RightCyberUp: International Church of Christ Hidden Costs

ICC Hidden Costs: The ICC Membership Contract

The International Churches of Christ (ICC, ICOC) claims that it helps prospective members to “count the cost” before joining the organization. Yet ironically, many or most have a hard time “counting the cost,” because they have not been told all the true “costs” of joining. If members don’t know what’s “in the fine print” before they join, they obviously can’t give full consent to being a member.

If the ICC spelled out its membership requirements in a legal contract, it might look like the following one, which was inspired by the cult recovery book Captive Hearts, Captive Minds (1). Anyone considering membership should be advised: watch the fine print. In particular, the “termination” clause is a zinger.

Note: This document does not pretend to be an actual legal contract, nor was it written to ridicule the commitments that so many sincere ICC members make. Its purpose is to show that few people would ever agree to the ICC’s terms if the organization were up front about all of them.

MEMBERSHIP CONTRACT

With the signing of this agreement, (member) agrees to join the International Churches of Christ (ICC).

AUTHORITY

By signing this agreement, (member) agrees that the International Churches of Christ (ICC) is the Kingdom of God. Personal rights previously enjoyed by (member) are therefore redistributed according to the terms herein. The rights of ICC as the Kingdom of God are absolute and are not limited strictly to the terms of this agreement.

DISCIPLING PARTNER

Upon execution of this agreement, (member) will be assigned a mandatory Discipling Partner to whom (member) will report.

Discipling Partners are subject to change without notice.

(Member) is aware that authority is part of the Discipling Partner relationship. (Member) agrees to report to Discipling Partner on a daily or near-daily basis, and agrees to confess his or her sins to Discipling Partner.

(Member) agrees to seek Advice from Discipling Partner in areas including but not limited to (member’s) spiritual life. Seeking Advice will be considered synonymous with asking permission in many situations. Discipling Partner may reprimand (member) for not following Advice.

ATTENDANCE

(Member) is required to attend all ICC Events, which include but are not limited to: Sunday services, midweek services, Bible Talks, discipleship groups, devotionals, retreats, seminars, and conferences. ICC Events may be scheduled without notice or explanation, at the full discretion of ICC.

(Member) should request permission to miss ICC Events in advance, if ever. Minor illness or job conflicts may or may not be seen as a sufficient excuse, as decided by an ICC leader or Discipling Partner. ICC reserves the right to question the heart or commitment level of (member) for missing any ICC event.

(Member) agrees, when traveling, to go any distance necessary to attend ICC Events, or otherwise to avoid traveling altogether to places where ICC does not have a congregation.

(Member) hereby agrees never to attend any non-ICC fellowship.

CONFIDENTIALITY

(Member) waives the right to confidentiality of any sins confessed to ICC leaders or disciplers. Privacy for confessions of sin is subject to the discretion or whims of an ICC Discipling Partner or leader. ICC may disclose confessions of (member) to others, as it deems appropriate, in the interest of helping (member).

In the event (member) seeks to leave the ICC, ICC reserves the absolute right to disclose the content of (member’s) prior confessions in any way it sees fit.

RELATIONSHIPS

ICC grants itself jurisdiction over any and all personal relationships held by (member), whether these relationships began before or after joining the ICC, including relationships with family members or spouse.

(Member) agrees to socialize primarily with members of ICC, aside from recruiting efforts.

(Member) agrees to always put the Kingdom (ICC) first in family matters, and agrees to seek Advice about dealing with family members.

(Member) agrees to date only ICC members, and further agrees that steady dating partners will be subject to approval by Discipleship Partner and/or leadership. ICC maintains the absolute right to end any dating relationship at any time.

In the event that (member) finds a potential spouse (member) wishes to marry, (member) must seek Advice/approval from ICC. In the event ICC does not approve of a marriage, ICC may decline to officiate the wedding and discourage other members from attending.

If (member) is married within the terms stated above, ICC agrees to protect the marriage bond, provided that (member) and member’s spouse both remain in the ICC. In the event that either spouse leaves the ICC, or in a pre-existing marriage between an ICC member and non-member, the ICC may to seek to end the marriage in some but not all cases.

PROSELYTIZING

(Member) agrees to use remaining personal time not occupied by ICC Events to recruit more members for ICC.

(Member) acknowledges that personal status within ICC may depend directly upon success at Proselytizing.

FINANCES

Finances of (member) belong to God, and are therefore the jurisdiction of ICC.

(Member) agrees to give ICC a Weekly Contribution, typically of not less than 10% of weekly Gross Income, before taxes or any other withholding. In the event that (member) misses Weekly Contribution, ICC may take measures to otherwise collect payment.

(Member) agrees, at least once a year, to give ICC a Special Contribution consisting of 16 to 20 times their typical Weekly Contribution. ICC may ask (member) to sell personal items in order to fund Special Contribution. ICC may ask a congregation for additional Special Contributions during any year, at ICC’s full discretion.

(Member) is fully aware that Weekly Contribution and Special Contribution combined, when calculated according to the minimum terms described herein and for members in typical tax brackets, may actually comprise over 17% of (member’s) annual Net income.

(Member) further agrees to make additional financial contributions, including but not restricted to: poor contributions, HOPE Worldwide, and HOPE for Kids.

(Member) is expected to pay an admission fee determined by ICC for special mandatory ICC Events including Men’s or Women’s Days, talent shows, retreats, seminars, and conferences.

At the convenience of (member’s) local ICC congregation, (member) may be given an annual local financial statement. If (member) has further questions about ICC finances, ICC reserves the right to question (member’s) motives for asking. Satisfactory answers to financial questions are not guaranteed.

INFLUENCE TECHNIQUES

Techniques of influence, called “thought reform” by authors such Margaret Singer, Steve Hassan and Robert Lifton, may be freely used by the ICC, whether used knowingly or unknowingly, or to the possible or actual detriment of (member), as long as ICC claims to seek (member’s) best interests.

TERMINATION OF CONTRACT

(Member) ICC acknowledges that (member) may terminate this contract only subject to the following conditions:

By leaving the ICC, (member)is leaving God, and forfeits salvation as long as (member)remains separate from ICC. ICC reserves the absolute right to communicate this to (member) in any way it sees fit.

ICC may demand full disclosure of (member’s)reasons for leaving in order to discredit these reasons for leaving. ICC reserves the right to have members call (member) or show up at (member’s)residence or place of employment in order to change (member’s) mind about leaving.

ICC reserves the right to distort the reasons (member) had for leaving, when communicating with other members.

Upon termination of agreement, (member’s)friendship with other ICC members may be ended at the discretion of ICC.

ICC, meanwhile, reserves the absolute right to terminate this contract at any time, without (member’s) consent or prior knowledge.

_______________________
signature, member

____________________________
signature, ICC representative

________
(date)

Note: this is NOT an actual legal contract.

Notes

(1) Madeline Landau Tobias & Janja Lalich, Captive Hearts, Captive Minds: Freedom and Recovery from Cults and Abusive Relationships, Hunter House, Alameda, CA, 1994, pp. 32-33.