Your child joined an ICC or RCW campus ministry. Start here.

What may be happening

Many students first meet the International Christian Church (ICC) or the Restored Church Worldwide (RCW) through a friendly invitation: a Bible study, a campus event, a dinner. Studies can come quickly, sometimes several a week, often leading toward baptism. New members are usually paired with a more experienced member, called a discipler, who meets with them often.

Many healthy churches hold Bible studies and offer real community. But people who have gotten involved with these groups often notice a key difference, and it is the degree: how much time is expected, how much a discipler weighs in on personal decisions, and how the church comes to be seen as the only safe place to be.

Who the ICC and RCW are

The ICC was founded by Kip McKean, who earlier led the International Churches of Christ (ICOC). In 2024 the ICC disfellowshipped McKean, and a group of its churches split away to form the RCW, where McKean is now a member. Local congregations usually carry a city name, such as "[City] International Christian Church" or "Restored Church [City]," so the connection to the wider movement is not always obvious from the name.

For the full background, read Who Are the ICC and RCW?. One common mix-up: the RCW is not the Restored Church of God, an unrelated church.

What universities and reporters have said

You do not have to take our word for any of this. Here is what others have published:

• The University of Southern California lists the ICC on its page of groups students should approach with caution.
• In June 2025, The University Times reported that Trinity College Dublin had warned students about the Dublin International Christian Church.
• A reporter at N.C. State found students who said RCW leaders told them to disregard their parents, asked one to move in with members, and told him he could date only within the church.
• Former London and Edinburgh ICC members who joined as students told BBC News they felt pressured to give money they didn't have.
• Former members told Rolling Stone that disciplers directed their dating, dress and giving.

Each of these is summarized, with links to the original reporting, in our On the Record section.

What this is not

Your child is very likely sincere. Many people in these churches love God, love each other, and joined because they were looking for something real. Treating them as foolish or brainwashed usually pushes them further in. The goal is not to win an argument. It is to stay close enough that your child can always come home, in every sense.

If you pray, a verse goes with each step below to help you hold steady. For the long road: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12).

Your first three steps

1. Stay in touch on their terms. Text, call, visit. Keep it warm and ordinary. Talk about their classes, their friends, the dog. Contact that always turns to church will start to feel like pressure. Love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (1 Corinthians 13:7).
2. Get curious before you get worried. Ask what they love about the church. Listen to the answer. You will learn more from a relaxed conversation than from anything you read online, including this site. "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19).
3. Learn quietly. Read about the ICC and RCW on your own time. You do not need to share what you find yet. Knowing the background will help you ask better questions later. The Bereans were praised because they "examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11).

Then read How to stay close to your child in the RCW or ICC for what helps and what tends to backfire.

Common questions

Is the ICC or RCW a cult? In our view, yes. By any common meaning of the word, we believe both are high-control religious groups. Be careful about leading with that word with your child, though. These churches know many people call them a cult, and they have a ready answer for it: members are taught to see the charge as proof they are being persecuted for the truth. To understand how they frame it, read Is criticism of the church persecution?. What we can say for certain is that several universities have cautioned students about these churches, and former members have described heavy control over time, relationships and money. Ultimately, you can read their accounts and decide for yourself.

My child seems happier than ever. Should I still be concerned? Happiness is real and worth celebrating. It is also common in the first weeks and months of joining any close community. Over time, more and more will be expected. Members are taught to put "church first" and to treat the church as their spiritual family, often above their physical one. Read Spiritual family over physical family to see how this is taught. As that expectation grows, it will start to pull your child away from their own friendships, their studies and their freedom to make personal decisions.

Should I tell my child to leave? In our view, yes, eventually. But timing and approach are everything, so read the situation carefully. In many cases it is better not to say it right away. Demands tend to force a choice between you and the church. New members are often taught to expect that kind of opposition and to see it as "persecution." They are also taught to tell their discipler about it right away, and the discipler will often use the moment to draw them in further. A steady, loving relationship gives your child a safe place to land when the pressure, exhaustion and anxiety begin to build, and they usually do. If you are close, you will be able to sense when the time is right to say more. We also encourage you to visit the church yourself. One of the first things your child may say is, "You don't understand. You've never been there." Having been there takes that argument away.

Is the RCW the same as the Restored Church of God? No. The Restored Church Worldwide grew out of a 2024 split in the ICC. The Restored Church of God is a separate church with a different history.

Who can I write to? You can write to us and choose "I'm a parent." No real name is needed. If you are worried about your child's safety or mental health, please also contact a licensed counselor or, in a crisis, local emergency services.