An Open Invitation for Dinner at ICMC 2018

The 2018 International Campus Ministry Conference will be held in my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio in July. I'm issuing an open invitation to any member of the International Churches of Christ who will be in Cincinnati during this time for dinner at my expense. We'll dine on the Queen City's finest: Skyline, Gold Star, LaRosa's, or perhaps some special hole-in-the-wall joint.

Why am I doing this? I want to provide a safe place for ICOC members to talk that's outside of the ICMC sphere. We could discuss Andy Fleming's church growth article. Or perhaps ICOC 3.0. Or the status of the 2020 Vision. Both men and women are invited. (I'm bringing my wife!)

I'm also open to meeting any members of the team planting the Columbus International Christian Church, including Coltin Rohn. Don't worry, I'll arrange separate meals for both groups.

The Replanting of Boston

Kip McKean has thrown down another major gauntlet to his old ICOC. In his Good News for October 31,2010, he mentions the planting of a new church in the United States in 2011. The target? Boston!

"Coltin & Mandee Rohn will be sent from LA to plant a sister church in Boston, Massachusetts. They will be accompanied by a shepherding couple from LA and ten disciples from New York City, and be discipled by the Smellies in New York City."

This planned planting has deep implications. First, it's setting up a "sold-out" church in the same city where the "Boston Movement" got its name. This is where Kip ceased from being a campus minister in charge of a campus ministry to a lead minister in a church. Later on, he was appointed the World Missions Evangelist in the ICOC. (He currently holds the same title in the ICC.) There will be two churches in the same city: the original Boston Church of Christ and now a new "Boston International Christian Church" (the name is to be determined). Long-time members of the Boston Church of Christ will now have an alternative church in their city fighting for their attention. Second, the Boston Church of Christ is known for a lot of long-time leaders and members who have been completely entrenched in McKeanism and its doctrines. Many specific doctrines of McKeanism have sprouted in Boston, including discipling for every member, "Christian = Disciple = Saved", and "disciple's baptism" (among others). The new church planting may start to draw significant numbers or at least curiosity from "old timers" from the heyday in the 1980's. Third, Boston is still a major metropolitan area with many influential college campuses. It stands to reason that many of these campuses that have banned the Boston Church of Christ will allow the new "sold-out" church on their campuses - but likely only for a short time. Time will tell what will happen, although planting a new church in Boston will certainly raise some eyebrows in the ICOC churches in New England and perhaps in the entire movement.

The couple chosen to lead the new Boston church planting, Coltin and Mandee Rohn, were converted into the International Christian Churches directly at the City of Angels ICC in Los Angles. Not much is known about them, but a video of Coltin (and special guest Mike Patterson) has been found online. (Coltin is sitting next to the cameraman and Mike is sitting diagonally across the table.) Remember that this is the man who will be fully trained and chosen to assume Kip's mighty spiritual mantle in Boston once more.