The International Churches of Christ

Movement·Founded 1979 CE·About 112,000 members in roughly 700 congregations across 147 or 148 nations, on the movement's own March 2024 reporting; its own site gives 107,000 in 767 congregations for a slightly different date. Membership peaked at about 135,000 in 2002 and fell after the 2003 crisis. All figures are self-reported and there is no independent audit.

Judaism → Christianity → Catholicism → Protestantism → The Restoration Movement (Churches of Christ) → The International Churches of Christ

Disciples Today — the ICOC's own siteThe recordMinistryWatch — reporting on the abuse litigation

Branch
Overview Belief 3How to Live 1Practice 1Stories & Scripture 1Community 1 You × The International Churches of Christ Discussion

Stories

the narratives it tells itself
Honest to God — thirty-nine pages that took the movement apart. In February 2003 Henry Kriete, an ICOC leader in London, circulated a document describing financial mismanagement, dishonest statistical reporting, legalism and authoritarian discipling. Within weeks forty-two ministry leaders at the Los Angeles headquarters issued a public apology for arrogance, legalism and abusive discipling, and the central structure dissolved. Read it in full — context →

The Scriptures

the texts that carry the stories — and everything else

The Bible

First Principles — the standardised Bible study series used with every convert

Discipleship literature of the movement

Numbers count Panfaith activity only — never real-world adherence.

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