Introduction:

“Watch your life and doctrine closely, persevere in them because if you do you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16

NOTE: Please read the context of every verse as I have put only the emphasized verse. The 20/20 rule is a great practice for biblical interpretation: read twenty verses above and twenty verses after the reference.

Foundational to Understand: Church Universal

God’s one church is the church that holds to the seven essential salvational doctrines of Ephesians 4:4-6. Neither the mainline COC, ICOC, ICC, or RCW hold exclusive claim to this. The “Church Universal” is God’s one true church or God’s kingdom which is composed of all baptized disciples in any church teaching the correct “salvational doctrine.”

Doctrine just means teaching or belief, and not all doctrine is salvational. “Sound doctrine” in the Greek means “healthy doctrine.” You can have false or unhealthy doctrine in the church by building a church in an unhealthy way or teaching false things unrelated to salvation.

The RCW’s issues are not about salvation, but rather proclamation. How can the church be built in a way where the gospel can be proclaimed to all nations in one generation.

Our decision to part ways was driven by a commitment to uphold the authority of God’s Word in doctrine and life. This study will examine the reasons behind this choice, rooted in biblical principles.

I. Centralized Leadership Must Uphold the Bible

Key Issue: Leadership should serve to uphold God’s Word, not preserve the group or positions of power.

1. Unbiblical Foundations of Leadership

Exodus 18:20-22: Moses was advised to appoint capable, God-fearing men to share the burden of leadership. Leadership is based on capability and integrity, not favoritism.

Acts 15:13-19: The Jerusalem Council exemplifies leadership that sought the guidance of Scripture and the Spirit, prioritizing truth over personal agenda.

2. The Jethro Principle and Accountability

Exodus 18:22: Leaders must be “capable men,” trustworthy, and God-fearing, ensuring the well-being of God’s people.

Matthew 25:23: Faithful service and fruitfulness are the marks of stewardship, not mere loyalty to a person or system.

Reflection: Has leadership been structured to promote capable individuals, or has it fostered favoritism and ineffective appointments?

3. Biblical View of Appointing Leadership

1 Timothy 3:1-7: Qualifications for leaders are clear in Scripture—character, capability, and faithfulness are non-negotiable.

Contrast: Leadership roles as “life callings” as an anointed king contradict the principle of appointing based on merit and spiritual qualification. A culture was created at the top leadership level (World Sector Leaders) where it was extremely hard to ever be removed regardless of capability. The same weights and scales were not applied to those in lower leadership positions. We wrongly applied Old Testament Kings to movement World Sector Leader (WSL) evangelists and shepherds.

II. Generational Impact and Evangelism

Key Issue: The mission of the church is to proclaim the gospel and transform lives, not merely maintain institutional loyalty.

1. Proclaiming the Gospel Everywhere

Acts 1:8, Colossians 1:23: The early church’s mission was global, grounded in Scripture and the Spirit. They evangelized the nations in their generation and we are called to do the same.

Acts 17:6: The apostles were known for transforming the world through their message.

Haggai 2:7: God desires His house to reflect His glory, impacting all nations—not limited to a single organization or hierarchy.

The current rate of growth in the ICC is a symptom of a broken leadership system that will not have a generational impact.

Reflection: Is the church focused on fulfilling the Great Commission, or has it lost sight of its purpose?

III. The Dangers of an Oligarchic Structure

Key Issue: A small group that has been unchallengeable has run the ICC. The central leader has no authority to remove others in the central leadership group now and it’s decisions have historically triumphed the Bible.

1. Accountability in Leadership

Proverbs 11:14: “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Leadership must be accountable to Scripture and godly counsel.

Matthew 23:8-12: Jesus condemned leadership that sought power and recognition rather than service and humility.

2. Lack of Reform in ICC Leadership

Isaiah 1:17: God commands justice and accountability. A refusal to address systemic issues undermines credibility and faithfulness.

Reflection: Has the structure of leadership become self-serving rather than serving God’s mission?

IV. Transparency in Stewardship

Key Issue: Financial integrity and transparency are biblical mandates for leaders.

1. Accountability in Financial Matters

2 Corinthians 8:20-21: Paul took care to handle offerings transparently, ensuring no one could accuse him of wrongdoing.

Luke 16:10-12: Faithfulness in small matters, including finances, reflects one’s faithfulness to God.

2. Concerns Over Mismanagement

1 Timothy 6:10: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” A lack of accountability in financial matters reflects poorly on leadership’s priorities.

Reflection: Is the church handling God’s resources in a way that honors Him and builds trust? Has money been invested into the savings of souls or extravagant lifestyles of the oligarchy and travel?

V. Building Ministry Like Jesus Did

Key Issue: Ministry must follow the model of Jesus, focusing on personal discipleship, training, and raising up capable leaders. The other church deviated from this by prioritizing systems, relationships, and hierarchy over effective discipleship.

1. Jesus Focused on a Few

Mark 3:13-14: “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.”

Jesus chose a small group to disciple deeply. This relational model ensured they were equipped to lead and carry the mission forward.

Luke 6:40: “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.”

Jesus trained His disciples to emulate His life and ministry. Effective leadership comes from personal mentorship and training, not titles or positions. The ICC tried to “build around” ineffective World Sector Leaders by putting effective builders under them. This practice went against the “Luke 6:40 principle” further causing strife and conflict since the leader is the ceiling of their ministry.

2. The Multiplication Principle

2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Paul modeled ministry after Jesus by focusing on raising reliable leaders who would continue the mission. The church’s ministry must focus on equipping others to multiply the work of Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20: The Great Commission calls us to make disciples of all nations. Jesus’s method was relational—He trained leaders who could make more disciples.

Books such as Master Plan of Evangelism and COPS have been instrumental in breaking down the gospels blueprint to building churches. Most of the WSLs did not imitate the way they were trained to do ministry and all practiced different methods and philosophy of building ministry. For example, one World Sector practices “long conversion cycles” for baptism. In the Bible, someone was baptized when they had repented.

3. Jesus’s Model of Servant Leadership

John 13:14-15: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

Leadership in ministry is about serving others, not maintaining power or positions. This servant-hearted leadership is absent when systems prioritize role over the church’s overall mission.

4. Raising Up Capable Leaders

Matthew 4:19: “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Jesus intentionally trained His disciples to lead and replicate His mission.

Acts 6:1-7: The apostles appointed capable men to serve and lead in specific areas, ensuring the church’s needs were met while focusing on prayer and ministry of the Word.

5. The Cost of Discipleship

Luke 9:23: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Jesus’s leadership model required commitment and accountability, not entitlement or inherited positions.

Reflection Questions for Discussion:

1. How does Jesus’s focus on a few challenge our approach to leadership and ministry?

2. What practical steps can we take to disciple, train, and equip leaders like Jesus did?

3. In what ways can we avoid the pitfalls of focusing on hierarchy over relationships in ministry?

VI. The Mission Comes Before Relationships: Rejecting Nepotism in Leadership

Key Issue: Nepotism undermines the mission of Christ by prioritizing personal relationships over the effectiveness of leaders in fulfilling the Great Commission. God demonstrated that the mission to save the world required sacrifice, even at the cost of His own Son. Leaders must be chosen based on their faithfulness and capability, not favoritism or proximity to power often put in spiritual family language (ie “son in the faith.”).

1. God Prioritized the Mission Over Relationship

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

God sacrificed His own Son to accomplish His mission of saving the world. This shows the primacy of the mission over personal ties.

Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

The example of God giving His Son challenges us to put the mission of evangelism above personal relationships or preferences.

2. Nepotism Contradicts Biblical Leadership Principles

Deuteronomy 1:13: “Choose some wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

Leaders were to be chosen based on wisdom and respect, not on familial ties or personal relationships.

Acts 1:24-26: When replacing Judas, the apostles prayed for God’s guidance to select the most suitable leader for the mission, showing a reliance on God rather than personal bias.

3. The Danger of Favoritism

James 2:1-4: “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.”

Favoritism, whether in leadership appointments or church practices, is condemned in Scripture because it distorts justice and the mission of Christ.

4. Leaders Must Be Chosen for Effectiveness in Ministry

Matthew 7:20: “By their fruit you will recognize them.”

Leadership should be evaluated based on the fruit of their ministry—lives changed, disciples made, and effectiveness in spreading the gospel.

1 Timothy 5:21: “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.”

Nepotism contradicts the biblical mandate to make impartial and Spirit-led decisions in leadership.

5. The Mission of Christ Comes First

Matthew 10:37: “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Jesus made it clear that loyalty to Him and His mission must surpass even the closest human relationships.

Luke 14:26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”

The mission of Christ requires a radical commitment that places Him and His purpose above personal connections.

6. Nepotism Weakens the Church’s Mission

Proverbs 18:13: “To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.”

Decisions made based on relationships rather than careful evaluation of a person’s fitness for ministry undermine the church’s effectiveness.

2 Timothy 4:2: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

Leaders must be prepared and effective in ministry, prioritizing the mission above all else.

Reflection Questions for Discussion:

1. How does nepotism hinder the mission of Christ and the effectiveness of the church?

2. How can we ensure leaders are chosen based on biblical qualifications and not personal favoritism?

3. What sacrifices are necessary to ensure the mission of Christ remains the church’s highest priority?

VII. Godly Division Is Not Sinful Division

Key Issue: Leaving a church to place yourself under new leadership is not inherently sinful. Scripture shows examples of godly division to pursue righteousness and uphold biblical principles. True factions, however, are those that teach false doctrines leading others away from salvation, as seen with the Gnostics. If we were a faction biblically, we would fall under God’s condemnation, but our separation is grounded in scripture and conscience.

1. Godly Division Is Sometimes Necessary

Luke 12:51-53: “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.”

Jesus acknowledged that following Him would sometimes result in division, even among close relationships, because loyalty to Him and His Word must come first.

Acts 13:2-3: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”

Paul and Barnabas were set apart to begin a new mission, showing that God sometimes leads His people to separate to accomplish His purposes.

2. David Left Oppression for God’s Will

1 Samuel 27:1-2: “But David thought to himself, ‘One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines.’”

David placed himself under a different king to escape oppression and follow God’s leading, demonstrating that seeking refuge and new leadership is sometimes necessary.

1 Samuel 22:2: “All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander.”

David gathered those who were dissatisfied with Saul’s leadership and formed a new group, showing that separating from ungodly or oppressive leadership is biblical.

3. Factions Are Defined by False Doctrine

Galatians 5:19-21: “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity… factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

The biblical definition of a faction (translated as “heresy” in some versions) involves teaching false doctrines that lead others away from salvation.

Reflection: If our division were a faction, it would involve false teachings. Since we uphold biblical doctrine and seek to remain faithful to Scripture, we do not fall under this condemnation.

4. Speaking Where the Bible Is Silent

1 Peter 4:11: “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.”

Our commitment to speaking where the Bible is silent allows us the freedom to start a new church under faithful leadership, provided it aligns with God’s Word.

Acts 5:29: “We must obey God rather than human beings.”

Our loyalty is to God’s commands, not to human systems or institutions that no longer align with His will.

5. Unity Must Be Based on Truth

Ephesians 4:3-6: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

True unity in the church is based on shared faith and adherence to biblical truth. Division that arises from a commitment to Scripture is not sinful but necessary to maintain purity.

6. We Desire the Best for the ICC

Philippians 1:9-10: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”

While we disagree with the ICC’s methods and principles, we desire their growth in love and truth, praying for God’s blessings upon them.

Reflection Questions for Discussion:

1. How can we distinguish between godly division and sinful factions?

2. In what ways does Scripture provide freedom to start new churches under faithful leadership?

3. How can we ensure our actions and attitudes remain rooted in love and a desire for unity in truth?

Conclusion:

Key Scripture: “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

Our decision to separate was not made lightly but out of a desire to stand firm on biblical truth and preserve the integrity of Christ’s mission.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we ensure our leadership structure aligns with biblical principles?

2. What steps can we take to maintain transparency and accountability in all areas of church life?

3. How can we remain focused on the mission of proclaiming the gospel to the world?

FAQ:

1. Why was Matthew 18 not practiced? Had every effort truly been made? What does it mean there is “no remedy?”
Matthew 18 deals with interelational issues that arise in the church. Context would say this passage would not apply to this situation. Even if it did, our open letter details how the four step process would have been exhaustively dealt with as these issues were addressed to the WSLs multiple times. There being “no remedy” comes from 2 Chronicles 36:16, “But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.” There is always a remedy with Jesus of course, but if the people refuse to listen, then there is no remedy. The WSL leadership refused to listen and to date has not accepted our plea for unity to meet.

2. Was money embezzled?
No, embezzlement means to steal money from the church for personal use. The church operates as a nonprofit. Jason Dimitry as the president of the board agreed to give all the staff who resigned to start the RCW a severance of one pay period. We later consulted with two attorneys and confirmed everything we did was legal. A lie was started by ICC that funds were depleted and even the term “embezzlement” used in at least one sermon by a WSL. It was ironic since our original letter was questioning embezzlement in the ICC as this was an attempt to turn it back on us. We wanted to make it clear that our leaving had nothing to do with money and so we returned the severance to the ICC. This was not done out of any guilt but to not put a stumbling block before any of our brothers and sisters. Anyone can research or consult legal advice and confirm we have done nothing illegal.

3. Is Kip McKean behind the RCW? Your letter seemed to be soft on Kip’s sins and harder on others.
No, Kip McKean has not been involved and did not know about the RCW. Kyle Bartholomew wrote the original draft of our open letter. Jason Dimitry, Evan Batholomew, and Fernando Chavez helped add to it through hours of editing. Our letter states we agree Kip fell away and we do believe should have been disciplined. We were simply pointing out the difference of scales applied to John Causey and others in comparison. Kip McKean has had nothing to do with the RCW forming.

4. Have you wanted your own movement for years?
No, most of all our friends and in some cases family are in the ICC still. We did not want this to happen and would to date still be unified if reform was done from the top down based on the convictions in this Bible study. Though talks were had, in reality, the “trigger” was not pulled until just a few weeks before on what date to share our open letter.

5. Was deceit practiced in order to start RCW?
No, lying is a sin that God detest. There are numerous examples in the Bible of situations where plans were concealed in order to protect human life or God’s plan. For example, Nehemiah did not let anyone know his plan to rebuild the walls or even Jesus did not reveal who he was and what he came to do right away. The Old Testament also contains stories of “strategic secrecy” when someone’s life was on the line. Love always protects (1 Corinthians 13:7). As ministers to the flock we were called to serve, we had to protect them from what we believed had become corrupt. Thus, through prayer and fasting we carried out our plan and were pretty straightforward when asked about our views of the state of the ICC.
Here are a list of ten examples:

𝟏𝟎 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 “𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲” 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞
𝑁𝑂𝑇𝐸: 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑡𝑓𝑢𝑙, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒. 𝐺𝑜𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑒ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑑 (𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 22:15). 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑡, ℎ𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑖𝑛, 𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑑, 𝑖𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 “𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎l secrecy” 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑎 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒. 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑣𝑎𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒. 𝑊𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝐺𝑜𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛? 𝐿𝑒𝑡’𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑠.

1. The Hebrew Midwives- Because they “feared God,” the Hebrew midwives defied Pharaoh’s order and let Hebrew baby boys live. When confronted by Pharaoh, they used deception to protect innocent lives. God approved and rewarded them. (Exodus 1:15-22)

2. Rahab- She is praised in Scripture for her faith when she deceived Jericho’s soldiers to protect Israelite spies, guiding them to safety and aiding God’s plan. (Joshua 2, Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25)

3. Samuel and King Saul- God instructed Samuel to take a heifer and say he was there to sacrifice to avoid Saul’s wrath. Saul’s violent behavior forfeited his right to know Samuel’s full intentions. (1 Samuel 16:1-5)

4. Joshua’s Ambush- God directed Joshua to set an ambush against Ai, using deception to bring about victory. (Joshua 8:2)

5. Jael and Sisera- Jael deceived the enemy commander Sisera, inviting him to rest safely in her tent. She later killed him, securing victory for Israel. (Judges 4:17-21)

6. David’s Feigned Insanity- When David fled to the Philistines, he pretended to be insane to protect his life. He later credited God’s protection during this time. (1 Samuel 21:10-15)

7. Nehemiah’s Secret Plan- Nehemiah kept God’s vision for rebuilding Jerusalem a secret, revealing it only at the right moment. Not all secrecy is sin. (Nehemiah 2:12)

8. Jesus’ Commands for Silence- Jesus often told those He healed, like the leper and Jairus’s daughter, to keep quiet about His miracles. He also instructed His disciples to keep the Transfiguration private. (Mark 1:40-45)

9. The Messianic Secret- Jesus asked His disciples not to tell others He was the Messiah, controlling the timing of this revelation to fulfill His purpose. (Matthew 16:13-20)

10. Revealing Kingdom Secrets- Jesus often used parables and “hidden” language to reveal the kingdom’s mysteries in stages. Some truths need to be shared at the right time to protect the message’s integrity. (Matthew 13:11-15)

𝑁𝑂𝑇𝐸: 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑘, 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑂𝑙𝑑 𝑇𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑠. 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠? 𝐶𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛? 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑂𝑙𝑑 𝑇𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑤 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑟𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑓𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡. 𝑊𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒.

6. Are the founders bitter?
It has been claimed we have been in bitterness for years. This is simply not true. Nothing about this has been personal. We spent days fasting and in prayer. Our personal convictions have not changed. We have seen a shifting of values in life and doctrine in the ICC for years as outlined in the open letter, but this does not make one bitter. We had hoped it would change.

7. Do you believe the ICC is saved?
We believe any baptized disciple who is living faithfully in a church that holds to salvational doctrine is saved no matter what fellowship.

8. Couldn’t things have been done another way?
Of course! In fact, we are fallen humans and admit, there are things we possibly could have done better. Unfortunately, Satan wants people to focus on the “how” and not the “why” to not see the biblical issues that have been brought forth. We have done things in the most godly way we know how.

9. Is this just about numbers? It should be about righteousness. There will be a time one of your churches is not growing.
We do not disagree. Righteousness is why we released our open letter. David led God’s people with integrity and skillful hands (Psalm 78:72). Numbers are mentioned in our writings because they are a symptom of the faulty doctrinal issues brought up in this Bible study. Of course, there will be RCW churches that struggle to grow from time to time, but we believe if we are truly restoring the book of Acts, the collective growth will be emblematic of the Bible. Many have just lost faith that the world can truly be won in a generation.

10. Did you steal the churches from the ICC?
No. We presented our views to those we have led and shepherded giving them the option to come with us or stay in the ICC. No deadline was given and to date some are still deciding. All assets, monies, and equipment that was ICC owned was returned. We are grateful God preserved a remnant to come with us.

11. If you believe there are disciples in the ICC, why do you use the term “remnant” for those who come out of ICC?
“Remnant” just means “survivor.” Many will join that are survivors from the ICC. It does not equate to whether someone is a Christian or not. For example, there was a remnant who went back to rebuild the temple in 519 BC out of Babylon, but Daniel himself never went. Daniel was still saved even though he was not part of the remnant who returned to rebuild the temple. We desire to rebuild a spiritual temple that will win the world in our generation and invite any remnant disciples to join us in this cause.

12. What will prevent this from happening again in RCW?
History tends to repeat itself and unfortunately it does not look good. Even in the ICC, we always knew the movement would possibly come to an end as most movements do. They tend to drift from their original core values or culture. We can only remain humble and do our best to uphold God’s word. The concept of the remnant throughout the Bible gives us hope that regardless of whether movements endure or end, many will be saved.

13. What do you think of the response of the ICC?
Sadly, the fruit of their response has not been the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) but rather strong condemnation. To date, none of the issues have been specifically addressed and no efforts made to meet with us. Sermons have been preached condemning the entire RCW, others condemning its leaders. Myself and the other leaders were disfellowshipped from a fellowship we are not even part of showing an incorrect handling of the Bible. Censorship has been practiced and a few WSL’s openly preach they did not even read the letter. Character assassination with threats to expose our personal confessions of past sins. A vague 2025 vision was given that once again did not address issues or promise change but is a vain effort to keep people focused on an illusion of “everything is going awesome.” Real family has to talk about real issues at times. This is not unwholesome talk or gossip. Jeremiah warned us of dressing the wound of the people and saying peace where there is none (Jeremiah 6:14).