25 years earlier. Some called us the “Portland Movement,” but ironically our detractors mockingly named us the “SoldOut Movement,” because of our strong preaching against lukewarmness and our call to be “sold-out” for the Lord. (Matthew 13:44-46) Almost daily, I am asked, “What are the differences between the ICOC and the ICC?” The simple answer is that from 1979 to 2001, the Boston Movement (ICOC) and the present-day SoldOut Movement (ICC) have almost exactly the same core Biblical convictions. (Prayerfully, one key difference in God’s new movement – since we have been greatly humbled by God – is that we make decisions with much more prayer, mercy and grace.) Interestingly, for most current ICOC members upon visiting an ICC Church, the differences in love and commitment are so apparent between the two fellowships that almost always the “visiting disciple” says, “Now this is the church I was baptized in!” The following are the five Biblical differences:

1. A Bible Church vs. A New Testament Church The Mainline Church of Christ is an off-shoot of the Restoration Movement begun in the United States in the early 1800’s by Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone to name a few. Their plea was to “restore the New Testament Church.” Therefore, they believed that though the Old Testament was divinely inspired and historically accurate, only the New Testament would be their sole rule of faith and practice in deciding matters of doctrine including ecclesiastical structure. This is now the conviction of the most influential leaders in the ICOC.

However, we in the ICC believe like Paul who wrote in late 66 AD – some 35 years after the beginning of the church, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Technically speaking, the word “Scripture” in this passage refers to only the Old Testament. Now, through the inspiration of the Spirit, we believe that it applies as well to the New Testament. Though we believe “the Law” is no longer binding (Colossians 2:13-14), the Scriptural concepts in the Old Testament such as “calling out the remnant,” “dating and marrying only disciples,” and “a central leader and leadership for God’s movement” are in the New Testament, yet the Old Testament is much richer in its depth on these vital issues. Also, the “Jethro Principle” of leadership in Exodus18 allows us to lead and take care of thousands of God’s precious people. Therefore, we believe we are commanded by God to build congregations based on both the Old and New Testaments – a “Bible Church,” not simply a “New Testament Church.”

2. Interpretation of Scripture Thomas Campbell is credited with the “interpretation of Scripture” for the Restoration Movement. The Mainline Churches of Christ and the most influential leaders of the ICOC now share Campbell’s mode of interpretation: “Speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent.” In other words, there must be “a command, example or an inference” in order for a practice to exist in the church. For example, the Mainline Church of Christ only has non-instrumental services and they believe only men can baptize men and women, because these are the only “examples” in the New Testament. Though the ICOC is mixed in these practices, at the 2002 Long Beach Unity Meeting, there was a call to eliminate World Sector Leaders, Lead Evangelists, and Women’s Ministry Leaders, because these “titles” could not be found in the New Testament. Thus they were deemed “unbiblical.”

As for the interpretation of Scripture, I and the ICC believe the opposite of Campbell: “Be silent where the Bible speaks and speak where the Bible is silent.” In other words, we are free to practice or name something as long as it does not contradict the Scriptures. (Genesis 2:19; 1 Corinthians 10:23) We are more than comfortable with the terms and practices of Lead Evangelists, Women’s Ministry Leaders, and the authority of our Central Leadership Council over all of the SoldOut Movement churches. Let us not forget, the word “Bible” is not in the Bible, but we believe it is of God!

3. Discipling is a command of God and not optional. After a person is baptized, Jesus commands that the new convert be “taught to obey everything [He had] commanded.” (Matthew 28:19-20) This is discipling! Discipling is detailed in the “one another” passages: “love one another,” “instruct one another,” “confess your sins to each other,” “pray for each other,” etc. In our modern world with such busy schedules in such an individualistic and highly structured society, we have found that the only way to guarantee that every member in our congregations is being discipled is to have structured discipling – discipleship partners. The dynamic in this relationship begins as a teacher/student relationship, and then matures to a more adult/adult relationship. Also, every member in each of our congregations is organized into Bible Talks – our practical implementation of following the example of Jesus evangelizing with His apostles.

4. A Central Leadership with a Central Leader vs. Autonomous congregations Throughout the Bible, the Israelites were at their strongest with the Lord when they had a central leader: Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David. As a matter of fact, the book of Judges says of those days when they did not, “Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” (Judges 21:25) In the New Testament, Jesus is the leader of “the Movement!” Uniquely, when He ascends to Heaven, Peter takes on this responsibility as “the apostle to the Jews” since for the first seven years of Christianity only Jews became Christians. Interestingly, after Paul became “the apostle to the Gentiles,” the leadership of the movement by Acts 15 had passed to Jesus’ oldest half brother James. At the Jerusalem Council, James, after listening to both sides of the circumcision issue, gives his singular authoritative “judgment” which is then bound on all the churches. (Acts 15:19-24) Even Paul after his missionary journeys reports to James and submits to his direction. (Acts 21:24) The Mainline Church of Christ and the ICOC do not believe in an authoritative central leader or leadership. Sadly, autonomous churches only produce autonomous disciples. In fact, in 2005, some of the most influential ICOC leaders came to me and begged me to be on a “team of leaders” if I would only say that autonomy was “a matter of opinion.” I said, “No. It is sin.” Since I disagreed with them, I was labeled “divisive” which is what Jesus understood would happen if you preach the truth. (Luke 12:51-53)

5. The dream of the evangelization of the nations in THIS generation. This vision to change the world was rejected, because many ICOC teachers wrongly concluded that this was one of the primary reasons for bitterness in the ICOC. Biblically, God’s church in the Book of Acts is portrayed as a movement – “the Word of God continued to increase and spread.” (Acts 12:24) Implied in this passage is the numeric “increase” of disciples and the geographic “spread” of the movement. Jesus’ vision for His church was to go “from Jerusalem, to all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Thirty-some years later in 61 AD Paul writes, “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing… This is the gospel that you heard and has been proclaimed to every creature under Heaven.” (Colossians 1:6, 23) If the world was evangelized in the first century, certainly, we can do it again in the twenty-first century!

Since these five changes were never formally announced in the ICOC – thus in my opinion deceitfully and sinfully implemented – many in the ICOC became confused. (2 Corinthians 11:2-4) Therefore, some individual disciples in the ICOC churches still believe one or all of these five distinguishing Biblical convictions, because these were the principles that I taught “everywhere in every church” while I served the Lord by leading the ICOC. (1 Corinthians 4:15-17) Three things prove the truth and magnitude of these Biblical differences:

1. Almost every ICOC church changed their name. Recently, in the City of Angels International Christian Church, Courtney Irwin married Joel Parlour. With her “status” dramatically changed from single to married, she is now called Courtney Parlour! In the aftermath of the 2002 Long Beach Unity Meeting and the Kriete Letter, almost every congregation of the ICOC changed their name to signal a change in doctrine. For example the Chicago International Church of Christ became the Chicago Church of Christ. This evidences the undeniable reality of the return to Mainline Church of Christ theology by the ICOC.
2. An all pervasive lukewarmness continues in the ICOC congregations, because of no or optional discipling. Most of the key leaders of the ICOC want to “divorce” themselves from the five distinguishing doctrines of the Boston Movement and meld with the Mainline Church of Christ. For example in Porto Alegre, Brazil, this once dynamic church had declined and lost its distinctiveness so much so that members were told to disband and go to the local Mainline Church of Christ. Without discipling, is it any wonder that divorces are now common in the ICOC, when at one time they were extremely rare? I believe that “marriage discipling” in the ICC will once again make divorce extremely infrequent and only for Biblical reasons. (Matthew 19:9)

3. A monumental reduction in the number of disciples in every ICOC congregation around the world after the Kriete Letter. In Portland, the church went from around 300 members in January 2003 to just 25 at mid-weeks by the time that Elena and I arrived in the summer of 2003. Another “proof” of the destruction by the return to the Mainline Church of Christ theology of autonomy is that several ICOC churches had their regions become autonomous. For example, there are now six different “ICOC churches” in London; seven former ICOC churches in Los Angeles, and 12 different congregations with ICOC roots in Atlanta. Lastly, there has been a severe reduction in the number of nations in which the ICOC has a presence and in the past ten years only a handful of church plantings by the ICOC have occurred around the world.

Essential to grasp: no longer can one generalize and say an “ICOC member” believes this or that. Some still sincerely and fiercely believe the five or at least a few of the distinguishing Biblical doctrines exactly as I taught in the Boston Movement from 1979 to 2001 and presently teach in the SoldOut Movement. However, all are fully aware that “something has changed.” Paul’s words to the Corinthians are my words as “the father of faith” to the ICOC, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you the one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be lead astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-5)

Women's Day at the OICC

Let me be clear, I believe there are still thousands of faithful disciples in the ICOC, though no longer are the ICOC congregations composed of only “totally committed” disciples with a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Consequently, without a dream to change the world, without Jesus’ plan of multiplying disciples through discipling, and without a central leadership to guide the movement making difficult but unifying “judgments,” the world cannot be evangelized through the ICOC. The ICOC is no longer a unified movement that is expanding numerically and geographically, but merely a loose fellowship of autonomous churches with various standards of commitment even within each congregation.

Today, in God’s SoldOut Movement our prayers are being answered that “the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1) As well today, the City of Angels International Christian Church celebrates the Fifth Anniversary of its planting! The Holy Spirit sent 42 sold-out disciples from Portland to LA in May of 2007. In just five years, we have over 900 at Sunday services, a weekly contribution of over $25,000, and daily additions! (Acts 2:47) During this short span, the Spirit has sent out 125 of our most mature disciples to plant six churches: Honolulu (2008), New York City (2008), Portland (2009), San Diego (2010), London (2010), and Sao Paulo (2011).

Globally, in five years, the SoldOut Movement is not merely adding but multiplying daily, as the Lord has established through plantings and the gathering of remnant groups some 40 churches in 19 nations! Excitingly, this summer new SoldOut Discipling Movement churches will be planted in Boston, Mexico City, Orlando, Paris and San Francisco! With so many being saved around the world, the truth seeker will joyfully acknowledge that this is not a movement of men, but a movement of God!

Again, let me be clear, there will be a few ICOC churches that will grow and have “lots of baptisms,” but this has occurred for years in the dying Mainline Churches of Christ. However, a few “with it” congregations will not build a movement to change the world. Paul in 1 Timothy 2:3-4 teaches, “God our Savior… wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” God’s will is for “all men to be saved.” Is God’s will, your will? If it is, then it is imperative that you are in a movement of disciples that has Jesus’ dream of world evangelism, not in an autonomous congregation.

My daily prayer is that every confused disciple will prayerfully study the Scriptures to “discern what is best” and Biblically correct. Then courageously act upon these convictions by joining God’s new movement! The Apostle John challenged everyone who believed in Jesus and in His first century movement, but did not have the purity of heart to join, when he wrote, “Because of the Pharisees ‘they’ would not confess their faith for fear ‘they’ would be put out of the synagogue – [disfellowshipped]; for ‘they’ loved the praise from men more than praise from God.”(John 12:42-43)

In short, to be in God’s new SoldOut Movement one must be sold-out, even to the point of choosing God over relationships that were once of God. (Luke 14:25-26) God’s grace and mercy allowed the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land on “their second try,” and likewise, I believe that for the faithful remnant, on “our second try” that God’s Spirit will propel His new movement into all nations in THIS generation! And to God be all the glory!

Kip McKean

Seek HIS Kingdom First – Prayer Goals for 2012!

Melanie — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:13:16 +0000

John 14:12: Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

We welcome Matt and Helen Sullivan - Special Guests for our Winter Workshop!

Someone once said that if you aim at nothing, you hit it every time. Unfortunately, so many churches and individuals fail because they fail to dream. Here in Orlando International Christian Church, we have many dreams for the coming year. We have group goals and individual dreams for our families and our communities that we all want to see happen in 2012! We are very excited about Matt and Helen Sullivan moving to Orlando in August to lead Orlando and oversee the Southeastern US churches! Along with the Sullivans, we are excited about 15 disciples from Washington DC, Los Angeles, and North Carolina moving here to accelerate our growth. The plan is to evangelize Orlando as well as the Southeast starting with planting Atlanta and Miami in the near future! As we soar into 2012, let us pray faithfully over our goals and live each day full of faith, making a unified effort to advance God’s Kingdom!

Welcome to our newest sister Joan Robillard! Pictured from right - Elizabeth Eckels, Marie Graeff, Joan Robillard, Lisa Robillard and Yanna Joye!

2012 Prayer Goals

Just as one disciple multiplies and becomes two disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), one Bible Talk will multiply and become two Bible Talks. God has multiplied the church from 2 disciples to 33, with an average Sunday attendance of 60 members, children and visitors. We will begin the new year with 33 disciples and 5 Bible Talks. It is our prayer that God will multiply 33 into 60 and double our number of Bible Talks to 10 by the time we attend the 2012 Global Leadership Conference in Los Angeles Aug 5th – Aug 8th! (Start planning your vacations around those dates now.) Being that Orlando is the home to 2,134,411 people, a goal of 60 disciples with an average attendance of 120 on Sundays seems like a drop in the bucket. We need to pray for God to send us workers!!
Our goal is to raise up new Bible Talk leaders to lead these 5 new Bible Talks!
With 5 new Bible Talks by August, as well as calling all members to sacrifice, our goal is for our regular weekly contribution to be $2000 a week by August, 2012. The Bible commands sacrifice, and we call all disciples to imitate the 1st century church and to begin giving at least a tithe.
Our goal is for each individual to raise 15 times their weekly contribution for the 2012 Missions Contribution, totaling $16,500. This contribution will go to OICC to supplement our weekly contribution for staff, to fund interns, and to meet the needs of church operations including a place to meet, Kingdom Kids supplies, equipment, books etc. By

Our new brother in Christ, Joseph Angerville! Joseph is Marie Graeff's Father! Pictured from left: Marie, Joseph and Daphne who is Marie's daughter.

August, if not sooner, we will need to pay for a midweek location. The women are packing out the house right now! The history of our churches is rich with stories of the generosity of members in giving money to missions and sending members to help plant churches all over the world. This doesn’t happen without sacrifice.
As mentioned above, we want to fund 2 summer interns for UCF through our Missions Contribution.
OICC disciples have been active volunteers for MERCY Worldwide for the last 3 years. We firmly believe in meeting the needs of the youth, the poor and the elderly. We will continue our volunteer efforts with 2 MERCY projects during 2012. We will also appoint a MERCY Coordinator!
As Jesus provided extensive training to his 12 disciples, we will continue to train our Young Zealots on a regular basis, preparing those who dream of being in the ministry!
We will continue to strengthen our Preteen Mentoring Program that we put into place last year. Each mentor will continue to meet with the preteens, doing character studies and having fun time with the preteen they are mentoring. These are the leaders of our future and we must give them our heart! We also will have a father/son trip and a mother/daughter sleepover for the preteens!
With Orlando having a 57% Hispanic population, our goal in 2012 is to have a Spanish speaking Bible Talk by August.

Congratulations to our Young Zealot Calvin Pichardo who graduated from UCF this past December with a Medical Laboratory Scientist Degree!

10. UCF has almost 60,000 students, and is the second largest public university in the nation. Along with Valencia College and Seminole State College, we have the lofty task of reaching out to over 100,000 students! Currently, our campus ministry has 9 disciples. Our goal is to double that number by August to 18 disciples at UCF, Seminole State and Valencia Community College!
11. As a church we understand how big God is and how small we are! Therefore, our goal this year is to spend time regularly praying together as a church. We will be implementing a weekly prayer group that will be open to all members! The Holy Spirit was unleashed on the disciples when they gathered together in prayer. Our goal is to rely on God this year and watch God work like never before!
12. Melanie and Steve Coyle have been training as shepherds for the last year! Our goal is to appoint them Shepherds this year! We would also like to add another 2 couples to our Shepherds in training.

We must ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.’ Brothers and sisters, if we work together and lay our lives down as Jesus did, we will be very proud of our church in 2012. We will see new churches planted, new men and women going into the full-time ministry, and many more men and women raising up to lead Bible Talks in their homes in order to help spread the gospel all over the world. To God Be the Glory!

Anthony and Elizabeth Eckels

The Deeper Meaning of Christmas!

Melanie — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:24:18 +0000

The Couples of OICC's First Annual Married's Retreat!

December 25^th was the date the Romans celebrated the birth of their sun god. After the conversion of Roman emperor Constantine in A.D. 312, he combined the worship of the sun god with the worship of Christ. Christian leaders used this “Christ-mass” celebration as a tool to help convert pagans.

Our celebration of Christmas goes much deeper than just the date on which we observe it. The first Christmas did not celebrate a date as much as a life changing event in history: the birth of Israel’s long awaited Messiah and Lord of all Nations. Early disciples didn’t know the specific night the angels sang and the baby Jesus was born. No one knows the date specifically, but this we do know: As early as the second century, Christians used January 6^th to celebrate Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist! Later on, this very festival was expanded to include the celebration of Christ’s birth – being called the Epiphany. So, the first Christmas was not a celebration based on a pagan holiday. It was the celebration of the Word becoming flesh through the birth of Christ! As we celebrate the birth of our savior, here are some deep Biblical truths to ponder on:

Rejoicing with Toby Hemmings as he is restored to the Lord! From left: Jason Tomlinson, Chris Jones, Toby Hemmings, Steve Coyle

We needed a Shepherd!

Luke 2:8-14: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

After the birth of Christ a great company (company means 100) of the heavenly hosts appeared with the angel to the shepherds announcing the Savior’s birth! He did not appear to the religious leaders of Jerusalem, but to humble shepherds who lived in fields. Although their testimony was not valid in legal court and they were not well respected in society, God chose them as the first witnesses to Christ’s birth. They were considering dirty by society but God saw their humility and hunger to be cleansed by the Savior! Similarly, Christ came to be our Shepherd, who humbly guides us, stooping low to deal with our dirty lives, transforming us and making us clean.

Psalm 18:35: You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.

We are undeserving of the gracious gift of our humble Shepherd. Do we approach Christ and his amazing Kingdom that we were baptized into with great humility? Do we stoop down to help others to be great?

We needed a King!

We welcome John Lawrence to the fellowship as he placed membership this month!

Matthew 2:10-12: When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Magi presented Jesus with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gift of gold represented royalty and kingship. This gift was prophetic, stating the Christ child would be King of Kings, Lord of Lords, master of all! As we look in retrospect over the last year, have we made Jesus Lord in all areas of our lives? Is he Lord of our purpose, of how we spend our time, Lord of our jobs, our families, our finances and our everything? Surrendering all to our King is very freeing and refreshing! After all, he is King of his Kingdom, his church! Are you seeking His Kingdom first? Is He King of your life or are you?

We needed a Priest!

Hebrews 4:14-16: Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Frankincense was burned by the priest – believing its aroma carried the prayers of the people to heaven. Christ became our great eternal high priest, who through his blood is now our source of forgiveness and also the permanent mediator between us and God. He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses and plead for our mercy. Do you walk around with confidence, secure in God’s grace or do you have unconfessed sin or unnecessary guilt plaguing you? If you are walking around holding on to hidden sin or guilt in your heart, be open with a disciple today. Having Christ as our Priest brings security and freedom!

Toby Hemmings helping to welcome our newest member, Keith Crawford who placed membership this month!

We needed a Savior!

1 Peter 2:21-25: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Myrrh was a prophetic gift symbolizing that Christ was born to die for the sins of the world. Myrrh is an Arabic word for bitter and was used for embalming the dead. Christ died for us and has now called us to follow in His steps! As disciples, we have made a commitment to daily follow is his steps by dying to ourselves and our sinful nature, taking up our cross and carrying it daily. As you spend time with family and friends through the holiday, how are you going to die to yourself and share the good news? Everyone needs a savior!

As we celebrate Christ’s birth, it is our prayer that you will have a memorable holiday season and spend it focusing on how Jesus came to be your Shepherd, your King, your High Priest, and most importantly, your Savior.

Merry Christmas from the OICC!

Celebrating MERCY 2011!

Mercy 2011 Update

Melanie — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:23:17 +0000

The West Side Bible Talk presenting gifts!

MERCY Worldwide (Maximizing Efforts for Relief Care and Youth) is the benevolent arm of the International Christian Churches. At the end of our worship service on Sunday, December 18, our church presented over 75 gifts to families in need through our adopt-a-family program. Each Bible Talk adopted a family and presented the wrapped gifts to the families. We are grateful for the chance to reach out and help others during the Christmas Season!

Sharing with those in need...OICC Family Bible Talk!

God’s Plan to Evangelize the World!

Melanie — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:30:05 +0000

Matthew 28:18-20: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We see a pattern of multiplication throughout the 1st Century Church that we also see in God’s modern day movement today. In the International Christian Churches around the world, we understand that the evangelization of the world is not only possible, but is our obligation as disciples!

Romans 10:14-15: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Our New Brother In Christ Jonathan Smoot! Pictured center with Steve Coyle (left) and Anthony Eckels (right)

Disciples multiply disciples!
Bible Talks multiply Bible Talks!
Regions multiply Regions!
Churches multiply Churches!

Sadly, we have seen our former fellowship view the evangelization of the world as an unrealistic goal and an ideal, rather than a faithful reality! Orlando International Christian Church has not only stood strong in their faithful goal to evangelize Orlando by doubling in number over the last year, but we are sacrificially supporting world missions as well.

Recently, we have seen 5th generation fruit baptized into Christ in Orlando ICC! Two examples are especially encouraging: Elizabeth Eckels restored Lisa Robilliard to Christ, Lisa baptized her boss’ wife, Melanie Coyle. Melanie encouraged her husband to study the Bible with Anthony Eckels, baptizing Steve a few months later. Then Steve, a store manager, baptized his assistant manager Michael Smoot just last month! Smoot, a very talented musician, has a degree in music theory and has begun performing with Agape, playing the saxophone and the bongos! Smoot is studying the Bible with several friends and expects to be fruitful very soon!

The sisters celebrating with Jessie (third from left) at her Baptism!

Another awesome example of multiplying disciples is the following 5 generation fruit chain: Elizabeth Eckels restored Lisa Robilliard to Christ. Then, Lisa began to reach out to June Fisher, who was living in Georgia. June had fallen away 18 years earlier in Charlotte, NC. Through Lisa’s love and constant encouragement, June gave up her job and home, and moved to Orlando to be with the body of Christ. Lisa lovingly moved June into her home, and soon restored her to Christ. June, who we’ve nicknamed June the Baptist, met Yanna over the summer on the bus and shared her faith with her. June studied the Bible with Yanna, and helped her to make Godly decisions to change her life. Yanna, who was pregnant at the time, radically changed her life, which meant leaving the father of her unborn child, switching jobs and moving! June lovingly moved Yanna into her home, and baptized her into Christ. Then, Yanna shared her faith with a young woman named Jessie at her new job. Jessie began to study the Bible, and repent of her sins. Yanna gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, naming him Nehemiah, sharing that God had rebuilt her life in Christ! She returned home on Friday with her baby boy and baptized Jessie on the following Sunday!

In our efforts to evangelize the world, we are faithfully working hard raising money for our Thanksgiving Missions Contribution! On November 27th, 2011, we will be collecting 4 times our regular contribution for world missions. Let us rejoice in gratitude that we are in partnership with disciples around the world, who are likeminded in purpose and truth!

Philippians 1:3-6: I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with jo because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Campus Leaders of Today…Church Leaders of Tomorrow!

Melanie — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 23:09:18 +0000

OICC's 2011 Campus Ministry!

The other day our pensive nine year old son, Augustine, voiced his concern about the future leadership of God’s Kingdom: “Mom, you and dad are getting older. When you are older, I am going to need to lead in God’s Kingdom and make disciples! I can’t do this by myself. Are there going to be other leaders I can lead with? After all, you and Daddy have the Mejia’s in DC and the Broom’s in LA. Who am I going to lead with?” My wife hugged him and said, “Honey, you know these young campus leaders like Richard Hernandez, Chris Jones and Calvin Pichardo? These are the church leaders and elders of tomorrow! They will lead the way! You have nothing to worry about!” Even our nine year old understands the need for young leadership! Throughout the scriptures we see God choosing young, humble, zealous men and women to lead in his Kingdom.

Samuel was set aside for God’s purpose and used by God at an early age.
1 Samuel 2:26 - And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.
1 Samuel 3:1 - The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

Timothy was a young, zealous disciple, who trained to be a powerful evangelist under Paul the Apostle!
1 Corinthians 4:17 – For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
Phillippians 2: 22 - But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.
1Timothy 4:12 – Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

The OICC brothers rejoice with Steve Milo (center) during his baptism!

David, the youngest boy in his family, was chosen by God to be anointed King of Israel. Even as a boy, he was zealous for God’s honor and glory!
Acts 13:22 - After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.”
1 Samuel 17:46-47- This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Esther was a young woman when she became queen (Esther 2:2,17), using her royal position to bring deliverance to all the Jews! She risked her position and her life to save the lives of her people.
Esther 4:12-17 - When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

Campus Interns Chris Jones and Brittany Miller

Jesus, the greatest leader of all, began to learn and implement the scriptures as a young boy. After years of faith refining challenges, his ministry began at age 30. In three short years, he made disciples, planted the dream in their hearts to evangelize every nation and turned the world upside down. He zealously led the way of self-denial and died on the cross for the sins of the world!

Luke 2:42-52 - When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you. ”Why were you searching for me?” He asked.“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

With all these young, zealous forerunners in God’s word, it is not surprising that Paul targeted the lecture hall of Tyrannus, which was the young, intellectual campus of his day. In Ephesus, “Paul took the disciples with him and had daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.” (Acts 19:9) He targeted young, enthusiastic, opinion leaders that would take the good news back to their home towns and nations! In just two short years Paul and these young men and women were able to evangelize all of Asia! Acts 19:10 says, “This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.”

Richard Hernandez, Future Bible Talk Leader for Seminole State College

In the same way, we are fired up about passionately preaching the Word of God to all the campuses in the Orlando area. We understand that the future of God’s Kingdom relies on our youth! College students are passionate visionaries for many causes! Disciples of Jesus have the greatest cause of all: To evangelize the world for Jesus! We are excited for all of our Bible Talk leaders at University of Central Florida, Seminole State College and Valencia College! The campus interns, Chris Jones and Brittney Miller, as well as our other awesome campus disciples, are leading daily Bible Talks in the Student Union at UCF, the way Paul had daily discussions in Tyrannus!! The campus ministry also has daily individual Bible studies, prays together, has Friday Night Campus Devotionals and is focused on reaching out to every student! In the fall, our young zealot Richard Hernandez will be leading a Bible Talk at Seminole State College and Brittney Miller will lead the Women’s Bible Talk at Valencia! From these campuses will come our future evangelists, elders, deacons and women’s ministry leaders! To God be the glory and honor!

-Anthony Eckels

An Unforgettable Mother’s Day!

Melanie — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:48:14 +0000

Guest Editorial: Denise Hernandez

The Hernandez Family! From left: Miguel, Denise, Richard, Monin, Richard, Joshua and Richard Sr.

What a difference 5 months can make! My name is Denise Marie Hernandez-Fuentes; I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I am a mother, wife, friend, daughter, and most recently a disciple of Christ! God used my son Richie, my boss and friend Dr. Delores Inniss, and my sisters in Christ, Elizabeth Eckels and Melanie Coyle, to reveal the truth to me.

Richard Hernandez, Jr. - Class of 2011!

I married my high school sweetheart, Richard Hernandez. He is the love of my life and we have been together for 21 years. His love and support are unconditional. I have 3 wonderful young boys, who fill my life with pride and joy. Miguel Angel, 15, plays football and lacrosse for Timber Creek High School and is full of life, laughter and surprises! Then, comes Joshua, 16, my son who has autism, and he is a blessing from God! He is full of love, tenderness and just plain lovable. Last but definitely not least, my first born, Richard Edgardo, is 19. Oh! Lord! Richard is full of energy, knowledge, laughter, kindness, and most importantly, he is full of love for God and everyone else around him. He recently graduated from TCHS and is going to lead a Bible Talk this fall at Seminole State College, where he will be a full time student! Everybody loves Richard!

I work with Orange County Public Schools in the Professional Development Services Department with a 3.75 million dollar BRIDGE Leadership grant. Our goal is to recruit leaders, mentor them, train them, and provide a system to ensure that we retain them. As you can see, I am very familiar with Jesus’ concept of recruiting, discipling, training, keeping faithful and raising up leaders!

It all started with ZUMBA, yes with Zumba! Richard and I met our wonderful pastor Anthony Eckels at Zumba, not knowing he was a pastor. Anthony approached my son and invited him to Sushi Night for a fundraising event. My son was thrilled and he went to the fundraising event. He came home that night very excited and he said, “Mom, you should see how excited these people are about God and how they just love each other and help each other.” Richard continued to visit the Eckels’ for bible studies.

Rejoicing at Baptism! From left: Melanie Coyle, Denise Hernandez, Richard Hernandez and Elizabeth Eckels

1 Timothy 4:12 says: Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. God used my 19 year old son to teach and inspire me to study the Bible! Richard came home so excited about the studies and would share bits and pieces with me. He invited me to church and I started going with him. What a thrill it was to see such a close group of people gather at church, praising God with all their hearts, receiving such a warm welcome just because I was a child of God and Richard’s mom. WOW!

Richard came home one night and said, “Mom, Elizabeth would like you to come to one of her bible studies. You should go mom, I will help you study the bible as well.” After 5 months of bible studies and fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ, on Mother’s Day, I was baptized by my son, Elizabeth and Melanie. What an amazing feeling that was! As a young disciple I am so excited to be a child of God in Christ. Psalm 17:8 says, Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. Now I know why The Bible says “I am the apple of God’s eyes” because I feel so special in my walk with Christ.

To God be the glory!

Denise Hernandez

OICC rejoices at the recent baptism of Elaine Acevedo! She is the mother of four children including our sister Melanie Coyle, a hairstylist as well as the manager of a hair salon, and a humble and generous woman!

Orlando’s Arts/Media/Sports Ministry Rocks!!

Melanie — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:12:07 +0000

Agape! From left: Jon Fretwell, Brittany Miller, Kristine Bates, Joseph Kaile and Calvin Pichardo

Orlando International Christian Church is developing a rockin’ AMS Ministry! Anthony and Elizabeth Eckels have great vision for the AMS, since Anthony was a professional dancer when converted in the Daytime Ministry for Performers in NYC and Elizabeth was in the AMS when she worked as an Artistic Director in NYC. They led a Sector in the the AMS that grew from five (1 artist, 1 designer, 1 dancer, 1 actress, and 1 musician) to 75 talented disciples in a short year and a half! Later, they led the AMS in Florida that grew to almost 200! Orlando is beginning to multiply in the same way! Our awesome band began with Melanie Coyle, a talented singer and flutist, who was joined by Brittany Miller, a vibrant singer.

Our new Sister in Christ, Yanna, celebrating with June Fisher and Lisa Robillard at her baptism!

In less than a year, we have added Calvin Pichardo, our talented guitarist, Joseph Kaile, our amazing pianist, Jon Fretwell, our dedicated bass player and sound man. Most recently the band has welcomed Kristine Bates, our awesome drummer and trumpet player and Steve Coyle, our saxophonist! Additionally, we also have a talented dancer, Chayna Douglas! God, the creator of all talent, desires for his people to use their talents to glorify him! There are numerous examples of this in God’s Word!

Worship through Song and Music!
During times of great victories and sorrows, God’s people used song and music to express themselves to God. This is a form of prayer that is far from silent! The sighted scripture in Nehemiah is an example of worship in celebration of the victory of completion of the wall of Jerusalem. In Exodus the Israelites rejoiced in song at the great victory of crossing the sea and their enemies being destroyed. Likewise, we need to celebrate the victories in God’s Kingdom and express joy through song and music!

Nehemiah 12:27 – At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.

Exodus 15:1 – Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.

Dancers Anthony Eckels and Chayna Douglas

Worship Through Dance!
After God saved the Israelites from their enemy and parted the sea for them to cross, Miriam, Mose’s sister began to dance in jubilance, zeal and worship to God for his miracle! In the same way we can express our joy for God’s miracles in our own lives and for our salvation! How blessed we are!

Exodus 15:19-21 – When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
he has hurled into the sea.”

Worship Through Visual Art!
Many examples in the scriptures show craftsman and sculptors using their talents to visually please the Lord. Bezalel made the ark that encased God’s precious commandments and most holy objects. He used his skill to create a beautiful ark and sculpted winged cherubim at each end. In the same way art was valued in the Bible, we can create art to visually draw others to God and his spiritually realms. The process of creating for God’s glory is also an act of worship!

Angel Hovering Over The Sea by Elizabeth Eckels

Exodus 37:1-10 – Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

As we go through our week as disciples, let us look for new ways to worship the Lord whether through: song, dance, visual art, creative writing or other forms of creativity! God deserves to be glorified!

2011 Annual Worldwide Day of MERCY

Melanie — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 05:13:45 +0000

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

Saturday, June 18, 2011, was the Third Annual Day of MERCY! MERCY Worldwide (Maximizing Efforts for Relief Care and Youth) is the benevolent arm of the International Christian Churches. Over 1, 200 MERCY Ambassadors on five continents embraced our local communities by providing compassionate service in multiple capacities.

An elderly woman is grateful for us to serve her!

Here in Orlando, twenty disciples volunteered at the Salvation Army Independent Living Towers in Downtown Orlando. This 15-floor apartment building is housing for many poverty stricken elderly people. The loneliness, neglect and abandonment of the elderly is devastating! Gloria, an elderly lady who we served by vacuuming her apartment said, “Thank you so much for visiting me. I can’t drive or go anywhere, so I appreciate the company! This was wonderful!” Eddie, an elderly man was served by the disciples as they cleaned his apartment. He said, “This is the first time I’ve felt like people came in who really cared. I sit around and wonder everyday if what I’m doing is right and if I’m saved. Can you all study the Bible with me?” The brothers prayed with him and are going to study the Bible with him. Princess, an elderly lady was in tears with gratitude. Eight disciples went into her apartment which was barely liveable and they cleaned the kitchen, toilets, removed garbage and washed dishes. She tearfully said, “I’m so blessed that you were here. Please come back! Thank you so much!”

The following are some good news stories from the International Christian Churches around the world about their Day of MERCY!

Calvin Pichardo and Elizabeth Eckels serving with glad hearts!

MERCY Orange Country Region of LA – Raul Moreno: 80 MERCY Ambassadors visited a senior resident facility and provided entertainment for all 110 residents! The entertainment included dancing, singing and the now “infamous” and hilarious Chicken Man Performance by my son Felipe! We had activities on each floor for the residents that were bed bound: We painted their nails and massaged their hands. We also had one-on-one visiting, singing in each room, and gifts donated by the volunteers: cards, jewelry, etc. What most of the MERCY Ambassadors shared during our lunch brought tears to all of our eyes. They shared about the loneliness in the residents’ lives and the deep desire the residents shared for us to return… And we will!

MERCY Washington DC – Carlos Mejia: Over 80 Ambassadors were divided in two unified efforts to serve both Garfield Elementary School and West Elementary School. Garfield Elementary, due to the lack of staff, had to rely on the 5 to 10 year old students to move over 250 different text books down three flights of stairs into the basement storage room. The tasks ranged from packing an entire library collection of books into boxes at Garfield Elementary to sorting nine classroom libraries in 23 different reading levels at West. The principals and teachers could not stop thanking MERCY for meeting the needs of the schools.

MERCY New York City – Kwaku Sarkodie: The NYC Branch held five projects for the Day of MERCY. Two groups of MERCY Ambassadors encouraged the lives of seniors at two nursing homes, one in the Bronx and one in Brooklyn, spending time, sharing stories and singing songs. Another group of MERCY Ambassadors worked with City Harvest in Union Square, collecting over 2000 lbs of donated food from the farmers market to be distributed to the poor and homeless of New York City. Other MERCY Ambassadors worked with Meals on Heels, a NYC non-profit organization that serves meals to the elderly incapable of leaving their apartments. This group of Ambassadors served meals to 10 elderly people in their apartments in the city and spent time encouraging them. The last group of MERCY volunteers served in Queens, repairing the home of a disciple’s mother-in-law in need.

Disciples eagerly serving by cleaning apartments!!

MERCY Honolulu – Kyle Bartholomew: This past Saturday about fifty MERCY Ambassadors gathered to volunteer at a local park run by Kama’aina Kids. This organization feeds over 10,000 less fortunate children a day here in Oahu. As a result of being short staffed, MERCY Ambassadors provided our services in cleaning-up the premises of the park by doing yard work, “weed-eating,” and some carpentry. Around the park, there were sounds of joy and laughter as we all were encouraged and eager to support this cause!

MERCY London – Michael Williamson: What an impacting and memorable weekend for the London International Christian Church as we served one of the most famous hostels in Europe! “Arlington House” is situated in the heart of London’s “art district” – Camden Town. The hostel was designed to provide clean and decent accommodation for 1,103 working men. The disciples definitely rolled-up their sleeves! We had a few IT professionals update computer workstations, several members hauled trash and cleared massive storage facilities. Another task included sorting a garage-sized room literally full of resident laundry and donated clothing – the majority of which were unclean! Since most of the individuals living there are homeless, plagued with mental illness and deformity, a heart-touching need in Arlington was for Ambassadors to fellowship some of the residents in the common area. One resident said, “No one wants to talk to people like us who are outcasts in society.” The Director of Arlington was in shock at our request to serve them. “The London International Christian Church is the first church in England that’s volunteered to serve at our facility so you guys are ‘Trailblazers’!” He smiled and thanked us for serving. This weekend proved that it is definitely “more blessed to give than receive!” To God be all the glory!

Paula Harpole serving with a smile!

MERCY Santiago, Chile – Vic Gonzalez: Our Day of Mercy started with an awesome fast! Then Friday night, the “universitarios” (teen and campus) students prepared 100 sandwiches! At 6AM, we warmed water then packed-up and headed to the Vega Central where we served over a hundred breakfasts, distributed socks, and had life-changing talks! This morning at our Sunday Worship Service, eight of the people we served were fired-up guests!

MERCY Kiev, Ukraine – Oleg and Aliona Sirotkin: We are so grateful for the inspiration from the call for all the disciples in the SoldOut Movement to be like Jesus and serve the poor and needy. This Friday, we visited our city boarding school for blind children and told them of our willingness to support them as a church, to which they immediately responded with gratitude. We gave them new pots as they had been using the old iron pans for 150 students; we organized the reading materials for the blind, as well as organizing events and excursions. The whole church willingly donated money to buy everything they need for the kids, and we were happy to bring it to them!

We hope you are inspired and encouraged after reading these great accounts! For more information and to donate to MERCY Worldwide, please click here.

Dreams Do Come True!

Melanie — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 01:52:55 +0000

Guest Editorial, Melanie Coyle

Anthony and Elizabeth Eckels appointing Melanie Coyle Web Deaconness

God never said we would have it easy. But He does carry us through. As a young woman, I was a single mother with a chip on my shoulder. I was controlling and felt I had to control everything and everyone in order to make sure my life was in order. My husband and I were married and we thought we had built our marriage on the right foundation. Within three years we had a total of four children and a ton of responsibilities, and instead of turning toward each other, we turned apart and my husband would say he checked out. My controlling nature and lack of humility turned him away from our marriage and out to the world. It was at this time Lisa, a disciple in the Orlando International Christian Church, shared her faith with me. She was eager to meet with me and study the Bible and helped me to gain a faith and a hope that could not be shaken. I met with the women of the church and in the middle of a failing marriage I was baptized into Christ, and put my hope in God!

John Goss (far right) has been appointed Deacon of Finances for the church and stands with his West Side Bible Talk during their send off!!

After I was baptized, God gave me the strength to deal with what was happening in my marriage. Again God never said it would be easy…but he did say in John 16:33 to take heart, because He has overcome the world. He had already fought these battles for me and I needed to persevere, trust Him and stay close to my sisters in Christ, who showed me hope and unconditional love. My marriage did not magically get better once I became a disciple. I was separated from my husband and came to realize that God has to be enough for me.

I became a broken woman who had to realize that the only way I could live an abundant life, like Jesus came to give me, was by surrendering to God, no matter what his plan for me was. I am grateful to God because as I drew close to Him, he took care of me. God gave me the strength to go back to school and take courses while raising my children and walking through a painful separation. God became my rock and the center of my life. As I drew near to Jesus and the women of this church, God has helped me to change my character and take responsibility for my own sin. I saw that I needed to repent of not relying on God. I would rely on food for comfort and was still trying to control my life and the people around me instead of letting God take control. As I focused on changing myself, enjoying my life no matter what, and repenting of my sin, God was working on my husband’s heart as the men in the church got with him and helped him by using God’s word.

The Coyle Family - clockwise from left: Sarah, Steve, Elisa, Melanie (center), Maria, Ethan and Stephen!

My husband has changed completely and radically repented and we are reunited. God has used the men in the church to help my husband to make amazing changes and he is now an incredible husband to me and an incredible father to our children. Our marriage is better than it has ever been before – now built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ! God also gave me the strength to begin to lose weight, work out regularly, and curb my addiction to food and emotional eating. God is teaching me that I am not in control and cannot control my life or those in it. I have learned to trust that God is taking care of me and I need to just hang on to Him and enjoy the ride. In II Timothy 1:7 it says that God did not give us a spirit of timidity. He gave us a spirit of love, power and self-discipline. It is by clinging to this love, power and self-discipline that I have been regularly working out and losing weight since the birth of my 5^th child in October, 2010!

Additionally, God has blessed me with the victory of recently graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Anthropology and also becoming the Web Deaconness for OICC! It is with honor and humility that I accept this position and pray that everyone who sees our website will be inspired and encouraged. I want to also encourage everyone that GOD IS FAITHFUL. He doesn’t promise that our lives will be easy. But He DOES take care of us.

Being close to God and a part of His awesome church has changed my life, my husband’s life, my marriage and my children’s destiny. My most recent joy is the excitement of studying the Bible with my mother, training to be Shepherds in the church and helping others in their marriages! God has a plan for all of us! I will be eternally grateful to God and his church for giving me hope and a future! Jeremiah 29:11-13 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring you back form captivity.

The ladies of OICC celebrate the recent baptism of Kristine Bates (center, 3rd from right), a sophomore at Valencia Community College!