The Medford International Christian Church

Archaeologist says he found oldest Hebrew writing

Thursday, October 30, 2008 10:26:33 PM

By MATTI FRIEDMAN

An Israeli archaeologist has discovered what he believes is the oldest known Hebrew inscription on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard — a find that suggests Biblical accounts of the ancient Israelite kingdom of David could have been based on written texts.

A teenage volunteer discovered the curved shard bearing five lines of faded characters in July in the ruins of an ancient town on a hilltop south of Jerusalem. Yossi Garfinkel, the Israeli archaeologist leading the excavations at Hirbet Qeiyafa, released his conclusions about the writing Thursday after months of study.

He said the relic is strong evidence that the ancient Israelites

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Archaeologist says he found oldest Hebrew writing 100

were literate and could chronicle events centuries before the Bible was written. This could suggest that some of the Bible’s accounts were based on written records as well as oral traditions — adding credence to arguments that the Biblical account of history is more than myth.

The shard was found near the stairs and stone washtub of an excavated home. It was later discovered to bear characters known as proto-Canaanite, a precursor of the Hebrew alphabet.

The Israelites were not the only ones using the proto-Canaanite characters, and other scholars suggest it is difficult — perhaps impossible — to conclude the text is Hebrew. However, Garfinkel based his identification on a three-letter verb from the inscription meaning “to do,” a word he said existed only in Hebrew.

“That leads us to believe that this is Hebrew, and that this is the oldest Hebrew inscription that has been found,” he said.

Hirbet Qeiyafa sits near the modern Israeli city of Beit Shemesh in the Judean foothills, an area that was once the frontier between the hill-dwelling Israelites and their enemies, the coastal Philistines. The site overlooks the Elah Valley, said to be the scene of the slingshot showdown between David and the Philistine giant Goliath, and near the ruins of Goliath’s hometown in the Philistine metropolis of Gath.

Carbon-14 analysis of burnt olive pits found in the same layer of the site as the pottery shard helped archaeologists date it to between 1,000 and 975 B.C., the same time as the Biblical golden age of King David’s rule in Jerusalem.

Archaeology has turned up only scant finds from David’s time in the early 10th century B.C., leading some scholars to argue the Bible’s account of the period inflates the importance of him and his kingdom. Some have even suggested his kingdom may not have existed at all.

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But the fortified settlement where the writing was found contains indications that a powerful Israelite kingdom existed near Jerusalem in David’s time, says Garfinkel.

If his claim is borne out, it would bolster the case for the Bible’s accuracy by indicating the Israelites could record events as they happened, transmitting the history that was recorded in the Old Testament several hundred years later.

Modern Zionism has traditionally seen archaeology as a way of strengthening the Jewish claim to Israel and regarded David’s kingdom as the glorious ancestor of the new Jewish state. As a result, finding evidence of his rule has importance

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beyond its interest to scholars.

The script, which Garfinkel suggests might be part of a letter, predates the next significant Hebrew inscription by between 100 and 200 years. History’s best-known Hebrew texts, the Dead Sea scrolls, were penned on parchment beginning 850 years later.

The shard is now kept in a university safe while philologists translate it, a task expected to take months. But several words have already been tentatively identified, including “judge,” “slave” and “king.” The inscription was shown to other scholars at a peer presentation of the findings.

Some scholars are hesitant to embrace Garfinkel’s interpretation, and his findings are already being wielded in the ongoing debate over whether the Bible — written hundreds of years after many of its events are supposed to have occurred — is more fact or legend. But the find is certain, at the very least, to prove useful in understanding the development of language and ancient alphabets.

Other prominent Biblical archaeologists warned against jumping to conclusions.

Hebrew University archaeologist Amihai Mazar said the inscription is “very important,” but suggested that calling the text Hebrew might be going too far.

“The differentiation between the scripts, and between the languages themselves in that period, remains unclear,” he said.

If the inscription is Hebrew, it would connect the Hirbet Qeiyafa settlement to the Israelites and make the text “one of the most important texts, without a doubt, in the corpus of Hebrew inscriptions,” said Aren Maier, a Bar Ilan University archaeologist.

While the site is likely to add another “building block” to the historical record, archaeologist Israel Finkelstein of Tel Aviv University said the claims about it went beyond the strict boundaries of science.

Finkelstein, who has not visited the dig but attended a presentation of the findings, warned against what he said was a “revival in the belief that what’s written in the Bible is accurate like a newspaper.”

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The Movement – Great Among The Nations

Written by Jeremy Ciaramella

#1 The Movement: A Bible Church

2 Timothy 3:14-17

14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• Understand the context clearly. The scriptures exactly they speak of using right here are the scriptures of the Old Testament.

• As the “Sold-out discipling movement” this is critical to understanding what is going on and even in the application of some principles of leadership and governing the church.

• For example, Jethro in Exodus 18 Moses listened to his father in law, and “[Moses] chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.” Whether we call these leaders “sector leaders”, “house church leaders” or “region leaders” or “bible talk leaders” - is not the point. What the point is, we apply and old testament principle for governing God’s people and seeing to it that needs get met.

• This also differs from the mainline church of Christ theology that you “speak where the bible speaks and be silent when the bible is silent.” The Movement’s approach to scripture is “Speak where the Bible is silent, and be silent where the Bible speaks.” Therefore, if the Bible commands something, you are silent and must obey God. However, if the Bible is silent on an issue, then one can implement any principle, structure or practice as long as it does not contradict the Scriptures.

Acts 16:1-5

1He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

• Timothy was a believer – for sure. The epistles of Paul and the other letters of the new testament were not even written yet. The gospels were not even written yet. The scriptures Timothy knew from infancy that were able to make him wise for salvation were the old testament scriptures.

• The principle here is that here is an evangelist who was to use the OT in teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. This was to be the practice in every first century church.

• There are some other examples here:

  • Paul took a well-like talented young disciple for the distinct purpose of training him. Tremendous amount of trust in this teacher->student discipling relationship, and clearly deep convictions on being like the Jew to win the Jew. 1 Corinthians 9:19-21

  • Paul and Timothy delivered decisions by a central leadership that expected the people in other congregations to obey. That is not autonomy.

• AUTONOMOUS BY DEFINITION: “not subject to control from outside; independent:“

  • When there was a willingness for people to obey the decisions of the central leadership the churches were both strengthened in the faith and grew daily.

  • There is clearly seen a central leadership with a single leader throughout the Old Testament in men such as Moses, Joshua, the judges and David. In fact, God raised up each of these leaders to save Israel. (Judges 2:6-19)

  • In the New Testament when Jesus physically walked the earth, He was the leader of God’s movement. Once the movement was established among the Jews, Paul was given the charge by God to evangelize all the Gentiles.

    • Not just numerical growth from a heart to be unified with a central leadership, but also spiritual growth in a strengthening of faith.

    • The purpose of this unity – spiritual and numeric growth.

#2 – The Movement: Unified Brotherhood, Unified Dream

• Timing is important here to see how the churches worked closely together and HOW they stayed together in their common mission.

• Acts 15 was around 50 AD, Paul’s second missionary journey.

In your mind, it is important to visualize these three regions.

• Judea – the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean sea.

  • The church in Jerusalem and the Judean churches in the area.

• The Galatia province to the Northwest of it. What is modern day Turkey.

  • The church in Colosse in the middle part of Galatia.

    • Over 500 miles Northwest from the churches in Judea.

  • The church in Ephesus in the western part of Galatia.

    • Over 100 miles west of Colosse and some 700 miles northwest of the Judean churches.

• The Macedonia province was further west of the Galatia province – across the Aegean Sea. It is now modern day Greece.

  • Corinth in Maecdonia was some 200 miles westward across land and sea from Ephesus in Galatia.

  • Corinth was 200 miles south of Thessalonica.

Why all the geography? Consider this.

• In Acts 16 Right here – they moved about the Judean province delivering decisions that the people in these churches were to obey from the central leadership in Jerusalem. This was about 50 AD.

52AD 1 & 2 Thessalonians ~ 52 AD (Thessalonica – 200+ miles North of Achaia - Corthinth)

1 Thess 1:6-8

6You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it…

• Achaia is a south western region of Greece. The most prominent church in the northern part of that region is the church in Corinth.

• A model is something to be followed. In this context, Paul is exemplifying their model. This notion does not stop here.

• What was the purpose of this unified brotherhood – the message ringing out everywhere!

1 Thessalonians 2:14 (Thessalonica – over 700 miles west of Judea – the Judaean Churches)

14For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews,

• Concept of imitation. Cannot have imitation without centralized leadership and influence ensuring each church has the same spirit and same goals.

• The reason they were a model to the other churches in Macedonia and Achaia? They imitated the churches in Judea. The same Judean churches who were instructed and directed by the central leadership in Jerusalem in Acts 16.

• What was the purpose of this unified brotherhood?

2 Thessalonians 3:1

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.

• The message spreading rapidly! The dream of Jesus – all nations can’t hear it if it is not spreading rapidly.

56 and 57 AD 1 & 2 Corinthians (56-57 AD)

• This is 4-5 years later and addressing a church over 200 miles southward of Thessalonica. Over 200 miles took weeks to traverse. They were not “close” in their minds geographically. Weeks apart. No phones. No Internet. No cars. Donkeys, Camels, Carts – that’s about it.

1 Corinthians 4:14-17

14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17For this reason I am sending 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.

• Timothy – the evangelist – is sent to unify the church in Corinth (with each other AND with what is taught in everywhere in every church – c.f. 1 Corinthians 1:10)

• Through what? Imitation of Paul’s way of life, that is taught everywhere in every church – by sending an evangelist to provide and example and oversee the church’s repentance and to ensure they got unified with the rest of the churches in Judea, Macedonia, and Galatia.

• By definition:Autonomy = not subject to control from outside; independent:

• The purpose of this unity? Spiritual growth – repentance. Getting back to Jesus. And His mission – which is intensely emphasized in 1 Corinthains (e.g. 1 Cor 9:19-24 and 1 Cor 15:33-34)

1 Corinthians 11:1 1Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (Luke 19:10)

66AD Titus 1 (66 AD)

• This is nearly 10 years after 1 Corinthians.

Titus 1:5

5The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint^[a] elders in every town, as I directed you.

• Titus was the overseeing evangelist who selected the elders. Not the other way around.

• The principle of overseeing evangelist(s) is the glue that was key in unifying the first century. Same standards and the same dream – to evangelize the world.

• You see that the control and influence of the centralized leadership of the Judean churches and overseeing evangelists are what unified our first century brethren and what got the job done in their day of evangelizing the world in their generation!

• These Scriptures prove that directional decisions were made outside of a local church, thus promoting unity between the churches and propagating the movement.

#3 - The Movement: Shared Sacrifices For God’s Glory

Colossians 1:5-6,23 (63 AD)

5the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.

…

23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

• They did it in their generation.

There is a COST to be a part of such a movement that will reach “every creature under heaven” – one we’ll need to pay just like our brothers and sisters in the 1^st century.

1 Corinthians 16:1

1Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.

• Again – you see the overseeing evangelist figure giving instruction and influencing this church to take a collection (just like the instruction he gave the Galatian churches) and send it to Jerusalem.

2 Corinthians 8:1-7,23-24

1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

…

23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

2 Corinthians 9:12

12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God

• This is the point of this unity – people will be getting the needs met and their souls saved by these gifts given by the churches.

• Shared sacrifices for God’s Glory. More and more souls giving thanks to our God through our shared sacrifices…

Why be a movement?

• By being a unified and centrally led movement - We pool and then share resources. We only have two - Money. People. Just like they did. We do it now.

  • LA planting: Eugene, Portland – pooled money and human resources. Because of that - 1^st year over 101 baptisms, and 60 Restorations. Where there is working together and a unified leadership – the job gets done.

  • LA’s and personal sacrifices

    • In March 2007 The Portland Church was to give the LA Mission Team $150,000 for the Missions Contribution. It was promised that for two years after our leaving the Portland Church would continue to support the McKeans for their retirement of $1,500 per month and health insurance of $800 per month. In September 2007 after LA Kip encouraged the Johnsons to keep $20,000 of the $150,000 owed to LA, to no longer pay for their health insurance, because LA will take it over (even though it greatly burdened this baby church planting), and no longer pay for the McKeans retirement. To this day the McKeans receive no money from LA, Portland or anywhere. This was done so Portland could afford to hire Buzz and Anita Banadyga.

    • When the leadership makes personal sacrifices for God’s Glory, so do the people. Already – where there is a centralized leadership in LA – they have been able to send out TWO church plantings (NYC and Honolulu) – some 30 disciples total sent out.

    • As well as sending Melina Zapeda to Chile and paying the Sullivans full time salary in Chile – 3,500 a month.

    • When there is a Unified Brotherhood with a Unified Dream – God is glorified as souls are won and thanks given by them!

  • Santiago Planting: Phoenix & LA → Bonded together to officially plant Santiago. Grace and Steve Droblas of Phoenix → Going with Melina of LA to Santiago. Don’t think that infusion of expertise and talent is not going to encourage Santiago. Not just LA – pooling the resources. Is it a HIT to Phoenix. Is it going to weaken things? Sure. A little gyration but for many souls’ salvation. First week there went from 5 studies to 19 studies.

  • Kinshasa: Eugene worked with Portland and LA to send Tim there to pull the remnant together. Eugene is supporting Kinshasa alongside London this year. Now they are planning on planting another church in West Africa. Went from 20 to 80.

  • DC Planting: Coming out of Syracuse → 16 from there. People are being provided by Eugene. #2 – Couple is Chuck and Elizabeth Hess. They led the Corvallis/Salem group. This was a big hit for Eugene. Eugene also sent missions money to support their move. Chicago is adding more missions money to support this planting. Pooling our resources with PEOPLE and MONEY. There is a cranking church there and everyone there is doing awesome.

  • NYC Planting: Most people coming out of LA. Eugene sacrificing the Millers from Corvallis – Dustin and Amanda. Sacrificing money to move them. Another couple dear to the church – when they moved to LA to train, their sister Tanesha followed them. She was baptized in Hollywood and now is in NYC with them preaching the gospel. Monies from Eugene and LA pooled to move people.

  • Hawaii Planting: We are giving up the 8 here. Eugene gave David Rydstedt. Seems like a cool guy. Where did Kyle and Joan come from? Hilo! Took a shot in the mouth. Hilo is only 20 members. Their faith is a little low. Reel in shepherding couple. Money was raised in Honolulu, and 7,000 came from the Hilo church. Why Honolulu church is going to CRANK.

  • Nairobi: If it were not for 9 churches in our family of churches supporting UpSideDown21 financially every month – USD21 would not exist. Eugene supports me in the Internet Ministry – all but ONE website in our family of churches is on systems I administer as a cyberevangelist. In addition to that – USD21 has become a center of unity and clarity – many souls have been saved and the remnant gathered because of God’s use of that website. Hundreds have been impacted because of that ministry. Nairobi – brother joined our movement from a denominational church. Studied the site. Realized the truth. Baptized he and his wife. Baptized whomever in his congregation willing to repent and be true disciples. Baptized 11 people in the congregation he was the overseeing minister for in Tanzania – and runs a shelter for widows and orphans. Lost his job as a denominational minister over the truth. Why did this happen? Churches pooling resources and working together.

Who knows what is to come through the five year plan. And then the next 5-10 years? Who knows where you will be and where the Lord will send you to live your life as a living sacrifice.

Matthew 28:18-20

18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

• As a disciple, I was baptized into a movement.

• Jesus’ dream was that his disciples would reach all nations. This one dream was there because God Almighty who was in Jesus as Jesus was in him – had it from the very beginning.

#1 The Movement: A Bible Church

#2 The Movement: Unified Brotherhood, Unified Dream

#3 The Movement: Shared Sacrifices For God’s Glory

• The movement – we will pool our resources of PEOPLE and MONEY and we will live out the dream that Isaiah saw coming that began in Jerusalem, in the last days to every one – to every nation.

• The movement shares a common vision from a common leadership that is realizing the prophecy of Daniel - a mountain that would fill the earth, that will be great among the nations.

• And we follow the Rock that is Jesus – pledging our lives to his great cause, to seek and save the lost – everywhere, in every word – we will share with all who have not heard and among the nations there will be a movement that is changing eternity.

Guest Editorial: Chris Broom

Evangelist Chicago International Christian Church

“Now the men of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, ‘You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’” Joshua 14:6-8

Here we see an incredible chapter in an epic story. Joshua and Caleb were two of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the Promised Land. They found the land to be exceedingly good and yet 10 of the 12 most prominent leaders of the tribes of Israel, the vast majority, gave a faithless report. They did not believe that God would bring them victory and therefore led the Israelite community into grumbling against their leader Moses, and thus God Himself. (Numbers 14:2, 27, 36) Though in the minority, I write this article for the honor of God and for the defense of my friend and brother, Kip McKean and the Sold-out Discipling Movement. A few weeks ago, an article by Douglas Arthur featured on International Church of Christ (ICOC)”Hot News” brought up charges about Kip’s supposed slander, unwholesome talk and lack of repentance, which have led to a weakened church condition in Portland, Oregon. I have watched the Portland situation develop during the past 12 months, and would like to offer a different perspective “according to my convictions.” After all, “The first to present his case SEEMS right until another comes forward and questions him.” (Proverbs 18:17) The following questions must be answered in order to present an accurate and balanced account of the events that have taken place in Portland.

1. What is unwholesome talk and slander?
2. Why did so many people leave the Portland Church after the mission team to Los Angeles was sent out in Spring of 2007? (And why are they still leaving?)

Douglas states, “I personally traveled to Portland in May of 2006 to admonish… Kip and the Elders (Bob Bertalot and Tony Untalan) in Portland about letting no unwholesome talk come out of their mouths.” (Ephesians 4:29)

1. What is unwholesome talk and slander?
1. Unwholesome: harmful to physical, mental or moral health.
2. Slander: false statements or misrepresentations which defame and injure the reputation of another. As far as Douglas’ charges of unwholesome talk and slander, consider the following two quotes made by present ICOC leaders, who now oppose the Sold-out Discipling Movement:

Tom Jones, In Search of a City, pages 92-95:

“The first answer (as to why I joined the Boston movement, which was named the International Churches of Christ – ICOC – in 1994) has to do with great disappointment that I and others experienced with the Mainline Churches of Christ. I read recently on a web posting… that ‘nominalism’ and lukewarmness in the Mainline Church created the ICOC. In this statement I believe there is a world of truth. Many of us did read the Bible on our own in the ’60s and ’70s, and we did find there, in Phillip Yancey’s words, ‘a Jesus we never knew.’ We found a Jesus who issued a radical call to discipleship. We found a Jesus who was revolutionary. We found a Jesus who intended for his gospel to be preached around the world and expected those of us who followed him to take it there, whatever it might cost us. … But then when this Jesus we had never heard about in our traditional churches was proclaimed, the reaction, in our view, was as negative as it was swift. The Jesus we never knew was a Jesus that most people did not want to know. Most church members were involved in pursuing the American dream and were happy with the comfortable Christianity that allowed them to work Jesus in around the edges of their lives. … In the Crossroads, and eventually the Boston Movement some of us found the one place we could go where Jesus’ high call was held out as “the normal Christian life,” to use the language of Watchman Nee. In this movement the standard – the norm – was a high degree of commitment. In the Crossroads Movement, the call had been for all to make Jesus Lord. In the Boston Movement the message was for every member of the church to be a disciple … Whatever sins and mistakes would later be revealed in the Boston Movement and the International Churches of Christ, calling people to a radical commitment to Jesus was not one of them…”

“The second reason I believe we united with the Boston Church was because of the vision and plan they had for world evangelism… We didn’t know anywhere else where a plan to reach the world was working… Again, I would say, whatever the mistakes have been in the ICOC, having a passion for world evangelism has not been one of them.”

Gordon Ferguson, Discipling: God’s Plan to Train and Transform His People (1997), page 95

“As I was learning the principles of discipleship, I was trying very hard to put them into practice in my life and trying to encourage others in the [Mainline Churches of Christ] for which I preached to do the same… I was amazed (flabbergasted would be a better term) at the lack of cooperation I received from the members. I then went outside the church to find people with hearts to be true disciples. I taught and baptized a number who were absolutely ‘sold-out’ for Christ. Then another surprise came my way – they started becoming like the older ones. I discovered that all groups have personalities, and those assimilated into them tend strongly to become like the rest of them.”

“When those young members first came into the church fellowship, they asked some very hard questions. ‘Why do large numbers come on Sunday mornings, fewer on Sunday night, and still fewer to the mid-week service?’ I began by telling them that many older members were weak and just needed to be encouraged by our example of being committed and zealous. After the newer ones started becoming like the older ones, I changed my answers to those questions. I told them that the others were in Biblical terms, lukewarm and losers of their first love (Revelation 2:4, Revelation 3:15-17). And further, if they did not repent, then they would not be saved… And even those who know better will be dragged down by the overall tenor of the congregation.”

These two men wrote according to their convictions. Should we write off their testimonies about the Mainline Church as “unwholesome talk and slander” or heed their testimonies as “speaking the truth in love?” (Ephesians 4:15) I not only agree with what these men have written, but must state clearly that the new discipling movement, the International Christian Churches (ICC), was started for exactly the same reasons these two men left the Mainline Church of Christ to join the Boston Movement (ICOC). In the Sold-out Discipling Movement, so many of us have felt disappointment at the lingering lukewarmness in most, though not all, ICOC congregations. We missed a central leader and leadership whose vision directed us in a clear plan for world evangelism. We tried to be a part of reforming the ICOC from the inside for four long years. As Gordon experienced in the Mainline, many converts in time reverted to become like the lethargic congregations they were baptized into. Frustrated yet hopeful, God answered our prayers as we felt the Spirit compelling us to join Kip in his call to “start again.”

Here are some hard questions for most ICOC and Mainline congregations, which need Biblical answers today:

• What should we do when a great number of the members of a church don’t attend midweek services?
• What should we do when a church is divided; when campus and youth baptize their friends into Christ, but married people who are too consumed with careers are pursuing the “American Dream” to the point of being choked, unfruitful and therefore “third soil” disciples?
• What should we do when a church leadership announces an engagement to a non-Christian and it is greeted with a applause in one church and a standing ovation in another?
• What should we do when we see many couples divorcing as divorce used to be so rare in the ICOC?
• What should we do in the worship service of a congregation where one can hear a pin drop because the loss of zeal is so painfully obvious?
• What should we do when a church abandons or makes discipling (teaching and training) optional and thus disregards the command of Jesus in Matthew 28:20 which is to “teach them to obey everything” after baptism?
• What should we do with those who believe all the above situations are wrong, yet “tolerate” these sins in their church? (Revelation 2:20-21)

This is what happens when leaders of a church lead out of sentimentality or fear of men rather than the fear of God! Some think that we should say nothing, for in their minds to address these issues would be unwholesome (harmful). I say that the unwholesome thing is to date or marry non-Christians in the first place, and to say nothing about it is unwholesome! If calling out sin is unwholesome talk, then Jeremiah and the other prophets would not be able to speak, and most of all, Jesus himself would be labeled as unwholesome and slanderous because the things He said were offensive to many and made many furious. “When Jesus left there, the Pharisees… began to oppose Him fiercely… waiting to catch Him in something He might say.” (Luke 11:53-54)

In Revelation 3:14-20, out of love, Jesus rebukes the church in Laodicea for their lukewarmness. If someone believes that I’m lukewarm, I hope they love me enough to tell me. If they think I’m lukewarm and I’m not, what’s the worst that could happen? My feelings could get hurt, or I could be offended. But if I am lukewarm and they say nothing, what’s the worst? I could go to hell! I have been deeply saddened during some of the conversations I have had with current key ICOC leaders. In these very frank discussions, they have said things about the condition of ICOC churches that Kip has bravely written about publicly, such as calling most ICOC churches “lukewarm”, and yet they flatter one another publicly. They falsely call Kip’s words “unwholesome talk,” but I think Jesus would call their words hypocritical!

2. Why did so many people leave the Portland Church after the mission team to Los Angeles was sent out in Spring of 2007? (And why are they still leaving?)

Douglas writes that after the LA Mission Team left Portland forming the City of Angels International Christian Church, 40 more people moved to LA over the next 15 months. First of all, only 17 moved to Los Angeles over that time period, but another 25 moved to other churches in the new movement. When Steve announced that he was no longer “partners in the gospel with Kip” another 30 immediately left the Portland Church forming the Portland International Christian Church. The question is why?

Last year in October 2007, Theresa and I flew to Portland out of love for the Johnsons and the Portland Church. We had been hearing concerning reports from some of our friends who were members of the Portland congregation, and we wanted to talk to Steve and Lisa as friends and hear their side of things. I begged Steve to engage with the great guys that Kip raised up and left in Portland. I told Steve that if he didn’t, he was going to lose them. Steve told me that he was a couple of years away from his “A game” and if he was going to lose them, he was going to lose them. Doug implies that all those people left Portland because they were recruited. But why would people leave, if they were in an awesome situation? Could it be that Steve’s leadership and the overall direction of the church had something to do with why these people left? Here are some of the incredible disciples that remained in Portland after the City of Angels Church was planted, and yet later left to join the growing number of congregations in the new movement:

• Tony and Therese Untalan are one of the two original Portland Elder couples. They served in that role until June of 2008, when the Untalans moved to Los Angeles to be with the City of Angels Church. All in Portland hold Tony and Therese in the highest regard. Shortly after the McKeans went to Los Angeles, they had growing concerns about the Portland Church’s zeal, love and direction. Since January 2008, the Untalans repeatedly warned the Johnsons and the remaining elders that if they continued down the road to a return to the Mainline theology of autonomy, the Portland Church would split. Exasperated, they left Portland in tears witnessing the fastest growing church in the ICOC under the McKeans’ leadership, reduced to but a shadow of the congregation that inspired a new discipling movement.
• Juan Carlos and Betty Garcia helped build the Latin Ministry in Portland, were dismayed by Portland’s decreasing zeal and left to come to Chicago. They have led our Latino Ministry from 3 to 17 since January 2008.
• Anthony and Elizabeth Eckels were Region Leaders in Portland. They left in February 2008 to start our sister church in Orlando, Florida which has grown from 2 to 17. Despite their great love for Steve and Lisa, the Eckels asked Theresa and me to disciple them, not the Johnsons. Anthony simply felt that “Steve’s faith wasn’t there.”
• Michael and Michele Williamson were Regional Leaders. They moved to LA in June 2008 to train for the ministry. They also did not agree with Steve’s stance on “autonomy”. In fact, Steve took them out of leadership in March 2008, the day after Michael called the Portland Church “lukewarm”.
• Mike Patterson left Portland in December 2007 after confronting Steve on autonomy. Now full-time in our sister church in Phoenix, Mike is leading an incredibly fruitful campus ministry at Arizona State, which in nine months God has grown from 6 to 25!
• Jason and Susan Bond were an Elder-in-training and Deacon couple. Jason was also the lead songleader for the Portland Church. At the leadership meeting when Steve renounced the new movement, Jason confronted Steve, “Brother, you say that Portland will remain a discipling church, yet since February you and your wife were supposed to be discipling my wife and me, but we never even met for one discipling time… Steve, with autonomy we are now just another church on the corner… There’ll be no participation in an organized plan for world evangelism.” In less than a month after this meeting, Jason and Susan moved to the Phoenix International Christian Church. The Bonds’ daughter Rachel is one of the leaders in our new sister church in New York City, the Empire City International Christian Church.

Different from Doug Arthur’s claims, none of the above people were “recruited”. They left out of their own convictions.

As most would imagine, Kip and Elena were deeply hurt by a sense of betrayal and the sad events in Portland, yet Kip graciously wrote about Steve’s and the Portland Church’s departure from the new movement, over the issues of autonomy and central leadership, simply stating, “We wish them well.” In contrast to this, many ICOC leaders want people to just write Kip and the rest of us off as “disgruntled, slanderous troublemakers.” This was said of Paul in Acts 24:5, “This man is a trouble maker, stirring up riots… all over the world.” I say that these people are awesome and they have deep convictions that matter. Roger Lamb would have everyone believe, as he wrote in one of his articles, that all those in the new movement have in common is their desire to be “controlled by Kip”. Is that really all we have going for us? Are we really all that stupid? Consider all those who formerly served in the full-time ministry that are now in the Sold-out Discipling Movement: in LA – Lu Jack and Cathi Martinez, Carlos and Lucy Mejia, Steve and Jeanne Bolin, Javier Ochoa, Victor and Sonia Gonzalez, Marty and Cathy Wooten, Sal and Patricia Velasco, Raul and Lynda Moreno, Nate Reid, Rob and Burgundie Onekea, Mike Purdy, Mike Underhill, Ken and Liliana Zindler, Jay and Angie Hernandez, and Rick and Heather Romney; in Hawaii – Kyle Batholomew, Jody Tyrell, Chris Teves, Albert Wagers and Joe and Mary Santos; in Las Vegas – Dan and Deenie Triana; in Eugene – Jeremy and Amy Ciaramella; in New York City – George Grima and DJ and Kacie Comisford; in Orlando – Anthony and Elizabeth Eckels; in Phoenix – Chris and Sonja Chloupek; in the Democratic Republic of Congo – Lola Lof; in Ecuador – Fabian and Susana Ruiz; in Suriname – Brandon and Peggy Ferrell; in Estonia – Argo and Anu Lips; in India – Raja and Debby Rajan and Vellaidurai Palanisami; and in Chicago – Roger and Kama Parlour, Jay and Barb Shelbrack, and Theresa and me. I ask you to consider why so many former full-time leaders left the ICOC and joined the new movement?

The fact is that in the Fall of 2005, many ICOC leaders signed letters against Kip primarily to build a hedge around their fellowships so that their people would not leave and join Kip’s efforts as clearly a new movement was emerging. Yet, didn’t hundreds of people feel similarly and therefore leave Mainline Churches to form the base of the Boston Movement during the 1980s? As church leaders we have no control over people who are unhappy with our leadership and choose to go elsewhere. I believe that Southwest Airlines said it best, “You are free to move about the country.”

Again I ask, why would so many people leave Portland, if they were in an awesome situation? In fact, if you are in a situation like that then stay there. Otherwise, pray and weigh all sides. Come and see! Then pick a team and get busy! We are confident that as we “fix our eyes on Jesus” and continue with the work of the Lord (there’s more than enough to do in every city) God will bless the work of our hands.

There is one more thing that we need to clear up.

Doug states that … “In September 2006 Kip made a decision to break all ties with his former fellowship, the International Churches of Christ, and start his new ‘Sold-out Disciples Movement’.”

It is clearly documented that Kip was disfellowshipped for refusing to “repent”, or as we see it, “change” and compromise his convictions about central leadership, his 30 year stand against autonomy and the dream of evangelizing the world in our generation. When I moved to Chicago, I called Steve Staten to see if we could meet. Steve checked with the other Chicago Church of Christ leaders and then told me that there would be no meeting. As long as I was in fellowship with Brother McKean (whom Steve Staten and others had disfellowshipped), they would not be willing to meet with me. Doug, can you honestly say that we broke all ties? You state that Portland in May 2007 sent its “best and brightest” to LA on the mission team and yet Peter Garcia of the LA ICOC called them a “movement of Satan” when they landed there. Which is it? Is it “best and brightest” or Satanic threat? Are they the “best and brightest” if in the ICOC and a Satanic threat if in the ICC? And is “Brother McKean” a brother or not? Kip still continues to baptize hundreds, and raise up evangelists to plant churches. Could it be, like the Pharisees who called Jesus, “Beelzebub,” the ICOC is similarly accusing Kip? (Luke 11:15)

In Doug’s article, not only did it say Kip took all of the “best and brightest,” but it inferred that he left town with all the money, too! Steve Johnson wrote an article to the Portland Church on March 16, 2008 that stated, “Last year this congregation did an incredible thing and raised over $150,000 to send Kip, Elena and 40 other brothers and sisters to begin a new work in Los Angeles… We can all be thankful to have been allowed to share in this good work by supporting it with our money and our prayers.” In September 2007, just four months after the City of Angels Church was planted in LA, Kip sensed that Steve was feeling burdened about the financial picture in Portland. Therefore, he told Steve to keep $20,000 of the $150,000 and to no longer pay for the McKean’s health insurance or retirement plan (of which they still have none to this day). Kip did this so that Steve could afford to hire Buzz and Anita Banadyga, believing that Buzz would provide an evangelistic lift to Portland and Anita, Lisa’s mom, would strengthen Lisa by being at her side. Now that’s the kind of teamwork it’s going to take if we are going to meet each other’s needs as well as the needs of billions of lost people all over the world.

As for any implied sense that Kip and Elena abandoned those in Portland who desire to be active in the new movement, the 17 month old, 225 member City of Angels Church is sending their very heart, Ron and Tracy Harding, to lead the new Portland International Christian Church! This sacrifice comes after sending out two mission teams of 30 disciples – New York City and Honolulu – just three months ago! With all these sacrifices for others in their brief 17 month history, God has honored the City of Angels Church with almost 150 baptisms and 70 restorations! Now that’s movement!

Finally, I’m not in the new movement for relationships, but convictions! Joshua and Caleb didn’t become partners because they were buddies and liked each other, but because of their faith and deep convictions. They didn’t condemn the other 10 leaders because they didn’t like them, but because of their lack of faith and lack of godly conviction. When Steve spoke at the leadership conference in Seattle in 2005, He said “I won’t go to any party my friend Kip isn’t invited to.” What a friend!!! Talk about going out on a limb for someone. What Steve did was both bold and loyal and yet I don’t believe that Steve was EVER in the new movement because of shared convictions, but rather because of his friendship with Kip. Similarly, I believe many remain in the ICOC not because of common convictions, but simply because of friendship. Let me reiterate, I am not in the new movement because of relationships. My closest friends were in the ICOC and I cherish those relationships to this day, but I am in the new movement because of “my convictions”. I believe that what we are doing is of God and that a movement is necessary. The ICOC has lost thousands in the past five years. There is no longer geographic expansion or incredible numbers being baptized. One has to question whether it is a movement or merely a fellowship. The ICOC’s own numbers dictate a growth rate similar to the Mainline Church of Christ in 1979 (when the Spirit through Kip initiated the Boston Movement). At that time, everyone, like Tom Jones, agreed that the Mainline Church was disappointingly lukewarm. The average Mainline Church in 1979 was 150 members with only eight baptisms a year, six of them were children of the members. Since 1979, Kip has kept his Biblical convictions. I hold to these same convictions, which is why we are “partners in the gospel”.

Now, let us consider the recent church planting in New York City sent out by the City of Angels Church. There are 20 million people in that city. Even if there are a million that are already saved (and I’m not saying there are even that many) that would leave 19 million lost people! Is there no room for more workers in the vineyard? On September 14, the mission team of 20 had 78 at their inaugural service! Theresa and I were able to attend the Washington DC inaugural on that same day. The DC Mission Team, sent primarily from the Central New York Church, also of the Sold-out Movement, had 134 in attendance and saw four added to their number that day (one baptism, one restoration and two placing membership)! Our churches need to be shaken up rather than to drift into lukewarmness and stagnation. Amazingly, in less than two years, the Spirit has propelled the now 32 churches of the Sold-out Discipling Movement into 13 nations! We wholeheartedly believe that through God’s power we will evangelize the world in this generation.

As Paul rebuked Peter, let this letter be a rebuke to every ICOC leader who has sinfully grumbled against Kip and unbiblically disfellowshipped him and the hundreds of us who share his courageous vision and Biblical convictions. I am especially disappointed in those leaders who didn’t even know Kip personally and yet signed letters against him simply because they were told to by those who were in authority over them. I would be ashamed to have done such a thing! Finally, it must be noted that as Jesus called for us “to turn the other cheek” neither Kip nor any in our family of churches has disfellowshipped anyone in the ICOC leadership for their differing views, as we consider them brothers.

Whether our convictions resonate with many or few – whether we are in the majority or the minority doesn’t matter. What matters is whether we are faithful and able to elicit God’s favor by showing our love for Him as we obey His commands. So, if you desire to be in a movement of God where every member is called to be in a discipling relationship and the vision to evangelize the world in a generation is held high, then come visit and if you see the church of the Bible coming alive, join us!

Chris Broom
Evangelist Chicago International Christian Church

Sunday Service at the Ivey’s Sermon recap

On Sunday, we looked at the house church described in Philemon 1:1-3

Those addressed in the greeting were likely a father, mother and son. Paul noted that they brought him great joy and encouragement and that the little group was known for for their faith and their love for the saints ( the faithful in Christ Jesus Eph 1:1.) Paul’s charge to the house church was to be active in sharing their faith so that they would have a full understanding of every good thing that we have in Christ.

We want our house church to be modeled after this example, so we took a closer look at the type of faith we want to share with our friends. We contrasted the faith shown in Mark 5:24-34 that brought about miraculous healing with the lack of faith in found in Mark 6:1-6 that effective tied Jesus hands to perform miracles. Faith is more than belief, it is the process of acting upon that belief with though, word or deed, to make that faith active.

Go with what you have. We are a small group with few resources but that should not deter us. Jesus sent out the 12 in Mark 6:7-12 instructing them to take only the barest of supplies and to trust that God would provide for them. We we have the faith that God can use us to reach others, it unties his hands to do miraculous things. As we share our faith and get into other’s lives, we are reminded of the great miracles that God has done in our lives and we start to understand “every good thing we have in Christ Jesus.”

The second element that Paul used to describe the house church that met at Philemon’s place was love. We touched on the greatest commandment, as stated by Jesus, which is love God with all you heart , mind soul and strength and the second was to love your n