Hello and welcome to my web page. My name is James but in some places I am known as "preacher james". You can see my videos on youtube.com. I am a former pastor of a UCC (United Church of Christ) church in Goltry, OK (just NW of Enid). I am now with a Word of Faith church in Stillwater, and feel that I am called to be a Bible Teacher. If you are interested in having me come to your church to speak, my number is listed above.
By the way I am a former member of the International Churches of Christ. That's what this web page used to be about. There are some things that the ICOC does right, but yet there are other areas (especially in church governance that I have a problem with) that I would hope that they would change. I hope this helps you to grow as a person, and to question some of the traditions that we as a society hold to.
I need to work on this website; please stay tuned.
I have a new blog! Well I started it, and then didn't keep up with it. But from now on I am going to try to blog at least once a week. Please forgive me for not updating this, I'm having problems with my computer. The website is preacherjames.blogspot.com.
THEOLOGY (a much simplified version, will expand this later)
God is our Creator, and our loving Father. It is a shame that some are trying to get rid of the word "Father" from the church vocabulary, but in the our world of political correctness, that is the case.
Jesus Christ is the only one that can save us from our sins; there is no other Savior.
Stay tuned, there is much more work to do on my web page.
SUPPORT GROUP
Support group for former members of cults, high-demand groups, or spiritually abusive groups. The support group provides a safe place to discuss personal experience as a former member, a nonjudgmental group of peers, and basic educational information about cultic groups. The group meets on the 4th Saturday of the month from 3-5 pm in Dallas, Texas. Call 214-607-1065 or e-mail at info@dallascult.com for more information.
I have videos on youtube.com. The channel is listed under preacherjames34. There isn't anything special about the number 34, except for the fact that I started making movies several years ago when I was 34 years old.
Cool web pages.
World Congregational Fellowship Church
As my web page changes and evolves I am trying to be more positive. At the same time as long as there are churches out there who insist that they have all of the answers and that their group is the only ones going to heaven I must speak up and say something.
How did I get the nickname "preacher James"?
The story behind the nickname "preacher James" is that when I was at Oklahoma State there was a guy named "preacher Bob" and he would tell sorority girls and cheerleaders that they were "whores", and that frat guys were "whoremongers". He believed that girls had to wear long dresses and have long hair. Bob also said that only the KJV version of the bible was real, and he had a whole list of other rules. He was very legalistic and extremely conservative. I had enough of his junk and I started to preach outside too. I never drew the crowds of hecklers. The people that would stay and listen were the ones who had real problems and they needed someone to talk. So that's how I started as a preacher. Eventually, the student newspaper "the Daily O'Collegian" asked me to write editorials for them as well. So it was during my time at Oklahoma St. that I earned the nickname "preacher James".
PUBLIC STAND ON INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES OF CHRIST AND INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Here is my formal stand on the ICOC and the new ICC. I believe that the older group has made some changes that are good. I believe that both sides should stop fighting and apologize to one another for the things that have happened over the last few years.
I have updated this section based on what I have learned recently. I would encourage any ICOC leader who does not have theological training at a seminary to attend classes. I would also mention that advice should be advice, and not an order. The most effective leadership is by influence, not by controlling people. I see the ICOC as moving in the right direction. I consider them a conservative church, and not a cult.
I personally have communicated with Kip McKean online and he says that he wants to change, HOWEVER, there are already people who are ex-members of the new ICC group who said that they were mistreated. If I were you, I would avoid the new ICC - International Christian Church, AT ALL COSTS! It is still the works based stuff that Kip preached about before.
For more information about the ICC go to my link to the REVEAL site. I have put links to their new organization (International Christian Church) at the bottom as well. You can go there and make up your own mind. I am not here to tell you how to think, I want you to think for yourself.
Also, there is a specific web page that talks about Kip McKean and his history with the ICOC and now the ICC. The web page is at www.kipmckean.com
WEB SITES THAT I ENDORSE:
World Congregational Fellowship Church
www.bible.com - YouVersion Bible online. There is also an app, look on iTunes or Google Play.
MY TESTIMONY:
To read my testimony please click here
If you want more info about abusive religious groups, I suggest you read "Combatting Cult Mind Control" by Steve Hassan, or "Cults in our Midst" by Margaret Singer. If you want to write me and ask questions, that isn't a problem either.
for information about cults and other abusive churches
www.exmormon.org - great testimonies from former mormons
Note: The ICOC is not the same thing as the ICC anymore.
www.portlandchurch.org - this is the home of the new organization - the International Christian Church. It was started by Kip McKean but he is now in LA. He is once again the "World Missions Evangelist", a title he held once when he led the ICOC.
www.caicc.net - the new LA International Christian Church. This is the new church that Kip McKean is now leading.
www.chicagoicc.org - the new Chicago International Christian Church.
www.eugenesaints.org - The Eugene International Christian Church.
www.kipmckean.com - This is a great page all about Kip McKean, the new World Missions Evangelist of the International Christian Church.
by the way did I mention that Kip McKean is the new World Missions Evangelist of the International Christian Church? I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.
www.disciplestoday - the International Church Of Christ page.I wanted to be fair and put the link to the ICOC page here. That way you can hear their side of it. The ICOC has made changes and they are trying to do what is right.
www.xjw.com - Jehovah's Witnesses
www.newcovpub.com They focus on the Moonies and the ICOC (the info about the ICOC is old, things are different now).
www.exscientologist.com - Scientology
Counter COG - Children of God group - started by Moses David Berg
There is a great book out called "Heaven's Harlot's" by Miriam Williams if you want to read more about the COG group. These women were actually having sex for money and then giving the money to Moses David Berg, all in the name of God. I applaud her efforts to get the story out about this group. For information about cults in general, here are a few sites.
www.freedomofmind.orgThe freedom of mind one is Steve Hassan's site. He is an ex-moonie.
