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Kip McKean

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Kip McKean
Born (1954-05-31) May 31, 1954 (age 70)
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
EducationUniversity of Florida
OccupationMinister
SpouseElena Garcia-Bengochea

Thomas "Kip" McKean (born May 31, 1954) is a Christian preacher. He is a former minister of the International Churches of Christ. He is currently the minister of the City of Angels International Christian Church and head of the International Christian Churches organization, also known as the "Portland/Sold-Out Discipling Movement".[1]

Early life and family

The son of an admiral, McKean was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is purportedly named after his ancestor Thomas McKean, signer of the Declaration of Independence. McKean married Havana born Elena Garcia-Bengochea on December 11, 1976. She is presently the Women's’ Ministry Leader in the City of Angels International Christian Church. They have three children, Olivia, Sean and Eric.[2]

From Gainesville to the Boston Church of Christ

McKean was baptized into Christ in 1972 while a freshman at the University of Florida in Gainesville. His mentor, Charles H. "Chuck" Lucas, was the evangelist of the 14th Street Church of Christ, part of the mainstream Churches of Christ, a 19th Century movement with aspirations toward a return to "First Century Christianity" as practiced in the New Testament. The church moved into a larger building with a new name, the Crossroads Church of Christ, and, through an aggressive student-based evangelism program Lucas had established, they made many new converts (along with a number of community and campus detractors) as its membership quickly grew. In 1975, McKean left Gainesville to be the campus minister for Northeastern Christian College, located near Philadelphia as part of a campus ministry program called "Campus Advance". Then in 1975 McKean was hired as a campus minister by the Heritage Chapel Church of Christ in Charleston, Illinois where he had great success in growing a college ministry at Eastern Illinois University. McKean became head of the Lexington (Massachusetts) Church of Christ in 1979 and carried on Lucas' brand of church ministry that focused on evangelism and campus ministry. The church grew rapidly and later changed its name to the Boston Church of Christ.

Separation from the Churches of Christ

After separating from the Crossroads Church of Christ, the Boston church expanded its influence among other Churches of Christ, becoming known as "the Boston Movement" and, eventually, the International Churches of Christ, with McKean and his wife Elena considered the highest authority within the hierarchy of the movement.[citation needed] Shortly thereafter, they separated from the mainline Churches of Christ.[citation needed] In 1990, the McKeans moved to Los Angeles to lead the Los Angeles Church of Christ, where they presided over the rapid growth of the ICOC throughout the 1990s.[3]

Separation from ICOC

Although due to doctrine differences, Kip McKean was decommissioned and released authority from the ICOC and was forced to resign. After his resignation, he spawned the 'City of Angels Church of Christ' congregation focusing on 'Sold out Discipleship'. City of Angeles is in no way associated with the ICOC. Due to the small amount of members, is not considered a part of any denomination.[4]

New Movement

A year later in 2003, they moved to Portland, Oregon to lead the Portland International Church of Christ. In 2005 the majority of International Churches of Christ separated themselves from the McKeans.[citation needed] Since 2005, the congregations under Kip McKean's leadership have sometimes called themselves the "International Christian Church".[5] This group under Kip McKean's influence has also been called the "Portland/Sold-Out Discipling Movement".[citation needed] In 2007, McKean moved to Los Angeles to lead a congregation of his new movement known as the City of Angels International Christian Church.[6]

Controversy

In August 2008, the Portland church broke away from McKean's "New Movement" and "extended the hand of fellowship" to the ICOC.[7] Kip McKean's doctrine and practice have been the subject of some controversy including accusations that he was a cult leader.[8]


See also

References

  1. ^ "Kip McKean.org » Biography of Kip McKean". Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  2. ^ tolc.org A Christian community falters - Loss of leader, governing body hurts group formed in Boston, by Farah Stockman, Boston Globe, 17 May 2003.
  3. ^ Short history of the ICOC
  4. ^ http://www.rickross.com/reference/icc/ICC310.html
  5. ^ Smallest groups that current affiliated with Kip McKean and the "Portland movement"
  6. ^ Kip McKean Starts The International Christian Churches
  7. ^ "Portland Breaks with McKean. Extends the Hand of Fellowship to the ICOC". ICOC Hot News. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  8. ^ http://www.cultwatch.com/icc.html

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