Antioch International Movement of Churches

The Antioch international movement of churches is a relational network of evangelical churches[1] founded with a "passion for Jesus and His purposes in the earth.[2]" The Antioch Movement, based in Waco, Texas, began in the 1980s. The movement primarily focused on church planting and is non-denominational.[3] The movement became well-known after two of its overseas missionaries, Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer, were imprisoned by the Taliban in Afghanistan during the same time period as the 9/11 Attack on the United States of America after conducting illegal missionary work.[1]

History

The movement has its root in the college department of Highland Baptist Church (Waco, Texas) in the later '80s. Jimmy Seibert was the college pastor. His "Master's commission" program and "World Mandate Conference" ministries were ongoing while still part of HBC for many years. As the college department grew very large, the movement 'multiply' by virtue of getting their own place and thus separating from HBC. Seibert also encourages missionaries to plant illegal churches in places hostile to Christianity. The movement has been establishing churches since 1993, is part of the realization of a vision to see the local church become a center for training and sending workers to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission.[4] The movement began with a desire to see Christianity reproduced in a similar way as described in the Book of Acts.

Illegal Missionaries imprisoned in Afghanistan

Notable in the movement's history is the imprisonment of Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry by the Taliban on August 3, 2001 due to conducting missionary work which was illegal in Afghanistan. Antioch Community Church responded to the crisis by creating a rotation of 24-hour prayer for Mercer and Curry's release.[5][6] The crisis attracted the attention of international secular and religious media.[7][8][9][10][11][12] The prayer vigil for Mercer and Curry lasted 104 days. At the news of the missionaries' release, Antioch responded with what was described by the LA Times as a "joyous fest" of prayer and worship.[13] Mercer and Curry co-authored a book about their experience in Afghanistan, titled "Prisoners of Hope."[14]

Jimmy Seibert

Jimmy Seibert is the founder and senior pastor of Antioch Community Church in Waco, TX, and the president of Antioch Ministries International. He is a graduate of Baylor University and a former member of the fraternity ATΩ. He did not attend any seminary nor any formal religious training and is a self-proclaimed pastor. He started as an assistant to the college pastor of Highland Baptist Church in Waco Texas. His story of founding the movement is found in his first book, "The Church Can Change the World," which has been revamped in the book "Passion and Purpose."[15] Seibert also co-authored "The Three Loves" with Larry Kreider. He is against Planned Parenthood[16][17] and believes homosexuality is a sin.[18] He only supports traditional marriage and refuses to accept gay marriages.[19] Seibert serves on the Antioch U.S. Oversight team, alongside Pastor Robert Herber from Antioch offshoot, All Peoples Church in San Diego. The Seibert family - the parents and four children - currently live in Waco, Texas. Jimmy Seibert and Laura Seibert believe in spanking as a means for child discipline.[20] In full-page ads paid for by the Carenet Pregancy Cemter, Seibert was listed as endorsing a pro-life movement against the Texas Department of State Health Services and Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas.[21][22]

Beliefs and practices

Antioch has an official statement of faith available on their website.[23] The organization has its doctrinal roots in the Baptist Tradition and the Charismatic Renewal. Seibert often makes references to Waco's world evangelist Robert Ewing as his mentor. Robert Ewing was an independent non-denominational evangelist not associated with the Baptist Church nor traditions. Robert Ewing used the term "New Testament Church" also heavily adopted by Siebert. The movement has a distinct focus on the development of small group communities, called Lifegroups. “Antioch engages members in daily Bible study and prayer, carried out individually and in the church's 100-plus small groups that meet during the week in homes and on Sunday mornings."[24] Lifegroups follow a cell ministry model.[25] Jimmy Seibert was publicly listed as endorsing a pro-life movement against the Texas Department of State Health Services and Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas in the "Never Again in Waco" campaign ads published in the Waco Tribune-Herald, ads that were paid for by CareNet Pregnancy Center of Central Texas and Pro-Life Waco.[26][27] In a 2013 Antioch Waco sermon, Seibert denounced LGBTQ+ rights, such as same-sex marriage's increasing approval, as a "world gone astray." Antioch is a partner church with Living Hope Ministries, an organization linked to controversial gay conversion/reparative therapy.[28][29] Antioch firmly believes with "clarity and compassion" that homosexuality is a sin, describing this as "the truth." [30][31] Seibert doesn’t use the term “exorcism” but they do recognize “demonic oppression.”[32]

Affiliated churches

In 1998, Antioch sent out its first U.S. church planting team to Boston, Massachusetts. The next church was planted in 2001 in Dallas, TX. Since then, churches have been planted across the United States with a vision to see more reproducing churches established internationally. Many of these churches are now planting churches of their own, both in the United States and in other nations. As of 2020, the church's public network list claims "over 40 churches in the United States" despite listing only 39 churches. Internationally, their public listing claims "more than 80 additional locations worldwide" despite listing only 7. The remaining international churches are unlisted non-transparent black sites. Their public list is as follows: Antioch Phoenix, Antioch Little Rock, Antioch Northwest Arkansas, All Peoples Church (San Diego), Antioch Fullerton, Epicentre Church (Pasadena), Epicentre West LA, Hope Community Church (Los Angeles), Antioch Ft. Collins, Antioch Washington D.C., Antioch Orlando, Antioch Indianapolis, Antioch Wichita, Antioch Baton Rouge, Antioch New Orleans, Antioch Beverly, Antioch Brighton, Antioch Waltham, All Peoples Tijuana, Antioch Ann Arbor, Antioch Detroit, Paradox Church (Warren), Waypoint Church (Omaha), Antioch Boone, Antioch Raleigh, Antioch Norman, Antioch Oklahoma City, Antioch College Station, Antioch Dallas, Antioch Ft. Worth, Antioch Galveston, Antioch Houston, Antioch North Austin, Antioch South Austin, Antioch Waco, CrossBridge Community Church (San Antonio), Antioch Salt Lake City, Mosaic Community Church North Seattle, Mosaic Community Church South Seattle, Antioch Sheffield, Aberdeen, Banff, Elgin, Antioch Cape Town, Antioch Stellenbosch, Antioch Mongolia.[33][34]

The Antioch International Movement of Churches has several related ministries that perform international aid and crisis response:

  • Antioch Ministries International, a “non-profit church-planting organization affiliated with Antioch Community Church”[35][36]
  • Living Hope Ministries, a Texas partner church of the Antioch Movement, Antioch Waco, Antioch Community Church Bryan, Antioch Norman, and All Peoples Church (San Diego), committed to curing same sex attraction (SSA) and heavily criticized for their (now banned) gay conversion therapy web app.[37][38]
  • Acts of Mercy International, "Acts of Mercy is the relief and development arm of the Antioch International Movement of Churches."[39]
  • STARS Mentoring Project[40]
  • Restoration Gateway, a church planting and orphanage project located in Uganda[41][42]
  • Haiti Transformed, a ministry committed to partner with the Haitian people to see their region transformed and redeveloped located in Laforeny, Haiti.[43] In 2011, Haiti Transformed constructed over 100 homes in Laferony, over 30 of which were completed through a partnership with the Passion Movement.[44]
  • World Mandate, a conference “for anyone who wants to worship God and change the world[45]” World Mandate is a popular conference typically hosted at Baylor University's Ferrell Center (when available, which was not the case in 2016). The event is known for its live worship and popular conference speakers, which have included Francis Chan, Louie Giglio, Christine Caine, Max Lucado, and Jackie Pullinger. The conference began in 1989 with 60 people and now draws thousands of attendees.[46] World Mandate focuses on encouraging young people to pray and engage with international missionary work.[47]
  • UnBound is an anti-slavery and anti-trafficking ministry headquartered at Antioch Waco and has local chapters around the world. The organisation specializes in prevention, professional training, and survivor advocacy.[48]

Social activities

Antioch is socially active. The church believes in the transformational power of Christ's teachings not simply within the church walls, but also for the betterment of society. Antioch's social activities include:

  • Racial reconciliation conversations and teachings[49][50][51]
  • Aid work amongst migrants and displaced peoples[52]
  • Feeding programs for underserved populations[53]
  • Fighting human trafficking in America and around the world[54][55][56]
  • Mentoring of students who attend under-resourced local schools[57]

Antioch maintains a broad base of relationships with many other Evangelical Churches in the Christian World.

Recognitions

Antioch Community Church has been recognized as a "Best Christian Workplace" by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute [58]

Controversies

Illegal overseas missionary work

Antioch International actively sends missionaries in secret to countries and places that are dangerous and hostile to Christianity. A well-known result of this is Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry's arrest in the Middle East due to the illegality of evangelism in Afghanistan in 2001. The charge placed upon Mercer and Curry was "preaching Christianity in the strict Islamic state."[59] At the time of Antioch's work in the nation, the Taliban controlled 90% of Afghanistan.[60] Afghanistan is a country that has been identified as having a lack of protection of religious freedoms by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.[61][62] Internationally, their public listing claims "more than 80 additional locations worldwide" despite listing only 7. The remaining international churches are unlisted.[63]

Stance against homosexuality and gay marriage

Antioch recognizes marriage as only between "the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime."[64] Furthermore Seibert has emphasized "if someone were to say, 'Marriage is defined in a different way,' let me just say: They are wrong," Seibert follows up, "...Homosexuality is a sin" and that it is a lie that homosexuality is not a sin.[65] He attributes most homosexuality a result of some type of physical, sexual, mental abuse. Seibert's hardline stance had proven to be so controversial, HGTV celebrities Chip and Joanna Gaines from the show Fixer Upper, who attend the church, released a statement on it.[66][67] Seibert stated in a telephone interview, "for over 30 years — I have seen hundreds of people personally change their direction of same-sex attraction from a homosexual lifestyle to a heterosexual lifestyle."[68] It has been reported a psychologist in Waco meets regularly with a group of self-described “Antioch survivors," noting former members' stories of crises of faith after being made to feel unwelcome by the church, either for life decisions (declining to go on a mission) or for their identity (coming out as gay)[69]

Pastor charged with prostitution

In 2018 Pastor Edward Ignacio Espinosa was arrested on a Class B misdemeanor prostitution charge after he paid for sexual acts at a local massage parlor in a human trafficking sting operation. After confessing his crime, Pastor Espinosa was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. He was later allowed to resign. He had been a pastor at Antioch Waco for eight years.[70]

Children and spanking

In their book, Parenting without Regrets, Jimmy Seibert and Laura Seibert support spanking as a means for child discipline.[71]

Pro-Life stance in opposition to Planned Parenthood

Jimmy Seibert has been listed endorsing a pro-life movement against the Texas Department of State Health Services, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. These full page ads are paid for by Carenet Pregnancy Center.[72][73]

Alternative treatment for mental health

Antioch Waco encourages its members to join non-medical non-professional Grace Alliance "groups" to receive and provide general wellness therapy as an alternative to "overloaded" local mental health care professionals. Such individuals struggling with mental health issues mentioned range from minor lack of sleep to thoughts of suicide, long term sufferers of depression. The program anticipates catering to individuals who haven’t been educated about professional services or cannot afford them. While professional mental healthcare is still encouraged, their stated intent is for a community of people that will "fill in the gaps" for the mental health care system and professionals.[74] These groups follow a workbook and curriculum which subjects pay for. Grace Alliance group's disclaimer reads: "All Grace Alliance resources and programs are designed to improve overall wellness and are proven to provide positive benefits when used in conjunction with professional therapy. Grace Alliance materials are not professional mental health or medical resources and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any mental or physical disorder or replace treatment services of mental health or medical professionals. The use of Grace Alliance resources in personal or small group context is the sole discretion of the user. The Grace Alliance highly encourages the user to seek mental health and medical professional care for any ongoing personal challenges."[75]

Conflict over All People's Church project

In 2018, All People’s Church (APC) purchased the six-acre property to build a permanent church for its congregation and plans were submitted to the city to construct a building with offices, a gym and a meeting hall that could hold 900 parishioners in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Del Cerro, in San Diego. At a special meeting of the Del Cerro Action Council, pushback by the Del Cerro community was immediate, with residents again concerned about traffic issues and possible uses for a such building like a school or daycare facility. A majority of those attending the meeting voiced opposition to the project and accused those in support of the project of being either church members or employees.[76]

Antioch Salt Lake City leaders step down

In 2018 lead pastors, JR & Brittany Baker, disagreed with specific parts of the doctrine, values, and ethos of the Antioch Movement and of Antioch SLC. It became clear during their last handful of months that they were in process with their convictions. Namely, Antioch's beliefs on homosexuality as sin, overfocus on sin, being the "best and the top," rather than being humble and encountering Jesus.[77] Due to this, out of a heart to serve the church and to see it move forward with unity and clarity of vision, the Bakers made the decision to step down as Lead Pastors of Antioch SLC.[78]

Mosaic-Neumos fallout dispute

In 2008, a church plant of Antioch Community Church called Mosaic Community Church was characterized as "forcefully" inserting itself into the Capital Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. Initially, the nightclub Neumos had agreed to rent out their space to the church. While Pastor Jady Griffin stated that his church is "open to everyone," several members of the MCC revealed that gays would not be accepted at the church. After local nightclub owners and residents had discovered what they viewed as Mosaic's vague, misleading, and ultimately "homophobic" beliefs, the nightclub has since denied the church plant's lease and have severed all ties.[79][80]

Allegations

Unethical proselytization

In 2005, after the tsunami in Sri Lanka, workers from Antioch Community Church were sent under the guise of a purely humanitarian aid group. However, once they arrived they were accused of heavy overt proselytization by some Indonesian and United States religious leaders, including Rev. Sarangika Fernando, a local Methodist minister in Indonesia, who witnessed one of the prayer sessions in Sri Lanka and accused Antioch Community Church of acting unethically with traumatized people. Specifically, Antioch workers responding to the crisis shared their Christian beliefs and prayed for Sri Lankans while helping to rebuild homes. Their actions prompted concern over potentially violent backlash from a religiously tense Buddhist population. Other humanitarian camps viewed their actions as being inappropriate and barred them for their actions. This mixing of gospel-sharing and giving aid was seen as exploitative even by some local Indonesian Christian leaders. Another article from India parallels Antioch's church planting efforts with western colonialism.[81][82]

Cult accusations

There have been many reviews and personal testimonials on blogs and articles that accuse Antioch International Ministries and Antioch Waco of being a cult. One former member outlines brainwashing techniques, manipulation, strict rules, and people with their own "Antioch lingo" code speak. She describes being part of a certain target audience that Antioch will "prey" upon: young, seeking, vulnerable, on the "fringes."[83] In her blog, another former member has described her experience as "toxic" and "abusive."[84] One journalist even staked her career on the dangers of Antioch.[85] It also reports a psychologist in town meets regularly with a group of self-described “Antioch survivors," noting former members' stories of crises of faith after being made to feel unwelcome by the church, either for life decisions (declining to go on a mission) or for their identity (coming out as gay).[86]

Forced exorcism

Former member Becky Oberg alleges she was kicked out of the Antioch Community church in the late ’90s after she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. “They thought I was possessed by a demon,” says Becky, adding that church leaders told her it was her fault and tried to treat her with an exorcism. “They pinned me to my floor and yelled for Satan to leave. They want you to confess your sin and be healed or cast out the demons.” However, in an interview, Seibert denied this and goes on to say they don’t use the term “exorcism” but they do recognize “demonic oppression.”[87]

Gentrification criticism

With church planting and expansionism as part of the core values of Antioch Waco, along with their close association with celebrity home renovation and redecoration entrepreneurs Chip and Joanna Gains, Antioch has been accused and criticized for heavily gentrifying their surrounding neighborhoods. Antioch Movement’s All Peoples Church is currently in the process of a contentious battle to plant themselves in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Del Cerro, in San Diego. All People’s Pastor Robert Herber, has empathetically spoken about a “revival” of the city, and specifically referenced the “Jews of Del Cerro”. Capitalizing on church networking as a means for creating internal upward mobility. On one expansionist project, Antioch intends to spend $11 million dollars on infrastructure alone.[88] The Waco neighborhood, in particular, has been in focus, where journalist Anne Helen Petersen argues that Waco's diversity is not reflected in Antioch Community Church's White majority makeup.[89][90]

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